THE HOMEPLACE

by Gilbert, Morris

  “Someday maybe I’ll understand women—but I doubt it.”

  “Hey, Lanie, Doc Merritt’s here!” Cody called, sticking his head inside the door.

  “Shut that door, you’re letting all the warm air out!” Lanie said. She was cooking supper and had worked hard all day so she was a mess. She tried to smooth her hair, but found it useless to try to put on an appearance. “Hello, Doctor. Did you come for supper?”

  “No, Lanie, I came to tell you that I’m taking you to Sallisaw tomorrow.”

  Lanie’s eyes widened, and she cried out with delight. “Dr. Merritt, how did you know I needed to get there?”

  Owen grinned. “You told Emmett Oz, didn’t you? You might as well have put it on the front page of the paper. What time do you want to leave?”

  Lanie could barely contain her excitement. “Any time you say, I’ll be ready. Maeva can watch Corliss.”

  “All right. Let’s get an early start. I’ll pick you up at seven. We’ll go down to The Dew Drop so you don’t have to cook breakfast, then we’ll be on our way.”

  A lump rose in Lanie’s throat. She stared at the tall doctor and tried to find words. Finally she was able to say, “I-I sure do thank you, Dr. Merritt. I don’t know why you’re so good to us.”

  Merritt winked and said, “I really just want a day off, that’s all there is to it. I’ll see you at seven.” He left whistling “Those Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine.”

  As they pulled into the small town of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, Lanie said, “I don’t believe I’ve ever talked so much in all my life, Dr. Merritt.”

  “I guess with a family like yours you have to fight to get a word in. It’s been a good trip. Good to be out of the office.”

  Lanie wanted to thank him again for bringing her, but he had strictly forbidden her to mention the thing. “I’m purely selfish,” he said. “Just like to get out of work and travel with an attractive young lady to another state. Sounds exciting and it is. We’ll pull in at that station and get some gas, and maybe we’ll find out where your aunt lives.”

  Dr. Merritt pulled up to the gas pump and got out. A lanky man with a salubrious face came forward and said, “Help ya?”

  “Need to fill up with gas, please, and we’re looking for a lady named Mrs. Pettigrew.”

  “Oh, you mean Kezia.”

  “I believe that is her name. You know her?”

  “Of course I know her,” the man said, offended. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  Lanie exclaimed, “She’s my aunt! Can you tell us where she lives?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be able to tell you a thing like that?” the man said.

  He poked the nozzle into the gas tank and began to turn the crank that forced the gasoline out of the storage tank. “How much you want?”

  “Fill it up.”

  Apparently the man could not think of two things at once, for he filled the gas tank up in silence. “That’ll be a dollar and eighty-nine cents.”

  Dr. Merritt paid him and took his change. “Where was that you said Mrs. Pettigrew lives?”

  “I’ve got her address here. It’s on Oak Street,” Lanie said. “Three thirteen Oak.”

  “You think I don’t know that? I don’t reckon you’d trust any directions I’d give you if you think I’m that dumb.”

  “Didn’t mean to offend you, sir.” Owen smiled. “If you’d just tell us how to get there, we’d be most grateful.”

  Somewhat mollified, the attendant said, “You go down Main Street until you come to the First State Bank. You turn right there and go three blocks, then you turn left, and right there on the right is a big old white house, an old mansion it was. Belonged to Colonel Skeffington, who got killed in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. The army was commanded by General Hood at that time and—”

  “Thank you very much, sir. We appreciate the information.” Dr. Merritt and Lanie made their escape and started laughing. “He acted like we hurt his feelings,” Lanie said.

  “Well, we know where your aunt is.” Dr. Merritt drove slowly down Main Street, which was unimpressive, and soon pulled up in front of the old two-story white house with six gables. “You mustn’t be too disappointed, Lanie, if this doesn’t work out. I know you think it’s the Lord, but sometimes we make mistakes about things like that.”

  Lanie turned to face him. She had come to feel such admiration for this man that she hardly knew how to answer. He seemed so wise and everyone respected him. “I believe it’s the Lord.”

  “Well, we’ll soon find out. Come along.”

