Premise: What if Bizzy had left the Captain when Addison was a teenager how would that have changed Addison?
Susan clasped the bra running her hand over the lace. Bizzy had picked it out and she wasn't sure it was really her. The door opened, the young woman looked behind her and saw her lover standing there.
"Its too small." The redhead closed the door behind her.
"Really let me see." The redhead ran her hands over the straps of the bra to the top of Susan's breast. The younger woman's breath caught. "Feels like it fits perfectly to me."
Bizzy kissed Susan's neck moving her lips slowly towards Susan's breast. She breathed over the top of the lace. "Yes, looks perfect."
"We can't do this here." The young woman protested. Not very strongly. The older woman ran her tongue over the outside of the lace.
"I like this one a lot. You should buy it." Her hand moved down Susan's abdomen. Into the waist band of her pants. She worked her mouth along Susan's collar bone. Her hand moved further into the brunette's pants, bypassing the panties that were there.
The read slid her finger easily into her lovers center. "Uh." Susan's moan made her smile.
"Sorry. I should have knocked." Bizzy's head whipped around to find a sales girl standing there with garments in her hand. The sales girl made a hasty retreat either in embarrassment or to avoid the redheads glare.
"You think there is anyway we can explain this away."
"Probably not. Shit Shit Shit."
"Susan calm down it will be fine."
"She just caught you fucking me. How can you be calm at all? Shit."
"Its going to be ok." Susan observed Bizzy looking at the door. She could hear the older woman's gears spinning.
"Bizzy." She said tentatively. She wanted to offer comfort. "She's probably more embarrassed than anything else."
They both left the dressing room. Bizzy went straight to the car and Susan went to the register to pay for her items. The clerk barely looked at her in the face. She left and slipped in the car. As it pulled away from the curb the redhead reached out to hold her lovers hand.
XXX
They had wished for discretion, but instead the clerk had told her tale to every person that walked in the store. It didn't take long for the story to make it through their social set and it had caused destruction in their world.
Addison sat on the stairs in their house while the adults argued in the living room. Her parent's rarely argued, but at this point they had been arguing for a week.
This discussion had called for both of Bizzy's and Captain's parents and Bizzy's older brother and sister.
"This little dalliance of yours has greatly embarrassed the family." Bizzy's mother said.
"Its not a dalliance." She had never heard her mother's voice quiver before.
"Come on Beatrice. We've all strayed," Her brother said matter-a-factly. "You and Captain will do some appearances. Show yourselves as the couple you've always been and eventually this will all be a distant memory."
"Fine. Then that's what we'll do."
"Is she still here?" Captain's mother said to no one in particular. Captain nodded. "You haven't fired her? You must do that immediately."
"You will not. We will be more discreet, but she's not going anywhere." For the first time there was desperation in the red-head's voice.
"Bizzy, she can't stay here and have the two of you recover." Bizzy's sister said. "You must send her away and forget about her. You have your children to think about."
"This isn't about them. He can screw every woman within 500miles and I have a relationship and it's the end of the world. We've existed this way for 5 years, it doesn't have to change."
"Bizzy she cannot stay."
"If she goes so do I." The room fell silent. Everyone looked at Bizzy in shock.
There was a long pause before anyone spoke. Finally, Bizzy's mother broke the silence. "You're a Forbes dear. You have a responsibility. A pedigree. That that woman does not fit into."
"Susan is my life. She is everything."
"Don't kid yourself Bizzy. You're a paycheck. You think if you fired her she wouldn't find some other rich woman to fill her bed with. Or even go as far as to get money from you to keep silent."
"She wouldn't. I won't give her up."
"Then that's the way it will be. But you will be cut off from the family, from the foundation." Douglas Bradford Forbes clear voice spoke for the first time.
"Fine."
"See if she'll want you when you have nothing." Bizzy's brother spat.
Bizzy walked from the room, and ascended the stairs. Addison was too shocked to hide and pretend like she didn't hear anything. They came face to face on the stairs. Bizzy looked at her daughter. "Addison you shouldn't eavesdrop."
"Addison. Come here." Addison looked down the stairs at her maternal grandmother. Before Addison could respond, her mother walked by her and into her bedroom.
