Free Nothing But Trouble by Bettye Griffin Page A

here. It turned out to be a bust, so I made an excuse and got out of there. I figured I’d stop in and say hello before I went back to my hotel.”
    â€œYou all ready to move?”
    â€œAll set. I’m flying to West Palm tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got a van reserved to drive back. Daddy’s going to help me load a few things. I’ll be back in Jacksonville early Saturday afternoon. Do you think Michael and the boys can help me get my stuff up the stairs at Dana’s? It’ll only take about half an hour.”
    â€œI’m sure they can.” Cécile looked at her sister thoughtfully. “Michie ... I hope you’re going to be a responsible tenant. Dana is counting on it.”
    Micheline bent and put Eleith down. Josie, Monet, and Gaby hovered nearby. “Hey kids, why don’t you go back to what you were doing, and I’ll be in to see you in a minute, okay?” She waited a moment while the children departed, then turned back to Cécile. “Don’t worry,” she said coldly. “I’m not going to embarrass you.”
    â€œI’m not so much worried about being embarrassed as I am about Dana’s finances getting messed up because Jones New York is having a sale.”
    Micheline met Cécile’s cool stare. “I told Mama not to tell you about that.”
    â€œShe was worried you’d be evicted.”
    â€œThat was a long time ago. I’m expecting a large bonus very soon. I can go on a shopping spree and still pay my rent.”
    Something about the smug way Micheline raised her chin made Cécile suspicious about the origin of the bonus she bragged about. It came to her suddenly. “That was a lie about being laid off, wasn’t it?”
    â€œNo, it wasn’t. I did get laid off. I just worked out a more favorable separation package than your average ex-employee.”
    â€œI can just imagine,” Cécile remarked, her voice dry as hay.
    Micheline’s smile faded. She spun around gracefully and walked off in the direction of the girls’ room.
    Cécile decided to go back to work. She was engrossed in another applicant’s test when she heard approaching footsteps behind her.
    â€œThere you are,” Micheline said cheerily. She glanced around at the work area and the family photos on the wall. “Isn’t this cute.”
    Cécile could tell she didn’t mean it and was just being facetious. Her jaw grew rigid. Only her promise to her mother and the nearby presence of her children made her keep her temper in check.
    â€œMama does her sewing here,” Josie volunteered.
    â€œAnd her tran ... transcription, too,” Monet added.
    â€œGetting ready to go?” Cécile asked, hoping her bright tone covered how badly she wanted Micheline to leave.
    â€œYeah, time to head on back to the hotel.”
    â€œAuntie Michie, you never stay long when you come to see us,” Gaby sulked.
    â€œThat’s because I’ve got a lot going on. You guys know I love you. Besides, you’re going to see me again on Saturday.”
    â€œI’ll walk you out,” Cécile offered.
    But Micheline had picked up a framed photo. “Oh, how lovely!” she exclaimed.
    Cécile smiled warmly at the studio portrait of Michael with his jacket-and-tie-clad sons, Jonathan and Damon, as well as Monet, wearing a beige flowered dress with a big lace collar. “That’s the picture Michael had taken the day we met at the studio. Here’s the one the girls and I had done that day.” She handed Micheline the heavy ceramic frame containing one of the poses she had taken with Josie, Gaby, and Eleith, in the maroon velvet dresses she had just gotten out of layaway.
    â€œOh Cécile, you looked so different!”
    Cécile stopped smiling. She knew Micheline meant she looked much better in the photograph, which was nearly three years old. She’d still been slim, her hair was