  The two got out of the car and mounted the steps that led to the wide wraparound porch. Dr. Merritt knocked on the door, and a short, dumpy woman with her hair pulled back in a bun stared at them. “Are you looking for a place to stay?”

  “No, ma’am, we’re looking for Mrs. Pettigrew.”

  “Oh, well, come in. I’m Mrs. Stowe. This is my boarding house.”

  Her glasses sat up on her hair, and she pulled them down and stared at them carefully. “I don’t suppose you’d be relatives of Kezia?”

  “We just need to speak with her, Mrs. Stowe.” Dr. Merritt saw no reason to justify their visit to the landlady. “Could you get her for us?”

  “She’s right down there in that parlor on the left. If you got any influence, I hope you’ll tell her she’s gonna have to behave herself better if she wants to stay here.”

  “Thank you. Come along, Lanie.” The two walked down the broad hall, and Lanie glanced back to see the woman watching them. “What’s she so mad about?”

  “I think landladies get that way,” Owen said. They turned into the big room. A fire in the fireplace was sending out waves of heat and made a cheerful crackling sound. In front of it in a rocking chair sat an old woman. Lanie could see only a little of her profile, for she was wearing a bonnet that covered most of her face.

  “Mrs. Pettigrew?” Dr. Merritt said. The woman turned and looked up at them. “I’m Dr. Owen Merritt, and this is Lanie Freeman.”

  The woman rose and tossed her knitting onto the seat. She was a small woman, lean with iron gray hair, and her cheeks were wrinkled, but her black eyes were sharp as she studied them. “You’re a doctor? I didn’t send for no doctor.”

  “No, ma’am, we came to see you about something else. Do you have a few minutes?”

  “A few minutes? I got the rest of my life. Where you think I’m goin’—out squirrel huntin’?”

  Dr. Merritt could not help smiling. “We came to talk to you about a family matter.”

  The old woman’s eyes went to Lanie. “You say your name be Freeman? You must be Forrest’s girl. I forget your name.”

  “I’m Lanie, ma’am. Forrest is my daddy.”

  “Do you tell me that! Well, I wrote him a letter, and he wrote back. But I guess neither one of us is much for writin’ regular.” She looked at the two and said, “Well, pull up a couple of chairs. Hit’s colder’n a well-digger’s rear today!”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Pettigrew.” Dr. Merritt pulled two chairs in closer, and the old woman sat again.

  Lanie cleared her throat. “I found the letter you wrote to my daddy two years ago, Mrs. Pettigrew. That was when your husband died.”

  “Small loss.” The old lady snorted. “Forrest ain’t dead, is he?”

  “Oh, no! He’s not dead, but he’s in bad trouble. He got sent to the penitentiary.”

  “What’d he do—kill somebody?”

  “There was a man killed,” Dr. Merritt said, “but I knew you’d be sorry to hear that.”

  “You ain’t none of my kin. You any kin to this girl?”

  “No, but she needed to come to talk to you, so I—”

  “He brought me here to ask you something, Mrs. Pettigrew, but I’ll have to take some time to explain. It may sound funny to you.”

  Kezia Pettigrew stared at the girl and smiled briefly. “Well, that’s good. I need to hear somethin’ funny, livin’ here with a bunch of idjits that eat like hogs an
d never had a thought in their life except the next meal. Go on with your story and take your time.”

  Lanie took a deep breath and began. She told the whole story about her mother’s death and her efforts to raise the other children. Then she narrated the story of her father’s misfortune.

  Finally the old woman interrupted her. “So you had to be mama to them kids, did you? I can’t stand young’uns myself.”

  This assertion took the wind out of Lanie’s sails. She glanced at Dr. Merritt, who nodded encouragement. “Well, I hate to hear that, Mrs. Pettigrew, because the next part of this story is going be a little hard.”

  “Say what you mean, Lanie. Nobody ever made money beatin’ around the bush.”

  “Well, the State is going to separate us and put us out in foster homes if ”—tears threatened Lanie’s courage for a moment—“if we don’t get an adult to come live with us.”

  The old woman’s eyes seemed to grow sharper. “So you’ve come to get me out of this nice place here to come and live with a bunch of squallin’, pullin’ young’uns who would drive me crazy?”

