A Distant Journey Page 5

  She was just about to get herself a glass of iced tea when there was a frantic knock at the door. Alarmed by the urgent rapping, Babs hurried to open it, thinking it might be Alice, impatient to float some new idea.

  Instead, on the doorstep was a small, bedraggled young woman. Even though she hadn’t seen her for years, Babs recognised her at once.

  ‘Cindy?’

  ‘Auntie Babs, can I come in? I’ve run away.’

  2

  Cindy stood in the doorway of the Palm Desert apartment in the cool evening air, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  She was relieved now that she was here, but what if her Aunt Babs wouldn’t let her come in? Maybe she’d insist that Cindy return home right away. What if her aunt rang her father? She felt a wave of panic surge through her as she tried to read Babs’s expression. Maybe running away had not been such a good idea after all.

  ‘Good heavens, run away?’ Babs exclaimed. But then she put her arms around Cindy and held her close. ‘Come in and tell me what’s happened,’ she added kindly.

  When Cindy heard the gentleness in her aunt’s voice, she put her hands to her face and started to sob afresh. Babs patted her back and held her until she felt calmer. With a rush of relief, Cindy knew she’d made the right decision in turning up unannounced, even though it had been years since she had seen Babs and cousin Joey.

  Babs picked up Cindy’s small bag, led her into the living room and sat her on the couch. Cindy looked around the little room. It was neatly but sparsely furnished, with an old sofa against one wall and a bookcase full of books on the other, next to a new-looking television set which clearly had pride of place in the room. The dining room table was covered in fabrics, and patterns sat beside a portable sewing machine.

  ‘You look exhausted. Before you tell me anything, Cindy, how about I get you some food and something to drink? Would a sandwich and an iced tea be all right?’ asked Babs.

  Cindy sniffed and nodded. She was relieved to find that her favourite aunt was exactly as she remembered her, so calm and caring.

  ‘Thank you, Aunt Babs. I’m sorry that I turned up like this, but I just had to get away from home. Where’s Joey?’

  ‘He’s asleep. He’ll be thrilled to see you in the morning.’ Babs went into the kitchen, leaving the anxious girl twisting her handkerchief in her hands. ‘Cindy, come and keep me company.’

  Babs smiled at her niece as the teenager pulled up a stool at the breakfast bar. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’m so glad that you could come to me with your troubles. I’m sure we’ll be able to sort them out, whatever they are. Do you want to tell me what’s happened?’ she asked gently.

  Cindy sat for a moment in silence as Babs made her a pastrami sandwich, then took a breath and raced headlong into an explanation.

  ‘I know it’s going to sound silly, but I just hate Spokane. It is the most boring place on earth!’ Cindy shuddered. ‘Dad and Lisa are making me go to secretarial college! I don’t want to be a secretary! I want to get out and travel and live!’ She flung her arms out as if to embrace the wide world. ‘Dad and Lisa want me to get a boring steady job. Lisa’s not my real mom anyway.’ She frowned at the thought of her father’s second wife. ‘The idea of another day in Spokane made me feel so miserable, I just couldn’t stay there anymore. Then I thought of you, and we all know how you took the plunge and came here to Palm Springs and then how Aunt Alice followed you, and I thought, why don’t I do that as well? And so I have, and I couldn’t bear it if you sent me back.’ Her eyes filled with tears again as she looked imploringly at her aunt.

  Babs handed Cindy a tissue and patted her hand. ‘There, there now. There’s no need to be quite so dramatic. I’m not going to send you home.’ She paused a moment as Cindy blew her nose. ‘You’ve just finished high school, haven’t you?’

  Cindy nodded. ‘Yes, and that’s why I thought it was time to leave. Nothing ever happens at home and I thought of all the fun you must have in a place like this, what with all the film stars and celebrities.’

  ‘And a lot of hard work, too,’ said Babs grimly. ‘So how did you get here?’

  ‘My girlfriend was going to visit her grandparents in San Francisco and her parents said I could go with her.

