Daniella lay in the small single bed across from her friend, listening to the soft sound of Angela’s breathing. It would be dawn soon, and she had yet to find the embrace of sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Brian Hancock standing behind her closed lids, feeling the pressure of his lips on hers.

He may be handsome, and extremely well built, but he was also uncouth, egotistical, and presumptuous. He knew nothing about her, yet he felt he had a right to judge her. If he had been anyone else, she wouldn’t have given it a second thought. So why was she letting him get to her?

Surrendering to her sleeplessness, Daniella tossed the covers aside and stood up. She glanced back at Angela to make sure she was still sleeping, then quietly padded her way along the hall and down the back stairs to the kitchen.

Turning the light above the sink on, she opened the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of milk, pouring herself a glass. She then took a plate out of the cupboard and cut a slice of Max’s chocolatey dessert. Daniella shut off the light and moved into the dining room, where she sat alone in the dark, trying to wash the man from her memory as she began eating her late-night plunder.

The sound of soft rustling in the hallway outside the dining room caused her to look up and see Max turn the corner. She smiled at the younger woman sitting alone in the dark.

“That looks good,” Max said as she looked down to the plate reflected in the dim light from the moon, shining through the open window blinds.

Daniella listened as the older woman went back into the kitchen. She could hear liquid pouring into a glass cup and knew what she was doing. A few moments later. Max returned with a piece of cake and a glass of cold milk. She pulled out the chair across from Daniella and sat down, taking a bite of the cake.

“It’s really quite delicious,” Daniella told her.

“Thank you, dear,” Max said. “It was my mother’s recipe. I’m just glad I was able to do it justice.”

“Your mother must have been a wonderful cook.”

“That she was,” Max said looking up to a portrait of a woman on the wall behind Daniella. “There wasn’t a county fair she didn’t win first prize for her pastries or jams. She was a unique woman; very kind and loving. She didn’t care if you were part of her family or not, rich or poor, black or white, she’d welcome you into her home with love and affection.”

“She sounds a lot like her daughter,” Daniella said with a warm smile.

“Why thank you, dear,” Max said with a wide smile. “That’s very kind of you to say so.”

“You were pretty amazing tonight,” Daniella continued a few minutes later as she pushed her empty plate aside. “I wish I had the energy you have.”

“It’s my new support hose,” Max laughed. “It gives me the strength to keep going for hours.”

Daniella laughed with the woman, feeling a lot less frustrated than she had a short time before.

“So, who was that handsome man I saw you talking with?” Max asked as she tipped her milk glass up to her lips.

Daniella smiled. She knew exactly who the woman was referring to, and knew she’d seen a lot more than their talking.

“His name is Brian Hancock,” she began. “He insisted that I eat something, or the alcohol was going to make me sick.”

“That was very kind of him…and very odd for a stranger to say to a woman he’s never met.”

“I know, but there was something in his words…I don’t know what it was, but I felt like I just couldn’t refuse him. It was like he was issuing me orders, and I was obliged to obey.”

“Hancock?” Max said thoughtfully. “It’s an old name in these parts. It dates all the way back to the founding fathers. Earlier even.”

“I doubt if he’s a relation,” Daniella said taking a drink of her milk. “It’s probably just a coincidence. If it’s even his real name.”

“I knew a Hancock once, a very long time ago. Joseph Hancock. In fact, I went out with him a few times. Just to make Beau jealous, mind you. He and Beau went to school together, Harvard Law. He was a very handsome man. Dark hair and the most amazing brown eyes you’ve ever seen. I always thought they looked like hot fudge or chocolate syrup. I could easily have fallen for him, that is if I didn’t already love Beau.”

“Brian has dark hair and brown eyes,” Daniella said in a distant voice.

“I’m sure it’s like you say, just a coincidence.” Max paused as she watched the memories of the evening dance to life in front of Daniella. “People are always using famous names to help advance their careers or make them appear better than they are. I’ve met more than one George Washington over my years.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him to do the same thing.”

“I wonder what Joseph is up to,” Max said a few minutes later. “If he’s still alive. That was over fifty years ago. Last I heard, he moved back to Virginia after school and started his own law practice. His marriage was in all the papers. He married a socialite who was part of the Mayflower descendants. No doubt it helped him further his career.” She paused for a moment as she studied Daniella’s young features.

“Why did he kiss you?”

