River's Call

by Melody Carlson

  "Are you going to tell her about Lauren?"

  Anna considered this. Babette was like family. She'd been around as long as Anna could remember. She was one of Anna's best friends. Surely she should tell her . . . but how? "I don't know. Of course, I'll tell her . . . eventually. But I'm not sure when."

  Clark's brow creased slightly as he set his glass back on the tray. "I suppose it's women's business." He grinned. "And I've got plenty to keep me busy and out of your hair."

  Anna glanced over to where the second cabin was now getting its roofing installed. "That's looking good," she told him.

  He strapped on his tool belt. "Want to get it weathered in. Just in case."

  "Good idea. October is usually a fair month, but you never know."

  "Tell Babette hello for me." He nodded and headed toward the cabins. Anna knew his plan was to get four of the cabins up and roofed and sided before the weather turned. Then he could finish the interiors during the winter. Eventually Shining Waters Inn would have a dozen cabins nestled along the river. Sometimes Anna almost had to pinch herself to see if this was real or just a lovely dream.

  She hurried down to the dock where Babette's little cruiser was pulling in. Babette had one of the nicest boats on the river. Her first husband had been lucky in the gold mines, but he had died young, long before Anna was born.

  "Alo!" Babette called out as Anna secured her boat.

  "Welcome," Anna said as she waited.

  Babette handed her a basket, then, holding on to Anna's free hand, carefully climbed out of the boat. She remained fairly nimble despite her years.

  "What's this?" Anna asked as she peered into the clothcovered basket.

  "I hear your Lauren ees sick?"

  "How did you hear that?" Of course, this was a silly question. News on the river traveled almost as fast as the current.

  "Mrs. Thorne at the grocery store. She say Mrs. Danner tell her."

  Anna nodded. "Yes, Dorothy probably mentioned it to her mother."

  "Ees a secret?" Babette frowned. "You keep from old Babette?"

  Anna smiled. "No, of course not. I keep nothing from you."

  Babette pointed to the basket. "I bring goodies for Lauren. We will make her well again, Anna."

  Anna glanced away. If only it were that easy.

  "What ees matter?" Babette touched Anna's arm. "Ees eet serious? The illness?"

  Anna nodded to the lawn chairs in front of the house. "Let's sit for a spell," she quietly said.

  Without speaking, Babette sat down.

  "Would you like some iced tea?" Anna offered as she set the basket down. "I can run up to the house and get you a glass."

  Babette shook her head. "No, chéri. I only want to hear what you will now tell me. What ees matter with our Lauren?"

  For the first time since hearing this news, Anna felt tears filling her eyes. She'd seen Lauren break down over and over, yet somehow Anna had managed to keep her own emotions in check. Now that was over.

  "Tell Babette." She pressed a lace-trimmed handkerchief into Anna's hand. "Eet will be better, chéri."

  So, with tears flowing, Anna poured out the whole story.

  To Anna's relief, Babette seemed nonchalant about this news. "Eet happens, chéri," she said simply. "Bebes are sometimes a surprise, but always a blessing, no?"

  Anna sighed. "Yes, I hope so."

  "You no want a grand-bebe?"

  She forced a smile. "Of course, I do," she assured her. "I would love a grandchild."

  "Ooh, I must help with the bebe layette." She pursed her lips with a thoughtful look. "I have some lace and soft linen . . . eet will make perfect christening gown!"

  Now Anna felt nervous. How could she encourage Babette to make fine baby things for a child that might not . . . might not . . . ever be part of their family? And how would she explain that to Babette? This thought alone made her want to sob again. But, no, she needed to be strong. "Please, Babette," she said quietly. "Let's not speak of it anymore. I don't want Lauren to know that I told you."

  "Oui, oui." Babette nodded. "I understand. My lips are closed."

  "Now, should we take your basket up to the house and see if we can tempt Lauren's appetite? Lately she's been reluctant to eat much of anything." She explained about the morning sickness as they went up the stairs. "Mostly I'm afraid she's just feeling blue."

  "Eet ees to be expected, no?"

  "Yes, I suppose you're right. But I do worry."