  I told Dad that’s what I was doing, but when I got to San Francisco, I’d already made up my mind that I wanted to see you. I explained everything to my friend, then caught a bus to Los Angeles and another to Palm Springs.’

  Babs shook her head. ‘So your father still thinks you’re in San Francisco, does he? Cindy, I know you might object, but I must ring him to tell him you’re staying here for a while. What if he calls your friend’s parents or grand­parents and discovers you aren’t there? We certainly don’t want him contacting the police or anything like that, do we? I’ll just tell him you’re having a bit of a vacation with us.’

  Cindy leaned over and hugged her aunt.

  ‘I knew you wouldn’t send me back, Aunt Babs,’ she exclaimed. ‘I can’t thank you enough.’

  In the small apartment, it was impossible not to hear her aunt’s conversation with her father. It was handled diplomatically and, in less than fifteen minutes, Aunt Babs had persuaded him to let Cindy stay for the summer vacation. She heard Babs add calmly, ‘Yes, Deborah was such a dear sister to me; having Cindy stay is no imposition at all.’

  After Cindy had eaten her sandwich, she helped her aunt make up a bed on the sofa.

  ‘Try to get a good night’s sleep, sweetie,’ said Babs. ‘You’ve had a very long and stressful day.’ She kissed her niece good night.

  Before she fell into a deep sleep, Cindy lay in the dark thinking how lucky she was that Aunt Babs was such an understanding person. Finally she was going to experience the sort of exciting life that had seemed impossible only a few days ago.

  *

  She woke the next morning to find a young boy with blond hair and a serious face looking down at her.

  ‘I’m Joey,’ he announced as soon as her eyes had opened properly.

  Cindy smiled at him. ‘I know you are. You’ve certainly grown since last time I saw you! How old are you now, seven?’

  ‘Eight,’ said Joey in a tone which suggested that Cindy should have been aware of that fact. ‘Mom explained you came in the night. It’ll be fun to have you stay with us. I’m having a tennis lesson, but when I get back, I’ll show you our pool. You can come swimming too, if you want.’

  ‘Thank you, Joey, that sounds great,’ said Cindy.

  ‘See ya, I’ve got to go.’ With that, Joey grabbed his tennis racquet and bolted out the door.

  ‘Morning, Cindy,’ said Babs as she came into the room. ‘I hope you slept okay? It’s not the best of beds, but I think I have a solution to that. Now, would you like some breakfast? I’ve rung your Aunt Alice and she’s on the way over. She can’t believe you’re here either, and she’s dying to see you.’

  Half an hour later, Alice arrived in an efficient and energetic flurry. She looked Cindy up and down and then said to Babs, as if Cindy wasn’t actually present, ‘You’re telling me she ran away from home? Why would she do that? Still, I have to say that she’s become a very pretty girl, don’t you think, Babs? I can see Deb in her, that’s for sure.’ Cindy had her mother’s creamy skin and lovely red-gold hair. Alice carried on brusquely, addressing Cindy this time, ‘I hope you won’t be bored here. And I hope there’ll be no hijinks. I know what teenagers get up to.’

  Cindy noticed Babs raise an eyebrow, as though to question Alice’s knowledge of teenagers, and Cindy wondered if Alice had ever come into contact with that age group at all.

  ‘I’m so anxious to see your little shop, Aunt Alice,’ Cindy said politely.

  ‘It’s not so little,’ said Alice tartly. ‘Are you keen on fashion? I have plans to open a dress shop of my own.’

  Cindy nodded. ‘I like clothes, o
f course. I just can’t afford to buy them very often.’

  ‘You look very pretty in that,’ said Babs, admiring Cindy’s full skirt, puffed out with stiffened petticoats. Tucked into its narrow waistband was a white short-sleeved blouse with a scalloped lace Peter Pan collar. Cindy had added white ankle socks and flat red shoes to complete the outfit.

  ‘Do you make your own clothes?’ asked Alice.

  Cindy shook her head. ‘I have no idea how to sew.’

  ‘Can you cook?’ asked Alice.

  ‘No, I can’t do that either. Lisa is always telling me I’m hopeless around the house.’

