Millie was seated at the island when Henry finally emerged from the office and made his way into the kitchen to find her. His face looked relaxed and completely at peace as he approached. As he neared, without saying a word, he extended his arms and gently placed his hands on her cheeks before giving her a lengthy and very sweet kiss.
“What’s that for?” she asked softly after their lips had parted.
“Just because I love you Millie Engel. No other reason, just because I love you.”
“I’m guessing the phone call went pretty well,” she said before he smiled and kissed her even more vehemently this time. Millie’s toes began to tingle, and her stomach did a flip as butterflies danced about inside her. “You tell Bill he needs to call her all the time from now on,” she joked as she leaned in for another round from Henry.
While they embraced, a low guttural sound emerged from somewhere in the corner of the breakfast room.
“What on earth was that?” asked Henry as he broke away from her and swung around to see what was dying. After a short delay, a second moan emanated from the corner but this time they could tell it was coming from the cardboard box that Joe had claimed as her safe haven.
“Uh-oh, I think I know what that is,” Millie said with alarm as she rushed across the room. As she had suspected, the little mother-to-be was in the final hours of her pregnancy. “Yep, I thought so! Henry, it’s time!” she cried.
Chapter 25
Boiling Water
“What do we do?” Henry asked with nervous excitement.
“Doc Miller explained all about what to expect and how things will go. It’s going to be just fine sweetie.” Millie could sense his anxiety and knew that he had never been a party to the birth of anything before in his entire life. Being a mother herself, she had delivered a child and was far better suited to handle the stress of the affair than he was. Joe’s initiation into the sorority of motherhood would likely take hours to proceed to its fruition. Millie quickly determined that Henry was going to need some distractions in order to survive the ordeal.
“How about you boil some water?” she asked.
“Water? Ok, I can do that,” he replied as he rushed to the stove. The teakettle Anne had given him now resided permanently on the back left burner, and he took it in hand.
“How much do we need?” he asked innocently.
“Oh, you better go ahead and fill it up,” she directed, knowing that a full kettle was slower to boil and, therefore, would keep his attention longer. After all, the request for hot water had nothing to do with Joe. Millie simply wanted a cup of tea while she waited for the kittens to arrive.
“We’re going to need towels, right? I better go and gather up some,” Henry exclaimed anxiously as he fired up the burner and placed the kettle atop the blue flames.
Towels? What on earth is he talking about? Millie wondered. She assumed it was something he had seen in one of the old movies that he loved to watch. Though there was no practical reason for it, she opted to take advantage of the opportunity to keep him busy.
“Oh yeah baby, we’re gonna need lots and lots of towels. How about you run and get me some,” she encouraged him as she took a seat at the end of the kitchen table.
“Ok, I can take care of that. You keep an eye on Joe and the water on the stove, and I’ll be right back. If you need something else, just holler,” he said as he rushed up the stairs. Millie was undecided about what she found more interesting, waiting with Joe for the birth of her litter or watching Henry run around the house in a panic. She could see that it was going to be a long afternoon and evening and moved to bring in some reinforcements.
“Say, Henry?” she called to him.
“Coming honey!” he shouted as he flew down the staircase with urgency. It was all that Millie could do to contain her laughter as she caught sight of him. In his arms, Henry carried an enormous stack of towels representing Oak Forest’s entire inventory. He dropped them on the kitchen table in front of her like a cat laying a prize at the feet of its owner.
“I got the towels,” he exclaimed, nearly out of breath.
“You sure did,” Millie said while attempting to keep a straight face.
“Are there any kittens yet? Did you need something? Is Joe all right?”
“She’s fine sweetheart; nothing has happened yet. Hey, I was just thinking, how about you give Anne a call? If she’s not busy, I bet she’d like to be here, and she could help me out.”
“Anne? Yeah, that’s a great idea,” he agreed as he hustled over to the telephone. “I’m going to call George too. He’s got three kids and seven grandkids; he can help for sure,” Henry added as he dialed the author’s number.
“Good idea honey, you do that,” Millie encouraged her husband. She thought that it was a brilliant suggestion and was disappointed that she hadn’t thought of it first. Unlike Henry, she had no reason to think that George’s experiences as a father and grandfather would help Joe safely deliver her kittens. Millie knew that one had little or nothing to do with the other. She did, however, think that George could play a key role in assuring that all would go smoothly. He would be the ideal babysitter for Henry.
Upon receiving the news that Joe was in labor, both Anne and George were equally glad to be invited to Oak Forest for the festivities. It just so happened that neither of them had anything particular going for the night. Therefore, each was willing to scurry out to the estate to wait with Henry and Millie for the arrival of the babies. Besides, since they were first and second on the list of prospective parents to adopt one of Joe’s kittens, it was an exciting proposition to be on hand as they were born.
Being considerably closer, Anne was the first to arrive on the scene. At just past 4:00 p.m., Millie answered the front door with a broad smile and a warm greeting and invited their friend inside. Henry was upstairs, so the two women had a chance to speak privately as they walked into the kitchen.
