terrifying thought that she was not descended from Ned and Allegra. She arrived at the pool room. When she opened the door, the distinctive scent of chlorine and the hot dampness of evaporating water would envelop her. Genevieve would play ballet with her class. “It’s
Swan Lake!”
she would cry. “Arms sweep up! Arms curve down.” For a moment, all motion would be graceful. “It’s
Coppelia!
We’re mechanical dolls! Tiptoe forward! Tiptoe back!”
When she was a girl, GeeGee had loved ballet. She had attended ballet classes in the city for decades and had taken her great-granddaughter to many a performance.
And if I’m not her great-granddaughter? thought Genevieve.
GeeGee might take the news in stride. Age gave perspective. But if you have staked your all on one child and that child isn’tyours after all, and the parents of that child have been lying for years …
How had Ned and Allegra gotten away with it? If Allegra had not been pregnant but suddenly had a baby, everybody from her employer to her grandmother-in-law would have known it wasn’t hers.
Genevieve walked into the pool room.
The smile that told Genevieve she was the most welcome person on earth transformed GeeGee’s wrinkled face.
I’m going to sob, thought Genevieve. Just like Claire sobbed.
Am I just like Claire?
Exactly, precisely, identically like Claire?
She kissed her great-grandmother and stepped out of her jeans.
Her ancient “swimmers” invariably felt the pool water ought to be warmer, so Genevieve pleased them by jumping into the pool and shrieking, “Aaaaaah!” as if she too were shocked by the cold, although actually the water was annoyingly warm. Genevieve projected her voice to fill the cavernous room and to overcome the deafness suffered by her entire group. “Let’s all jog in place for a minute! Remember to breathe!”
The seniors laughed, since taking one’s last breath was a big worry in this crowd.
“If you hold your breath because it makes exercise seem easier,” Genevieve said for the umpteenth time, “your blood pressure will rise.”
Everybody had a noodle, a long plump foam ribbon to help with balance. The noodles were green and yellow and pink and blue. “Rainbow!” called Genevieve, and up went the noodlesto form brightly colored arcs in the air. The class stretched left and then they stretched right.
A few summers ago, with both her parents out of town on business trips, Genevieve had amused herself by going through every drawer of the desk and three bureaus in her parents’ bedroom. Doesn’t every kid do the same? Genevieve had not expected to find treasure or secrets; she just wanted to know what was there.
Jewelry. A stash of cash. Old programs and ticket stubs. Lists. Old passports. Birth certificates, including her own. She couldn’t remember it now, so it must have listed Ned and Allegra Candler as her parents, and Genevieve as their baby, or she would have noticed.
I’m not adopted after all, she realized. These parents who are so unparental are my parents. Whoever Missy and Claire are, I’m not related to them. I don’t have sisters.
She leaped into action so she wouldn’t weep. “Crosscountry!” she shouted. “Pretend you’re on skis! Lunge forward! Let’s try to do twenty! Let’s do a countdown! Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen! Lucille, you can’t drop out yet!”
Lucille yelled, “I’m ninety! I can drop out whenever I want!”
“Not in my class!” yelled Genevieve. “I’m the commander here! Keep up the pace!”
They were all laughing.
I only saw Claire crying, thought Genevieve. I only saw Missy excited. I want to see their smiles. I want to hear them laugh.
Her body exploded. She churned the water, making wavesand whirlpools. I want to see them. I want to be in the same room with Missy and Claire.
Once I see them, I’ll know.
Do I have sisters?
Am I adopted?
I’ll know.
* * *
Genevieve’s walk home was peaceful and familiar. A pleasantly
Swan Lake!”
she would cry. “Arms sweep up! Arms curve down.” For a moment, all motion would be graceful. “It’s
Coppelia!
We’re mechanical dolls! Tiptoe forward! Tiptoe back!”
When she was a girl, GeeGee had loved ballet. She had attended ballet classes in the city for decades and had taken her great-granddaughter to many a performance.
And if I’m not her great-granddaughter? thought Genevieve.
GeeGee might take the news in stride. Age gave perspective. But if you have staked your all on one child and that child isn’tyours after all, and the parents of that child have been lying for years …
How had Ned and Allegra gotten away with it? If Allegra had not been pregnant but suddenly had a baby, everybody from her employer to her grandmother-in-law would have known it wasn’t hers.
Genevieve walked into the pool room.
The smile that told Genevieve she was the most welcome person on earth transformed GeeGee’s wrinkled face.
I’m going to sob, thought Genevieve. Just like Claire sobbed.
Am I just like Claire?
Exactly, precisely, identically like Claire?
She kissed her great-grandmother and stepped out of her jeans.
Her ancient “swimmers” invariably felt the pool water ought to be warmer, so Genevieve pleased them by jumping into the pool and shrieking, “Aaaaaah!” as if she too were shocked by the cold, although actually the water was annoyingly warm. Genevieve projected her voice to fill the cavernous room and to overcome the deafness suffered by her entire group. “Let’s all jog in place for a minute! Remember to breathe!”
The seniors laughed, since taking one’s last breath was a big worry in this crowd.
“If you hold your breath because it makes exercise seem easier,” Genevieve said for the umpteenth time, “your blood pressure will rise.”
Everybody had a noodle, a long plump foam ribbon to help with balance. The noodles were green and yellow and pink and blue. “Rainbow!” called Genevieve, and up went the noodlesto form brightly colored arcs in the air. The class stretched left and then they stretched right.
A few summers ago, with both her parents out of town on business trips, Genevieve had amused herself by going through every drawer of the desk and three bureaus in her parents’ bedroom. Doesn’t every kid do the same? Genevieve had not expected to find treasure or secrets; she just wanted to know what was there.
Jewelry. A stash of cash. Old programs and ticket stubs. Lists. Old passports. Birth certificates, including her own. She couldn’t remember it now, so it must have listed Ned and Allegra Candler as her parents, and Genevieve as their baby, or she would have noticed.
I’m not adopted after all, she realized. These parents who are so unparental are my parents. Whoever Missy and Claire are, I’m not related to them. I don’t have sisters.
She leaped into action so she wouldn’t weep. “Crosscountry!” she shouted. “Pretend you’re on skis! Lunge forward! Let’s try to do twenty! Let’s do a countdown! Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen! Lucille, you can’t drop out yet!”
Lucille yelled, “I’m ninety! I can drop out whenever I want!”
“Not in my class!” yelled Genevieve. “I’m the commander here! Keep up the pace!”
They were all laughing.
I only saw Claire crying, thought Genevieve. I only saw Missy excited. I want to see their smiles. I want to hear them laugh.
Her body exploded. She churned the water, making wavesand whirlpools. I want to see them. I want to be in the same room with Missy and Claire.
Once I see them, I’ll know.
Do I have sisters?
Am I adopted?
I’ll know.
* * *
Genevieve’s walk home was peaceful and familiar. A pleasantly
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