  ‘You’ll never land a husband if you can’t do something practical,’ said Alice, throwing up her hands. ‘I can’t believe you can’t sew! What did they teach you at high school, for goodness sake?’

  Cindy stifled a groan. ‘Just because I can’t sew, doesn’t meant that I don’t want to learn about fashion, Aunt Alice,’ she said. ‘I’m interested in proper fashion, made by famous designers, and what musicians and film stars like Grace Kelly wear.’

  ‘Princess Grace has wonderful style,’ agreed Alice. ‘But unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a lot of rock and roll singers, whose influence on teenagers can only be described as unfortunate.’

  ‘But Aunt Alice, nowadays teenagers are setting their own style. Hey, why don’t you open a teenagers’ clothing store? That’d be sensational,’ suggested Cindy.

  ‘I hardly think so,’ said Alice, looking like she’d bitten a lemon. ‘I would not like my name associated with anything so tasteless. And who would pay for these clothes? Teenagers don’t have money.’

  ‘Some do,’ answered Cindy. ‘If they have rich parents. And lots of my friends have part-time jobs, although that’s also to help pay for college.’

  ‘And which college are you planning on going to?’ asked Alice.

  ‘Dad wants me to go to secretarial college,’ Cindy answered mournfully. ‘Can’t I go to a real college out here?’

  ‘Of course,’ said Alice briskly. ‘You won’t find a good husband in a college filled with other women!’

  ‘What do you want to study?’ asked Babs, turning to Cindy.

  Cindy shrugged. ‘I don’t really know. I don’t have a burning passion for any one particular career, I’m afraid. Maybe I could become a journalist? I love math, so maybe I could do something with that.’ She cocked her head to one side. ‘I know I would like to travel, so I’d like to do something that would take me anywhere in the world.’

  ‘Then perhaps you should wait another year or so before you make up your mind,’ said Babs. ‘Wait until your ambition is a little clearer.’

  ‘Good heavens, Babs, Cindy can’t wait. Everyone goes to college these days and she needs to go right away,’ said Alice emphatically.

  ‘But we didn’t go to college,’ protested Babs. ‘And you’ve never shown much interest in higher education before.’

  ‘Different times,’ said Alice briskly. ‘I am now fully aware of the fact that the best way to get a good husband is to meet one at college. They say that if you haven’t got a ring on your finger by the time you graduate, you’ve wasted time and money. If Cindy waits about before actually going, she will be the oldest girl in her class and that will severely limit her chances.’ She held up her hand when she saw Babs trying to interject. ‘No, she must go to a proper college. That’s something she can do over summer: start applying to colleges. Of course, her father will have to pay, but I’ll talk to him and I think we can also help by letting Cindy work for us during the break. All the college kids are mad to find work in summer.’

  Cindy beamed at her aunt. Alice was certainly forceful. Cindy could see there was no point arguing with her. Instead she imagined meeting new people and experiencing a different, more exciting lifestyle in college. She would enjoy her summer break in Palm Springs and then head off to her new life. Then something else occurred to her.

  ‘My father won’t be too pleased,’ she said quietly.

  ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We can’t always get what we want, your father included. We have to make decisions that are best in the long run,’ said Alice.

  ‘You’ve always got what you wanted, Alice,’ murmured Babs.

  Alice ignored the comment and continued, ‘I don’t think you can stay here with Babs while you’re waiting to get into college, Cindy. There simply isn’t the room.’

  ‘I don’t mind sleeping on the couch,’ said Cindy hastily.

  ‘No, Alice is right,’ said Babs regretfully. ‘As much as I would love you to stay with Joey and me, you’d have no privacy, and I get up very early to start work and I’d disturb you. Alice has more space in her place. It’s not so far away, so you can visit, and Cindy, you will always be welcome here. I’ll even give you a key, so you can let yourself in any time you like.’

  Cindy thanked her aunt, thinking again how kind Babs was, and how thoughtful. She always seemed to know the right thing to say. Joey was so lucky to have such a wonderful mother. It was times like these she missed her own mother very much.

