Broken Things to Mend

by Karey White

  Nancy stood by the door, frozen in place. If Celia had been speaking Japanese, Nancy wouldn’t have been any more confused.

  Celia was speaking again. “I will. I’ll call you after my next appointment, if not sooner.”

  She heard Celia hang up the phone and then her voice was quieter, and Nancy strained to hear her. “I won’t let you down, little one.”

  Nancy staggered backward, suddenly afraid Celia might see her. She walked quickly back to the sidewalk and hurried to Inez’s house. When she still wasn’t home, Nancy collapsed on the front steps. She needed to think. In spite of the cool morning air, Nancy felt flushed. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the stair rail, trying to hang on to something solid as she battled a myriad of emotions that left her unsteady.

  How did you live with someone and not know something this monumental? She had noticed that Celia had purchased loose-fitting, stretchy clothes, but she had thought that was because the poor orphan girl was finally putting some meat on her bones.

  And Dr. Vernon. She had known him most of her life, had even gone to a high school football game with him. Didn’t he know Celia lived with her? Even as the thoughts crossed her mind, she knew she couldn’t blame Sherman. He had that whole doctor patient thing he had to adhere to.

  But someone should have told her. Or she should have noticed something. Morning sickness or sleepiness. It didn’t matter that Nancy had never been pregnant herself. She was a woman, after all. As she thought of the obvious symptoms, she realized Celia had been a little sick and was often tired. The signs were there, but she hadn’t known Celia well enough to know those things might be unusual.

  For a moment, she directed her anger at that old busybody, Pearl. Had she known? Had Celia even been pregnant then?

  Nancy steadied her breath and thought over the conversation she had heard, hoping she could attach a new meaning to the words. The baby had a strong heartbeat. It was the size of a turnip. She would call again after her next appointment.

  There was no other interpretation.

  Who had she been talking to? Was it Silas? Could the baby possibly be his? How far along would Celia be for the baby to be the size of a turnip?

  It was the kind of conversation a wife might share with her husband after a doctor’s appointment. Was Celia married? Had she left a husband to come to Oregon?

  Nothing made sense. If Celia had left behind the father of her baby, why had she taken up with Silas? And if it was Silas’s baby, how had she won him over so quickly? They hadn’t even seemed to like each other until the first part of June, but if she was carrying his baby, something must have happened between them before that. Had she missed something during those first weeks when Celia had been here? It didn’t seem possible. Silas hardly even dated. But that was the very reason the wiles of an experienced woman throwing herself at him might have been problematic. And Nancy had allowed her to live in her home.

  As she processed the thoughts, she became more confused. She wanted to know the circumstances behind Celia’s baby. Her mind was playing a fierce tennis match, ideas going back and forth. A few thoughts gave Celia the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she felt she’d made a mistake and was trying to make a clean start. Others painted Celia as a promiscuous scam artist, taking in Nancy’s vulnerable nephew. Celia hardly seemed like an experienced woman, but they hadn’t even known her before she moved in. She had seemed sweet and hard-working and even shy, but maybe that was all an act. Wasn’t that exactly how a woman pulling a con would want to come across?

  Hurt and indignation battled inside her as she considered the situation. Where was Inez? Nancy needed to use her computer to look up when a baby was the size of a turnip. She certainly didn’t want to go home and use her own laptop. She’d never been good at hiding her feelings and Celia would know something was wrong.

  There was a computer at The Stitchin’ Station. She’d go there. At the very least, it would give her some time to pull herself together before she saw Celia. She couldn’t let Celia know she knew. At least not until she had a chance to talk to Silas. Nancy didn’t know the details of Celia’s pregnancy, but there was one thing she knew for certain. If the baby wasn’t Silas’s, then Celia had no business being part of his future. He needed to know.

  “Everything okay?” Carlos asked as Silas hung up the phone. When Silas didn’t answer immediately, Carlos reached across the truck and put his hand on Silas’s arm. “Hey man, what’s up?”