Daniella looked up with a start. She knew the old woman had seen more than she was letting on.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “He told me he knew I lied to my parents about coming here today, and then he gave me his business card. He said if I decided to grow up and stop lying to call him. He said he didn’t have room in his life for liars.”

“What an odd thing for him to say,” Max frowned. “Is he trying to make room in his life for you?”

“I don’t know what he meant by that. I don’t even know the guy. He said he knew I wasn’t from California, though he was sure I once lived there.”

“Have you ever met him before? Maybe he’s someone from school or a childhood acquaintance.”

“I would definitely have remembered meeting him if I had,” Daniella said.

“Perhaps he just pulled your name up on a computer,” Max suggested. “You signed in when you arrived and showed your ID. Anyone can find anything online nowadays.”

“Maybe,” Daniella answered absently.

“Do you think he’s dangerous?”

“I don’t think so, at least he didn’t send out any warning signals. I’m just curious why anything about me, mattered to him.”

“Maybe it’s just his way of picking up girls. Some guys use zodiac signs, others use the old line about falling from heaven. Maybe he accuses women of lying, so they feel the need to defend themselves.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. Maybe I’ll do a little internet searching of my own.”

Daniella stood up and took her dishes into the kitchen, followed by Max. She quickly washed them, then set them in the drainer to dry before going back upstairs with the older woman.

“Thank you for listening,” Daniella said a few moments later as they walked down the hall toward the bedrooms.

“My pleasure,” Max smiled. “Thank you for keeping me company. I didn’t like the idea of eating alone.”

“Good night, Max,” Daniella said with a warm hug.

“Sleep well,” the older woman said opening her bedroom door. “I wonder what Joseph is up to,” she said softly. “Maybe I’ll take a trip sometime and visit some of the old sights.”

Daniella smiled as the woman went into her bedroom. She couldn’t help but feel the slightest degree of envy for Max. She could do as she chose, without the fear of insulting her family name or heritage. She could chase after old sweethearts, and never consider what might happen if anyone saw her, or what might be said if she was seen with a man who wasn’t her husband.

Images of the chocolate eyed man stayed with Daniella as she closed the bedroom door and crawled under the covers. The sensation of his mouth on hers lingered with her as she drifted to sleep. It was the first time in a very long while, that she found a dream she wanted to hold onto.

“The unit next door has already been sold,” Mr. Wong said as he showed the tall dark-haired man through the upper level. “If you don’t like this one, there will be another phase finished by the end of fall.”

“No, this is great, and the price is ideal. I would have liked the end unit, but I’ll be content with this one. At least there’s a fence on the other side, so I won’t have to be in the middle of two units. How soon can I move in?”

“As soon as your application is approved, and financing has been arranged.”

“I won’t need to finance,” the man said with a deep chuckle. “I’ll have my lawyer send you a check this afternoon. I am hoping to move in as soon as possible. I’m a very busy man, so I have to take advantage of every spare moment I get.”

“I understand,” the oriental man said as he walked out the door and locked it behind them. “I don’t have a problem with you moving in right away if you don’t mind the noise of construction going on around you.”

“If you knew the kind of place I spend my evenings, you wouldn’t be concerned about the noise of your workers,” the man said with a warm smile. “I’ll have my lawyer look over the contract and send it to you with the check.”

Naoki Wong stood on the doorstep of the condo as his assistant joined him from the sales office. She paused for a moment, as her employer watched the man pull away in his Mercedes convertible.

“Is anything wrong?” the small, middle-aged woman asked him, as she pushed her rhinestone rimmed glasses back up her nose.

“I was just wondering about these young Americans,” he said with a slight frown. “I have never known people who treat money as if it grows on trees.”

“I don’t know if its Americans, or just the children of privileged families, especially in this area.”

“I don’t mind telling you, I’m a bit jealous,” Mr. Wong said as the two began walking across the cured concrete driveway, back to his office/sales unit.

“I started working at the age of five, back in China, and then when I came here as a young man of sixteen. I struggled for years to find food while I learned the language. It took me over twenty years managing slums before I could get my real estate license. I’ve had to work very hard for a paycheck, and even with the commission I’ll make for these two units, I’ve never had the courage to slap down a quarter of a million dollars without even batting an eye.”

