Chapter 28: A CONVERGENCE OF GENERATIONS

At the main entrance one porter was engaged in loading Madeleine and Rowan's bags onto a dolly for transport upstairs while another assisted the two drivers in transferring the remainder of the luggage from the bus to the estate van. Yvonne was attempting to shepherd her three younger daughters into the van while at the same time conducting a restrained argument with Pallas. Madeleine and her son were maintaining a discreet distance. Elayne, Sally and Hazel stood apart as well.

"This is between Rowan and his grandfather… you're not part of it!"

"He's my granddad, too… and I know how he can be when things don't go his way!"

"It's not your business, young lady!"

"Excuse me? Row IS my business."

The three younger sisters were entranced at the sight of mother and daughter going at it… sure, they'd had their differences before but outright rebellion wasn't Pallas' way. She preferred wearing down the parental units down with rhetoric and/or logic until they gave in through sheer weariness.

"What's going on?" Sally asked, sidling up to Madeleine. "Should we… ah… interfere?"

"Not in your way, Mother," Maddy cautioned. "Best we don't. Vonda thinks this needs to be a boys-only affair… and I think she's right."

"Oh? What about you then? Aren't you staying?"

"Actually, I'm thinking I'll go hang out in the bar until someone comes for me."

Sally turned to her grandson. "Row, what are your thoughts? Do you want either of them there?"

"Looks to me like everyone else is doing such a great job of minding my business for me, why the hell do you need my opinion?" His tone was caustic.

"Rowan!" Maddy admonished. "No call for rudeness to your grandmother!"

"Sorry." He didn't appear to be particularly sorry, however. He turned to Pallas.

"They're right, you know. I want him to be honest and open with me about his feelings… and he won't be if you're there."

"But what if…?"

"The worst that can happen is that he could refuse to acknowledge me… and if so… well, it doesn't change anything between us…"

"I'm not leaving!"

Elayne and Sally walked over to the warring pair.

"May I suggest a compromise?" Sally interrupted. "How about this? Pallas and I'll wait in the bar for Madeleine to join us. The rest of you go on ahead."

"I don't know," Vonda objected. "She's not twenty-one..."

"No problem… legal age is eighteen here," Sally said.

"That'll leave five of us to ride back to the house," Pallas the practical pointed out. "We won't all fit in one car."

"I don't have to leave straight away," Hazel jumped in. "I'll just put off calling Ron until we're all ready to leave… Sally and Jesse can go with us. Steve can drive the Captiva back with Maddy and the kids."

While not exactly satisfied with the plan, Pallas agreed. At least she'd be close at hand to console Row if the introduction didn't go well. She was still muttering as Sally and Hazel led her away. Maddy took her son's arm and turned toward the lobby entrance, Pallas and Sally

"Y'all'd better get a move on… the boys'll be gallopin' along any minute now," Elayne called after them as she climbed into the waiting estate wagon. "Obama Suite… the concierge'll see you up."

Ten minutes out from Harrogate, Steve was vacillating between irritation and curiosity ever since they'd passed the interchange to Manchester and instead kept right toward Harrogate.

"This isn't the way to the airport, son."

"I know that, Dad."

"Where are you taking us? Won't Yvonne and the kids be upset when we're not there to pick them up?"

"They're not at the airport… they decided to drive up from the city. We're to meet them at Elayne's hotel."

"What about…?" Steve couldn't quite bring himself to say the name.

"He's there. And his mother. I sent the estate van ahead to get Vonda and the Peas and bring them back to Follymoor. You and I're going to meet privately with Rowan."

"I see. Might I ask why the change in plans?"

"You may. And the answer is, because you couldn't hold up your end of the bargain and discuss what needed to be discussed with your wife in a timely manner."

"I'm not liking your tone."

"And I'm not liking having to shovel up your mess, Dad. This is the best arrangement I could make. You get to meet each other and you either hit it off… or you don't. If you don't… well… he goes back to the States and you never have to deal with him again. Of course, I hope you realize that'll mean estranging yourself from Pallas as well. You'll break her heart and she'll never forgive you."

A long silence prevailed from the passenger seat as their ETA clicked down to five minutes. Traffic'd picked up and Jesse was forced to keep his attention on the road.

"This isn't entirely my fault,you know," Steve finally uttered. "I get that it was my mistake… but I resent being held hostage to a situation I knew nothing about for over forty years. What if the boy doesn't take to me… or to Dora? What if she doesn't take to him? Or your brother and sisters? Will I be to blame for that as well?"

