Wisdom Through a Mirror

Deidre O’Callaghan strolled along the sidewalk, watched by the paparazzi who were looking for the self-proclaimed perfectly petite princess. She was the last heir of the founding family of Kostbar Gates, the elite society of the extremely rich.

The surroundings or the atmosphere didn’t matter in the slightest bit. What would be the purpose of going some place without being recognized and admired?

Deidre entered the French Café, a lonely white building with a bright red canopy over the entrance. Deidre gave her name to the hostess who led her to, Elise Aldridge, a classmate from college. Elise, although from a wealthy family, was unknown by the media. She didn’t have the status of the O’Callaghan clan. She was taller than Deidre, fit body, and curly brown hair. Deidre accepted the invitation on the pretense that her father would be proud of her for congregating with the lesser crowd.

Deidre let out a long sigh of disgust.

“Good afternoon, Elise. What is this luncheon about?” Deidre said, resting her head on her hand, secretly wishing to be on the beaches of Bora Bora, her favorite summer escape.

“Good afternoon Deidre. You have no right to be grumpy. It’s the summer. Live a little. This is the only time of year that we can wear as little as possible, and get away with it.” Elise lightly laughed before continuing, “You remember Leslie don't you?"

"Mmm, Leslie from Psych 101," Deidre said.

"Exactly. Well she's dating now, and you'll never guess who," she paused. "Lisa--the one with spiky green hair and a nose ring." Elise leaned over the table to whisper, "How can they have sex? They are both women."

Deidre laughed while she thought, please come rescue me from this boring luncheon. I am not interested in the tales of dykes and weirdoes. Daddy always said they’re not right.

“Oh the food is here.” Deidre said. She inspected the vast array of Spring Greens with a critical glance and sniffed the vinegar wafting up from her salad. She knew she should have asked the waiter if the food was organic. She thought, I bet nothing on this plate is organic. She ate two bites of her salad as she continued thinking, Daddy won’t like it if I gain weight. I’ll have Chef Pierre prepare me something once I get home. Everything in our kitchen is specially grown and produced for us.

Elise watched Deidre have only two bites of her salad. “I’m famished; I haven’t eaten since last night because I’ve been anticipating their tuna burgers. I noticed you’re not hungry, though. Unless you don’t like the salad?”

“I’m not hungry,” Deidre said.

“Do you remember the summer beach party last year at my beach house? Everybody brought food and drink. Between the hard lemonade, beer, and vodka, everybody was wasted. It took forever for everyone to wake up.”

“That’s nice.” Beethoven’s Fifth sounded at that moment and Deidre sighed with relief. “Daddy texted me,” she said, looking at her Blackberry. While gathering her purse, she continued, “I have to return home immediately there seems to be an emergency. Ta ta, Elise.”

“Good bye Deidre, we’ll set up another lunch. Next time at my beach house. I promise.”

Deidre walked to her car feeling relieved to be away from Elise. She would do anything to make her daddy happy, even having lunch with someone she only considered an acquaintance.

It was a ten-minute drive back to the Geld Kanne Estate. Bach playing in the background, Deidre used the time to go over possible scenarios to prepare herself for the confrontation.
As soon as Deidre entered the house, “Alfred!”

“Yes, Miss Deidre?”

“Where is everyone?”

“Your father is in his office, Miss Deidre, with a Mr. Archie Charleston. Would you like for me to escort you?”

“That will not be necessary Alfred.”

“Yes Miss Deidre.” As Deidre left, all Alfred could do was give a big sigh as he bowed. ==========
Deidre decided to go to her suite to be sure she would be presentable according to her father’s specifications. Up the marble staircase to the west wing, which she had to herself, she unlocked her door without thought to go into her dressing room.

She thought as she stared into the mirror, I look presentable. Not a hair out of place, clothes neatly pressed without any stains. . . Alfred mentioned a Mr. Archie Charleston, whoever that is. A perfectly trained pat with a little powder and a refresh of the lipstick and she left for her father’s office. The full-length mirror that had seen every side of her since the very beginning, located in her dressing room, seemed to speak to her. This time it told her she was beautiful.

Upon entering the office, she closed the doors. The clicking of the doors echoed slightly in the large room even with a wall-to-wall bookcase filled to the brim with important books, some first editions, some read, and some there to provide decoration. The light was out overhead with nobody else in the room except Daddy. He sat behind an old oak desk he inherited from his father. The filtered afternoon sun shone through the sliding glass doors behind her father, giving the appearance of a mysterious aura surrounding him. To Deidre, it made him look like God. The high-back oak chair provided for his throne it shielded him as well. Deidre sat down low in one of the blue leather wingback chairs. They added to the menagerie of antique furniture. All of them have seen things that could fill volumes of history novels. People would think they were stories instead of the truth. She sat in front of the desk waiting for him to address her and explain why her presence was necessary. A man of his upbringing always oversees everything to be sure it is done right.

