thing.”
“And?”
The older lady still looked a little uptight. “It was your ex-husband again!”
Francine was almost afraid to ask. “And what was it this time? Was he still slurring his words?”
“No, as a matter of fact he sounded pretty normal. He said something I didn’t quite understand, but he said that you would.”
“I’m listening?” Francine was almost ready to scream if Mrs.‘T’ didn’t get to the point.
“He said he was going to take care of things. I thought it sounded a bit like a threat.”
Francine heaved a huge sigh of relief. “No, that’s okay. He was just confirming that he would be taking care of something personal that I asked him to do.”
Mrs.‘T’ looked relieved. “Well, that’s okay, then, I guess,” she patted the back of Francine’s hand. “Let’s get you a nice cup of coffee.”
“That would be nice.” Francine was still in shock to a degree that Steve had called yet again, but a part of her heart rejoiced in the fact that it sounded on the face of it as though he was now finally ready to make an effort to get help.
Sitting back with a welcome drink, she started to set out in her mind the hectic schedule that now lay ahead with the trip to Monte Carlo now looming closer by the minute.
Even before Francine had finished her coffee, the phone was ringing. It was an inquisitive Yvette on the line.
“So, my darling, how did it go?”
Francine grinned at her Mother’s concern. “Well, let me put it this way, we didn’t disgrace ourselves and the newspapers,” she added quickly. “Well, at least the New York Times, were kind to us!”
Yvette was bubbling with enthusiasm at the other end. “But darling, that’s fabulous! So, what now?”
Francine wasn’t being sidetracked, no matter how upbeat she felt personally. “Before we get to that, Mom, what about you? How did the visit with the Specialist go?”
Yvette sounded enthusiastic. “Pretty well, I think. He’s looking at possible medication to begin with and hoping to avoid chemo.”
“Really? That’s great!” she was almost afraid to ask. “And what about you and Daddy?”
“What about us?” Yvette sounded slightly evasive.
“You know what I mean, Mom. Have you forgiven him yet?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Yvette replied, choosing her words very carefully. “Let me put it this way, he’s on probation.”
“And does he realize this?”
Yvette gave a half chuckle. “Well, my darling, I never had so much attention lavished on me for years!”
Francine interjected. “That’s because he loves you so much, Mom,” and then she added quickly. “Now, I hope you’re not stringing him out as a punishment before you give in?”
Yvette tried to sound indignant but failed miserably. “Who me?”
Francine shook her head in disdain. “Just like a couple of kids, the pair of you. So, when did you last see him?”
“Last night.”
“And?”
“And we had dinner, that’s all.”
Francine grinned in relief. “Well, that’s a start, now don’t you make him wait too long, okay?”
“I’ll think about it. Well, I’ve got to go, darling, I’m being picked up for lunch in 5 minutes.”
“You are? By who?”
“Oh, just your father!” Yvette chuckled wickedly again.
“Mother!” was all Francine could come up with, but inwardly she was rejoicing at the apparent reconciliation that seemed to be under way with her parents.
CHAPTER 20
By eight thirty next morning, Francine was already at the workshop and things were hectic to say the least. When she walked through the door, the phone was ringing off the wall with follow-up orders from New York, Thelma was scribbling down messages and Vince was heading swiftly towards one of his favorite tantrums. This time it was in conversation with the Dallas Morning News Fashion Editor.
“Yes, I know, Henrietta. Yes, yes, we value your coverage, but Francine only just walked through the door and the phone’s
“And?”
The older lady still looked a little uptight. “It was your ex-husband again!”
Francine was almost afraid to ask. “And what was it this time? Was he still slurring his words?”
“No, as a matter of fact he sounded pretty normal. He said something I didn’t quite understand, but he said that you would.”
“I’m listening?” Francine was almost ready to scream if Mrs.‘T’ didn’t get to the point.
“He said he was going to take care of things. I thought it sounded a bit like a threat.”
Francine heaved a huge sigh of relief. “No, that’s okay. He was just confirming that he would be taking care of something personal that I asked him to do.”
Mrs.‘T’ looked relieved. “Well, that’s okay, then, I guess,” she patted the back of Francine’s hand. “Let’s get you a nice cup of coffee.”
“That would be nice.” Francine was still in shock to a degree that Steve had called yet again, but a part of her heart rejoiced in the fact that it sounded on the face of it as though he was now finally ready to make an effort to get help.
Sitting back with a welcome drink, she started to set out in her mind the hectic schedule that now lay ahead with the trip to Monte Carlo now looming closer by the minute.
Even before Francine had finished her coffee, the phone was ringing. It was an inquisitive Yvette on the line.
“So, my darling, how did it go?”
Francine grinned at her Mother’s concern. “Well, let me put it this way, we didn’t disgrace ourselves and the newspapers,” she added quickly. “Well, at least the New York Times, were kind to us!”
Yvette was bubbling with enthusiasm at the other end. “But darling, that’s fabulous! So, what now?”
Francine wasn’t being sidetracked, no matter how upbeat she felt personally. “Before we get to that, Mom, what about you? How did the visit with the Specialist go?”
Yvette sounded enthusiastic. “Pretty well, I think. He’s looking at possible medication to begin with and hoping to avoid chemo.”
“Really? That’s great!” she was almost afraid to ask. “And what about you and Daddy?”
“What about us?” Yvette sounded slightly evasive.
“You know what I mean, Mom. Have you forgiven him yet?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Yvette replied, choosing her words very carefully. “Let me put it this way, he’s on probation.”
“And does he realize this?”
Yvette gave a half chuckle. “Well, my darling, I never had so much attention lavished on me for years!”
Francine interjected. “That’s because he loves you so much, Mom,” and then she added quickly. “Now, I hope you’re not stringing him out as a punishment before you give in?”
Yvette tried to sound indignant but failed miserably. “Who me?”
Francine shook her head in disdain. “Just like a couple of kids, the pair of you. So, when did you last see him?”
“Last night.”
“And?”
“And we had dinner, that’s all.”
Francine grinned in relief. “Well, that’s a start, now don’t you make him wait too long, okay?”
“I’ll think about it. Well, I’ve got to go, darling, I’m being picked up for lunch in 5 minutes.”
“You are? By who?”
“Oh, just your father!” Yvette chuckled wickedly again.
“Mother!” was all Francine could come up with, but inwardly she was rejoicing at the apparent reconciliation that seemed to be under way with her parents.
CHAPTER 20
By eight thirty next morning, Francine was already at the workshop and things were hectic to say the least. When she walked through the door, the phone was ringing off the wall with follow-up orders from New York, Thelma was scribbling down messages and Vince was heading swiftly towards one of his favorite tantrums. This time it was in conversation with the Dallas Morning News Fashion Editor.
“Yes, I know, Henrietta. Yes, yes, we value your coverage, but Francine only just walked through the door and the phone’s
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