  Silas pulled his thoughts away from Aunt Nancy’s strained tone and directed his attention to Carlos. “Oh, I’m sure everything’s fine.”

  “Good. We’re heading home. You’re supposed to be celebrating, not looking like your dog died.”

  Silas couldn’t have been happier to be going home, but he was disappointed Celia wouldn’t be there. He had called to tell her and Aunt Nancy he was nearly there, but Aunt Nancy had told him Celia was at the farmers market until late evening. So much for the homecoming he’d been imagining. He looked at his grimy hands and reminded himself it would be nice to get showered and take a nap.

  A little while later, he stepped out of his bathroom, feeling like a new man. He was hungry, but probably had nothing worth eating in his refrigerator. He pulled on his t-shirt as he headed toward the kitchen, but stopped short when he saw Aunt Nancy sitting on his couch.

  “Dang. You freaked m-me out.”

  “I’m sorry.” Aunt Nancy looked even more anxious than she had sounded on the phone. Something was wrong and dread filled his chest.

  Silas sat down beside her. “What are you doing here?” Aunt Nancy twisted the handle of her purse in her hands. “You’re scaring m-m-me. What’s going on?”

  “I’m sorry Silas, but I have to ask. Did you and Celia...” Her voice faded off as she searched for the right words.

  “Did m-me and Celia what?”

  Aunt Nancy groaned. “Did you and Celia, you know, hook up when she first got here?” She winched when she said the words “hook up.”

  Silas laughed at his aunt’s choice of words. Did she even know what that meant? “What are you asking m--me?”

  “You know, did you... during that first... Were you secretly seeing each other when she first got here?”

  Aunt Nancy wouldn’t even make eye contact with him. “What’s going on?” Silas asked.

  It was a good thing he had sat down because if he hadn’t, what she said next would have knocked him off his feet.

  “Celia’s having a baby.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “She’s pregnant.” Silas slowly shook his head and finally Aunt Nancy looked at him, her face earnest and determined. “She is. I overheard her talking on the phone. She said the baby was strong and was the size of a turnip. I don’t know who she was talking to, but she said she’d call again after her next appointment. Stop shaking your head, Silas. I’m not making this up.” Aunt Nancy’s voice caught. She was nearly in tears. Silas held still, but it didn’t mean he believed what she was saying. “I looked it up. To be the size of a turnip the baby would have been—” she struggled with the next word—“conceived in March or April, I think. Did you—” She couldn’t bring herself to say it again.

  It was impossible. Celia couldn’t have hidden something like this. She would have said something. They had shared so much about their lives and the hard things they had faced. Why would she keep this from him? This was too big a thing to hide. “You’re wrong. There’s no way—”

  Aunt Nancy’s voice became steely as she continued. “I’m not wrong. It all makes sense now. She was tired and she threw up. I thought she was sick, but she was pregnant. And after I heard her, I could tell. All the clothes she’s bought are loose so it’s harder to see it, but I asked her to get the cake stand out of the cupboard above the fridge so I could get a better look and when she lifted her arms, I knew. Her stomach is growing. She’s having a baby, and I want to know if it’s yours.” Her voice became soft and she touched Silas’s arm. “I
need to know if it’s yours.”

  Silas fell back on the couch and looked blankly at the fireplace. He felt hollow inside. “No. It’s not m-mine.”

  “So you’ve never...”

  “No.”

  “Has she told you anything about the baby?”

  “No.”

  “Has she told you about her ex-boyfriends or if there’s an ex-husband?”

  With every question, Silas’s heart sank. “No.”

  “I knew she had secrets. I wanted to trust her, but she’s been lying to us ever since she got here.”

  “We don’t know that for sure.” Nothing made sense, but he wasn’t ready to turn on the woman he was falling for.