“People in this area are proud of their heritage and have a lot of money to show for it,” his assistant said. “Nearly everyone I’ve met comes from a name that can be traced back to the first settlers. It’s only natural for them to raise their children without concern for finances.”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Mable,” Mr. Wong said, pausing for a moment outside the sales office. “I am just saying I’m amazed at how responsible some of the younger generation is. There was the young girl yesterday, who brought a check over for the full amount of the condo, and now this man. Both are young, and both are starting their lives out with an investment in real-estate. I can’t say that there’s a better investment to make than your own home.”

“That’s true,” Mable said, pushing her glasses up again.

“I wish I could make my son see how good life could be if he finished school and got an education. Instead, he’s working at McDonald's and sluffing off more classes than he attended. If I’m lucky, the boy will be able to get into a trade school by the time he’s twenty. That is if he graduates high school at that time. Whatever these people out here are teaching their children, I hope it catches on. The idea of selling all the units to young urbanites by next spring would be a dream come true.”

“Maybe your first two homeowners have friends,” Mable said with a hearty, smoker’s laugh as she opened the door and went into the unit.

With an amused grunt, Mr. Wong walked into his office, taking his cellphone out of his pocket to call his regional office. First the school teacher from Edgartown, now the entrepreneur from Virginia. Perhaps the next unit he sold would be to a stripper from New York.

Daniella sat on the bench outside the glass-enclosed passenger cabin of the ferry. The rain from last night continued into the morning, leaving the air feeling thick and humid. She had decided this morning that she was going to tell her parents the truth about where she had been. After all, she was an adult and she was free to make up her own mind. The worse they could do was get angry with her.

Alice called Daniella’s phone three times over the past four hours. She was not very happy that her daughter had not returned the night before. After reassuring her mother twice that she was coming back early, Daniella was finally able to stop the phone calls. She just wished she could feel more confident about telling them she was moving. She wanted them to be happy for her, but she knew that her mother, at least, was going to be disappointed that she wasn’t getting married before she moved out.

Angela’s light, lilting laughter echoed out of the open windows of the passenger cabin, causing Daniella to smile. She wished she could be more like her friend. She was so carefree and independent. She didn’t take grief from anyone, and she always knew how to have fun. Though Daniella had to admit, she was worried about her. Angela told her that morning, she was leaving Richie. She was unhappy with their relationship, and tired of always arguing with him about money or wanting to go out. She wanted to move on with her life and find someone adventurous, who wasn’t afraid of experimenting with life.

Daniella watched as the port came into sight. She could feel the old familiar anxieties begin to shake her insides, and she once again began to doubt her decisions. Her parents would never understand why she wanted her own space, but it was something she could not get out of now. She had already gone to the bank and paid for her condo – in full. It was hers, legally and officially. All she had to do was buy furniture and find a job.

After she saw Mr. Wong and picked up the keys to her home, she and Angela went to a car lot, Max told them about. The manager was the son of a dear friend of hers, and she told them if he didn’t give her a fair deal, the man would answer to his mother.

Daniella found a new metallic blue BMW SUV that she fell in love with. It only had twenty-three miles on it and came complete with all the bells and whistles money could buy. Angela insisted that she finance it to improve her credit, so she put half the cost down and financed the rest. This way, it would leave her with enough money to start furnishing her new home and live comfortably until she could get a job.

“Hey, you still on earth with me?” Angela asked as she sat down next to her friend.

“Sorry,” Daniella said with a soft blush. “I guess I was lost in thought. It’s been an interesting twenty-four hours.”

“You can say that again,” Angela laughed. “Who else buys a house and a car in one day. I’m just surprised you left your baby at Max’s.”

“I want to break the news to my parents gently. If they see a new car in the driveway, they’re going to start worrying that I’ve spread myself too thin, too fast. My dad will be concerned that I’m moving out without a job, but he’ll support my choices. It’s my mom I’ll have to deal with.”

“Speaking of jobs,” Angela said, taking a piece of paper out of her purse. “My friend Takeko is a waitress at that place we went to last night. She said they are always looking for attractive girls, and they are shorthanded right now. They have a girl who used to wait tables for them, but she’s decided to become a stripper, so they need at least one more server.”

“That’s a strip joint?” Daniella asked with wide eyes.

“Yeah, but not on Sunday,” Angela laughed. “But the waitresses only serve drinks, they don’t dance or take their clothes off. Takeko said she only works three twelve-hour shifts a week, and her husband works as a bouncer on the same days. That would give you four days to teach when you get a job. She said they pay really well, too.”

“Well, it’s an option at least,” Daniella said, taking the paper with the club’s information that Angela handed her.