“How’s Joe doing? Anything happening yet?” Anne inquired.
Millie motioned for Anne to step over to the box where Joe was resting. “Nope, nothing just yet but I think we’re getting real close. It’ll be any time now.”
Anne kneeled and greeted Joe while gently giving her some affection. “How’s Henry handling things?”
“About like any first-time daddy I guess. He’s a nervous wreck,” Millie said softly with a laugh so that he couldn’t hear her. “He’s been busy boiling water and gathering up all the towels in the county,” she added as she pointed to the kitchen table.
“Is that what that is about? I thought perhaps you were folding laundry to pass the time while you waited,” Anne confessed quietly while shaking her head in amusement. “He sounded quite out of sorts when he called me. Poor fellow, where is he?” Anne wondered as she stood.
“He’s upstairs; got a little bit of a nervous stomach over all of this,” Millie explained.
“Hi, Anne! Thank goodness you’re here,” Henry declared as he made his way down the staircase.
“Henry! How are you holding up?” Anne asked, acting as if she had no idea how things were going.
“Who me? I’m doing fine. Millie’s been looking after Joe, but I’ve been keeping a close eye on both of them. So far, I’d say they’re hanging in there pretty well.” Henry spoke without a hint of comedy in his voice as he put his arm around Millie’s shoulder.
“What can I say, Anne? He’s my rock,” Millie declared with a wink and a grin that Henry couldn’t see.
They stood and chatted for a few minutes about Joe before deciding to move to the comfort of the family room. Once there, it occurred to Henry that he had an important matter to discuss with Anne that wasn’t related to cats or kittens.
“With all that’s going on, I forgot to tell you that I finished reading your book.” His face was expressionless when he spoke, and Anne was left feeling a little uneasy.
“Are you angry with me?” she asked cautiously.
“Let’s just say, I’m very disap
pointed,” he said with a stern look.
“But Henry…” Millie interrupted.
“Millie please, this is between Anne and me,” he said with firm conviction.
“Henry, I’m truly sorry you feel I let you down. I certainly did not intentionally try to hurt you. I just followed the inspiration that came to me and wrote the story I felt in my heart.”
“Well, that’s really not the problem at all,” he said shaking his head. “No, the reason I’m disappointed is that you wrote such a great book and it turns out my brother gets top billing? Come on now, you even gave him Jake and Joe and I’m just a guy who gets cheated out of his money. Doesn’t seem very fair considering most of the good stories in there came from me.” Henry was smiling as he finished his mock “rebuke” of Anne, and she was vastly relieved.
“If you would rather, I could rewrite things and make you a star,” she offered in jest.
“Don’t even think about it,” he warned her playfully. Anne threw her hands up in surrender to indicate that she was only joking.
“All right then, what would you like me to do? Shall I submit it for publishing or scrap it?”
“Without a doubt you need to publish it. It’s really terrific. I don’t read a lot of novels but kiddo, you had me from the first page.”
Anne’s face beamed. She was an affluent bestselling author and had been praised for her work at the highest levels, but no review ever left her feeling prouder.
“I’m very humbled that you would say that, Henry. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I meant every word. I expect we’re going to raise a terrific amount of money for our new foundation, too,” he added, now thinking about the reason for indirectly exposing his life to the world. This was the first Anne had heard of the Oak Forest Foundation, and she was delighted as Henry and Millie offered their vision for it. She not only reaffirmed her original pledge to donate all royalties from the new book to the charity of their choice but also promised to make a personal donation as well. Also, she was very interested in becoming directly involved in the project. Henry and Millie welcomed the idea. They continued to chat about it all as Millie periodically checked on Joe, but things remained in limbo. As of yet, no kittens had arrived.
“If we’re going to sell lots of books to fund the foundation, we’re going need a really top-shelf ending. Any ideas where I should go from here?” the author asked the others.
“Oh gosh, with all that’s going on, Henry, you still haven’t told her the big news!” Millie exclaimed.
“That’s right, I guess I haven’t,” he said as Anne’s eyes widened with curiosity.
“What news?” she asked enthusiastically trying to read his expression.
“Let’s just say I think I have the ending for your book figured out. Thanks to you, Millie, and George that is,” he answered with satisfaction.
Henry went on to share a bit of the content from his conversation earlier that day with Bill and to tell her that his brother and family would be coming to Lewis at some point for a visit. Anne was thrilled beyond words that their secret alliance had contributed to this breakthrough and was genuinely moved by his sentiments. Before the discussion could go further, a knock on the front door announced the arrival of George.
Henry was glad to see his friend’s face and quickly noted that it was a few minutes past the normal time for the arrival of another old pal. In light of the festive occasion, all agreed that a celebration with Jake was fitting and the preparations began. Now becoming an expert, Henry reheated the water in the kettle as George and the women conversed about Joe and cats in general. At one point, Henry thought he heard George whisper something about towels but Millie and Anne laughed so he assumed that it must have instead been a joke that he missed. Soon, Henry had again proved his skill with the stove and the contents of the teakettle were back at a rolling boil. In short order, two highballs and two cups of tea each flavored with just the right touch of Jake’s personality were being held aloft for a toast.