They turned a corner and onto the drive meandering uphill though lavish landscaping toward the imposing bulk of the hotel on the crest of its knoll. Jesse pulled his mother's Captiva under the portico, surrendering the keys to the valet as he and his father disembarked. As they entered through the double doors, the concierge scooted around the reception desk to greet them, bowing unctuously.

"Mr. Ross, sir… and… er… Mr. Ross. So very nice to see you. Your parties are awaiting you upstairs… if you'll follow me…?"

Except for residents, access to the luxury suites on the top floor was restricted by elevator key card held by the concierge. Even though he knew the way, Steve and his son followed the man to the elevator banks. At the suite's door, the concierge pressed the call button for them as if they were incapable of performing this action for themselves, then scurried away as the door swung open.

The operator of the door was a slender middle-aged woman wearing a beige cashmere jumper and tan slacks with sensible low-heeled shoes. Simple gold hoop earrings gleamed under lustrous brown hair fashioned into a double knot. Wide-set green eyes with faint epicanthic folds were set off by prominent high cheekbones. What little makeup she wore was obviously not intended to camouflage the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. Steve was struck dumb not just by her beauty, but the certain knowledge—however improbable or impossible—that he'd met this woman before… a long time ago.

"Gentlemen… please do come in." She stepped back with a dazzling smile and gestured toward the lounge.

Jesse astounded his father by stepping forward and kissing the woman on the cheek in a most familiar manner before making introductions.

"Dad, this is Madeleine Camerata... Rowan's mother. Maddy, this is my father, Steve Ross."

"Do call me Maddy." She offered her hand. "May I call you Steve?"

"Oh… yes… please," Steve fumbled. He'd been so focused on meeting the boy he'd completely overlooked the fact he'd be making the mother's acquaintance as well. She looked nothing at all like the 'Indian squaw' of his imaginings!

As Maddy took his arm to guide him to the seating area, Steve made two observations—the totally tasteless décor surrounding them… and the absence of any male besides himself and Jesse. The men settled on the zebra skin sofa as she waved toward a bamboo credenza holding a drinks tray with an assortment of liquors and a silver tea service.

"There's coffee as well. Help yourselves while..." Maddy paused, addressing herself to Steve. "I hope you won't judge Rowan's demeanor too harshly, Steve. He's really quite nervous about meeting you. He's been in the bathroom throwing up for the past half hour. I'll just go and see if he's done now."

After Maddy'd closed the bedroom door behind her, Steve chuckled.

"What? You think that's funny?" Jesse whispered fiercely.

"Not that he's sicked up… no. Just that I sympathize! Feel like doing exactly that myself. Right here. On this woven grass-mat rug that's so hideous no one would even notice!"

"Dad!"

"Don't worry… I'm not going to."

The bedroom door opened and Rowan came out, composed if a little pale. Steve slowly stood up. Even though he'd thought himself prepared, the resemblance was still unnerving. He could've been looking at Jesse, or Michael… or himself in the mirror years ago. He experienced a fleeting moment of panic as he realized he was probably expected to make the first overture… and that he'd completely forgotten his much-rehearsed welcoming speech.

Without realizing he'd done so, Steve stepped around the coffee table and advanced to the center of the room. Rowan likewise took enough steps forward to place them within strike distance. From their respective positions, Jesse and Madeleine held their breaths as grandfather and grandson took stock of each other before engaging in the age-old ritual of clasping right hands. Steve offered first…

"Um… I really don't know what to say…"

"Me neither, sir…"

" 'Nice to meet you' seems rather… tepid."

"I know what you mean. What should I call you? Somehow Grandfather doesn't seem…appropriate."

"Oh… er… what do you call your other grandfather?"

"Boo… that's his nickname. His name's Bernard."

One of those mini-lightning strikes of recollection pierced Steve's consciousness. "Steve will do, then. I don't have a nickname."

"Okay… Steve…"

As their right hands disengaged, Steve found his rising to rest on the young man's shoulder. "Now that I know about you, I'm very glad you're here." Tentative smiles broke out on both their faces and audible sighs of relief were expelled by Maddy and Jesse.

Picking up her purse and a wrap, Maddy migrated toward the door. "I'm going to join the others in the bar while you three gentlemen have a get-acquainted chat. Jesse… I'll give you a buzz when Ron gets here with the other car. We'll meet you in the lobby." And then she was gone.

Jesse suddenly realized he'd been thrust into the role of moderator. "Why don't we… ah… sit down and talk for a bit. What can I get you to drink?"