  “It wouldn’t be like that, Mrs. Pettigrew,” Dr. Merritt said. “They’re wonderful children, all of them, and your nephew Forrest is a good man. He just got caught in a bad situation. You’d be doing the children a great service, and the whole town would appreciate it.”

  “What do I keer about the whole town? I’ve got my comfort to think of!”

  Lanie resisted the despair that threatened to overtake her. “I know it’s asking a lot to give up your life here, but we’d make things as good for you as we could. I’m a good cook, and you’d have your own room. We’d do the washing for you.” She tried to think of other enticements. “We’ve even got a radio that you could listen to anytime you wanted.”

  “And what would I listen to, tell me that? Those jackass politicians makin’ speeches?”

  Dr. Merritt said, “They live in a fine old house on a beautiful piece of land, Mrs. Pettigrew, and I think you’d grow used to the children. They are very affectionate and a lot of fun too.”

  “Well, I do need some fun!”

  “Would you think about coming back and staying with us?” Lanie said. “I hate to beg, but I can’t stand the thought of our family being split up. My littlest sister is only two years old. I wish you’d think about it.”

  Kezia Pettigrew sighed and set down her knitting. “Don’t be tryin’ your wiles on me, girl. They probably work pretty good on your daddy and on the young fellows who follow you around, but I didn’t get to be ninety years old by bein’ fooled by a bunch of tears. You two can go now.”

  “You mean you won’t even think about it?” Dr. Merritt said, appalled at the woman’s callousness.

  “You can go, and I’ll think about it.”

  “When can we come back, Mrs. Pettigrew?”

  “Pettigrew, how I hate that name! Never did care for Mr. Pettigrew. He was the worst of my three husbands.” The old lady waved a hand at Lanie. “I don’t know how long it will take me to make up my mind. Hurry on back to that town, whatever it was, where you live.”

  “But Mrs. Pettigrew, we don’t have much time.”

  “We’ll stay overnight,” Dr. Merritt said. “That’ll give you a little time to think about it.”

  “You get on your way now, but I’ll give it some thought. I done lived in Oregon and Texas, and I’ll have to ponder afore movin’ to a place like Arkansas.” She gave the pair a sharp look that reminded Lanie of a red-tailed hawk.

  “Come along, Lanie,” Dr. Merritt said, rising. He bowed to Mrs. Pettigrew and said, “We’ll be staying over tonight. Hope you sleep well. I appreciate your time, ma’am.”

  The old woman nodded and then put her eyes on Lanie. “Go along, girl. I got me some thinkin’ to do.”

  Dr. Merritt secured two rooms at the only hotel in town, and Lanie was glad she had brought a change of clothes. She hadn’t brought a nightgown and supposed she’d have to sleep in what she wore, but at least she had a fresh dress for tomorrow.

  They dined at a restaurant and then saw a movie called Frankenstein. Lanie had no desire to see it, but Dr. Merritt convinced her there was little else to do.

  “You didn’t like the movie much, did you?” Dr. Merritt said afterward. “I must admit it was pretty wild. That monster was scary.”

  “I felt sorry for him.”

  “Sorry for him? You’re supposed to be afraid of him.”

  “His condition wasn’t his fault, Dr. Merritt. He was all alone. There was nobody else like him.”

  Dr. Merritt laughed. “You are a caution, Lanie Freeman! Of course there was nobody like him, but why’d you feel sorry for him?”

  Lanie didn’t answer for a time. “What if you were different from everybody else and nobody liked you? Wouldn’t you feel bad?”

  Owen Merritt was surprised at this young woman. True, he thought of her more as a child, but now he studied her in a new light. “I suppose you have a point there.”

  “But I thank you for taking me.” They reached the hotel. “I guess I’ll go to bed now.”

  “I hope you sleep well.”

  “Whatever happens, Dr. Merritt, you did your best, and I am grateful.”

  “Don’t give up, Lanie. The old woman may decide to go with us in the end.” He chuckled. “I don’t know if that’d be a blessing or not. She’s as sharp as a sack full of tacks. Be hard to live with.”

  “I’d live with that monster in that movie if it’d keep my family together!”

  Dr. Merritt’s respect for Lanie grew. “You would, too, wouldn’t you?”