That was the last time she saw her mother in the house. She had left less than an hour later, with Susan. It didn't take her long to pack her things.
Captain knocked on the door of Susan's apartment. He stood patiently waiting for her to open the door.
"Come in," he heard a voice say quietly. He saw Susan sitting at the desk apparently working. She removed her glasses and glanced up. She took a second look and stood quickly. "Oh, Hello Captain." She said meekly.
"Susan." He stared at her. What was it about this woman that had captivated Bizzy. She was plain and quiet. If you didn't know her, she would blend into the background. Bizzy hated people that played mild mannered. He couldn't understand it. He opened his mouth to speak and couldn't. Then opened his mouth again.
"Your presence here has complicated our lives."
"Captain, I never meant that to happen. I never meant to interfere…" He held up his hand silencing her.
"I came here to offer you final compensation. $50,000 to leave and never come back."
"I don't want your money Captain. When Bizzy asks me to leave I will."
"I'm asking. $100,000."
"Captain there isn't an amount. I love her. I'd do anything she asks of me."
"She needs you to leave. You couldn't keep your hands off my wife. You compromised her. If you love her like you claim, you will leave. And never look back."
"I will, when she asks," she said quietly. "She never said that she would leave you. We made a mistake we got to comfortable. I'm sorry that hurt you. I really am. I can't help how I feel about her. She's my whole world."
"She's my whole world!" He banged on his chest. "She's my wife. And you're just the slut that she screwed."
"Don't speak to her like that." Bizzy stood in the door way with her bag in hand. "Don't ever speak to her like that."
"Bizzy." He said raising a hand out to her.
"A decision has been made. I'm leaving; you will file for divorce. I'll inform you of where to send the papers when we're settled. I hope we can work something out with the children."
"Bizzy we can make this work. You don't have to leave. Just ask her to go away. We can go back to things the way they were."
"I'm leaving Captain - with Susan." He walked.
When Bizzy walked into Susan's apartments with the overnight bag in her hand, "I take it it didn't go well?"
"I told them I wouldn't fire you."
"Bizzy I'll leave if that will help."
"I won't give you up." Bizzy pulled Susan close to her and held on tight. "I'm leaving. Captain and I will divorce."
"Bizzy this is who you are. I'm sure it will get better with time."
"Not without you."
"What about Archer and Addison?"
"I don't know." She shook her head. "You should pack. We need to leave."
...
Addison didn't want to be here. Not at all. 'It's the arrangement the court decided on.' She could hear the Captain's voice in her head. She surveyed the neighborhood. She couldn't imagine Bizzy Forbes Montgomery living here. The houses were big for the sake of being big. But common, they looked like card board cut outs of each other. She watched the children playing on the street, poked Archer and pointed at them.
He turned and laughed. There was a little boy riding a bike and girls playing hopscotch. Actually drawing on the road and throwing rocks in a circle. "They made her buy this you know." Addison nodded. Archer was right. They had heard Captain's lawyer telling him if she had any chance of seeing her children, giving 'her lifestyle', she needed to live in a family oriented neighborhood. Image was of course something Bizzy Forbes Montgomery, no Bizzy Forbes, understood.
Archer reached his hand out to ring the door bell. "The sooner we get this started the faster it will be over." Archer had recently discovered hip-hop music and to piss his father off he had begun to wear his clothes too big for him. The only thing that made Captain refrain from making him change his clothes was that the outfit would piss Bizzy off even more than it pissed him off.
"Smile" Addison said as the door opened. Susan stood there with a huge smile on her face.
"Hi, Addison, Archer." She looked the same Addison thought.
"Is Bizzy here?" Archer said barreling past her.
"Yes." Susan said tearing her eyes off of Addison. "She's in the library."
Archer dropped his bag, "Where's that?"
"Through those doors second room on your left. But you should take your bags to your room first."
He looked down at the bag and back up at Susan. "That's what the help is for." He walked in the direction of the library.
Susan briefly closed her eyes. Obviously trying to get control of her anger. Addison knew her brother wanted to be anywhere but here, and that he viewed Bizzy's relationship with Susan as a disgrace. Susan was the 'help'. Obviously Archer had decided to treat her as such.
