Henry had built his adult life on being confident, detached, and in control. Such qualities had always served him well and propelled him to high achievement in his business dealings. Along the way, he had found a certain sense of balance and happiness that now seemed like sand slipping through his fingers. He was nervous and unsure of how to proceed. At times, he now even felt lonely. These emotions were all new for him, and he didn’t like them one bit.
Suddenly, he found himself exiting the highway and turning his car back toward St. Louis. George’s questions may have been uncomfortable for him, but he was exactly right, yet again. As the Lincoln lunged back toward the city, Henry realized that only someone who had been in love and happily married could help him with his dilemma. He needed expert advice on how to proceed with Millie and move their relationship forward. He was through with being alone, both in his bed and in his heart.
Chapter 8
Transformation
Henry eased the Lincoln to a halt and paused for a moment before exiting the car. His presence there was unplanned, and his intentions were certainly unannounced, but he hoped that he would be well-received. His anxiety and awkwardness about discussing his feelings for Millie were quickly overwhelmed by his need to get his affection for her out in the open with someone. In short order, he was out of the car and proceeding briskly on foot across the well-manicured cemetery lawn.
Clear blue skies and bright early afternoon sunshine brought warmth to the air. Henry noted that it wasn’t nearly as cool as it had been on his previous visit to see Mary. As he neared the cottonwood tree that stood over her resting place, he regretted that he had not had the forethought to stop for flowers this time, but his mind had been elsewhere. Henry paused for a brief instant to pay his respects to Doc Winters and his wife before proceeding to the bench beside Mary’s grave.
“Hello honey,” he greeted her as he sat down. “I imagine you didn’t expect to see me again so soon after not having been together for so long, huh?” he asked with a light chuckle, suddenly realizing his odd timing and reason for being there. As a way to procrastinate a bit and buy some time before explaining, he glanced around the cemetery grounds and noticed a navy blue sedan passing through the entrance. Beyond the arrival of that party, the place was completely deserted. Recognizing that he was stalling, he returned his attention to her and the matter at hand.
“Well… you see…” he stammered,” I’ve got a problem… and I need your advice on how to handle it. I told you about Millie, my uh… housekeeper. Well, it seems things are a little different with her than I let on the last time I saw you.” Henry was fumbling his words noticeably now because he felt abashed and embarrassed again about it all. In the midst of his ardor to get answers, he hadn’t really thought through the wisdom of seeking counsel about his relationship with Millie from his now-deceased ex-wife.
Before he could go further, the sound of a car door nearby caught his attention. He looked over in the direction of the sound and saw the navy sedan now parked neatly beside his Lincoln. A young woman was approaching slowly. As she neared, he could see that she bore a striking resemblance to Mary. In fact, she looked nearly exactly like the image of Mary he held now only in his memory. Her large brown eyes and long flowing auburn hair were nearly identical to Mary’s. In addition, she was surely in her early thirties, as Mary had been the last time Henry had been in her presence in 1953. In her hands, she carried a large bouquet of yellow daisies.
Henry was frozen as his breath was nearly taken away from him by the sight of her. Sensing something was slightly amiss, the woman took the opportunity to speak first as she arrived on the scene.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
Henry couldn’t believe it. She even sounded like Mary. It was is if he had been transported to some alternate universe.
“Hello,” he weakly mumbled as he rose to his feet.
“Oh, please don’t get up,” she said gently as she motioned for him to keep his seat, which he did. His legs felt unsteady due to this strange turn of events. “I haven’t seen you before. Did you know my grandparents and my mother?” she asked with a smile as she directed her eyes toward Mary’s headstone.
Her grandparents and her mother. Of course! Henry instantly regained his wits as he comprehended what she had said and recalled that George had told him about Mary’s children. She had given birth to two sons in addition to an attractive young daughter who was now standing before him.
I’ll be damned, he thought in amazement.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I knew them all, dear. I grew up in Lewis with her,” he answered as he also turned toward Mary.