  “I sure would. Good night, Doctor.”

  At breakfast, Owen noticed that Lanie could not eat much. He knew she was worried, and he kept up a line of talk until finally they left the hotel. They drove to the boarding house and found Mrs. Stowe waiting for them. “She’s up in her room. It’s the second door on the right up the stairs.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Stowe.”

  They climbed the stairs. Lanie’s face was set and fixed.

  Owen knocked on the door and heard the old woman say, “Well, don’t just stand there, come in.”

  Owen winked at Lanie and opened the door. The two entered and found Mrs. Pettigrew standing in the middle of the floor. “It took you long enough to get here,” she said. “What did you do last night?”

  “We had supper and then we went to see a movie,” Owen said.

  “What was the name of it?”

  “Frankenstein.”

  “I heard about that. I’d like to see it myself. That’s one of my conditions.”

  “Conditions?” Lanie said, and hope began to grow within her.

  “Have you decided to go with us?”

  “Certainly I’ve decided to go with you! A bunch of squallin’ kids can’t be any worse than the idjits here in this place, but I got my conditions.”

  “Anything!” Lanie cried. “Just anything you want!”

  The old woman had put her “conditions” in writing, and they were extensive. “One, I will have my own room. And two, somebody will keep it clean. Three, I made a list of foods I won’t eat, because I’m ailin’.”

  “Well, what’s your trouble, Mrs. Pettigrew? Since I’m a doctor you can tell me.”

  “I don’t put no faith in doctors! I doctor myself. I take Buffalo Lithia Water every day of my life! That’s what’s kept me goin’. And I always take Beecham’s pills, and if I ever get diarrhea, I take some of Dr. Stonebreaker’s Indian Gum Syrup.”

  “It sounds like you’ve got all the bases covered, Mrs. Pettigrew, but I’ll be handy if you need any medical care.”

  The old lady sniffed. “That’ll be as is. Another condition. I git to go to a movie once a week and I git to pick the movie.”

  “That’s fine, Mrs. Pettigrew.” Lanie listened as the old woman read what seemed to be an interminable list, but finally she got to the end. “I’m keepin’ this list, and I’m postin’ it on the wall when we get
to our house. Now, how do you propose to get all my stuff to Fairhope?”

  “Well, we can put your luggage in the car with us,” Owen said.

  “Luggage my foot! I got all the stuff that came out of my house packed and stored away. It would take a big truck to haul it, and I ain’t leavin’ without my stuff!”

  Owen coughed. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements. Probably I’ll hire a truck to come over and pick it up.”

  The old woman softened ever so slightly. “Well, fer a doctor you’re a pretty handy feller, I guess. I’m ready to go.”

  “You mean right now?”

  “I put up with these idjits as long as I propose to. Now, you take me to Fairhope as quick as we can git there. It’ll take me a while to get settled in and to get all you kids educated as to my needs.”

  Owen stifled a grin. “We’ll be right on our way then. Are these bags going?”

  “You don’t reckon I’m going to leave them here, do you?”

  “No, I suppose not. Lanie, let’s load up Mrs. Pettigrew’s things, and we’ll be on our way.”

  C H A P T E R 25

  Lanie never forgot the trip from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, back to Fairhope. Aunt Kezia talked most of the way. She had apparently decided that they needed to know about her history, for she looked back at the old town of Sallisaw and said, “Thank the good Lord I don’t ever have to look at that boardin’ house or that old Lady Stowe’s sour face again!”

  “You weren’t really happy there, Mrs. Pettigrew?” Lanie asked.

  “Call me Aunt Kezia, child.” Kezia sat bolt upright in the center of the Oldsmobile’s front seat. The windows were up, but it was a cold November day, and she had brought one of her blankets and wrapped it around her knees. She turned to look at Lanie and said, “Happy livin’ in a crazy house?”

  “It wasn’t really that bad, was it?” Dr. Merritt said. “I mean, the other boarders weren’t really crazy, were they, Mrs. Pettigrew?”

  “Who says they’re not crazy? Do you know ’em?”

  “Well, no. But—”

  “Then you don’t know nothin’ about it! Watch out! You’re gonna run off the road!”