Addison surveyed her, two years hadn't changed her. Her hair was swept off her shoulders, she was simply dressed, as Addison often remembered her, in a cardigan and slacks - nothing flashy, nothing that would make her conspicuous. It was hard to believe this woman had changed her life. She looked so harmless. Addison had even trusted her, maybe loved her. But she had changed all their lives. Or her mother had. What did Susan have that the rest of them didn't?
The brunette looked at Addison, "Come in Addy." She used the nickname without even thinking. When Addison didn't correct her, she was relieved. Addison looked around the room. It struck her how much this space looked like her mother and didn't all at the same time. It actually reminded her a lot of the apartment Susan had on the grounds of their estate. It felt comfortable.
"You want to see your room?" Susan asked. She looked anxious, Addison thought. The brunette took Addison's bag out of her hand and headed towards the stairs off the front door. Addison picked Archer's bag up. "He should take that up himself."
Addison shrugged, "Its ok. I got it." She really didn't want to hear the argument Susan's request would cause. Actually she wanted to avoid Bizzy for as long as she could.
She followed Susan up the stairs. "The master is down there. I put you and Archer down here." She led Addison down a short hallway. "That's Archer's room." She pointed to a closed door at the end of hallway. Addison walked over and put the bag outside the door. "This one is yours." Addison stood in front of the Archer's door and looked past Susan into the room. Tentatively she entered.
It looked nothing like her room at home. It was far more grown up. Large graphic prints on the walls, a chair suspended from the ceiling and bed in the middle. All greens and purples. She couldn't believe her mother had let Susan do this to a room.
"Here's the bathroom. Everything you need should be here. I'll leave you to get settled." Susan turned to leave, but stopped and turned back towards Addison. "Addy I'm really glad you're here. I've missed you." Addison didn't say anything. She just looked at her.
The teenagers gaze shifted to the hallway where she saw her mother in threshold. She gave Bizzy a small smile. Archer stuck his head in. "Ads grab your suit. There's a private pool." He took off without waiting for a reply. Bizzy just stared at her daughter saying nothing. Addison ignored the women standing in her room, pulled her swimsuit from the bag and disappeared into the bathroom.
XX
Week one day 3
It was 7am when Addison came through the patio doors. She had taken up running recently and was determined to get on the track team this year. In order to do that she had to increase her times in two events. The coach that Captain had hired gave her a workout schedule to maintain over the summer.
She walked in to see Susan at the stove and Bizzy's arms wrapped around the brunette from behind. Her head buried in the younger woman's neck. Susan giggled, "Bizzy you're going to make me burn the omelet."
"Why don't you come back to bed?" Susan turned around to respond and saw Addison standing there. She nudged the older woman and pointed toward Addison.
"Good morning Addy. How was your run?"
"Fine." Addison responded and grabbed some juice from refrigerator.
"What do you want in your omelet?" Susan asks. Addison indicates same as yesterday. Over the last few days the teenager and the brunette had fallen into a rhythm. Susan was always up and dressed when Addison returned from her run. Susan would fix breakfast and they would chat until Bizzy came down for breakfast. At that point Addison would get up and shower. She hadn't said more than was necessary to her mother since arriving.
Now sitting in the kitchen she wondered if she could have said something to make her mother stay that day.
Susan placed an omelet in front of her. "You wanna come into the office with me today. I'll be there for a few hours then, I was thinking maybe you and I could do some shopping. Get you some new running shoes."
"Sure, Susan. Can I take this upstairs?" Susan looked at Bizzy who was leaning against the counter ignoring them.
"Of course. I'm leaving in an hour. Take some toast with you." Addison grabs her plate and juice, heading to her room.
"Are you not even going acknowledge her presence?"
"Susan, she's fine."
"No, she's not. She stares at you waiting for something. Some acknowledgment. Anything. And you act like she doesn't even exist."
"Leave it alone."
"Fine, I'm going to finish getting dressed. Can you remind Archer to straighten his room. Contrary to his belief I'm not his maid."
"Of course."
Susan went upstairs. Bizzy stared at the omelet in front of her. How had she let this happen. Her life wasn't this complicated a few short weeks ago. A few weeks ago they lived in the city. She had her work and Susan. She was even happily anticipating her children coming to stay with her.
