Chapter 76

“So, talk to me, dear,” Lana said with an encouraging smile.

“Explain your feelings calmly,” Diana advised. “Don't let yourself feel so stressed out that you come across as snappish.”

I didn’t have a choice. I had to say something and tell her how I felt. Maybe she would understand, but I wasn’t sure if she would have a solution to my problem.

I was nervous and jumped in with both feet. “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I want to wear clothes that I choose and not what someone else thinks I should wear.”

I looked out the car window and waited for Mrs. Klein to say something. But she just sat there as if waiting for me to speak again.

“And I hate feeling like I’m always trying to project a certain image instead of being me,” I added.

“Don’t you like the things I chose for you today?” Lana’s smile was gone, but she didn’t seem angry. “Every item can be exchanged for something you like better.”

“No, it’s not that I don’t like them. It’s hard to explain.” I threw my hands in the air. “It’s just that some of those things aren’t me. I never like to dress up and….”

“You like to just throw on jeans and a T-shirt, right? Lana said, but I wasn’t sure it was a question.

“Well… Yeah. I like to be comfortable.” I studied Lana’s expression, searching for signs she was getting angry. But I had the feeling that she was very good at hiding her emotions.

“Daisy, there is nothing wrong with sometimes wearing what makes you the most comfortable.” She emphasized the word, sometimes.

“But you are almost an adult now, and someday you will be a leader of our people, even more so than I am now. It's time for you to begin facing the fact that you have responsibilities.”

“How is the way I dress a responsibility?”

“You need to dress in a way that makes people respect you and your authority,” she explained. “The respect of others is a valuable commodity.”

“What am I going to do that needs so much respect?” I asked.

“For one thing, how people feel about you will reflect on Victor, me, my husband, and your father. We have worked hard to maintain our image in this community.”

“It wouldn’t be fair to ruin their reputation after they work so hard to maintain it all their lives,” Diana said.

“I guess not,” I silently agreed. But it makes me wish I was a nobody again.”

“You are who you are,” Diana said. “Why not embrace it and let us both thrive?”

Lana snapped her fingers to make sure I was listening to her. “Victor told me about your plans to help the Betas and Omega communities. Is this true?”

I nodded.

“Good. It’s an admirable thing to want to help others less fortunate. But you and your endeavor must have the cooperation and respect of others in the Alpha community to do the most good.”

“It sounds depressing to me. I don’t know if I can constantly try to live up to other people’s expectations of me,” I explained.

Lana reached into the mini-fridge for a bottle of water.

“Living up to other people’s expectations is something everyone does to a certain extent. Even as a child, you were told to clean up your room, brush your teeth, do your chores, and get good grades in school.”

“You’re right,” I admitted. “I guess I just don’t like people. I would rather be alone in the library, reading a book, than in a crowd.”

“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Lana assured me. “In your spare time, spend as much time in that library as you wish, but you must give the appearance of liking and trying to fit in with the people who can help you accomplish your goals.”

“I’d rather stay in the library,” I mumbled.

“Your private life is your own, Daisy,” she said. “But keep in mind, an excellent public image will help you achieve any goal in life.”

“You told me you want to take over your mother’s charitable foundation,” Lana continued. “You will be more effective with the respect of the Alpha community.”

“How did my mother handle these rules and expectations?”

“She was just like you at first,” Lana replied. “But she learned how to balance her private and public life to her best advantage. You can too.”

“Did my mother like to wear jeans?” I had only ever seen my mother in the ballroom portrait.

“I saw her in jeans many times. She wore them well,” Lana answered. “For her public appearances, she had her own style that I called sophisticated innocence.”

Sophisticated innocence? “What does that mean?” I’ve never heard this much about my mother. “The only item of her clothing I’ve ever seen of hers was her Moon Goddess ceremony robe.”

“Her things were packed away in the attic of your home,” Lana said. “I would enjoy going through them with you. I have wonderful memories of many good times with your mother.”

Lana looked sad for a moment, and I didn’t know what to say to make her feel better.

But Diana did. “Tell her that you understand now, and you and I will do our best to maintain the dignity and respect of the Klein and Wilson families.”

I repeated Diana’s words, and Lana looked relieved. “I know you’ll do well by us.”

“You know, Daisy, it will take time for you to find a balance between being yourself and being who you are expected to be. Your mother became a master of this, and you can too.”

“It’s nice of you to be this encouraging to me,” I said. “And after I was so rude to you at the gallery.”

“That incident is forgotten,” Lana assured me. “I am glad you are back in our lives, and you have my full support.”

Tears came to my eyes, and impulsively, I threw my arms around her neck. To my surprise, she returned my embrace.

She slowly pulled away and straightened her dress before taking her cell phone out of her purse. “I'm calling your father to ask his permission to look over your mother’s things in the attic.”

Alex told Lana we were welcome to look through my mother's things. He promised to have the servants bring them down and place them in a second-floor sitting room.

Next, Lana put down the partition between us and the driver. “Ramsley, please stop at home before going to the Wilson Mansion.”

“There’s something I need to do quickly, and then we will go back to your home and look through your mother’s things. Perhaps you’ll find some items in her wardrobe that you can wear. You are about the same size as her.”

After Ramsley pulled in front of the Klein mansion, Lana said she would be out in a few minutes and hurried inside.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to look at my mother’s clothing and belongings. It would be like opening a time capsule or a window into her life.

Just when I was getting impatient while waiting for Lana to return, she appeared and climbed into the limousine without waiting for the chauffeur to open the door.

“Are you wearing jeans?” I giggled.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I can’t very well wear a designer dress for this mission, now, can I? Cleaning out an attic is the perfect excuse to wear jeans.”

“It’s all about finding a balance,” I said, and we laughed.