Changes by Danielle Steel Page B

sixteen in July.”
    “Both of them?” Pam was confused.
    “They're twins.” Melanie smiled.
    “They are? That's neat! Do they look alike?”
    “Not at all. They're fraternal twins.”
    “I thought that just meant they were boys.”
    Mel smiled again and Pam blushed. “That means they're not identical twins, but it is a confusing term.”
    “What are they like?” She was fascinated by Mel's twins.
    “Like sixteen-year-old girls.” Mel laughed. “They keep me on my toes. One's a redhead like me, and the other one is a blonde. Their names are Jessica and Valerie, and they love to go out to dances and they have lots of friends.”
    “Where do you live?” Peter was watching the exchange intently but he said nothing at all.
    “In New York. In a little town house.” She smiled at Peter then. “It's very different than this.” And then she turned back to Pam. “You have a beautiful house, and it must be nice to have a pool.”
    “It's okay.” She looked unenthused as she shrugged. “It's either full of my brother's obnoxious friends, or Matthew's peeing in it.” She sounded annoyed and Mel laughed but Peter was not amused.
    “Pam! That's not something to say, and it's not true.”
    “It is so. The little brat did it an hour ago, as soon as Mrs. Hahn went inside. Right from the edge of the pool too. At least he could do it while he's swimming around.” Mel had to suppress the laughter she felt and Peter blushed.
    “I'll say something to Matt.”
    “Mark's friends probably do it too.” It was obvious that she didn't enjoy either of the boys, and then she went to hunt for a suit for Mel, and came back with a white one-piece bathing suit she thought might fit. Mel thanked her and looked around again.
    “You really have a lovely room, Pam.”
    “My mom did it for me just before …” Her words trailed off and there was something desperately sad in her eyes and then she looked at Peter defiantly. “It's the only room in this house that's all mine.” It seemed an odd thing to say and Mel felt for her. She seemed so unhappy and so much at odds with them all. It was as though she couldn't show them her pain, only the anger she felt instead, as though they were all responsible for taking Anne from her.
    “It must be a nice room to share with your friends.” Mel found herself thinking of her own girls, and their friends who sat around on the floor of their rooms, listening to records, talking about boys, laughing and giggling and sharing secrets with each other, which they eventually always shared with Mel. They seemed very different from this awkward, hostile girl, with the body of a woman and the mind of a child. It was obviously a very difficult time for her, and Mel could see that Peter had a lot on his hands. No wonder he tried to come home early every day. With a six-year-old child hungering for love, a teen-ager of the older boy's age to watch over, and an adolescent girl as unhappy as this one was, the household needed more than just a housekeeper's care, it needed a father and a mother too. She understood now why Peter felt such a desperate need to be there for them all, and why he felt at times that he was inadequate to the task. Not that he was, but they all needed a great deal from him, and even something more than that, at least this child did. Melanie found herself wanting to reach out to her, to hold her close, to tell her that eventually everything would be all right. And as though sensing Mel's thoughts, Pam suddenly stepped back from her.
    “Well, I'll see you downstairs in a while.” It was her invitation to them to leave. And Peter walked slowly to the door.
    “Are you coming downstairs, Pam?”
    “Yeah.” But she didn't sound too sure.
    “I don't think you ought to spend the afternoon in your room.” He sounded firm but she looked as though she were inclined to argue with him, and Melanie didn't envy him his role with her. She wasn't an easy child to deal with, at least not at the