“Really? That’s fantastic!” she exclaimed as she moved forward to place the flowers she held at the base of her mother’s headstone.
“I should leave you alone with her,” Henry stated as he again moved to stand.
“No, it’s ok, please don’t leave. I just wanted to stop and leave some flowers for her. She just loved yellow daisies,” she declared as she stepped back.
“She sure did,” he agreed. “She really liked things that were bright and cheery.” The comment brought another smile to the woman’s face.
“Yeah, she did. She was the happiest person I ever knew.”
Now it was Henry’s turn to smile. He was thrilled to hear that this was the legacy Mary had left behind. She truly had found happiness in the aftermath of the debacle their marriage became.
“Since you knew all of them, would it be rude and indelicate of me to ask who you are? I mean, I’ve never met you before is all.”
Henry thought for a moment as he stood beside her before answering.
“Not at all. Well, let’s just say I lost track of your mom a long time ago. Once, we were very close. Recently I found out that she was here, and I needed to come see her. I had some things I needed to talk about.”
“I see,” the woman replied and held out her hand. “I’m Elizabeth.”
Henry turned toward Mary’s daughter and recognized a familiar sparkle in her eyes and warmth in her touch as they shook hands.
“Hello Elizabeth, I’m Henry.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Henry,” she said as they returned to facing Mary.
“Did you get a chance to say what you wanted to Mom? I can leave you two alone,” she asked sincerely.
“Actually, I was here a while back on a different day, and she and I took care of that business,” he declared happily. “As usual, your mom was gracious and let me off the hook.” Elizabeth smiled. “No, I came here today seeking advice on something else but after I got here, I realized it was a pretty silly idea.”
“Really? How about you try me? Mom always told me I had her common sense,” Elizabeth said as she moved over to the bench and sat down. “My friends are always hitting me up for help with their love lives and problems. Have a seat and tell me what’s going on.” She patted the open space on the bench beside her as Henry looked on, completely bewildered.
Sensing his trepidation, she quickly added, “Who better to talk to than a stranger? Especially if you’ve got woman trouble.”
Henry immediately understood that Mary’s daughter was extremely intuitive. Despite his typical aversion to such exchanges, he soon found himself sitting down next to her.
“All right then, what’s the story?” she asked.
Henry looked at her with a funny expression. She was a very outgoing and comfortable sort, and he found himself oddly at ease with her. As she had said, who better to talk to than a stranger, right?
“Hmmm, what exactly would lead you to say ‘especially if it’s woman trouble’?”
“Well Henry, it’s obvious. Why else does a man go to seek advice from a woman if it isn’t about another woman?” she asked.
Her demeanor was confident, and her tone was matter-of-fact. Henry couldn’t argue the point and broke into mild laughter.
“Point made.”
“So, come on already. What did you want to talk to Mom
about? I promise I’ll do my best to tell you what I think she’d say.”
As strange as the whole encounter was, Henry couldn’t help but feel intrigued by her offer. It was just too good to pass up. Besides, to her he was just some strange man named Henry. He couldn’t see any downside to opening up to her about Millie. In fact, it might just be the perfect scenario.
“All right… yes, it’s a woman.” Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head as Henry continued. “She’s worked for me as my housekeeper for a very long time, closing in on 25 years. Her name is Millie, and we’ve never been anything but maid and boss until this last year. But now, I guess I’ve kind of figured out that I have some feelings for her. You know, more than that.”
“I see,” Elizabeth replied while seriously pondering his comments. “Does Millie know how you feel?”
“I don’t know; I think so. At least I guess she has an idea anyway.”
“An idea? Huh. Does she feel the same way about you?”
“I’m not sure. I get the feeling that she has some sort of affection for me; I just don’t know how far it goes.”
“During the time you guys have been together, have either of you ever been married?” she asked.
