Chapter 11

Claire's drinking worsened. She began in early morning and continued throughout the day, never straying far from a bottle so that by bedtime she was usually in a complete stupor. Drummond noted her return to alcoholism largely with indifference. It did take a bit of explaining as to why they had to turn down a number of social invitations, but it also meant that Claire was usually passed out, either in the spare bedroom or on the couch downstairs by the time Laura arrived for their midnight trysts and he therefore had his daughter all to himself.

Shanti decided it was almost time for her to move on. Just a couple of more things to take care of.

It was a weekend and Laura having just returned from town, couldn't wait to share the news with her lover. She asked Drummond to visit her room that afternoon. He was still wary of Claire's finding out, but these days she continually walked around in a fog, hardly aware of who or what was around her, so he agreed.

Shanti saw him slip into Laura's room and listened at the door for several minutes, also fascinated by Laura's news. As always, clothes were eventually discarded and the two began to indulge themselves in what was now an almost daily occurrence.

Shanti hurried downstairs and began folding clothes in the laundry room while keeping a lookout for Claire. Some ten minutes later, she spotted Claire ambling toward the stairs, drink in hand.

"Excuse me Claire. If you're going upstairs would you mind dropping this off in Laura's room. I'm right in the middle of doing laundry and she said she needed it today."

In her alcoholic daze, Claire didn't question the request. She took the sweater and slowly started up the stairs.

"Oh yes," said Shanti, "if you will, tell her I will sew that button back on her blouse as soon as I'm finished here. Thanks."

As she reached the top of the stairs, Claire started down the hall but paused at her own room to collect her sewing kit. In her own misery of the past few weeks, she had seen precious little of Jody or Laura. It might be nice to stop by and sew on the button herself, perhaps talk a bit.

She was nearing the door when she heard their sounds of passion. Through the alcohol, she was, at first, simply puzzled. Then, as awareness began to dawn, a rush of adrenaline from the shock of what she was hearing, teamed with the alcohol gave her the courage to burst suddenly into the room.

Drummond lay between Laura's outspread legs, buried in his daughter's nest. Both were perspiring profusely.

"MY GOD!... DRUMMOND!... LAURA!"

Drummond withdrew from the girl but made no effort to cover himself or dress. Laura seemed embarrassed at first, but taking her father's lead, simply crossed her legs and turned to face her mother.

"Yes, Claire?" said her husband, his voice steady and in control.

"You've... you've..." Claire stammered, the liquor still impeding her articulation.

"What? Been making love to our daughter. You're absolutely right!"

"But... but... why would you... ?" asked Claire, revulsion and anger building.

"Because she and I wanted to. Can you think of a better reason?"

Claire's mouth dropped open as she looked from her husband to Laura, who smiled confidently, and back to Drummond.

"But Laura... our daughter!"

"Is quite frankly the best lover I've ever had. She's much better than you ever were Claire. She just keeps getting better and better!"

"You mean..."

"Oh my, yes! Dozens of times by now!"

Claire's sense of outrage at Drummond was reaching the breaking point. She still considered Laura a victim, no matter what was said and to think she had passively let another woman share their bed because she felt guilty.

"You might as well know it all Claire. I'd like to introduce you to our mystery lover!"

Drummond took Laura's hand and as she stood, she curtsied. Her father's arm went around her and the two stood naked and defiant before the gasping mother.

"You?... Oh my God! OH MY GOD!"

Images flashed back to their oral encounters, the young body and her own feelings and of how much the woman in the darkness reminded her of Laura. Claire wanted to faint, to gain some kind of relief from this horror. Now, she realized, she too had been a part of this incestuous triangle. She felt she would vomit as both Laura and Drummond faced her unwaveringly, defiant, almost proud.

"Laura, what's he done to you?"

"Nothing I didn't want, Mother. Everything I have done, I have done willingly. I love him Mother, no longer as a daughter, but as a woman. We are in love," smiled Laura. "I didn't intend for it to happen, but face it Mother, Daddy is too much of a man for you!"

Claire gasped as she looked back to Drummond. There was real hate in her eyes now.