Chapter 3

The plane was almost an hour late and it seemed to take forever for Vickie to claim her baggage, but if she had any doubts about her being welcome, they were quickly laid to rest when Andrea approached her with a large smile and hugged her endearingly the moment Vickie entered the terminal.

"It's wonderful to see you again!" smiled the aunt, "My, you have become an attractive young woman."

Vickie blushed. The teenager was even prettier than Andrea had remembered, her face softer, fuller, her lips a bit pouty, and even though Vickie was no candidate for a Victoria's Secret model, her body was developing quite nicely. Her frame was still a bit lean, but her legs were as curvaceous as Andrea remembered and her blouse was now protruding nicely, her breasts at least two cup sizes larger than just a year ago.

"It's so nice of you to agree to put up with me," began Vickie.

"Put up with you? Nonsense! I'm happy to have you spend some time with me. I have lots of little adventures planned for us.

The young girl smiled, beginning to relax a bit.

"First, let's get your luggage to the car, then we can talk on the way to my apartment."

Vickie's eyes bugged a bit at the size of the tip Andrea gave the skycap. The look did not escape Andrea.

As the Mercedes pulled into traffic, Andrea began her campaign to influence the girl.

"I know things have been a bit tight for you and your mother since your father died."

"Tight is putting it mildly," replied the teen.

"You see, while your mother chose to marry, I put my efforts into the family business. In all modesty Vickie, I am wealthy. That brings with it power and influence and the ability to indulge myself when I wish."

"I don't understand."

"We all make decisions in life. Some turn out to have been good ones and some not so good."

"You don't think Mom should have gotten married?"

"Of course not. After all we wouldn't be having this conversation if she hadn't. I just meant that there are always certain consequences to our decisions, some good, some bad. Deciding to have you was probably the best decision your mother even made."

"You've never been married, Aunt Andrea?"

"Oh please, let's just make it Andrea, OK? Calling me Aunt makes me feel like I should go home and knit something."

They both laughed. Vickie was warming to her aunt with each passing moment.

"You never married... Andrea?

"No, I would find limiting myself to a single partner too restrictive."

The meaning was not lost on the teenager.

"Then you..."

"I... enjoy myself. I have a low threshold for boredom."

The young girl actually blushed.

"Aun... Andrea!"

They laughed again.

"Yes, I admit it, I indulge myself, but why shouldn't I? I can afford my life style, a life style that provides me fun, entertainment and... novelty. I like to experience new and different things. The fact that I am wealthy gives me that opportunity."

"Wow!"

The teen was obviously impressed.

"I can do these things Vickie because I decided several years ago that I could have what I wanted only if I was willing to go get it."

"You mean becoming an executive?"

"Yes, among other things. Of course I needed financial independence if I was to have the material things I wanted, but I also learned early on that you get only what you go after. You can't sit back and wait for life to deliver. Life isn't carry out. If you want something, you make things happen that will get it for you."

"I... I wish I had your confidence," stammered the niece.

"Confidence comes from success, Vickie and the only way to succeed is to set your sights on what you want and go after it."

The young brunette stared out the window for most of the rest of the trip, thinking about what her Aunt had said.

Vickie was overwhelmed with Andrea's apartment, a penthouse in one of the finest hotel's in the city. Noticing how lavishly the apartment was appointed, Vickie was thrilled to learn she would have her own room. As she began unpacking, Andrea noticed the modest, conservative clothing her niece was placing on hangers.

"I can see the first thing we need is a shopping trip."

"What do you mean?" asked Vickie turning to face her Aunt.

"Honey, those clothes are nice, but here we dress a bit more... stylishly."

The young girl gave her a puzzled look.

"You'll see," smiled Andrea, "First thing tomorrow, let's get you some new threads."

"Oh, Mom said... that is, I don't want you to spend..."

"Nonsense! I told you, Vickie, I can afford such things," bid Andrea, motioning for the girl to follow her out the door and into the living room.

"Hungry?" asked Andrea, "How about some pizza?"

"Thanks," replied the teen, "I tried eating on the plane, but the food..."

Andrea laughed as she picked up the phone and ordered.

"Now tell me all about yourself," she said as they seated themselves.

"Not a lot to tell actually. Mom and I have been living in Twin Falls since Dad died."

"A tragedy," opined Andrea, feeling nothing but an opportunity to drive a wedge between the girl and her mother. "I'm sure your mother still feels terribly about it."

"You mean because she was driving. Yes, she still cries a lot when she thinks I can't hear."

"I don't wonder. Did the accident prompt her to quit drinking?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, maybe she never told you, about her drinking that night."

"She was DRINKING?" stammered Vickie in total surprise.

"Look... maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, I want to know. Tell me, please."

"Well... it was icy anyway, but your mom had had a few cocktails and..."

"She never told me that. Are you sure?"

"Yes. I... I wanted to help, so I hired an attorney who got the charges of DUI dropped."

"I... I never knew," said the open mouthed teen, the esteem for her mother dropping several notches.

"But with their marital problems, they probably wouldn't have been together much longer anyway."

"Marital problems?" asked the girl.

"You didn't know?"

"Mom and Dad had arguments. I guess every couple does, but they always made up."

"Did you ever hear what they were arguing about?"

"Oh, mostly silly little things. Whenever they were really mad, they would go to their room and lower their voices. I guess they sometimes waited until I wasn't around."

"And you had no idea?"

"Idea of what?"

"That... I've said too much already. Let's change the subject."

"No, I want to know. When Dad was killed, Mom just sort of went into a cocoon. I guess she almost lost it."

"No wonder."

"Please Aunt Andrea, tell me. I need to know!"

"Honey, this should be something your mother tells you."

"She and I don't talk a lot. Please, tell me."

"Well..." began Andrea, a serious expression on her face, but glee in her heart, "your Mom and Dad were on the verge of breaking up when the accident occurred."

"Breaking up?" asked the incredulous teen.

"Yes... your mother... had been... seeing other men."

"Mom? Mom was going out on Dad?"

"I'm sure she had her reasons," offered Andrea seemingly sympathetically.

"But... but, they never said anything to me, either one of them!"