For ten years Robbie Briggs had been in love with his former next-door neighbor, Lucille, six years his senior. Ten years ago he attended Lucille's wedding with his parents and the vision implanted in his mind when she stood sideways on front of the altar, about to be kissed by his husband, with her face lit by a shaft of light creating a halo effect around her head, remains his most treasured memory.
Ralph, the husband was handsome and popular with the ladies (friends and relatives); too popular thought Robbie. Ralph would stray, Lucille would return home broken-hearted allowing him to provide the shoulder for her to cry on and true love would prevail!
Well that's roughly what happened – very roughly.
Ralph and Lucille went to live in Germany where Ralph worked for an international banking corporation. They had two children and toward the end of their third year of marriage Lucille's chief bridesmaid went to stay with the family, Lucille found her friend and husband in bed in the middle of a very noisy end to copulation. Picking up a heavy brass candlestick Lucille vented her fury on Ralph's head, killing him instantly.
Lucille's parents – relocating to live in Paris to be near their daughter – were granted legal guardianship of the children. A different Court convicted and sentenced Lucille to eight years' jail but she received early remission and went to Paris on release to be reunited with her family.
Now Lucille had purchased her parent's old house and had moved in, wanting to re-establish her life. Her return was not warmly welcomed and many residents spurned her, which suited Robbie just fine. He took Lucille out to dine and on the third occasion proposed.
ONE
Robbie was over the moon as he'd come away from that romantic candlelight dinner with something. Although Lucille had turned down marriage, she'd suggested they date regularly and if everything settled down and the children accepted Robbie, Lucille would consider his offer of permanent union.
She kissed me, she kissed me, Robbie hummed to himself as he walked into his parents' house.
His mom, who'd been babysitting for Lucille, had come home discretely fifteen minutes earlier and had waited up for him.
"You two looked very happy tonight; is something on?"
Robbie told his mom what had taken place; she looked sad.
"She's a lovely woman, Robbie, but she'd done a terrible thing that's affected her life and those closest to her. Her children don't really like her and a lot of people around here are ostracizing her – and she's also six years older than you, Robbie."
"Thanks for your comments, mom; I've taken them aboard. My quest is to totally rehabilitate her and to help her get back her children emotionally. Will you help?"
"Yes and your father will too, I'm sure. I'll baby sit as many hours a week as I'm needed, Robbie. I can see you're not rushing into this so you have my support in the meantime."
"Thanks mom, he said. "I'll keep you in touch – you know, this is why guys love their moms."
With mixed feelings Muriel Briggs watched her tousled brown-hair son walk off to bed, knowing he had to make the decision that was right for him. She also knew she dearly wanted the nine and eight year-olds as her ready-made grandchildren.
The next day Robbie went to lunch with his older sister Marlene and her friend Eva – both were social workers, both university graduates. It was a working lunch, most of the conversation concerned Lucille, the children and Robbie.
At the end of the meal when Robbie was paying the bill Marlene said: "He'd taken on a big load, but he'd always had a crush on that woman so I guess no other women will get a look in."
"I wouldn't mind if he looked in my direction."
"Eva, you're engaged!"
"I still wouldn't mind if he was my last hot fuck before nuptials.My Darling Seducer
"Eva!"
"Don't be so straight-laced, Marlene – be corrupted by your clients like I have and you'll understand them better."
On Saturday night Lucille and Robbie were in a cubicle in the corner of a dimly-lit café. He told Lucille he'd sought confidential professional advice about their situation and wanted Lucille to hear him out.
"I had counseling in prison so know what this is about."
Robbie said it was all about rehabilitation, that he wanted Lucille's permission to approach residents in up to twenty houses in each direction of them to talk about Lucille and her children to try to generate better understanding.
"That's fine," Lucille said nonchalantly. "I'd thought about doing it myself but then considered an intermediately would do it better. I had thought about your mother, and then I thought about you and was waiting for a good moment to bring it up. Yes, go ahead and it's so kind of you to be doing this for me and the children."
Robbie filled their glasses and toasted "To us," and Lucille replied, smiling, "To us."
"Next," said Robbie, "it's worth trying to see if the children begin bonding to you better if the third person comes into the nuclear unit at an occasional meal time or out in the park, or the beach or whatever. On external trips it is recommended that there be some robust experiences that raise the excitement in the children."
"Right," Lucille said calmly. "I can see the point of this – and that person I guess is you?"
"Yes and no – mom as well as me, and not necessarily together."
