"Axelk Gza-vanh," a voice behind me said, giving the name a crisp French pronunciation.
"Axelle Gauvin," the judge repeated patiently.
Mrs. Thompkins and I frowned at each other,
"Ms. Gauvin, Michel Allards will clearly states that he wished you to become the guardian of his only minor child, Thais Allard. Is this your understanding:1"
I blinked rapidly. Whaaat?
"Yes, it is, Your Honor," said the voice behind me, and I whirled around. Axelle Gauvin, whom I'd never heard of in my life, looked like the head dominatrix of an expensive bordello. She had shining black hair cut in a perfect, swingy bell right above her shoulders. Black bangs framed black, heavily made-up eyes. Bright blood-red lips either pouted naturally or had been injected with collagen. The rest of her was a blur of shining black leather and silver buckles. In summer, Welsford, Connecticut, had never seen anything like this.
"Who is that?" Mrs. Thompkins whispered in shock. I shook my head helplessly, trying to swallow with an impossibly dry throat.
"Michel and I hadn't seen each other recently," the woman said in a sultry, smokers voice, "but we'd always promised each other Id take care of little Thais if anything happened to him. I just never thought it would." Her voice broke, and I turned around to see her dabbing at eyes as dark as a well.
She'd said my name correctly-even the judge had pronounced it Thay-iss, but Axelle had known it was Tye-ees. Had she known my dad? How? My whole life, it had been me and my dad. I'd known he'd dated, but I'd always met the women. None of them had been Axelle Gauvin.
"Your Honor, I" Mrs.Thompkins began, upset. “I'm sorry," the judge said gently. "You're still the executor for all Mr. Allard's personal possessions, but the will clearly states that Ms.