“Max is going to visit friends this week and asked if I would stay over and keep an eye on the place for her while she’s gone. She’s planning on being gone for a few weeks. I think she overheard my phone call to Richie. Anyway, if you want to, you can come back with me this evening.”

“I’d love to,” Daniella said as the ferry docked. “I want to start moving some stuff into my condo. I need to go shopping for some dishes and food, and maybe I can find a bed.”

“Great,” Angela said forcing a smile across her lips as they stood up to leave. “I’ll pick you up at five o’clock. I’m going to arrange to have my stuff moved out of the apartment while Richie is in Washington. He’s going to sublease the place to his friend when he gets back, and I don’t want any of my stuff left behind. I’ve been thinking about making a new start and getting a condo near you. Max is going to give me the down payment, and I can arrange for financing with one of the companies I work with. I just wish I could have decided on it before Mr. Wong sold the unit next door. Now I’ll have to wait for the next phase to get finished.”

“Are you sure this is really what you want? I mean leaving Richie.”

“Yeah, I am. I haven’t been happy for a long time, and last night made me realize I want more out of my life. You can’t clip an eagle’s wings, and you can’t keep from wanting to fly free.”

“What about your job?” Daniella asked.

“I can work anywhere, all I need is my laptop and a pot of coffee,” Angela giggled as the two walked toward the cars. “Besides, I’ve kinda been thinking about applying at that club, too. It would be a blast, and I’d love to have more money to play with.”

“I thought you did well where you worked now?”

“I do, but not enough if I want to pick up and take off for a few days. I want to travel, and I can’t do it on what I’m making now, without feeling guilty for taking money out of the bank.”

“And I’m spending money like it’s of no consequence,” Daniella said, pausing next to Angela’s car. “I’m sorry, Angela. I guess I haven’t been much of a friend.”

“You’ve been a great friend, and I’m not saying anything about you. The money I spent yesterday made me realize I liked having the freedom to do what I want. I get a bonus every quarter, but I’ve always had to put it away or help Richie pay off his student loans. With a second job, I’ll be able to bank all of it and just have fun.”

“I have heard being a waitress gives you instant money.”

“Takeko said the servers start out at twenty-five dollars an hour, and she usually takes between five and six hundred a night in tips. Can you imagine how many shoes I can buy with money like that?”

Daniella laughed as she climbed into the passenger side of Angela’s yellow VW Bug. She had to admit, money like that would come in handy for having fun. And like her friend, she wanted to see what life offered before following in her mother’s footsteps and settling down to raise a family.

“Do you want me to come in with you?” Angela asked when she pulled up in front of the Jefferson home.

“No, I have to do this myself,” Daniella answered, taking her bags out of the back seat. “I’ll be ready to leave this afternoon. I don’t really have a lot of things, other than clothes and some pictures but I’d like to go shopping when we get back to Plymouth.”

“Not a problem,” Angela smiled. “We can go to the mall or Walmart. We can find everything you want before the day’s over.”

“Maybe we can get a couple of sleeping bags and camp out at the condo.”

“Awesome,” Angela giggled. “KFC, a bottle of wine, and we can be free to stay up all night talking about boys.”

“Then it’s a deal. I’ll be ready at five o’clock.”

“I’ll be here,” Angela said as Daniella shut the car door. “Good luck with your mom. I’ll be praying for you.”

“Thanks,” Daniella smiled, then stepped back on the curb and waved as Angela drove away.

Taking a deep breath, Daniella turned around and headed up the front walk of the two-story, white Colonial style home. The familiar, welcoming feeling was there when she opened the door and stepped into the foyer. She had always loved this place, and she hoped she would always have that feeling of being home when she came back, but that didn’t mean she was changing her mind. She needed her own life, and she had to make certain her parents understood that.

Daniella walked through the tiled foyer toward the grand oak staircase. The sound of Mary’s music echoed down from the second floor, and for a moment, Daniella thought about the nightclub.

She took a step toward the upper level, then stopped when her mother came out of the kitchen. Alice looked at her daughter momentarily, inspecting the bags in her hands.

“Mary Ellen,” Alice called up the stairs. “Turn that noise down so I can think.”

“Aw, Mom, it’s not that loud,” Mary called back as she came out of her room and leaned over the banister.

“Turn it down or go to the basement. I cannot concentrate with all that racket,” Alice insisted, then turned back to Daniella. “Go change. I need some help with the pies for the charity auction. Dotty has her hands full trying to peel all those apples.”

