Little Lies

Chapter 14: Uncle Phil's Choice

Aunt Fran and I sat on the porch swing, waiting for a breeze to cool our faces.

"We're in for another storm," Aunt Fran said.

"I hate it here," I said. "Either it's raining, or it's about to rain. I can' even swim in the ocean and cool off.”

"I hate it here, too." Aunt Fran fanned herself with the sports section of the newspaper.

"How long have we been here? It feels like forever."

"Only two months, one week, and three days."

"Are you counting?" I laughed.

"Every single day."

I wiped some sweat off my forehead. "Can we get some ice cream?"

"Good idea!" Aunt Fran took my hand, and we walked to the side of the house.

"Where's the car?" I asked.

"Uncle Phil didn't say he was going anywhere," Aunt Fran said.

Bessie poked her head out the kitchen window. "Miss Jo and Mister Philip drove to the cliffs."

"We wanted to get some ice cream," Aunt Fran said. "Do you want some?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"We'll walk to the cliffs. Maybe Jo and Phil want some ice cream, too."

"Oh, my goodness," Aunt Fran gasped when we arrived at the cliffs.

Mama and Uncle Phil held each other and kissed.

I whispered to Aunt Fran. "They don't know we're watching them."

"They're about to find out," she whispered. We walked over to them, and she tapped Uncle Phil on the shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me that you were so--involved with my sister?"

Uncle Phil turned. His jaw dropped.

Mama looked at her sister as though she just asked her to pass the butter. "Oh, hello, Franny. Surprise!"

Aunt Fran slapped Mama across the face.

Mama wiped a small dribble of blood from the corner of her mouth and smiled at her sister. "It's a wonder it took you so long."

"Apparently, I'm a slow learner." Aunt Fran turned to Uncle Phil. "I'm not going to ask you for an explanation. But I will ask you to honor our marriage vows and come back home with me. Immediately."

Mama laughed. "Don't be naïve, Franny. Vows are made to be broken. Right, dearest?" She kissed Uncle Phil on the mouth. "You have to choose one us, Phil. And if you can't, I can help you." She grabbed Aunt Fran by the arm and dragged her toward the edge of the cliff.

"Let me go!" Aunt Fran tried to pull away.

Mama only laughed as she pulled her sister even closer to the edge. "I've always hated you!”

"Why, what have I ever done to you?"

I ran behind Aunt Fran and grabbed her waist. "Mama, let go of her!"

I dug my heels into the ground.

Mama ignored me. "You married first, into the wealthiest family in town. You had a child before me. And you love the man you married."

"Jo, this was never a competition!"

"Not for you perhaps…. Maybe you never realized it, but you were always the one everyone coddled."

"Me? What about you?" Aunt Fran asked. "You were always the popular one, the one the boys always wanted."

"Boys like your husband?" Mama sneered.

"What do you mean?" Aunt Fran asked.

"Don't you know? Phil and I love each other. And Clara is our daughter.”

Aunt Fran's eyes glinted a steel grey.

"That's not true!" I screamed at Mama. "Uncle Phil isn't my papa!"

"Stop it!" Uncle Phil pushed Aunt Fran backwards, out of Mama grip, so that she and I fell down on the ground.

"Bravo! Bravo! Jo darling, how does it feel to tell the truth for once in your life?"

"Who said that?" Uncle Phil looked around.

A disembodied voice swirled around us. "You've forgotten me already? I thought I left enough clues for you. Didn't you smell my pipe tobacco?”

"I did," Aunt Fran and I said at the same time.

"What about your misplaced pipe? Really Phil, do you think Mr. Teddy hid it in the car?"

"It's Papa!" I jumped up and down, pointing to the mist that formed into a translucent figure between Uncle Phil and Mama.

Uncle Phil turned white.

Papa turned to Mama. "What about your evening gown? Did it dance into the fireplace?" He smiled. "Really, darling, I did you a favor. That dress was hideous." He shook a finger at her. “And shame on you for throwing Mr. Teddy into the fireplace."

Mama screamed and took one step back. Over the edge of the cliff.

"Jo!" Uncle Phil got down on his hands and knees, and looked over the edge. He looked over his shoulder at Aunt Fran and me. "Jo is holding onto some vines! I have to try to rescue her!" He laid on the ground and reached over the edge, and grunted a few times. "I can't reach her! Franny, get the rope from the trunk of the car!"

"Phil, dear, why would I do that? She just tried to kill me," Aunt Fran said. "Besides, you have the car keys."

Uncle Phil stood up and frantically searched the pockets of his pants and coat. "Where could they have gone?" he mumbled.

"Looking for these, Phil?" Papa hovered in the air, just past the edge of the cliff, dangling a ring of keys on one finger, just beyond Uncle Phil's reach. "Here they are."

Uncle Phil tried to grab the keys but couldn't reach them.

Papa laughed. "You almost got them. Almost." He floated just a little farther away.

"Help me!" Mama wailed.

"Oh, I didn't come here to help you, Jo darling," Papa said. "You're beyond help. I'm here for everyone else, especially Phil." He turned to Uncle Phil. "Phil, remember when you said you wanted it all?"