“Nope. I’m divorced. It happened a long time ago, and I’ve been alone ever since. Millie never married, never even had a boyfriend as far as I know in all the years I’ve known her.”
“Henry, haven’t you ever talked to her about how you feel about her? Or asked her how she feels about you?” Elizabeth inquired.
“No, we’re not exactly at that stage yet. That’s why I came to see your mom. I haven’t dated much the past 30 years, so I don’t know what to say when it comes to my feelings.”
Elizabeth looked out over the grounds as she considered Henry’s dilemma. What would Mom tell him? she wondered. They sat silently together, and both were lost in their thoughts for a spell before Elizabeth broke the silence.
“Henry, I’ve just met you, but I’d bet that Millie is in the same boat as you are. She’s been with you all this time and never even has had a boyfriend? Is she ugly? Is she a rotten person?”
Henry chuckled. “No, as a matter of fact, she’s quite pretty and a very lovely person. Extraordinary, to be exact.”
Elizabeth smiled broadly. “You’re in love with her, Henry.”
Henry was taken aback by the word. Love. It was a big word for certain and not one he had often entertained in his life. However, upon reflection he couldn’t argue the point. Placing his hands on his knees and looking at the ground between his feet, he surrendered to the idea.
“Yes, maybe. I don’t know; I guess I am.”
Elizabeth tapped her hand on his twice before retracting it. “That’s wonderful!” she said, expressing the giddiness of a young girl.
“But how do I tell her? What if she cares for me, but as a brother or father?” he asked with the insecurity of a high school freshman.
Elizabeth was touched by his genuine sweetness. He displayed an innocence and sincerity that was more typical of a pre-teen than a man of his age and experience. She placed her hand on his once again, this time keeping it there. Her touch brought his eyes to hers.
“Henry, you are a very handsome and well-spoken man. I’m willing to bet that she does not think of you as her father or her brother. Ask her on a date.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can; just ask her to go to dinner.”
“Now you sound like George,” Henry protested.
“Who’s George?” Elizabeth asked.
“My best friend. He grew up with me and your mom; she knew him very well.”
“Oh… George. Got it, sounds like a very smart man. Ok, well then, how about you invite her to join you on a picnic? Do you like picnics?” she pressed.
“I haven’t been on a picnic in a really long time.” Henry’s mind jumped backward to the last real picnic he had been on. It was with Elizabeth’s mother, many decades ago.
“Well, then I’d say it’s about time! Ask Millie to go on a picnic. Spend some time with her outside the house where she’s always worked. You know, let her see you in a different light. Trust me; after that, the words will come.”
Henry couldn’t help but smile at the thought of what she had just said. It sounded like a brilliant plan. Elizabeth seemed to be a wonderful and sensitive young woman. Truly her mother’s daughter, he thought. But before he could respond, she added a phrase that stunned him.
“Besides, Henry, you were good enough for my mom to marry, so I am quite sure you’re good enough for Millie.” As she delivered the clincher to her proposal, she winked and broke into a sly grin.
Henry was floored. How the hell does she know about me? His mind spun around, and his eyes glazed over for a moment as he absorbed her words. After Henry had regained his bearings, Elizabeth explained that her mother had told her all about him prior to her death. She further expanded that Uncle George had long been a favorite person of hers. George had conveniently neglected to mention that small detail to Henry, but in fairness to George, likely never expected them to meet. Henry was elated to learn that Mary spoke very well of him and held no ill feelings toward him despite their tumultuous divorce. Quite to the contrary, Mary had certainly come to understand all that had happened and made her peace with it.
“Mom told me during those last days, if I ever met you, to let you know that she was sorry about the way things ended and that she never stopped caring for you.”
Henry was moved beyond words. It was as if Mary had once again reached beyond the grave and orchestrated his heart’s reclamation. He was well past tears. In fact, Elizabeth’s words left him completely numb. By the time the pair parted ways, they had both become emotional and recovered. They exchanged contact information and agreed to keep in touch. It was cleansing and therapeutic for both of them, each in his or her own way.