Alice turned around and walked back into the kitchen, leaving her daughter to stare at the empty doorway behind her. She hadn’t lectured her or scolded her, but Daniella could feel the tension hanging in the air as heavy as the storm had been last night.

Daniella walked up the stairs, looking to Mary who placed a finger across her lips, signaling for her to come into her room. She glanced across the banister as the music lowered and joined her sister in the fluffy pink and lace bedroom.

“I heard Mom and Dad talking about you last night,” Mary said, closing the door tightly.

Daniella drew a deep breath and sat on the foot of her sister’s canopy bed, placing the bags on the floor beside her.

“Tell me something new,” she answered. “I know they’re mad because I stayed out on the Sabbath.”

“Not just that, but Mom invited the Millers over for supper. You know them. Mr. Miller owns that chain of expensive furniture stores.”

“You mean Paul Revere Furnishings?” Daniella asked, vaguely remembering the family.

“Yeah, that one. Mom really thinks they’re tops because Agnes Miller is a descendent of Paul Revere.”

“Let me guess, they have a son who just happens to be my age, who’s home from school and wanted to meet me?” Daniella asked sarcastically.

“You got it. Mom was really angry that you didn’t come home so she could introduce you, but dad told her you were an adult and they had to accept the fact that you were independent and could make up your own mind.”

“Bravo Dad,” Daniella said with a smile. “So, what was he like?”

“Who? Dad?” Mary asked with a deep frown.

“No, silly, the boy Mom wanted to fix me up with.”

“Oh, he wasn’t bad. Actually, he was very cute, but he showed up looking like he’d stepped out of the ’80s. He wore a pair of khaki jeans with a red and white button-up shirt, and a green and white sweater tied around his neck. I swear you should have seen him,” Mary giggled. “He looked like a Christmas tree.”

“Thank heavens I missed that.”

“Honestly, he was pretty cute. He’s in his last year of residency at Shriner’s in Boston. He has dark blonde hair and the most beautiful dark green eyes. Mom was really put out that you weren’t there, so while the old people went into the parlor for coffee, Reynard – that’s his name, weird, huh? Anyway, Reynard and I went for a walk in the garden. I tell you, Dani, if I didn’t have Robert, I could easily go for Reynard.”

“That good, huh?” Daniella asked, shifting on the bed so she wouldn’t be bounced off when Mary jumped in the middle.

“Can I ask you something?” Mary asked, folding her legs under her. “Do you think I’m making a mistake with him?”

“Who, Reynard?” Daniella asked with a frown. She’d forgotten how quickly her sister shifted subjects and was having a hard time keeping up.

“No, with Robert. He’s going to Yale next week, and I’m stuck here for another year. I just don’t know if he’s going to be faithful, or not.”

“You know what happened with Brandon and me,” she told her sister.

“Yeah, but Brandon was a weasel. Robert just happens to be Brandon’s cousin.”

“But he is going away to school, and I know what it’s like. There are going to be a lot of girls there, from all over the country. And he’s kinda good looking. He’s going to have a hard time resisting them.”

“I wish I was going with him. Why did I have to be born three days past the school cutoff?” Mary asked as she fell back on her bed, and covered her face with a heart-shaped, pink fluffy pillow that had Maui written in purple embroidery across the front.

“You can’t help when you were born,” Daniella said, unsure how many times she’d told her the exact same thing over the course of her life.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said, her voice muffled through the pillow. “I love him – or I think I do – but I just don’t know if I want to wait for him.”

“Then don’t, but don’t lead him on. Tell him you don’t want to wait. You’re a senior this year. You have a lot of dances and social events coming up. Are you going to sit at home pining for him while he’s out with another girl, or are you going to let the boys take you to them?”

“I don’t want to be a social outcast the whole year,” Mary answered, sitting up and tossing the pillow aside. “And I’ve seen how girls look at Robert. I know he’s going to be tempted. And I’ve already had Travis Kennedy ask me to go to the movies. Maybe I should tell him to go ahead and date if he wants to.”

“High school romances rarely work out,” Daniella told her.

“It did for Mom and Dad.”

“True, but do you want to be like Mom your whole life?”

“Ugh, no way.” Mary brushed her long blonde hair off her forehead and looked out the window across the room. “He’ll be here for four weeks.”

“Robert?” Daniella asked with a frown.