  Babette hummed cheerfully as they went into the house. In the kitchen she began to unpack her basket, setting items on the new laminated countertop that Clark had recently installed. Anna had decided on white because it looked clean and fresh and brightened the room much more than her mother's old dark-red linoleum. "Chicken soup with ginger," she explained as she handed the large jar to Anna. "And these ees fennel bread." She set a small loaf on the pine table. "Will calm her tummy." Now she took out a small flask. "Extract of crab apple." She patted her own stomach. "Also ees good for tummy."

  "Are these things safe?" Anna asked quietly, "I mean for her condition?"

  "Oui, oui. Your grandmamma, she tell me about zee crab apple, how to make eet in summer." Now she explained how much to give Lauren, then she removed a tin of chamomile as well as a small jar of lavender oil. "Put eet here." She touched Anna's temples and smiled. "Rub eet in gently. Eet will help."

  Anna opened the small bottle and sniffed. "It smells lovely."

  "We will make her well, chéri. You will see."

  Anna hugged her. "Thank you, Babette."

  Babette just waved her hand. "Ees nothing." Now she lowered her voice. "And your secret is safe." She picked up her basket. "Now I go to town. Anything you need me to bring to you?"

  "I don't think so, but thanks."

  Babette was barely gone when Lauren came shuffling out of the bedroom. With her unwashed, uncombed hair and pale face, she looked worse than ever. Her expression was one of pure hopelessness.

  "You're up." Anna forced a cheerful note to her voice. "You just missed Babette."

  Lauren said nothing, but simply flopped down on the brown leather couch in the living room. With a creased forehead, she fingered the corner of one of the pillows that Anna had covered in Indian blanket.

  "How about a late breakfast?" Anna offered. "Babette brought some things to help with—"

  "How does she know about me?" Lauren glared at her.

  "Dorothy told her mother that you were sick and the word spread. Babette thought you had some sort of influenza." Anna held up the bread. "She made you some things to settle your tummy."

  Lauren's expression returned to a pout. "I don't want to eat."

  Anna decided to ignore this as she warmed the soup and sliced and toasted the bread. Spreading a little honey on the toast, like she used to do when Lauren was small, she arranged this meal on a tray and took it into the living room. "Babette is my dear friend," Anna told her as she set it on the coffee table. "For her sake, please, at least try to eat something."

  Lauren said nothing and Anna went back to the kitchen, busying herself with tidying up and wishing she knew how to deal with this better. Part of her felt truly sorry for Lauren, another part of her just wanted to shake the silly girl. Even so, she knew that her only real recourse would be patience. Lots and lots of patience.

  After awhile, Anna peeked out to see that Lauren was no longer in the living room; however, she had eaten everything on the tray. Feeling a small sense of victory, Anna picked up the tray and returned it to the kitchen. She was just rinsing the dishes when she heard Lauren's voice.

  "It is not your problem!" she exclaimed vehemently. "And the sooner you get over it, the better off we'll both be!"

  With a soggy dishrag in hand, Anna hurried out to see if her daughter had lost her senses. But halfway there, she realized that Lauren was speaking into the telephone.

  "I'm sorry you feel that way," Lauren said in a snippy tone. "I had hoped that you'd want to help me."
r />   Anna could tell by the quiver in Lauren's chin that she was about to break into tears, but all Anna could do was to stand there and watch as she wondered who was Lauren talking to.

  "Fine!" Lauren snapped. "Have it your way. You always do!" Now she began to sob. "I don't want to talk to you anymore— I don't care!" She held out the phone to Anna now. "Here! You talk to the old witch!"

  Anna's eyes grew wide as she took the receiver from Lauren, watching as her daughter streaked to her room and slammed the door. "Hello?"

  "Anna? Is that you?"

  Anna recognized her former mother-in-law's voice. "Yes, Eunice. It is."

  "What in land's sake is going on out there?"

  "Not too much." Anna braced herself. "The river is fairly quiet and the sun is—"

  "I am not referring to the weather!"

  "How are you, Eunice?"

  "And I do not care to talk about my health, although after hearing what your daughter just told me, I feel I'm in need of an aspirin and a long nap. Is it true, Anna? Is Lauren—well, is she really pregnant?"