Henry drove home both liberated and burdened by the meeting with Mary’s daughter. He felt incredibly free of the past and yet somehow fully shackled by his current unfinished business. Elizabeth was right, and he knew it. It was up to him to move his relationship with Millie forward. The time had come, and it was squarely upon his shoulders to push ahead. If Millie didn’t want him, if she didn’t share his feelings, she would have to say so. However, Henry decided that being nervous and afraid of the future was a pathetically weak position that did not suit a man of his standing. As a result, along the miles of asphalt home, Henry Engel was transformed into yet another new version of himself. He resolved that he would lay his cards upon the table before Millie and accept his fate like a man, no matter the outcome.
*
As Henry entered the house with bags on both shoulders and his hands full, sunlight darted through the windows and sliced the afternoon shadows. Joe, thrilled at the sight of him, rubbed herself vociferously across his shins as he stood at the island putting his briefcase and luggage down.
“Hey, darling!” he called out to his furry pal. He was equally as happy to see her as she was to see him.
While he accepted her affection, Henry’s eyes drifted to the answering machine, which displayed a blinking red light indicating that at least one message had been received since last it was checked. Next to the machine, a handwritten note on a scrap of paper also was waiting for him.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” Henry mumbled while breaking away from Joe’s homecoming to check the messages. As he approached the machine, he could clearly see Millie’s handwriting on the accompanying note next to it. It read: “Please call asap – Millie”. This was potentially cause for alarm because, in all of the years they had been together, Millie had not once ever left such a note for him. Before retrieving the other message from the machine, Henry grabbed the handset and dialed Millie’s telephone number. Following a short delay and two loud clicks, the phone rang seven times before Henry gathered that she was not going to answer and depressed the button on the device to end the call. In case he had dial
ed in error, Henry tried the number once again before reaching the same result and ultimately abandoning the enterprise. He took a look at the clock and noted that the time was just past 4:00 p.m. Maybe that’s another message from Millie on the machine. Henry moved to hit the playback button on the answering machine that was still blinking. However, rather than retrieving a message from Millie he was surprised to hear the voice of his new favorite British author. Anne had called to check-in and let Henry know that she had made arrangements with Louis to begin some work on the Stewart place. She informed Henry that Louis knew that he was to contact him should he have any issues and was unable to reach her directly. Also, she said that she hoped to be in town in a couple of weeks to begin setting up the home.
“Good deal,” Henry said aloud in response to the news that Anne would be returning in the near future to Lewis. He was looking forward to seeing her again. Any concerns that Henry had about Millie’s whereabouts were dismissed.
“Huh, I guess Millie’s out and about somewhere. Oh well, if it was something big she’d be waiting for a call or would have left me a voice message. Hey, guess what? Anne is coming back soon. I’d say that warrants an early meeting with Jake, wouldn’t you?” he asked Joe, who was looking up at him as he stepped toward the cabinet. Joe couldn’t understand a word that he said, but Henry seemed happy enough about whatever it was. The sound of ice cubes hitting the bottom of his glass quickly revealed to her what was happening. Joe sat patiently as Henry prepared Jake for their meeting. She watched his every move with keen interest as she tried to determine if they would be going outside or to his recliner. The answer quickly came as he walked across the kitchen and into the family room. Henry was worn out from both a long weekend away as well as an emotional day, and the comfort of his favorite chair was calling.
Joe sauntered leisurely behind and waited for Henry to settle in before leaping up onto his lap. Once he had provided the requisite pets that she was accustomed to, she nestled herself alongside his leg and snuggled into her familiar spot. Henry was glad to see her feeling spry and like her old self again. She seemed very healthy and well and he wondered if maybe she had even gained just a touch of weight since Thursday.
Celebrations With Jake and Joe Page 9