“No, Reynard. He’s here for four weeks, and Robert is leaving this week, so he can get a decent dorm room, and visit relatives before school starts in September.”

“So, you want to get to know Reynard better?”

“Maybe. He’s really cute, he just has bad fashion sense.”

“Well, I’m glad I wasn’t here. I really thought Mom learned her lesson with Whistle Picker.”

“Wesley Pickler wasn’t that bad, he just had problems.”

“Yeah,” Daniella laughed. “Like the bowtie and sweater vest he wore every day, and the way he whistled whenever he breathed.”

“At least you knew when he was coming,” Mary laughed.

“He could be smelled a block away. I swear, he never washed that bloody vest. I’ll bet he even slept with it on.”

“Maybe that’s why he whistled when he breathed,” Mary giggled. “He was allergic to his own scent.”

Daniella pulled her three matching suitcases out of the closet and began packing two of them with the new clothes she’d bought in Plymouth, along with enough to hold her for the next several weeks. Her toiletries were stowed in the last case along with her hair products and blow dryer. She found Millie’s journals and photo Alice gave her in her secret hiding place, in the closet beneath a loose floorboard, and slipped them into a travel trunk along with her shoes.

The sound of Alice calling her from the kitchen echoed up the stairs, and she knew she was running out of time. She quickly changed into a clean, yellow tee-shirt, then called down to her mother, assuring her she’d be there in a few minutes.

Daniella glanced around and made certain nobody was watching, then snuck up to the attic. She found the small chest with the initials MW on the top, then carried it cautiously back to her bedroom. She placed it in the trunk and piled her shoes, high school awards, photo albums, CD player/alarm clock, and winter sweaters and coat on top of it.

With a deep sigh, she looked around once more, before going downstairs to help with the pies. She knew it was going to be a difficult afternoon, but she was determined to stand her own ground. She just hoped she’d be able to escape without crying.

The bowl of cleaned apples sat on the table beside her, as Daniella continued to peel each one, then cored and sliced them into a strainer to be rinsed before made into pies. She barely noticed the work she’d done or the number of apples she’d peeled. Her mind once again fell to the handsome man from the night before. She couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of her leaving home. Then again, why should she care what he thought? She didn’t have to answer to him. Hell, she didn’t even know him.

“Hello family,” Scott called out as he entered the front door.

Daniella smiled and looked up to see Dotty smiling back at her. It was a familiar sound. Her father would always call out when he arrived home. As a child, that was the signal to run up and jump into Daddy’s open arms. Nowadays, it just meant he was coming into the house so stop yelling, arguing, and have a cup of coffee ready.

Scott entered the kitchen and smiled at Dotty, the middle-aged, Polynesian woman who worked four days a week as the family cook. The cup of coffee she supplied him was fresh and hot, just like he enjoyed.

“Daddy,” Mary squealed, and he chuckled as his youngest child came bouncing down the stairs.

Scott barely had enough time to set his cup down on the island before Mary threw her arms around his neck.

“Daddy, can I have a hundred dollars?” she asked excitedly. “Robert is leaving for Yale in two days, and Will Smith has a new movie out we both want to see. I thought it would be nice if I took him out for supper and a movie one last time before he left. I promise I’ll be home by midnight.”

“You most certainly will not,” Alice argued, stopping her assault on the ball of dough she had been rolling into a pie crust. “A young lady does not take a boy out, nor does she pay for him. It’s not proper.”

“Oh, Mom, this is the twenty-first century. Women won the right to vote years ago, and we’ve even been wearing pants in public for a long time.”

“Do not get smart with me, young lady,” Alice snapped back, slamming the rolling pin down on the dough disc. “A woman of proper breeding does not step outside of her circle. If that boy wants to go out with you, then he should be responsible for the expense of the evening.”

“Mom, you’re so old fashioned, it’s positively antiquated,” Mary grumbled, then smiled as Scott took his wallet out of his back pocket.

“Just be home by curfew,” Scott told her, then chuckled as she threw her arms around his neck again and kissed his chubby cheek.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Mary squealed and ran out of the room.

“I do not understand what is wrong with our children,” Alice grumbled as she returned to her pies. “Our eldest daughter stays out on the Sabbath, our youngest pays for a boys’ affections. What’s next? Orgies in the garden?”

“Now, dear,” Scott said, fighting off the urge to laugh. “It’s not as bad as you think. Our girls are growing up, and they are stretching their wings. It’s only natural for them to show some degree of rebellion.”