Uncle Phil hung his head and nodded.

"I hope it's clear to you now that you can't possibly have it all." Papa continued. "You have to make a choice between Franny and Jo. But first..."

A small package floated into Aunt Fran's hands. "Open it, Franny," Papa said.

"This is the package Jo received the night you died," Franny said softly. She looked at the label. "It's from Mr. Chase!”

"And just who is Mr. Chase?" Uncle Phil asked.

"Oh, all the ladies in town know about him. He helps us out of little scrapes we don't want our husbands to find out about." She opened the package carefully.

"What's in it, Aunt Fran?" I asked.

She frowned. "A black lace hanky, like the one Jo used at the funeral." She walked as close to the edge as she could and sat down. "Jo, did you arrange with Mr. Chase to have Michael killed?"

"What do you think?" Mama hissed.

"Jo, how could you?" Uncle Phil asked.

"When I realized you weren't going to get rid of Michael for me, I had to move events forward myself," Jo said.

"But why kill Michael?" Aunt Fran asked.

"Simple," Papa said. "Our marriage clearly was a disaster and had to end. A separation or divorce would be utter humiliation, and Clara would want to stay with me. Jo could only keep Phil's interest if she had Clara. So, I had to be done away with."

Mama screeched. "I'm slipping!"

"There's a tiny ledge just below your feet that might hold you for a little while, darling," Papa said. "You should be able to reach it with your high heels. Vanity is useful sometimes, isn't it?" Papa turned to Phil. "I can only imagine how Jo got her claws into you when you were devastated from the loss of your daughter. And we both know she has the morals of a doorknob.”

Uncle Phil nodded.

Papa shook his head. "You're a good man, Phil, a good man who made some poor choices. Now, you can either redeem yourself or damn yourself. Who will you choose, Fanny or Jo?”

Uncle Phil looked over the edge at Mama. "I thought you loved me. But you are obviously incapable of loving anybody but yourself." He shook his head. "Jo, you disgust me." He turned around to face his wife. "Franny, I've been a fool. Michael is right. I made some horrible choices. Will you ever forgive me?”

Aunt Fran nodded and leaned forward. They hugged each other.

"Franny, please help me!" Jo called out.

Aunt Fran looked down at her sister. "When Phil and I came to live with you, I really hoped that we could put the past behind us, learn to love each other." She sighed.

"Franny, please. Give me a chance. I'll make it up to you, really I will!"

"And how will you do that?"

"Why, I'll--I'll…"

"I'm sorry Jo, but I can't trust you. Even if I could reach you, I'm sure you'd pull me over the edge of the cliff. Maybe one day I'll regret not trying harder, but I doubt it." She held her hand out to her husband. "Let's go."

Uncle Phil took his wife's hand and stood up.

"You're just going to leave me here?"

"Yes," Aunt Fran said.

"But don't worry, Jo," Uncle Phil said. "As soon as we walk back home, I'll call the police to rescue you. Just hang on. They'll get here as soon as they can."

"It's time for me to go now, too." Papa turned to Franny and Uncle Phil. "I'm leaving Clara in your capable hands."

"We'll take care of her," Uncle Phil said.

"I know you will." Papa floated down to me. "No more crying, kitten. You've already cried enough tears to fill an ocean. And don't worry, I'll always watch over you. Now, you listen to Aunt Fran and Uncle Phil. And you do what they say, ok?"

"Ok, Papa."

Papa started to fade into the sunlight. "I love you, kitten." He blew me a kiss as he dissolved.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. "I love you, Papa." I blew him a kiss.

We heard the vines snap, and Mama screamed. Her scream grew faint, and all we heard was the wind and the waves.

I crawled to the edge of the cliff. Mama was gone. I felt a warm hand on my back.

"Clara?"

I turned my head and looked up at Uncle Phil.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

I shook my head and sobbed.

"Come here." He hugged me. "It's been a tough day for all of us, hasn't it?"

I buried my head in his shoulder.

"Ice cream sounds pretty good right now, don't you think?" he asked.

"Ice cream sounds very good," Aunt Fran said. "Bessie wants some, too."

"Wait a minute," Uncle Phil said. "I don't have the car keys."

We heard a jingle and a light clunk. Aunt Fran looked down at her feet. "All you have to do is ask." She picked up the keys.

Uncle Phil put his arm around his wife's shoulders as they walked to the car. "Franny, what sort of little scrapes does Mr. Chase help the ladies with?"

Aunt Fran laughed. "Oh, blackmail, gambling debts, affairs that get a little too much attention, that sort of thing."

Uncle Phil frowned. "Have you ever used his services?"

"If I had, you would never know. And that would be the point." She leaned her head against him. "No, I've never used his services. The most outrageous thing I've ever done was take Clara for Crepes Suzette at our favorite restaurant. Which is where you can take your ladies when we get back to town.”

As we approached the car, I took a deep breath and smelled the faint aroma of Papa's pipe tobacco. "I love you, Papa. I always will."