Archer was… well he was Archer. So, much like his father. He needed her attention, always, and constantly sought it. She would of course have to say something to him about his attitude toward Susan, but so far he wasn't mad at her. And she needed one of her children not be mad at her.
Was her choice so wrong? She had chosen this life over both of them. They were supposed to be her everything and they weren't. It was the greatest crime as a mother to place others over your children. But she hadn't placed others over her children. She had placed herself over her children. At least a small part of her should have been ashamed, but she couldn't manage it. She needed Susan in a way that she had never needed anyone else. The brunette was hers and she couldn't find a way to give that up not even for Archer and Addison.
Worst of all Addison had heard her. Addison had been there when she made the choice. She couldn't hide behind being forced into the situation when her daughter had been listening on the steps. 'What she must think of me. Of how weak I am. What kind of mother does that?'
She hastily ate her breakfast, and flipped through her schedule for the day. It would be a long one. Archer would have to come with her, of course. She made her way upstairs and into her bedroom.
Susan stood in the mirror of the bathroom fixing her hair. They locked eyes in the mirror. "Are you going to stay mad at me?"
"I just wish you would talk to her."
"I'm her mother we don't talk of such things to your children." Bizzy sat on the bed. Susan sat next to her.
"You're scared of her." The redhead wouldn't meet her eyes. "She's your daughter. You have seven weeks to get over it." She bent to kiss the older woman on the temple. And stood straight to slip into her heels. "Let's go out for dinner tonight. You and Archer could meet us in the city. Put some people in middle of all this togetherness." Susan checked herself in the full length mirror. "Pick a place ok. Something Archer will like, please."
"You know he only does that stuff because he knows it gets to you. If you pretended that it didn't, he would lay off."
"Doubtful. I'll call you and we can coordinate the time."
XXX -p
Week two.
"Hey," Addison looked from her book to see a teenage boy sauntering over. Addison appraised him. He looked like one of those kids from the sitcoms, she watched on Saturday mornings while avoiding doing her homework. Addison chose to ignore him. "Hey." He said again this time sitting below her on the step.
Addison looked up but didn't answer. "You don't talk." He asked.
"Not when I don't have anything to say."
"Hmmm." He looked at her. "You live here?" Indicating the house.
"Why?"
"I thought that lezzys lived in this house." Addison sat there searching for something to say. "One of them your mom."
"No." Addison said rather emphatically. "I'm just visiting."
"Oh." He didn't say anything else. Two boys came up on bikes.
"Come on Bri." He got up and walked to the bike he left on the grass. "See ya." He called to Addison. She looked down at her book.
Bizzy stood in the window. She had heard the boy call to Addison and listened to their conversation. She turned away from the window. It was better that Addison… she couldn't form the words in her mind... deny she had a mother.
The phone rang. She picked it up. "Hey. Its me." Someone said before she could speak.
"I know. How's your day?"
"Good, but busy. We just picked up an emergency event, so its pretty crazy here. Tell me how someone can have an emergency event. Birthdays happen at the same time every year. Anyways… I just wanted to hear your voice."
"Well, now you've heard it." She fought back the tears.
"What's wrong?" Susan could hear them.
"Nothing. When will you be home? I've decided not to go in today, so I'm going to make dinner."
"Just because you've changed the subject doesn't mean I won't remember. We'll talk when I get home. I'll leave on time. I love you."
"Me too."
Week 3
Addison only brought one book and some school text that her tutor had said she needed to read before she returned. Bored, she wondered into the library in hopes of finding something she could read until she had a chance to ask Susan to take her to a book store. Now more than ever she wished they would have stayed at Bizzy's place in the city so she could walk wherever she needed to go.
The shelves covered the entire room. She ran her fingers across the books, stopping when she saw Tolstoys. They looked pretty old as she took them off the shelf. She opened them and saw that they were first additions. Addison remembered that she had seen them in Susan's apartment on the estate a few years back. It occurred to her then that they had to be gift from Bizzy. It hadn't occurred to her until that moment how much time Bizzy had to spent trackng them down. She felt sad for a moment thinking that Bizzy had never put this much thought into a gift for her.