“Rebellion? They are acting like common harlots. We did not raise them to be ordinary. They are Jeffersons.”

“It’s just a name, Alice,” Scott said with a frown.

“The name of Jefferson has been a significant part of this country from the very beginning. I will not allow my own family to disgrace the pride and stability of our heritage.”

“There is no disgrace in allowing our children to explore life on their own terms.”

“What terms?” Alice snapped, slamming the rolling pin down again. “Neither of them shows any respect for tradition. Neither have respect for our feelings, whatsoever.”

“I’ll be back later,” Mary said as she turned the corner of the kitchen, pausing momentarily as the thick cloud of tension fell across the room.

“Do you need the gas card?” Scott asked gently as he reached for his wallet again.

“I might, I don’t know how much gas I have left,” she answered, glancing from Dotty who looked up briefly, to Daniella who offered a small smile, then to her mother.

Alice glared angrily at her youngest child before returning her attention to the pie crust she’d been slaughtering with the rolling pin. With a shrug, she kissed her father again and headed to the front door.

“Be home by curfew,” he called after her.

“Okay, I will. Love you.”

The door slammed, and Alice snorted her discontent with her husband’s attitude.

“I will never understand how you can tolerate any of this,” Alice snapped.

“We raised our children the best we could, and I’m very proud of all of them,” Scott said firmly, watching while his wife placed the flattened disc of dough into a greased pie pan. “If they want to stretch their wings and fly against the wind, then I’ll encourage them to do so. In time, they will realize that it’s best to fly with the breeze, and I’ll be there to support that decision as well.”

“Do you know what the problem is?” Alice snapped. “You’ve spoiled them. You’ve given them whatever they’ve asked for. You realize, Mary has her own credit card, don’t you?”

“I’m aware of that, but with mine, Robert won’t have an excuse to detain her any longer than necessary. She won’t have any excuse to run out of gas, or say she forgot to get any.”

“Honestly,” she sniffed as Daniella set the bowl of sliced fruit on the counter. “And I suppose you’re not planning on being home tonight either?”

“Actually, I wanted to discuss that with you two,” Daniella answered, confronting her mother’s angry glare with a calm gaze.

“I’m afraid to ask how much you spent on your shopping spree. Don’t think I didn’t notice those bags you were trying to sneak up to your room.”

“There was no sneaking involved. I purchased a few outfits to go job hunting in, and some new shoes because mine are not comfortable enough for extended walking.”

“And now you’re going to ask your father for the money to pay for them, I suppose. Have you maxed out your credit cards as well?”

“I have my own money, Mother,” Daniella said with a frown. “I have not asked for any support since I left for college.”

“But we paid for your beachfront condo, didn’t we?”

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Daniella responded angrily. “I was just as happy living at the dorm, but Dad was afraid for my safety. I haven’t asked either of you for money since my dress for senior prom.”

“But you never refused it, did you?”

“I’m not getting into this with you, Mother. Angela will be here in a little while to get me.”

“I should have known,” Alice snapped angrily. “I knew the moment you reacquainted yourself with that girl there was going to be trouble. I never approved of your friendship with her. She convinced you to stay out last night, didn’t she?”

“Angela is my friend,” Daniella answered, forcing her tone to remain calm. “I stayed out, as you put it, because I’m an adult and I can make up my own mind. In fact, after I went shopping yesterday – yes, I went shopping on the Sabbath, and I didn’t burst into flames – we went to a nightclub. Just like I’ve done every week since I left this gilded cage you live in,” she said rolling her eyes when her mother gasped. “I wanted you to know that I found a condo in Plymouth yesterday, and I signed the papers on it this morning.”

“Oh Lord,” Alice said with a hand across her chest, her eyes wide with horror. “What has happened to you? Shopping on the Sabbath, going out to bars? I knew it was a mistake letting you go to college in California. I doubt there’s a single church in that whole state. What are people going to think?”

“Oh, Mother, honestly,” Daniella said with a deep sigh. “You should be in movies. God knows you’re dramatic enough.”

“Now see here,” Alice started, as Scott moved in between the two.

“I think that’s enough,” he insisted, placing a hand around his daughter’s waist. “I’d like to speak to you in the den please.”

Daniella narrowed her eyes at her mother one last time, then turned and proceeded to her father’s den as she was ordered.