  "Yes," Anna conceded. "The laboratory tests came back positive. It's true."

  "It just figures that this would happen on your watch, Anna. You were always perfectly useless as a parent. Why Lauren wanted—"

  "Excuse me." Anna sat down on the sofa, twisting the phone cord between her fingers. "Lauren did not become pregnant on my watch. Not that it matters particularly. What's important is that she is pregnant, Eunice. And I felt it was only right for her to let you know—"

  "So that you could shame me?" Eunice demanded. "Or put the blame of this unwanted child on my doorstep? Because if you think you can—"

  "That's not what I'm trying to do, Eunice. I only felt you should know."

  "And if you think you're going to foist your pregnant daughter back on me, you are sadly mistaken, Anna. I am washing my hands of that girl."

  "I'm sorry to hear that, Eunice. But, I didn't plan on sending Lauren back to you. I'm perfectly happy to keep her here with me."

  "Do you know what she asked me to do, Anna?"

  "She asked you to do something?"

  "Yes. Do you have any idea of what kind of gall that daughter of yours has? I suspect she's reverting back to your family's savage ways. It's no wonder, living out there in the sticks the way you do. I shouldn't be surprised that she'd come up with such a barbaric idea."

  Anna suppressed the urge to respond defensively. "What sort of idea?"

  "Lauren actually asked me if I knew a doctor who could, well, you know . . ." she lowered her voice as if she thought someone might be listening to. "She wanted me to find a doctor who could get rid of the baby."

  "Oh, dear." Anna cringed inwardly.

  "Well, I told her in no uncertain terms that I most certainly did not!"

  "Yes, well, I'm sorry Lauren brought that up." Anna was truly sorry.

  "I suppose you might approve of such things, but I—"

  "I do not approve."

  "Well, at least we agree on one thing."

  "Lauren has not been herself," Anna attempted to explain. "As you can imagine, she's very upset by all of this. I suspect she wasn't thinking clearly when she spoke to you on the phone. Her emotions seem to be a bit uneven."

  "Still, that's no excuse, Anna. It will do no good to defend her on this. As my father used to say, she made her bed and now she can lie in it."

  Anna said nothing.

  "And if she expects anything from me, she is sadly mistaken."

  "Yes, Eunice." Anna was trying to think of a graceful way to end this conversation.

  "Although I would like to know what kind of responsibility young Donald Thomas is taking. You know, his mother, Ardelle, is a dear friend of mine, and she hasn't said a word about this to me."

  "I suspect it's because she doesn't know about it."

  "Surely Donald must know about Lauren's condition. What does he intend to do about it?"

  "Those are questions for Lauren."

  "Well then, get her back on the phone!"

  Anna could still hear Lauren sobbing. "I'm afraid that might be impossible just now. Perhaps I can encourage her to call you later, after she's settled down some."

  "Fine! But just so you know, I am severely disappointed. Not only in you this time, but I am deeply wounded by Lauren as well. I feel that your daughter has betrayed me, and I'm not even sure I can recover. When I think of all I've invested in that girl, all the bright hopes I've nurtured for her. Well, I am simply devastated. I shall be surprised if I don't need to call for Dr. Cybert before the day is done."

  "Yes, well, perhaps an aspirin and a nap will put you back together," Anna said tightly.

  "I seriously doubt it. Now, do like I say, Anna. Tell Lauren to call me as soon as possible. I must find out what to do about the Thomas family. Poor Ardelle. She will be devastated."

  "Do take care," Anna said, hoping to end this conversation.

  "And you tell Lauren to call me back—and I mean today, Anna!"

  "I'll tell her." Anna hung up the phone with a solid clunk then let out a long exasperated sigh. Oh, she would keep her word and tell Lauren. But, she would not force Lauren to call Eunice back. In fact, if Lauren chose to completely ignore her grandmother, Anna would not mind in the least. Eunice had never been a healthy influence on Lauren anyway. For years she had overindulged her, spoiling her so badly that Anna felt it was useless to even attempt to parent her own child. But now this attitude of severe condemnation would only make matters worse. Eunice only ran hot or cold. Perhaps a break in that stressed relationship would do Lauren some real good.