Moving on Addison came upon a selection of books that looked like they had come from her library at home. Grey's Anatomy, though her father's copy was far more worn than this one. And two years of issues from the New England Journal of Medicine. She had saved her allowance and bought herself a subscription at 7. She pulled one off the shelf. It was addressed to Beatrice Forbes.
Bizzy had these sent to her. Why? She recalled her mother engaging in countless conversations with Captain about his surgeries or a medical break through; but she had read an actual journal?
"She started subscribing just in case you wanted to read them." Susan said from behind her. "The day the judge allowed her visitation. She didn't know whether you still got them yourself, but she thought if you ever came here you may want to keep current.
"Oh." Was all Addison could manage.
"She also got you a subscription to Vanity Fair. Its over there." She pointed to another section of the library. Addison grabbed the journal she had her hand on and made a hasty retreat out of the library.
There were to many thoughts swirling around in her head. She had hid the magazine from Bizzy since she was 10 yrs old. She couldn't imagine a maid had found them and told Bizzy because she was sure they would have been instructed to get rid of them.
XXXX
Week 5
Addison and Archer walked along the road to the community center.
"Can you believe she has the nerve to speak to me like that? She's a servant."
"I don't know why you're so mad at Susan."
"She needs to learn her place Addy. You need to stop being nice to her."
"She didn't make Bizzy leave. Bizzy didn't want us. She didn't want to be around us."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"They gave her a choice she could have stayed, she wouldn't leave Susan."
"I told you its her fault. If Susan would have just left Bizzy wouldn't have known."
"She still would have left, Archer. She doesn't want us."
"We're her children." It seemed so unbelievable that Addison wouldn't understand what that meant.
Addison shrugged. She didn't know whether that would matter. Whether having children would have any bearing on wanting them. As far as she could see it didn't. Bizzy had them and they weren't wanted. And as much as Addison wish she could she couldn't get over that her mother didn't want her.
XXX
Week 7
Bizzy watched the ice cube melt in the glass. She had poured the gin, but couldn't bring herself to drink it. She looked accusingly at the answering machine.
Susan walked into the room, rearranging the flowers by the window. "My mother's coming." Bizzy said calmly.
The brunette stopped turning her entire body around to look at the older woman's face. "Excuse me."
"My mother is coming. Anne will be here in three days."
"Are you kidding?"
"I got the message when I walked in the house. She wants to see Archer for his birthday. She's bringing Josephine and Suzanne with her. Check the machine if you don't believe me."
Susan walked over the answering machine hitting the button. Hello Beatrice. This is your mother. I will be arriving to celebrate Archer's birthday on Thursday. I will be staying at the Beaumont. Josephine and Suzanne are coming with me. They will want to stay with Addison. Please refrain from flaunting your choices in front of them. There was a solid click to the phone.
"Why is she coming now? Archer has had birthday's for the last 13 years." Susan almost screamed.
Bizzy drained her drink looking at Susan from the bottom of her class. "She is coming to take a look at my life. And pass judgment. She also wants see how devoted you are." Her voice was bitter.
"Bizzy…" Susan didn't know what else to say she came to stand in front of her partner.
"It's fine."
"What are we going to do? I could move into the spare room."
"No you won't." Bizzy reached out to wrap her arms around the younger woman and bury her head in the other woman's abdomen. "If they have to be here, I want you close by." They heard the front door open and close. Bizzy stood from her seat on the couch catching her children as they entered the living room.
"Your grandmother called." She simply stated. There was a long pause. "She's coming here to see you, Archer, for your birthday." Archer rolled his eyes.
"Why?"
"She's your grandmother. Addison she is bringing Josephine and Suzanne with her."
"Can we move?" Addison said dryly. Bizzy laughed. It was the first time she could remember seeing her mother smile. The young girl smiled despite herself.
"She already knows where we live."
"Why does she have to come and bring them?"
"Or come at all?" Archer chimed in.
"She'll be here in three days." Bizzy walked away from her children. At least it appeared that they were dreading her mother's appearance on the door step as much as she was.
Susan followed Bizzy back into the library. The redhead addressed the younger woman, "Addison doesn't like her cousins?"
"No," Susan said. "They aren't exactly her type of people."
"What does that mean? They are the same type of people." Susan shook her head. "They come from the same family. Go to the same schools. They are exactly the same type of people."
"They're vapid."