"Agree, and it breaks my heart to see them relating to your mother better than they do me."
"Can I suggest a possible reason for that, without you becoming too upset?"
"Yes."
"They really know nothing of the stigma of prison, or what you really did to their father, according to what my advisers summarize. They feel that your children have some resentment because you suddenly appeared, although they knew from photos, tapes and phone calls that you existed, but they don't really understand why you were never there. Now you have come into their lives you've taken them from nana and papa who the children regard as their parents."
"Yes," sniffed Lucille, "but there's more, isn't there?"
"Yes. My advisers feel you may have forgotten how to love although you know how to make the right noises, but the children are not fooled."
"Oh my God," said Lucille, sobbing.
Robbie darted around the table and on his haunches pulled her head into his shoulder and began stroking her fair, saying, "They said it was probable you would cry when I said that and this is what I should do, but I want to do this."
As the sobbing subsided Lucille turned her face to be kissed. It was a different kiss, more like that lover's kiss than a sisterly kiss – still the warm and soft meeting of lips but this time there was a charge of energy passing between them.
"That was lovely," Robbie said to the 30 year old, stoking her straw-color hair again.
"More," was all she said, holding up her lips.
Next evening after work Robbie began house calling.
Two days later Mrs Manning phoned Lucille, welcoming her into the neighborhood and asking if she'd like to come over to the Manning's home next day after school and have afternoon tea while the children played – she had two girls, ten and eleven.
More calls trickled in and on the following week Lucille was invited to dinner and the Odlins and told to bring that charming young neighbors of hers as her partner.
One evening Robbie heard his mother on the phone and by the conversation knew she was talking to Lucille. Gradually he realized it was like a mother-daughter-in-law call, just as social worker Eva had predicted.
The hour-long TV program that Robbie had been watching when the phone went had been over for at least ten minutes when his mother came in and said that Lucille was on the phone wanting to speak to him.
"It's happened," Lucille said after the greetings ended."They're calling me mom as if they really mean it!
"We were at the Wrights this afternoon and their Jeremy called out 'Mom, can we have biscuits' and was told yes. Then Paul called to me, 'Mom do I like Oat Cookies' and not to be outdone up pipes Debbie ratting on him, "Mom, Paul's been greedy and taken two cookies'. They're beginning to accept me, Robbie!"
"That's great, I'm so proud of you."
The phone sounded as if it had been dropped in water.
"Meet me at the front door, I'm coming right over," Robbie told the human water faucet.
He was back within ten minutes, smiling.
"Was she so happy she cried?" asked his mom.
"Yeah, but I bet it was just a big dodge to get kissed."
"Regard her as a wounded gazelle, Robbie, trying to find her feet.
TWO
The next week it turned sour for Lucille. Mrs Manning and a friend took Lucille to the school's Parent Teacher Association meeting and when Mrs Manning introduced Lucille as a prospective new member two women launched an attack, saying their was no place for a murderer on the PTA.
The chairman finally restored order; he conferred with the secretary and treasurer then announced those two women must apologize for their outburst or leave the meeting; one apologized and sat down, the other stormed out glancing with detest at Lucille as she went.
Lucille stayed till the end of the meeting but left before supper, thanking Mrs Manning for her support and comfort.
As Lucille reached the door the chairman and secretary caught up with her. The chairman, a lawyer, said he was aware of Lucille's background as he was legal consultant to the school and that she had completed her punishment and her rights as a citizen were unimpaired.
"Your application for membership will be approved by the subcommittee, which is us two, as soon as you desire," said the chairman. "Do you wish your application to be approved right now?"
Lucille nodded.
Roland Weley looked at the secretary who nodded and he said to Lucille, "Welcome on to the PTA."
Next day when hearing about the upset at the meeting from his mother, Robbie phoned Marlene to seek advice, but she was out-of-town. He contacted Eve who after a brief delay said she was too busy to see him today although if he wished Robbie could meet her at her apartment at 6:30 and perhaps enjoy a drink.
The unsuspecting Robbie went to Eve's lair, buying a bouquet of flowers on the way.
"I don't wish to sound callous, but sometime, somewhere someone will recognize the much-photographed Lucille and publicly or privately vilify her – it's something Lucille has been told during prison pre-release counseling to expect and how to deal with it, which is to try to be seen as undisturbed and to simply say that she was punished for her crime of passion and it is now all behind her.
"Can she sue those people, either for libel of harassment?"