“To Joe!” Henry proclaimed as all chimed in. They tapped each other’s drinks and took a sip in her honor. Perhaps sensing the dramatic moment or maybe just wishing to remind them that she ought to be the center of attention, the little Siamese cat once again stole the show. Everyone looked on in amazement as the first kitten arrived without complication. Anne and Millie were awed by the creation of a new life and cried as the tiny kitten took its first breaths. However, Henry and George were slightly less impressed. They decided that witnessing the birth of one kitten was more than enough for them, and they retreated to the safety of the front porch.
Once outside, Henry paced back and forth like a father in the waiting room of a hospital anxiously hoping for news. He was relieved that the first kitten looked to be healthy and normal, but he knew they were not out of the woods yet. There was a long way to go, and he was still very concerned about Joe’s health and well-being in addition to that of her offspring. In contrast, George was considerably more composed than Henry. He had never been inside the delivery room before during the action but had been on hand for scores of births over the years. Therefore, he was better prepared for the rigors of sweating it out and tried to engage Henry in conversation to distract him from his anxiety.
“Helluva nice day today,” he observed.
“Huh? Oh yeah, it’s just like last Saturday,” Henry responded, comparing the two days in his mind.
“I sure hope it stays like this all summer, not too hot and no humidity.”
“You’re dreaming, George; it’s the Midwest. It’s not going to happen.”
George chuckled and took a swallow from his glass as Henry moved to sit beside him. The simple mention of the weather had been enough to begin to settle Henry’s nerves and it was time to move on to more significant topics.
“A little bird told me you had a very big phone call today,” George tossed out casually.
“How in the hell could you know about that?” Henry asked with surprise.
“I heard a rumor. So, how was it talking to your big brother after all of these years?”
Henry couldn’t fathom how George already knew about his phone conversation with Bill. Anne had just found out about it upon her arrival, and Millie certainly had not had an opportunity to speak with him privately either. That left only one possible source.
“You tell me,” Henry said dryly as he took a drink from his glass. “Apparently, you must talk to him more than I do.”
“I heard it went very well,” George answered, confirming Henry’s suspicion.
“That’s two!” came an exuberant shout from the kitchen. “So far, so good, fellas!”
Both men smiled at the news and then returned to their sparring.
“First, I find out you stayed in touch with Mary through the years after I left. Then, I find out her daughter calls you Uncle George, which of course you neglected to mention to me. Now, you’re telling me that you’ve been talking to Bill too. These are kind of big secrets you’re keeping pal, don’t you think?” he sarcastically jabbed his friend.
“They weren’t secrets, Henry. I’ve never lied to you about anything in our whole lives. You just never asked me the right questions, that’s all. You just never asked me the right questions,” he repeated with a mischievous grin.
Henry had to laugh. Leave it to George to get himself out of hot water on a technicality. Oh well, what does it matter now? All’s well that ends well, he thought. Henry was far too happy and had changed far too much to let such a thing make him angry now. The men sat and discussed Henry’s phone call with Bill as they finished their drinks. Once the newly christened grandfather returned with round two and the news that kitten number three had arrived safely, they continued.
George assured Henry that there had not been a sinister conspiracy behind his back as it might have first appeared. He explained to him, in great detail, how the events of the last month had transpired. It all began with Millie innocently mentioning Bill in a conv
ersation the day she and Anne first met. That was what had gotten the ball rolling. Anne’s curiosity and deep admiration for Henry had been the impetus for her desire to see if she could somehow lend a hand in arranging a reconciliation with his brother. Millie had given George’s telephone number to Anne and contact was made. At her request, George tracked Bill down and gave him a call to broker a meeting. Prior to that, he and Bill had last spoken in 1953 after Henry stormed out of St. Louis and out of their lives.
Fortunately, though they hadn’t spoken in decades, Bill was very receptive to George’s overture and agreed to a meeting with Anne. He was desperate for any and all assistance in his quest to repair his damaged relationship with his brother. George and Millie understood the plan to be that the author was going to New York on business and then was to visit Bill while she was there. The goal was to figure a way to get Henry and Bill together. Neither of them had any idea that at the same time Anne had already begun feverishly writing a new novel that just happened to be centered around a character loosely based on Henry’s life and experiences. George’s account of the events mirrored Millie’s and filled in the gaps so that Henry now felt certain he knew the whole story.
“Good Lord George, is there anyone you don’t talk to?”
“Bill Clinton,” George answered immediately without hesitation. “Not a fan of President Clinton.”
Henry shook his head and again laughed at the complex and witty man that he called his best friend but loved like a brother.
Celebrations With Jake and Joe Page 27