Page 42 of Misadventures With The Mistaken Twin

Violet visibly deflated like a popped balloon. Oh, shit, had she really slept with a married man?

“Listen, it's not what you think,” she said, her voice much more pleading than a moment ago.

Lorraine hobbled back to the stool and sat down heavily. “Fine. I'm listening.”

“I am, too,” said Goldie. She crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom.

Jack leaned against the glass display case, clearly eager to hear this as well.

19

“I'm...I'm teaching him how to ski,” Violet replied.

We all stood there frozen in place. Of all the possible things Violet could have said, this was not what I'd expected.

In the pregnant pause, a woman approached the counter with a set of blue anal beads. Mid-twenties, bundled up from head to toe. “Hi, I'd like to pay for these.”

“On the house,” Goldie said. She reached across the counter, took the anal beads from the woman, shoved them in a bag and forced them back into the woman's hands. “Have a good day. Come back soon,” she said sweetly as she ushered the woman out the door. I'd never seen her want to get rid of a customer so fast in all the years I'd worked there.

No one else had moved a muscle.

“You're telling me you're teaching Ronaldto ski?” Lorraine repeated, once the door closed behind the customer with a cold whoosh of air.

Violet nodded. “He said he wanted it to be a surprise. I just got back from my conference in Salt Lake and there's lots of new snow so the conditions are great. You're going up to Whistler for a work trip next month, aren't you?”

Lorraine rocked her head back as if Violet had spoken in tongues. “Why, yes. It's a conference for the insurance company I work for.”

Violet licked her lips. “As you probably know, Ronald doesn't know how to ski. He thought if he learned, you wouldn't leave him behind in the lodge. He just wanted to spend time together with you.”

Lorraine started to cry. Gasping, body-wracking sobs filled the room. I darted a glance at Jack, who was scratching his ear, clearly uncomfortable with a crying woman. Goldie moved in to pat Lorraine's arm. Violet looked triumphant that she'd been vindicated.

“Ronald...Ronald...did...that...for...me?” Lorraine gasped out between tears.

“Ronald loves you. All he does is talk about you,” Violet added, trying to seal the deal.

“How do you know him in the first place?” I asked. No chance I was letting her off with her quick story.

Violet looked at me. “Through work. He's the principal.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

She nodded.

A principal at the local elementary school. Unless the man was completely stupid, sleeping with a colleague, and cheating on a spouse while doing it, would be a career killer. Not just for him, but for Violet as well. I might doubt the quality of some of Violet's morals, but she wouldn't blow her career for a married co-worker.

Lorraine finally started to calm down, her tears all used up. She looked to me, now appearing mollified and a little contrite. “I did all that to you because your sister was teaching Ronald how to ski?”

I internally rolled my eyes, nodded my head.

“Shit, now I feel terrible.”

“I think it's romantic,” Goldie replied, a hand over her heart. “Say, do you like romance novels? This would make a great story.”

I stared at Goldie, mouth agape. Forget the stalking and everything else that had occurred. The romance novel was more important. She was as insane as Lorraine. Maybe the two of them writing a book together would be a good idea. It would get me out of reading and talking about ripe fruit and wontons.

“I don't blame you for going crazy,” Goldie added, back on track. “I'd go nuts if I thought my husband was having an affair.” She stated the truth, but also tried to make Lorraine feel better.

I pitied the woman who got between Goldie and her husband, Paul. The stunts Lorraine pulled would be nothing in comparison to the revenge Goldie would exact.