Driscoll O’Callaghan, a very tall and very strict man, sat in his chair staring at his daughter. There was no way to tell what he was thinking. His face was hidden by the shadows. “Daughter, there is something I must discuss with you. I had a very interesting meeting with Mr. Archie Charleston. He left the moment you returned to the house. You will sit there and listen before asking or saying anything. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Deidre leaned her head against her hand waiting for her father. The sooner it started the sooner it ended.

“You have another grandmother, Annora O’Callaghan. She was my mother many years ago. You look so much like she did. The same strawberry hair and gray eyes. My father would say they were icy eyes to go with the icy heart. He towered over her at six feet three inches to her mere four feet eleven inches. My parents divorced when I was a little boy because my mother had an abominable affair with another woman. My father never remarried and never regretted moving away from her both emotionally and physically. However, that’s not the point of this conversation.” Driscoll bent over to reach the box that was on the floor. Placing it up on the desk, he continued. “Mr. Charleston, my mother’s lawyer, left this box for you. You will open it.”

“I don’t even know who this Annora O’Callaghan is,” Deidre said, “For all I know, it could be someone to get a hold of our money.” Deidre turned her head around to see her mother, Megan, walk into the room taking the chair next to her.

Looking straight into Deidre’s eyes he said, “You will do as you were told, open the box.”

“Driscoll, you can’t be serious. All of this is preposterous,” Megan said.

“We should have known that we couldn’t hide it forever. My father shielded me from her and now it is my turn. No matter how hard I tried though, Annora kept track of our daughter for whatever reason. Her lawyer said as much.”

“But dear. . .”

“That is enough, Megan. I had nearly forgotten about that woman but she continues to haunt me. Open it Deidre.”

“No Daddy, I won’t, because I have never heard of this mad woman that you say is my grandmother, even if she does look like me.”

“Open it Deidre. I will not tell you again.”
Deidre very easily lifted the lid off the box to reveal a manila envelope with her name written in red letters. Inside the envelope were a deed, map, keys, letter, and a small photo album.

“That’s it, that’s all there is.”

Megan said, “Well, let’s have some tea in the garden. Then we will go over all of this nonsense.”

Alfred had poked his head in to be sure everything was all right. Deidre stood up from her chair ready to exit knowing her father was following her. Standing face to face with Alfred, she said, “Alfred, dispose of this trash. I don’t want to see it.” Deidre held out the envelope for Alfred to grab, but Daddy grabbed it instead.

Driscoll looked down at his daughter. “You will not have this disposed of. You will keep it.” It was a strange phenomenon. The angrier that Driscoll became, the lower his voice became.

“Daddy, think about what you’re saying.”

“Do not argue with me young lady. You will take this entire envelope, study it, and read it. Am I making myself clear?”

“Yes Father.” Deidre didn’t have any choice but to follow Daddy’s orders. He was in charge of all of the money, and then there was the Will to consider. She would not get her trust until she turned thirty and was able to prove she was self-sufficient.

As if reading her mind, her father said, “I already have your Blackberry and I have disconnected your phone as well. This is a private family matter not to be shared with anyone. You will go now to your room. I will know.” There was that rumble again echoing through the massive house. The same rumble was heard as if emanating from an elephant, it was that low.

She slammed the door after she entered her suite. Deidre sat on the bed to go through the contents of the envelope.
==========
To my dear granddaughter,
If you are reading this letter then that means that your father got his wish after all, I’m dead. My name is Annora Francis O’Callaghan, wife of Mitchell O’Callaghan. We were your other grandparents. I won’t rewrite what the articles say so I’ll summarize instead. I need to explain.

My marriage was in trouble. Years of taking commands from Mitchell were wearing me down. I lost me. I needed to find something to help put me back together again and that was when I met her. Every time I saw her I felt alive and free. That’s right, I said she and her name was Ashley. We held each other, watched movies, talked to one another. The most important thing is I found love. I learned how to love a woman and it’s because of that, I learned how to feel again. Rather than dealing with the issue, Mitchell and I ignored it and attempted to bury it. He threatened to divorce me but I couldn’t divorce him, though. He would take away the only person I loved, which was your father, if I agreed to the divorce. Mitchell would strip me of everything. So we made a deal. If I left Ashley and told no one about the affair, I could keep my son. The money didn’t matter. Not anymore.

One night, it was after a special dinner party that we hosted. The wife of the guest and I had a good time, just talking. It’s what girls do, we talk. Mitchell didn’t say anything until bed time. Both of us screaming and Mitchell hitting. . . Driscoll overheard what was going on. I saw Driscoll standing in the doorway and immediately brought him back to bed. The following morning I was called to Aristotle Charleston’s office, our lawyer at the time. Mitchell wanted a divorce. I don’t know how, but he had evidence that I would be an unfit mother. I was declared psychologically unstable. I lost my home and I lost my son. I lost everything. When Mitchell died, I made immediate arrangements to find Driscoll. I needed my son.