"Excuse me."
"Vapid. Lacking of interest. Her word not mine."
"She said that." A slow smile crept across Bizzy's face.
"You think that's funny."
"They come by it honestly you know. Katherine is very dull. I will never understand what Lucas saw in her."
"A merger." They both laughed.
"Are you ready for this? We haven't had to really deal with my family since before the divorce. The silence has made life relatively easy."
"Bizzy I love you. If you had come to me that day and asked me to leave I would have. No questions asked. I won't abandon you when you've given up everything to be with me."
"Only a couple of things that mattered."
XXX
Friday Week 7
Susan walked into the foyer after a long day of work. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes slightly. Day two of Bizzy's mother's visit. Anne was slowly wearing on Susan's nerves. Anne was always dismissive of the brunette, however, her dismissiveness had grown to out and out contempt. Susan was counting the days until the invaders, as Addison had taken to calling them, would leave her house.
"Susan." Anne called from the living room as Susan walked by. Susan slowly turned to see her sitting on the couch with an empty drink in her hand.
"Yes, Mrs. Forbes. How are you this evening?"
"Make me another drink." She held out her glass to Susan. Susan walked over to her and took the glass from the woman's hand. Three days. Three days. She chanted to herself. Three days and this would be all over.
Susan prepared the martini and handed it back to Anne. "Dinner will be promptly at 6:30 - I hope. I would hate for another delay to occur as it did last night."
"Um… Mrs. Forbes I'm not sure what Bizzy has prepared for dinner or what time she plans on serving it. I can go ask if you like."
"You seem to have domesticated her."
"I wouldn't exactly call Bizzy domesticated. We share certain household responsibilities especially with Addison and Archer here."
"You have brought her to your level. You realize that when Bizzy is done slumming, she will return to her rightful place. Do you think she will continue to be happy with you. Living this life." She slung her hand and some gin escaped the glass. "You are a distraction; nothing more." Susan closed her eyes. She had heard this line before, from more than just Bizzy's former associates. She couldn't keep hearing it.
"I love your daughter very much. She is free to leave at anytime she chooses. She's been living this life for over two years now. I think she's past the distraction phase."
"You're nothing but a worthless slut who whored yourself for the pay off of being a kept woman." Her words were malicious.
"You can't speak to her like that?" Addison had heard Susan come in and had come downstairs to escape her cousins. She'd hadn't expected to interfere, but felt like someone had to.
"I will speak to her anyway I choose."
"She didn't do anything. You forced Bizzy into the decision and she left. Its not Susan's fault."
"Addison Forbes Montgomery who do you think you are speaking to."
"Addison its ok." Susan put a smile on her face, trying to shuffle the teenager from the room. "How was your day? Did you shave anytime of your run?"
"You didn't do anything." Addison said to Susan this time.
"You're right Addison she didn't do anything, but awaken some sick desires in your mother. Sick desires that made her abandon her responsibilities."
"You don't speak to her like that or about her at all. This is her home. She deserves to be treated with respect in it. If you can't manage that mother then you can leave." Bizzy said as she entered the room. She had heard raised voices from the kitchen. She hoped that it wasn't Addison and her cousins. She came within earshot long enough for the "sick desires" comment.
"She's the help." Bizzy's mother said dismissively.
"Not anymore." Bizzy's voice had gone from ice to slow boiling rage.
"Bizzy its fine. I'm fine. We don't need to fight about this. She's your mother she loves you and just wants to protect you." Susan touched the older woman's shoulder.
"No. She doesn't get to speak to you like that. Not in our home." Their eyes locked. "Addison's right you didn't do anything."
XXXX
Week 8
Addison heard them come in as she was preparing to head to bed. She headed down the stairs to tell Susan she had finished the Mists of Avalon. Who knew Susan was a fantasy chick? She came down the stairs to see Susan sit on the couch, before she could come any further she heard the stereo come on.
"Come dance with me." Bizzy said. Her voice sounded light, carefree. Her mother came into her view she looked happy. Bizzy held out her hand to Susan as the brunette shook her head.
"I can't stand anymore." She giggled when Bizzy whirled around. Her dress twirling up.