As much as Steve would've liked a double shot of Scotch courage, he didn't want to be sending the wrong message to the boy and so opted for tea. Rowan chose coffee. Jesse removed the tray from the credenza and carried it to a service table around which clustered three easy chairs. That way none of them would have to turn their heads. Reestablished in this more conversation-friendly configuration of seats, Steve tried very hard to appear relaxed, reminding himself that the kid was probably equally as leery of putting the wrong foot forward…. that it was up to him, as the elder, to make the boy feel welcome.

Steve compared the living, breathing version of this Ross scion to the two-dimensional image he'd been carrying around for days. He and his children were all light-complected and had to work at acquiring a tan—Rowan's coloring was noticeably darker. Steve, Jesse and Julia's eyes were such a dark brown that the pupil was almost indistinguishable from the iris—Rowan's were a lambent amber. The thick eyebrows and generous mouth were unmistakably Ross but the nose and cheekbones more prominent. And if the maternal grandfather was the person Steve was now sure he was, that would account for the youngster's broader shoulders and more compact build.

At a very pointed eyebrow-lift from Jesse, Steve endeavored to alleviate the awkward silence that ensued.

"So… you're planning to marry my granddaughter…?" Well, damn it! That hadn't come out at all the way he'd meant it.

"Dad…" Jesse's voice held a note of warning.

Rowan's coffee cup rattled as he returned it to its saucer. "That was the plan, yes. Before all this… before we knew…" The unspoken question being do you have a problem with this?

"If I might explain…" Steve decided honesty was the best policy here. "When Jesse first brought this situation to my… ah… attention, I was under the impression that you were his child… which would make Pallas your half-sister. So, yes… I was upset. Now that I've got the big picture, I've no objection whatsoever. In fact, it's my opinion you make a lovely couple. I'm sure Dora will agree…" Oh dear… that brings up another issue…

"Dora's your… Jesse's mother… my wife…"

Rowan interrupted. "Sir… with your permission, and unless she prefers otherwise, I'd prefer to regard her as my other grandmother. Later she can decide how she'd like to be called…"

Steve frowned. "Ah… about that… you see, she doesn't know…"

Jesse stopped him. "Dad… there's something I need to tell you… she already knows."

"Excuse me?"

"Mom knows… about Rowan… about everything…"

"What? When… how long…?"

"I swear I didn't tell her, but she found out anyway. And she's okay with it. Really." Please, please, please let him hold it together!

"I see… and the rest of the family?"

"As of earlier today, yes… all of us."

Jesse held his breath as he watched the emotions parade across his father's face… anger, disbelief, acceptance… resignation and relief.

"Left me to twist in the wind, did you? I suppose I deserved that…"

Rowan was looking from one to the other with curiosity. "Have I missed something?"

"Your grandfather's been too afraid to tell his wife about the lapse in judgment over forty years ago that resulted in your father…"

"Which I only found out about this week!" Steve interjected.

Rowan shrugged. "I'm one of those lapses myself… but my stepmother's always known about me."

Jesse gave him the hairy eyeball. "Indeed. And hopefully you won't suffer one with my daughter."

Rowan's already pale face went a shade whiter. "Sir! I… we…"

Jesse waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You think I don't remember what her mother and I got up to in the dorms back in our day? Just be careful, is all I'm saying."

"Sir… yes, sir… we will… we are…"

Steve was too embarrassed to contribute. In his day… and even now… men simply did not discuss with other men such issues as birth control. That a father could so nonchalantly even mention the matter to his daughter's lover! Beyond the pale, that was… shocking beyond measure! In desperation he changed the subject…

"I suppose your mother's organized a welcoming party back at the house…" More of a statement than a question, directed at Jesse.

"Everyone's already there except us and the ladies waiting on us downstairs."

"Then we should be going soon…" Steve said gloomily.

"We'll give it a few more minutes… Row, is there anything you'd like to know before we throw ourselves to the wolf pack?"

"Yes. I'd like to know about my biological grandmother, the gypsy girl…"

The story of Steve's involvement with Tina Shaw took little time to tell.

"They travelled in small bands in those days, some of them still in horse-drawn caravans. Then as now they were unwelcome no matter where they camped so they never stayed in one place very long. This group's horses'd taken sick—Tina approached us for help. They were obliged to remain nearby while we doctored the animals until they recovered. The band moved on and never passed our way again."

"What was she like, Tina?"

"Very beautiful… graceful. I do believe there was genuine affection between us—although we were too young and foolish to consider the consequences… which doesn't excuse me from having taken advantage of an underage girl. She probably didn't discover she was with child until many weeks later. If I'd known, I would've tried to do the right thing by her."