When I found him, I was so astonished at how much he resembled his father. I realized that after attempting to talk to him that he more than looked like his father. I truly lost everything then. I could not have any more children because of the beating I suffered from Mitchell. I couldn’t try again and Ashley was gone. I felt lost. I was deeply depressed for quite a long time.

This is the part that your father doesn’t know. During my search for Driscoll, I found Ashley again and with her help, I found me again and the strength to move on. Mitchell paid me to stay away from Driscoll. I took the money to put away for special occasions. It wasn’t the money that kept me away, it was Mitchell. Every time I would try to see your father, he would move or send someone to hurt me. When that didn’t dissuade me, then he would send someone to beat up Ashley. We had no proof. I know it was him, though. It was the early fifties then, and wife beating laws didn’t exist. Who else would do something like that? That’s why you don’t know you have a grandmother that very much wanted to meet her granddaughter.

You were only a baby. Your father’s maid at the time was able to provide me with pictures of you. I don’t know what happened to her, but I can guess that she was fired.

In the envelope, I have included the deed and the keys to your house. I know it won’t make up for all of the lost time we could have spent together, but it’s my gift to you. It sits on the shores of Beofor Lake. I included a set of directions for you to follow. It’s your house now and it’s more like home than that mausoleum your father calls a house. . . if I do say so myself.

Happy Birthday. Merry Christmas. Happy Valentines Day.

Your grandmother,
Annora
==========
Deidre looked in the envelope again and found copies of old newspaper articles. Wife of Corporate Giant Mitchell O’Callaghan in Depression. Mysterious Affair of a Member of the Great O’Callaghan Clan. Annora O’Callaghan Affair with a Woman. Deidre read all of the articles, all of them saying the same thing that this mysterious woman said. Not sure what to think she folded the letter and the articles and stuffed them inside of the envelope.

She read the directions and knew exactly where the house was located. The story was passed from one generation to the next. Local legend had it that people mysteriously disappeared there. A strange song would be heard as the fog enveloped the entire lake. Just as quickly as it started it stopped and everybody enveloped in the fog disappeared. The lake earned another name because of the legends, and because it was unusually deep, The Lake of the Dead. Her thoughts became deeper as she remembered the story. She thought, legends are legends and it’s nothing but a story people tell to earn more money. I‘ve been to the great lakes of the world and nothing has ever happened to me. Why would Beofor Lake be any different? I’ll go out there and then decide what to do. Daddy will want to come with me and I’ll go from there. It’s funny that Daddy never mentioned Aurora or anything for that matter about his mother. Strange.

Deidre looked at the pictures and remembered what her father said that despite his best efforts, that woman kept track of Deidre. The black and white photos only provided basic details of the woman’s appearance. She could have looked like Deidre. The other pictures were of a small boy that she guessed was her father. He was tall and the basic features resembled her father. It had to be her grandfather, though, because the photos were aged, all in black and white.

The last thing to check was the deed. Looking it over confirmed that the house belonged to Deidre O’Callaghan. After studying the deed, she placed it back inside the envelope.

Megan opened the bedroom door. “How are you doing daughter?”

“I’m doing fine Mother. This woman who is supposed to look exactly like me wrote this letter.” Deidre held up the envelope to show her mother. “It is a fantastic story I must say. She deserved the consequences that followed. How can any. . .” Uh oh, Daddy’s here. I’ve read the letter. What difference does it make what happens now? She thought.

Daddy walked into their conversation. “Megan, leave this room.” Driscoll stood there looking at Deidre. Deidre saw the eyes and knew what his thoughts would be. After all, he had a part in her upbringing. It was more than taking a part in her upbringing, he played a key role. Deidre was the heir to the vast O’Callaghan holdings worth two point one billion dollars. Driscoll controlled every aspect of Deidre’s life. Megan was a role model for showing Deidre how to plan parties, dinner meetings, how to be prepared at a moment’s notice, and other aspects of life that no nanny or teacher would be able to educate her. Driscoll was Deidre’s mentor and teacher everything needed his approval. The relationship between Megan and Deidre was mother and daughter. Nothing more.

“Very well, I have to see to it that the party preparations for next week are under way. Excuse me.” Megan left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

“You will not share this or your point of view with anyone. You will leave first thing in the morning. I will speak with Alfred about assigning people to help clean the lake front house. Yes I know. I know many things Deidre because I am your father. Do not disappoint.”

“How am I supposed to trust this woman? She’s a dyke. A creature of another species and you expect me to believe this woman.”

They stood face to face looking at each other, both angry for different reasons. Driscoll was the first to break the stare by leaving the room.