"I'll hold you up. Come on. It'll be fun." This time Susan took the offered hand. The older woman pulled her close. Wrapping the younger woman in her arms. "You were great tonight. So confident, lovely. And all those girls throwing themselves at you."
"You're insane."
"And I just stood there all smug. The sexiest woman in the room was coming home with me. I was going to get to make love to her tonight. Every night."
"I loved that people knew. They knew that I loved you. I needed that. For everyone to know." They danced longer gently caressing one another.
Addison felt like an intruder, a voyeur – but she couldn't walk away. She'd had seen glimpses of how they felt for each other. Never had she'd seen the outpouring of emotion.
Bizzy Forbes Montgomery was a force to be reckoned with. She was hard - a picture of WASP perfection. She was not a soft woman or motherly in anyway. But with Susan she was soft and tender. She wore her emotions out in the open. No guards. She wanted this. Well not this, but she wanted a Mommy.
The front door slammed and she looked to see Archer at the foot of the steps. "Archer James Montgomery, where have you been?" Susan let go of Bizzy as the older woman moved towards her son.
"Out."
"That's not an answer."
"You went out so I went out. What's the big deal, I'm back now?"
"The big deal is you and your sister were supposed stay in tonight, not be out…"
"Mixing with the common folks. That's right only one of us can do that and I guess your much better at it than I am." Her hand came from nowhere and met his face hard.
"I am so sick and tired of your attitude. Your life is so terrible. Two months away from your precious friends and your precious toys. I'm not one of your friends. You will treat me with respect." Everyone was silent. No one moved. "Go to bed." Her voice was quiet. Almost inaudible above the stereo. Archer stepped forward to say something. "Now. Go to bed now." Archer turned on his heels and headed to his room.
Passing Addison on the stairs, they made eye contact and Archer dropped his head. Bizzy came to the stairs. And slowly ascending them. She walked to where Addison was sitting on the stairs. The older woman placed her hand on her daughters shoulder. Addison looked up into her mother's eyes. They were soft and warm. She was stunned. "Addison." The younger woman quickly looked away. Bizzy continued up the stairs the quiet click of her door was met with the loud bang of Archer's bedroom door.
The music in the living room went off and Susan came to the steps. "Hey Addy. Did we wake you?"
"No. I finished the book and came down to see you."
"It was great right. Wait till you read the other three."
Addison paused, "How do you get her to do that?"
"What Addy?"
"She's so… with you she's so different… I didn't know she could…"
"What? Love? Oh Addy, she's loved you since the moment she held you. What we have is intimacy. You can have that with her."
"How?"
"That's something both of you will have to figure out."
XXXX
Week 9
"Addison. " The teenager looked up from her plate at the sound of her mothers voice. Their father had asked Bizzy to keep Addison for two more weeks. He would be out of town and Archer had returned to school already as soccer season had begun. At the end of the two weeks, both Addison and Archer would return to their boarding school in Massachusetts. She couldn't wait.
"Yes Bizzy."
"We need to be in the city this week. Susan has a few things on the schedule that may make it difficult for her to travel back and forth from here."
"Oh. Ok."
"So, we will be moving back to our apartment in the city."
"I guess I could go home, but my new mommy isn't really old enough to care for children."
Bizzy smiled, it seemed that Addison had inhereted her acerbic sense of humor. "I didn't think you would head home, but come with us. I will begin supervising the packing up of this house today. This evening we will head to the condo."
"You own a condo?" Addison couldn't keep the disbelief out of her voice. "Sorry, I didn't mean..."
"Susan liked it. Its spacious. Not really my style, but we've all learned to adjust." Addison didn't say anything to her mother. "If you want to stay here, I guess we could." Bizzy tried to read her daughters face.
"No I kinda want see this condo."
XXX
They had spent three days in this condo. Susan was working crazy hours and Addison rarely saw her. Addison looked around her bedroom. It was rather austere. The apartment was sophisticated and warm. This looked more like something Bizzy would live in as opposed to the house in the suburbs.
"Addy." Susan stuck her head in the room. Addison looked up. "Hey I was wondering if you wanted to pick some things out for your room - personalize it." Susan indicated the room she was in.
"This is isn't really my room." Addison hesitated at the look of hurt on Susan's face. "I mean it doesn't feel like the room at the other house. I thought it was just the guest room."
