Chapter Three

Uncle Jean

"Come on Gisselle, where were you?" Daddy asked softly. "You know we visit your Uncle Jean on his birthday every year."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," I said, looking down at the floor.

"Look at me," Mother said sternly. I had to admit even angry, she was a beautiful lady. She looked like an ice queen, frozen in her early thirties, untouched, and cold. I shivered in her presence. Please, God, don't let me turn out like that one day.

"I'm sorry, Mother, Daddy. You know I had to go to the basketball game. I AM a cheerleader. Most mother's will kill for their daughters to be on the squad."

"That mother didn't kill anyone she hired a hitman," Mother snapped back at me. I had to smother a grin. Really, a hitman.

"Daphne, darling let's just go."

"But it's not like he even knows I'm there. Uncle Jean is handsome, but he never speaks." Daddy turned his head away in shame, I wasn't sure if he was ashamed of me or himself but I didn't ask as I got in the limo and looked out the door, wishing I was back with Beau in his car. Life was so unfair. All I wanted was to have fun, I was young this was suppose to be the best years of my life and what was I doing? Visiting a deranged uncle in a nursing home that was what. Didn't we have people to take care of them, that's what we paid good money for, wasn't it? Daddy's hard earned money at that. I frowned looking at Daddy's saddened face. He always became melancholy when Uncle Jean was mentioned. Even Uncle Jean's room was kept as a shrine, when there were better things to do with it. Then again, as long as it stayed as it was, I could hide away my booze, I thought with a smile. Daddy kept it because he got himself drunk thinking of Uncle Jean. Sometimes, I wished he would just die. I knew I would rather be dead than locked up in my own mind, living when people really didn't want me too. I would hate to be the cause of someone's misery rather than pain. A shudder ran through my body, was that what would happen to me? I wondered. I pushed the thought away, that was just silly. Beau was falling in love with me, and I would make sure he would never want me to leave. Besides, if Uncle Jean died then maybe Daddy would stop feeling so guilty and be happy again, like he used to. I missed the Daddy that would sing me to sleep and tell me stories about a Swamp princess, even if the Swamp sounded discussing the girl sounded beautiful and her lover sounded charmed, it was the way I always imaged Beau and I would be one day.

"We're here to see Jean Dumas," Daddy stated sadly. "I'm his brother."

"Just a moment." The nurse checked his chart. "He's having a good day, Monsieur Dumas."

"Thank you," Daddy said flashing a quick smile.

I watched Uncle Jean, he was a real fastidious man. He wore better clothes than anyone in this quack house. His hair was trimmed and it shone, his face was shaved. Evidently, being lost in one's mind didn't take away their grooming habits, I thought as I hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Hello, Uncle Jean."

He nodded at me fastening his eyes to Daphne as he always did. He was Daddy's brother, not Mother's, why did he look at her instead of Daddy. This was so boring, I thought taking a seat as Daddy spoke to him.

"Hello, Jean. Is this place treating you okay?" Jean shook his head yes.

"You look good," Mother said and I tuned them out dreaming of the Swamp princess and her lover. She had had ruby red hair like mine, Daddy had said. She had been beautiful like an angel, or a goddess. Yes, I could have been a goddess. Not a man looked at her that didn't fall in love with her, but she was unaware of her own beauty and power. Maybe I had the same power and didn't realize it. I giggled but Mother looked at me sharply.

"Peirre, it's time to go. YOUR daughter doesn't know how to behave herself properly in public, and it's no wonder considering..."

"You've done a wonderful job raising her," Daddy cut in.

It wasn't long before we were back at the mansion and I was grounded again. I didn't even know what I had really done, but Daddy never stood up to Mother. I would just have to find some way to sneak out and see Beau, I had too.