  Anna remembered some of the old strain that used to run between her own mother and Grandma Pearl. In some ways, it wasn't so different than this. Anna's mother had chosen to live like a white woman and disliked her mother's return to the old ways. Embarrassed by things like basket weaving or herb gathering, Anna's mother occasionally voiced her opinions to Grandma Pearl. Sometimes Grandma Pearl defended herself and an argument would ensue. But usually she just went off into the woods for a few days. Despite their differences, Anna believed that the two women loved each other. When it came to Eunice's true sentiments, however, Anna could never be sure.

  5

  Hello, beautiful." Clark came up from behind Anna, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close as she rinsed her hands at the oversized sink.

  "Hello there, yourself," she said as she turned to face him, breathing in the fresh smell of the outdoors and what smelled like cedar shavings.

  "How's our girl?" he asked quietly.

  Running her fingers over his rough calloused hands, she gave him a quick update, lastly filling him in on Lauren's upsetting phone call.

  "That woman." He grimly shook his head. "She's a real piece of work."

  Anna nodded. "But I partially understand her—in a slightly twisted sort of way. Eunice's life was so entwined in Lauren's. I'm sure she feels a real sense of loss and shame and disappointment. In her own way, she does love Lauren. Or at least she did."

  Clark shrugged. "Too bad she can't think of more constructive ways to show it."

  "My only explanation of Eunice is that she is broken." Anna shook her head. "I don't know how or why, and I realize that people see her and think she has everything she could possibly want, but underneath the exterior of money and power lives a broken little girl."

  "Who enjoys breaking others?" Clark made a half-smile.

  "They say misery loves company."

  "Well, I just came in to tell you something that I forgot to mention yesterday."

  "What's that?"

  "Mom called."

  "Oh, how is she?" Anna warmed to think of her new motherin-law. Hazel had been such a part of her life, right up until the wedding. In fact, Anna had been missing her recently.

  "She said she was homesick."

  Anna frowned. "But I thought she was home now."

  "She is home. She said she was homesick for the river.
"

  Anna laughed. "Well, did you tell her that her little cabin is vacant?"

  "No." He shook his head. "Of course not."

  "Why not?"

  "For one thing, that would be for you to do, Anna. For another thing, Mom thinks we're still honeymooners. She even said as much."

  Anna giggled. "Well, if we're honeymooners, what is my daughter doing here?"

  He shrugged.

  "I'm going to call your mother and tell her that she is more than welcome." Anna nodded firmly. "That is, if you don't mind."

  "Not at all."

  Anna went for the telephone now. "In fact, your mother might be just what we need around here," she said as she picked up the receiver.

  "Tell her hello for me." Clark waved as he headed for the door.

  Anna placed the long distance call then waited, wondering how much she should tell Hazel about Lauren's being here. "Hello?" Hazel said cheerily.

  "Oh, it's so good to hear your voice," Anna said. "It's me, Anna."

  They chatted amicably for a couple of minutes then Anna got to the point. "Clark said you were homesick for the river."

  Hazel laughed. "Oh, you probably think I'm a silly old woman."

  "Not at all," Anna declared. "In fact, I had been missing you." Now she explained about Lauren being with them. "And Clark and I would love to have you come back out. If you can, that is. Are you still working on your thesis?"

  "I'm supposed to be doing my final edits right now, but I find myself getting quite distracted here at home. I'm always finding some way to sidetrack myself. Even if it's something as mundane as defrosting my freezer compartment—something I never do under normal circumstances. I know it's simply an avoidance technique on my part, but I cannot seem to escape it."

  "Perhaps you'd be less distracted out here on the river?"

  "You really wouldn't mind the extra company?"

  "We would love it, Hazel!"

  "Oh, you're such a dear, Anna. I'm so thankful that I found you that day on the river. Remember how you were out paddling in your canoe and I thought I'd seen a mirage?" She laughed heartily.

  "It was one of the best days of my life," Anna told her.

  "Well, I will gladly take you up on your offer, dear. I am ready to pack my bags this instant."