It was always like this. Whenever she was in trouble, she’d be called to this room to discuss her actions and punishment, though Scott Jefferson was much more lenient than his wife. Most of the time, Daniella found herself grounded for a few days, or had her allowance decreased, only to have it raised higher the following week.

Daniella sat down in a leather wingback chair and waited patiently for her father to join her. She glanced at the clock on the mantle over the fireplace. Two o’clock. She had texted Angela before going down to help her mother, told her she was packed and ready to go whenever she was. Angela was having a difficult time saying good-bye to her past and wanted to leave earlier. They arranged to leave by three. That didn’t leave much time for her to say her own goodbyes and try to convince her parents that this was the right decision for her. Especially considering the state her mother was in. She’d be lucky if Alice didn’t try and lock her in her room, so she couldn’t get out.

“I wish you would have discussed this with us, before signing papers,” Scott said as he joined her, closing the door behind him. “If you wanted your own place, we could have fixed up Gram’s apartment above the garage. It just needs a little TLC and some paint, and it will be good as new.”

“I don’t want Gram’s old place, Dad,” she insisted as he sat down. “I want my place, somewhere I can be an adult and have friends over. Somewhere away from Mom’s prying eyes.”

“I understand, but I would feel better if our lawyer looked over the lease.”

“It’s not a lease, Dad,” Daniella answered, watching as he took his pipe out of the drawer on the side table.

Alice hated the smell of his pipe, but it was a scent that reminded Daniella of many good times with her father. She watched him open a leather pouch and began packing the tobacco into the small bowl of the carved wooden object. He closed the pouch and tossed it into the drawer, then removed the silver lighter she had bought for him on his fiftieth birthday and lit it above the tobacco. He puffed several times before closing the lighter and inhaling the smoke deeply.

“I bought the condo,” she told him a moment later, watching the concerned expression cross his face. “I used the money I had saved in the bank. Dad, it’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and it’s all mine. I can’t explain it, but I feel free…grown up. I’m almost twenty-six. It’s time I started living my own life, and this place is the first step toward my independence.”

“I understand that sweetheart, but real-estate is a serious purchase. Are you sure it’s a good deal?”

“It’s a magnificent deal,” she said excitedly. “It’s a brand-new community, with everything anyone could ask for. And I’ve got the first unit. As more condos go up, the prices will increase, so the deal is amazing. Getting in on the ground floor is an incredible opportunity for me, and it has plenty of room so you and Mom, or even Mary can visit me.”

“I would still feel better if you would allow my lawyer to look over the contract,” Scott said firmly, puffing on his pipe.

“Dad, please let me make this decision on my own. I know you mean well, and I appreciate the fact that you’re worried about me. But I need to do this. I need to make my own decisions, and if that means I make some mistakes along the way, then so be it. Isn’t that what growing up is all about?”

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

“I can’t live here anymore, Dad,” she said gently, laying her hand on her father’s arm. “This will always be home, but I need my own space. And I swear if I have to live with Mom and her insistence that I marry the right person, with the right name, I’ll go crazy.”

“Your mother is a little zealous about her ideas on what’s proper and what’s not,” Scott chuckled.

“That’s saying it mildly,” Daniella smiled.

“You know I’ll support whatever decision you make, just promise me you’ll be careful, and you won’t let this new lifestyle of yours interfere with your morals or your family.”

“I won’t, Dad,” Daniella smiled. “And I know Mom will come around in time. I’m sure she’ll be giving me decorating suggestions once she sees the place.”

“So, when are you going to invite us over for dinner?” Scott smiled.

“As soon as I get a table and chairs. I’d hate to think of what Mom would say if she had to eat off paper plates on the floor.”

“Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask. And I want you to decide on what we can give you as a house warming present. Some furniture perhaps? Or some artwork for the walls?”

“Right now, all I need is a bed to sleep in, and maybe a towel or two. But I will let you know what you can get me.”

“Do you need any money? Do you have enough for food or bus fare?”

“Actually, I bought a car,” she said with a shy smile, feeling the excitement rising up inside her again. “I would have brought it with me, but I thought it might be easier to break the news to Mom in stages. I didn’t think she’d be able to handle my moving out, buying a condo and a car, all in one day.”

“Don’t grow up too fast,” Scott told her a moment later, an unshed tear in his eye. “I don’t know if I’m ready to let my little girl go quite so soon.”

“I may be moving on with my life, but no matter how old I get, I’ll always need my daddy.”