Virginia Prentice, a woman in her early fifties with a lithely curvy figure, a head full of dark chestnut hair, and glittering brown eyes, sat next to her daughter and recounted events that led to her supposed abandonment of her family.
Veldun, a splitting image of his son – the same smooth, glossy ebony hide, golden eyes, and silver teeth – draped himself gracefully on the floor, at Virginia's feet, every now and then rearing up to caress his lover. And Virginia seemed to thrill at his every kiss, returning each stroke with equal tenderness mixed with smouldering desire.
Lahon situated himself next to Marlene, his body coiled around her possessively. The long pink tongue reached out occasionally to lick his lover's cheek. He gently squeezed Marlie, subtly wriggling his body, rubbing against her as if demanding a coupling. Marlene knew his nature, although this was hardly the time for a quick sexual tumble. The creature – and his father – were built for carnal pleasure. Their seductive movements, while deliberate, were so deeply ingrained to the point of habitual. They just could not help being what they were.
At any rate, Marlene turned her attentions to her mother, a woman she never knew, and only through the false stories Harlan fed her on a daily basis. Marlie, her awe aside, was just too thrilled to find her mother at last. She couldn't help noticing how beautiful Virginia was, how much she favored the woman inside and out. The same color of hair, the same height and build, the same thirst for living and adventure. Only Marlene never discovered that side of herself until Lahon came into her life. Harlan, through careful, methodical planning, molded Marlene into a woman he could control, a Stepford child if anything else.
"As I said, I was a senior in high school when I met your father. Harlan was so sweet to me, offered to take me home after the game. I thought nothing of it, that is until things got out of hand."
"What do you mean by getting out of hand?," asked Marlie.
Virginia, her hand resting upon Veldun's body, gently caressing the beast's gleaming ebony hide, fought back tears as she continued to recount an ill-fated relationship.
"When he offered to take me home, I thought nothing of it. All I could think of was here's Harlan Prentice, a society college boy, paying attention to me. He was very sweet, that is at first. I never rode in an expensive sports car before, and I've never seen any part of his world. As far as I was concerned the Prentices were just rich people who got their pictures in the paper, handed out money to this and that charity, and owned a good portion of town."
She took a sip of tea then continued, "Anyway, he was there, at the game, with friends, and they were cruising through the crowd. That's when he spotted me. I was with my cousin, but she left to get us hot cocoa. It was chilly that night..."
A puzzled Marlene listened intently, then she asked, "Mom, what happened? And how did you get past Dad's family? Surely they objected to their son dating you."
"We just made small talk," said Virginia, "but something between us clicked. Harlan's friend's brother was on the team, which explained why he was there. Anyway, we talked about the game, the weather, school. Nothing heavy. Before my cousin returned, and during halftime, Harlan noticed I was getting bored, so he offered a ride home. I didn't say 'No'. Which was a grave mistake on my part."
"Why?"
"Because Harlan Prentice soon showed his true colors. He was nice to me for ulterior reasons. I soon became one of his conquests, but this time his wild oats backfired on him. On the way home, we stopped at Heartford Hill, where that subdivision is now. Back then it was a notorious make-out spot. We were quite alone, and we talked, then he kissed me. One thing led to another, and we did it, right there in his car. I didn't know what came over me. Maybe it was the heat of the moment or the fact that Harlan Prentice dared talk to me...Three months later, I discovered I was pregnant, and Harlan was responsible. I'd never gone all the way before; Harlan was my first."
"You," said Marlene, holding back tears, "were pregnant with me."
What transpired those next few months set the stage for sorrowful regret on Virginia's part. To be sure, she had to tell her folks, and she had to tell Harlan. Naturally, the Prentices, if they were honorable people, would support Virginia, offer to pay for medical expenses and the child's upbringing. It was understood that Harlan could never marry the girl; she was not of the Prentices' social sort. However, a series of odd events forever sealed Virginia and Harlan's fate.
Seemed Harlan's Uncle John was running for city council; his opponent turned out to be Virginia's maternal aunt, the cousin's mother. Before Virginia told her parents of the pregnancy, she informed her cousin who in turn told her mother. Not good for Uncle John or the Prentice family since any scandal could spell imminent defeat. So, to keep scandal out of the family, to ensure their political future, Harlan's parents forced him to marry Virginia. Yet, the marriage came with strings attached, and all in Harlan's favor.
There was no splashy ceremony, no expensive reception. Just Harlan and Virginia exchanging vows before a justice of the peace with only Ginny's cousin and Harlan's aunt as witnesses.
Soon after the wedding, Harlan moved his bride into the family home, only to shutter the girl away from prying eyes. It was understood that Virginia, given her blue-collar background and low-brow interests, could never fit into the Prentices' cocktail and country club lifestyle. All Harlan could do was explain that his wife was very shy and preferred to keep out of the limelight. They never shared the same bed or room; they seldom crossed paths within the house or exchanged words. Ginny was confined to a separate wing of the house. All her meals were served on a tray; she never sat with the family at the dining table.