"Well, I spoke with Bizzy. We thought that if you ever wanted to come back here to visit you would need a room. I thought maybe we could do some shopping."
"Cool, but I would much rather prefer going clothes shopping." Addison smiled. "I saw this hat in vanity fair that I really like."
"Sure we can do that. I have to run in the office but I'll be back in an hour." Susan left. And Addison wandered in the dining room to find some food. Bizzy looked up from the table where she sat.
"Addison." The teenager sat down next to her mother and flipped thru the magazine she brought with her. The maid placed a sandwich in front of Addison. That was sort of a surprise to Addison when she came here. The condo ran more like the house she had grown up in. It had servants, far fewer than their house in Connecticut, but very different from the house in the suburbs which had a cleaning woman come in every few days.
Addison ate in silence until the phone rang. The maid answered and handed the phone to Bizzy. Bizzy had a brief conversation and hung up. "Susan is stuck at work."
"Oh. We were supposed to go shopping."
After a brief silence, Bizzy spoke. "I'll take you. Susan said you wanted to clothes shop. I love her, but picking clothes is not exactly her strong suit."
Addison laughed. "Umm sure."
XX
She spent the day shopping with her mother. It was almost exactly as she remembered, with a little less criticism. This was the Bizzy Forbes she knew. Distant, but at least speaking WASP to her. Addison couldn't really figure out what she was saying.
They came walked into a restaurant to have dinner. The conservation at dinner was very much like the conversation while shopping. Half way thru their entree they were interrupted. "Bizzy!" Someone walked up to their table. When Addison caught a look at the woman she rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Evelyn Kelly was one of Bizzy's old "friends." "Evelyn. How are you?" Bizzy stood to great the woman with a double air kiss.
"Oh my Bizzy, we haven't seen you anywhere. How are things?" She exaggerated the last word.
"Things are good Bizzy. I've seen the Captain a few times, he was really hurt when y'all split."
"Really, only a few times." Bizzy held the other womans gaze and found a little joy when she started to falter.
"Addy," Evelyn Kelly looked quickly at the teenager still seated. "We missed you at the contillion this summer. I hope you've had a lovely summer."
"I have thank you Mrs. Kelly."
"Well, you should drop by when you get home to see my Maggie." When Addison nodded her assent, Evelyn made her retreat. "Bizzy it was great seeing you. I hope to see you again soon."
Bizzy returned to her seat and returned to eating. Addison couldn't stop staring at her mother. Bizzy looked up. "Addison stop staring and eat your dinner."
"You knew."
"Knew what Addison."
"About the Captain's affairs. I tried to cover for him, I tried to keep them from you."
"There isn't alot your father did that I didn't know about."
"He drove you to Susan. Into having an affair. Why couldn't you just ask him to stop."
"He didn't drive me Addison. Susan and I... Susan has been with since she came to work for us."
"But if..."
"Addison. I am your mother, we shouldn't be talking about this."
"Bizzy, I don't understand. You both could have just stopped and we could have gone back."
Bizzy sat back and observed her daughter. "Your father.. Captain and I maybe could have continued. If I hadn't made a mistake.
"He had affairs."
"Yes he did, but men are often forgiving for their transgressions. Women are not. Especially when they transgress the way I have. But Addison in the end. It wouldn't have made a difference. Susan made it easier for me to be there. Living that life. To smile and throw birthday parties."
"Why couldn't Archer and I had been that. We could have made it easier."
"Addison I wish I could explain. You didn't make it hard... I just needed... her."
"You tried to make them let her stay." Addison said quietly.
"I did. We can't have it all Addison. At least not at the same time. One day this may make sense to you. And I hope one day you can forgive me my weakness."
The end
Epilogue
Addison stood in the door way to the hospital room. She watched her mother hold Susan's hand as they laughed together. When Bizzy had come to her asking her to save Susan's life, Addison had been at a loss.
So, many things had changed over the years. While Susan and Addison had remained close, she had never exactly had warmth from Bizzy. But she could stand here and watch the intimacy she had grown so used to seeing.
She spent many days with them while she was at Columbia. When she had left Mark to in New York she had hid out at her at their condo in the city before heading to Seattle.
Now she had to go deliver the news that may change everything for ever.