  Aunt Nancy squeezed his arm and when she spoke, her voice was gentle. “After she hung up, she told the baby she wouldn’t let it down. I’ve spent the last two days trying to figure out what she’s up to, and all I can think is either she’s trying to trick you or maybe she’s trying to get back together with the father. She probably should get back with him. The baby has a right to know its father.”

  Silas groaned. “Either way, it’s not good for you.” She looked at Silas’s tortured face. “I’m sorry. I know you were liking her.”

  That didn’t really cover how he’d been feeling. “Have you asked her about it?”

  “No. I wanted to talk to you first. But I’ll ask her if you want me to.”

  Silas shook his head. “I need to think.”

  “Of course. I’m sure you’re disappointed. So am I. She fooled me too, but—”

  “No. I don’t want to talk about it.” He hated that his voice sounded shaky. “I said I need to think.”

  “I know. I’ll go. You can call me when you’re ready to talk.”

  Silas nodded. He didn’t get up when Aunt Nancy stood, and after she left he pulled one of the couch cushions off the back of the sofa and tucked it under his head. For the past three weeks, he’d been able to fall asleep on the hard, rocky ground in mere seconds, but right now, on a comfortable sofa, his mind gave his body no rest. He couldn’t reconcile the woman he was falling in love with and a woman who would hide something like this while she acted like she was feeling the same way he was. For hours he let his aunt’s words settle into his head and then his heart.

  It was nearly dark when he heard his aunt’s pickup park behind her garage as Celia returned from the market. He didn’t go see her. He didn’t even turn on the lights. He hoped his aunt wouldn’t tell Celia he was home. A tear ran down his temple and into his ear before he fell asleep.

  The house looked darker than she had expected it to when Celia got home from the farmers market. She had thought Silas would be here, visiting with his aunt and waiting for her to get home, but the only light in the house was a lamp in the living room and the flashing colored light reflecting off the wall from the television.

  “Is Silas not here?” Celia asked from the living room door.

  “I’m afraid not.” Nancy’s voice sounded funny, and she didn’t look away from the television.

  “I thought he was getting home today.”

  “I thought so, too. I’m not sure when we’ll see him.”

  Celia was confused. “Have you talked to him?”

  “Earlier today. I’m sure he’ll be in touch. How did the market go?”

  Celia sat down in the corner of the couch. “It was good. I sold out of almost everything. The money’s in the kitchen. Do you want me to get it and we can divide it up?”

  “You can take care of that. I trust you.” There was a strange edge to Nancy’s voice.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Everything’s fine.” Nancy glanced at her and even though she smiled, something still felt off.

  “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go to bed.”

  “Goodnight, Celia.”

  At the door, Celia paused and looked back at Nancy. She wanted to ask more questions, to get to the bottom of the older woman’s strange mood, but she wasn’t even sure what to ask.

  “Will you wake me up if Silas calls?”

  “Of course.”

  Silas didn’t call. She still hadn’t heard from him three days later. She tried his cell phone, even left an awkward message when he didn’t answer, but he didn’t call her back. Celia was worried about him, and she didn’t understand why Nancy wasn’t.

  “Shouldn’t he be home by now?” she asked.

  “I thought he would be, but these things are unpredictable.”

  “I thought they didn’t keep them longer than three weeks.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine. We’ll see him when we see him.”

  On Sunday, Celia walked to church. She had felt so uneasy the past few days, she yearned for the peace of the quiet chapel and the comfort of the minister’s calm voice. She went a little early and sat on the back pew, praying Silas would return soon so she could talk to him. Every day the baby grew, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before everyone would be able to tell she was pregnant. She had been so ready to tell him before he left, but now, even though the urgency was still there, she felt less confident of what his reaction would be. The longer he was gone without hearing from him, the more she wondered if the connection she had felt was real.

  Celia slipped out a little early. She was tired and didn’t want to risk an invitation to stay and eat or socialize. Nancy would be working at The Stitchin’ Station, and Celia would have the house to herself. She would make a cheese sandwich and take a long nap.

