Southern Lights

They decided to go to church the next morning before going to brunch at Baker’s Café.

They went to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, where Alexa told Sava

“What are you doing here?” Sava

“My mom and I come here every Sunday, almost,” Daisy explained to Sava

“I’m trying,” Alexa said, smiling at her, and then added, “That’s why Sava

“I know,” Daisy said, looking important. “She told me all about it, and about you.” She smiled broadly at Alexa again.

“She told me about you too,” Alexa said warmly, completely ignoring who she was and who she belonged to. Daisy had a sweetness of her own that obscured all else. She was impossible to resist. Her face lit up at what Alexa had just said to her. She looked immensely pleased.

“She did?” Daisy asked happily. “I really, really love her,” she said, putting her arm around her sister’s waist again, as a voice behind them flew between them like a spear.

“Daisy! Take your hands off Sava

“Church is over, Mama. This is the part where everyone is friendly,” Daisy insisted, with good reason. Apparently, Luisa had not come to church for that part, and surely not with these two women. She looked right through Sava

“Luisa, I’d like to introduce you to my mother, Alexa Hamilton,” Sava

“We met, many years ago,” she said through clenched teeth as her own daughter watched her with a look of resignation, wondering why her mother was always so mean. She was not a happy person, and angry most of the time. As Luisa said the words, she looked sourly at Alexa.

“It’s nice to see you again, Luisa,” Alexa said, lying through her teeth. She would have liked to add “bless your heart” but didn’t dare. Neither she nor Sava

“Not at all,” Luisa said, and grabbed Daisy by the back of the neck in a firm grip, and propelled her toward their car without another word. Daisy looked back with a pained grin and waved, and both women felt sorry for her. In many ways, she was the victim in all this, as Sava

“What a bitch,” Alexa muttered, watching Luisa snap at Daisy as she slammed the door to the car, and then drove her away. “Bless her heart,” she added, and Sava

“Yeah, she is,” Sava

“Your father sure got what he deserved with that one,” Alexa commented about Luisa as they walked away from the church.

“He looks pretty miserable most of the time,” Sava

“Sounds like a fun life.” Alexa had been startled by the meeting, and rendered almost speechless by the look of venom in Luisa’s eyes. She was a piece of work, and even worse than Alexa had imagined. Much, much worse.

They had a lovely brunch at Baker’s Café, which was one of Alexa’s old favorites. She said that they had gone there a lot when she was pregnant with Sava

“How soon do you think you can come back, Mom?” Sava

“I don’t know, another week…or two…but I had a great time with you, sweetheart. I could even fall in love with Charleston again, here with you. Just don’t you do it,” she warned her. “I want you home soon!”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t stay here. It’s fun to visit, but I’m coming back to New York as soon as I can. I’d come home now if you let me,” but they both knew that would have been a bad idea.

“Don’t let Cruella De Vil get to you,” Alexa said as Sava

Alexa packed her bag, minus all the items she had brought for Sava

Sava

By the time Alexa finished paying the bill, Tom walked into the lobby. He had come from the club and was wearing te

“I’ll bet you two had a great weekend,” he said, smiling broadly at them, and then his face clouded just a little. “I hear you ran into Luisa and Daisy at church.” His wife had nearly taken off his head about that, as though he had pla

“It was fine,” Alexa said brusquely, and then turned her attention to Sava