So Harlan, disregarding his bride, continued his education, picked up his degrees, and pursued his career in corporate law. Virginia, utterly alone, was allowed to continue her education, and her in-laws at least offered to pay for tuition and books. However no expensive, exclusive private college for her; Ginny had to attend the local community college. Why risk any of Harlan's friends or family encountering a very pregnant Virginia?
Now Marlene was fully in tears. She couldn't believe her father's family were so cruel. How dare they keep her mother shuttered away, never to interact with the family. Seems they only cared about appearances and their good name. There was, as Marlene voiced, nothing good about them. "Oh, Mom," she said through her sobs, "they treated you so badly. How did you manage to survive it all? And where did Veldun come in?"
Ginny, her own eyes damp from tears, and as she received her lover's tender embraces and kisses, said, "I don't know how I made it through those months before your birth. I thought that once I had you, things would change for the better. Once they saw you, I could be welcome as a full part of the family. I was wrong."
Virginia then went on to recount Marlene's birth, and what Harlan and his family did afterwards. If their early treatment of Ginny was harsh, what they did once Marlene was born was beyond all human decency.
"Right after you were born, they took you from me. The Prentices had a lavish nursery all done up especially for you. I was not allowed to see you, except during nursing. They hired a nanny to see to your other basic needs. Harlan, however, was allowed to see you all he wanted. And his parents decided that he and his Aunt Ellen be responsible for your primary upbringing. Once you were weaned, I was barred from any parenting role. I loved you so, only Harlan and my in-laws wouldn't let me near you. Oh, I sneaked downstairs once and a while to cuddle and play with you when the nanny was occupied elsewhere in the house. "
Marlene, trying hard to comprehend her mother's ordeal at the hands of a cruel family, had to ask, "I can't believe what they did. Keeping you from your own child was inexcusable. How did you manage to cope? Surely you had some freedoms."
"Well," said Ginny, lighting for a cigarette, "I had some freedoms. I had the whole east wing of the house to myself. I had a car, a couple of servants to wait on me, a nice monthly allowance to live on. My days were spent going to work, shopping, the usual stuff. I rarely saw my family as the Prentices forbade me any contact with them. They feared my folks would cause a big stink about the 'arrangement'. Can't have any scandal spoil their precious name. Of course, Harlan was no help. He merely went on with his life without one thought about my welfare. As long as he had his child, that was enough. There were other women in his life, one in particular. An Annette Conway, cute little bubble-headed socialite who took pleasure in poking her nose in everyone's business."
"Annette?," said Marlene with some disbelief. "She was Daddy's mistress? I just had a run-in with her a few days ago."
She turned to Lahon, saying, "She tried to wheedle out of me your identity. Naturally I didn't reveal a thing to her. Knowing Annette, she'd run straight to Dad."
Lahon, now understanding Harlan Prentice's true nature, replied, "You were wise not to tell her. When my father and Virginia explain what transpired the day before he appeared to her, you will understand why I had to seek you out."
Virginia then recounted the fateful decision that resulted in Harlan's full cruelty towards her. It was a decision Ginny lived to regret, but it also served as a profound turning point in her life.
"It was Harlan's birthday, and the family threw him a lavish dinner party. I, of course, was not included. Mrs. Prentice made it clear that I was to stay in the east wing, out of sight. I couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to join the family, get really fancied up and show them I could fit in. I was proved wrong."
The morning before the party, Virginia spent the day shopping for appropriate clothes, choosing a stylish cocktail dress with new shoes to match. She had her hair done and bought some nice jewelry. Nothing like the expensive, impressive precious gems the Prentice women wore, but a simple set of gold necklace and earrings. Virginia may have been blue-collar but she did know how to make herself presentable.
That evening, she dressed then waited for the right time to show her face to the family. She was nervous, overly anxious and apprehensive. What would they, what could they do when she appeared in the family drawing room? Surely they would not make a scene in front of their many well-heeled society friends. Virginia knew she was kidding herself, and her surprise appearance may backfire, causing her husband and in-laws to take drastic measures. Whatever they would do to her was of little consequence; Ginny just knew that for one night she'd be part of the family, as it should be.
Virginia took a breather from her story, while Veldun said to Marlene, "What happened next only urged me to hasten my visit. Ginny was in dire straits, however, a dilemna: Rescue her at the expense of leaving you behind. I chose the former, leaving the latter task to my son when he and you came of age. While it pained Ginny and myself to leave you at the cold, manipulative hands of Harlan Prentice, I knew, in time, Ginny and you would, at last, be reunited."
But what happened at that party? What did the Prentices do to Ginny, thus hastening the arrival of a most unusual rescuer? Only Virginia and Veldun could answer that, and Ginny really didn't want to relive those painful memories.
Ginny, dabbing her tear-swollen eyes, resumed, "Once the guests arrived, I sneaked downstairs then hung back, gauging when to show myself. I kept myself concealed on the landing, being careful not to be seen – yet. When I saw the butler go in the drawing room, to announce dinner, that's when I made my move. I had no idea how they'd react, but they made it known, through their chilly actions and words, I wasn't welcome."
Go to Part IV
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