  She was almost home when she saw the Jeep driving up the lane. Silas was back. Her prayers were being answered faster than she had imagined they would be. She picked up her pace to a brisk walk then, eager to see him, she started running. He stopped at the road then turned left, away from her.

  “Silas,” she called and waved, but he hadn’t seen her and kept driving. But he was home.

  Celia was out of breath from running when she let herself in the back door. She paused for a moment to catch her breath then dialed Silas’s cell phone from the wall landline in the kitchen. It rang five times then went to voicemail. She hung up and dialed it again with the same result. This time she waited for the tone.

  “Hi Silas, it’s me. I got home from church and saw you leaving. I’m here now, so if you want to come by, that would be great. I can fix us some lunch or something. I’m so glad you’re home safe. I’ve been worried about you. Anyway, I guess I’ll see you soon.”

  She hung up the phone and waited. She went to the bathroom and checked her reflection to see if she looked okay. She turned and looked at herself sideways to be sure her loose-fitting skirt and blouse didn’t give away her secret before she had the chance to tell him. She brushed through her hair and decided she looked fine. She sat on the porch swing and watched the road he had driven down. When a half an hour had passed, and she hadn’t seen or heard from him, she considered walking to The Stitchin’ Station to see if he had gone to see his aunt. But what if he came home while she was gone.

  She went inside and called Nancy.

  “He’s home. Silas is home. I saw him leaving in his Jeep when I was getting home from church, but he didn’t see me. Is he there?”

  “He’s not.”

  “Do you know where he is?”

  Celia heard Nancy let out a long breath before she spoke. “Celia, he and his crew left a little while ago for a fire in Washington.”

  Celia leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. “But he needs some rest. I thought they were supposed to get a break between jobs.”

  “I guess it’s a pretty big fire, and they’re calling up as many crews as they can.”

  “But I didn’t even get to see him.”

  “I’m sorry, Celia.” For the first time in several days, Nancy’s voice sounded gentle and kind. “He had to go.”

  Celia sat on the floor after Nancy had hung up, the phone hanging from its coiled cord beside her. She didn’t understand why Silas had left again so soon and why he hadn’t answered he
r phone calls. Did he not want to see her before he left? Even for a few minutes? She thought about the day he had come into the gallery to say goodbye. There hadn’t been much time then either, but he had wanted to see her.

  When the phone started an unpleasant beeping, Celia dragged herself to her feet and hung it up. The thought of a cheese sandwich made her stomach roil, so she curled up on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

  “What are you doing, man? You got a death wish?”

  Silas shot a questioning look at Jed, the leader of a thrown-together crew Silas had volunteered for. While Carlos and the remainder of his crew were taking the rest of the week off to recover, Silas had volunteered to go out on the next available assignment. That put him with Jed and a unit from Ashland. Jed had been thrilled to have an extra guy until he realized Silas’s thoughts were preoccupied with something going on at home.

  “I don’t know where your head’s been, but you gotta get it here. Right now. I can’t have you being a liability out there with the other guys.”

  Silas knew he deserved the chastening. “I’m sorry. I’m here now.”

  “Good. Jean said you’re one of the best, so prove it.”

  “I will.”

  “It’s hot in there. I said get completely geared up. Now get your gloves on and pull down your shroud.” Silas removed his helmet and pulled down the Nomex shroud that hung from the helmet over his shirt to protect his neck and face. Then he pulled on his gloves. He may have been distracted by the mess he had left at home, but he certainly didn’t want to die because of it. Hard work would take his mind off Celia, and now that he’d made Jed skeptical of his value, Silas would have to work extra hard to convince Jed he was an asset.

  The Okanogan fire had already burned almost two-hundred-thousand acres along with more than sixty cabins. Now the flames were threatening the little town of Skykomish, and Jed’s crew was joining four others at the line. The residents had been evacuated, but the firefighters were determined those people would have homes to return to.