"If anybody had known you'd have either gone to jail or the men in band would've come looking for you," Jesse observed.

"If you were in love with her, why didn't you ask her to stay?" Row asked softly.

"She told Dora she was already promised to someone else… and I believed her."

"There's no possibility of tracing her… that family?"

Jesse cut in. "After more than forty years? Highly unlikely. "Women who've concealed births out of wedlock generally don't want that publicized by offspring seeking birth parents. Even if we could trace her, any inquiries now would be met with silence. The Romani are distrustful and secretive… for good reason."

The house phone rang. Jesse answered, spoke a few words and hung up.

"That was Maddy. Time to go. Ron's here and Hazel's having our car brought around…"

The upstairs contingent exited the elevator just as Sally, Madeleine, Pallas and Hazel drifted into the lobby. At curbside Sally was quickly introduced to Steve before they sorted themselves into two vehicles. The feeling of déjà vu that'd swept over Steve earlier returned with full force as the older version of Madeleine shot him a surreptitious wink.

"Haven't we…?" he began uncertainly.

"Forty years ago… I wouldn't expect you to remember. You knew me as Solánge, however…"

Steve gulped as a handful of pieces of the missing-week puzzle slotted into place with crystal-clear clarity. "So that's why Madeleine seemed so familiar!"

"She does favor me at that age, yes."

"I have a feeling there's more than just coincidence involved here."

Sally smiled sweetly. "And you'd be right… but now's not the time to talk about it."

Before accompanying Sally to the Stryker's vehicle, Jesse handed over the Captiva's keys to his father. Rowan and Pallas climbed into the rear seat. There was confusion and laughter as Maddy confronted a steering wheel rather than the front passenger seat.

"Ooops... forgot. My bad!"

Intending to take the longer 'scenic route' home, Steve waved Ron to go on ahead. As cityscape transitioned to open country, any lingering worries Steve might have harbored about carrying on a conversation with Maddy evaporated. At the last knoll preceding the approach to Follyfoot's entrance gate, he pulled off onto the verge and they all got out so that the first-time visitors could fully admire the view. Long shadows cast by the setting sun set the sepia-toned landscape in sharp relief. Even as they stood there the sun sank below the horizon and the shadows vanished. Sparkling like so many gems, lights were beginning to come on in the buildings and along the drive. The air was crisp with the tang of autumn. Rowan and Pallas discreetly meandered out of earshot of their respective parents.

"I suppose you've been apprised of my cowardly behavior in this business…" Steve began awkwardly. "I know I should've gone to my wife right away… but…"

"I understand… I do. But that doesn't matter now that she's fully aware… and accepting… of the circumstances…"

"How could you know that? You've not yet met her," Steve protested.

"The world is smaller than you think, Steve. Your Dora's long-time friend Elayne is my great-aunt. Her niece is my mother Sally."

"They're the ones who told her all about…"

"I'm afraid so… yes. Please don't be angry with them… they only wanted to smooth the path for both of you so it wouldn't come as such a shock. Please try to understand…"

Steve resolutely choked back the ember of resentment that threatened to leap back to life, choosing his words carefully. "Though it's not in her nature to be rude, Dora's always been somewhat reticent and shy with people she doesn't know well. I hope you won't take that personally. It's just her way. I don't mean to imply that she'll be uncivil to you… or to your… to Rowan or his father, should he decide to come forward… but I can't promise that she isn't feeling… well, just a little unhappy."

Maddy nodded. "Couldn't blame her. I'd be, too, were I in her shoes. As for Robert… I believe that after he's done some serious soul-searching he'll come around." She reached over and took Steve's hand. "So let's keep our hopes up. In the meantime, we'll all have to be patient and allow him to come to an accommodation in his own way and in his own time."

Walking back to the car and wondering if he was going dotty in his advancing age, Steve reflected on the fact that in the past forty-eight hours he'd openly disclosed more of his private innermost feelings than in all of his previous years combined.

"At the time I met Dora I was just about Rowan's age and had already experienced a lifetime of rejection and failure. Dora also felt unwanted, but she had something I didn't—a profound realization of how repeated rejection shapes one's attitudes. In her case, that resulted in a great desire to help others. I never really understood why I was always so angry at the world. I couldn't and wouldn't let anyone get close. Dora got me away from all that. She literally saved my life. She's a wonderful human being and I love her dearly."

"I'm looking forward to meeting her," Maddy said… and meant it.