  *

  Alice’s place was small but cleverly designed and sported lots of white, gilt, glass and mirrored décor. There were ornaments and photo frames everywhere and, as Cindy found out, these were never to be moved from their precise positions. The bathroom displayed a lot of cosmetics, including many free samples, and one shelf by the window was filled with Alice’s collection of elaborate perfume bottles, backlit by the sunlight but never used. In the kitchen, leopard-print giftware paper had been glued to every surface, including the floor, and Alice had painted over it in layers of clear lacquer to make a hard, shiny surface. The kitchen was small and compact, which suited Alice as she rarely cooked, preferring raw foods like fruit and salads. On the kitchen bench stood several large glass jars holding raw cashews, peanuts, dried apricots and the fresh dates she constantly nibbled on. Her freezer contained organic ice-cream, yoghurt and frozen berries. Hidden in the back of the refrigerator (behind bowls of leftovers she kept till they were too awful to eat, but which seemed to imply that she wasted nothing), she kept a supply of dark chocolate, which, she explained to Cindy, was specifically for her blood and could not be shared. On her small patio a glass-topped table and white metal chairs were surrounded by pots of decorative cacti.

  ‘I hope you’ll be comfortable here,’ said Alice. ‘But no shenanigans, all right?’

  Cindy loved staying in Palm Springs and working with her aunts in the little shop in the hotel lobby. As time passed she managed to curtail her excitement whenever a famous film star walked into the store, and instead was able to point proudly to the beautiful work on the handmade pieces. But she couldn’t help but admire Alice’s brilliant strategy of selling an outfit to just about anyone. She waged psychological warfare on every customer. Nor was Alice averse to a little set dressing. On the desk beside the cash register in full view of her customers, she kept a beautifully wrapped package with a note that she changed every few days. For example, she might write, Hold for Dolores Hope, implying that Bob and Dolores Hope were stalwarts of The Little Folk’s Cottage.

  Alice was as good as her word when it came to finding a suitable college for Cindy and talking Cindy’s father into paying. One day she announced, ‘My friend Spencer has suggested that you enrol in the University of California at the Santa Barbara campus, and I agree that it’s an excellent choice. I’ll speak with your father about the fees, and you can keep working for us over the summer to help cover the costs. However, you might have to look for a part-time job in Santa Barbara as well.’ Cindy was only too happy to agree.

  Alice made no secret of the fact that she was now committed to going full-steam ahead with her fashionable dress shop and had begun to look for suitable stock.

  ‘I’ve found just the place for the store. Spencer has helped me so much. Being an attorne
y here, he knows what’s what. Evidently, the man who originally leased the premises is in some financial trouble, so I can take over his lease at a good price,’ she told Cindy one evening. Then, after a buying trip to Los Angeles, she decided to get Cindy to model the samples she’d brought back. Cindy smiled with pleasure and disappeared into the bedroom to change.

  ‘Just be very careful putting them on. I don’t want you doing any damage.’

  There was a knock at the door and Babs let herself in to Alice’s apartment as Cindy walked gracefully into the living room modelling a shantung sheath dress.

  ‘Cindy, you look beautiful!’ cried Babs.

  Alice studied Cindy closely. ‘I think I might put on a fashion luncheon at the Racquet Club. I know so many people there, and they always admire what I’m wearing, so I’ll have no difficulty in arranging it. I think a fashion parade would be an excellent way of bringing my business to people’s attention. And Spencer will know all the right people to ask. He has wonderful contacts, not just here, but in LA as well.’

  ‘Spencer has certainly been a help. Very attentive to you,’ said Babs with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile, both of which Alice ignored.

  ‘What are you going to call the shop?’ asked Cindy.

  ‘It will be “The Sun Garden”,’ said Alice emphatically. ‘The place has a little courtyard in the front, so

  I thought I’d put in a pretty garden setting with just a few tables, some umbrellas and wrought-iron chairs, then we can serve cream teas, sandwiches and coffees as well as cold drinks. Homemade food, of course.’