"Wonderful."
"Is tomorrow too soon?"
"Not a bit." They settled on a time to meet in town. Feeling surprisingly happy, Anna hung up. Confident that having Hazel here would help to lighten the atmosphere with Lauren, Anna went right to work gathering fresh linens for the cabin where Hazel would stay. It was the same cabin that Anna's grandmother had once inhabited. Of course there'd been much improvement since those days, but it was still a quaint little space. As Anna changed the sheets, she felt that her grandmother would be pleased to know that Hazel was coming back to visit. In many ways Hazel was a bit like Grandma Pearl. Strong and confident and very fiercely independent.
Clark opened the door and stuck his head in. "Does this mean that Mom is coming?"
"She is." Anna tossed the used linens in the wicker laundry basket. "Tomorrow."
His brows arched. "Tomorrow?"
She nodded. "I think your mom will be good for Lauren, Clark. I'm happy that she's coming."
He came all the way into the cabin now. "You know, Mom does have some experience in the way of, well, unwed pregnancies."
"Oh, that's right. I nearly forgot about that."
"I'm sure she'll have an opinion on the subject. That is, if you're comfortable with her knowing about Lauren."
"Hazel is family," Anna said firmly. "Of course she will have to know. Hopefully she will share some of her wisdom with Lauren."
Clark's brow creased. "But you need to remember, what was right for my mother might not be the best thing for Lauren."
Anna went closer to Clark, looking into his eyes. "I remember Hazel telling me how hard it was on you as a boy," she said gently. "Having no father, I mean."
He sighed. "Mom did the best she could. And I had my grandparents. But there's no denying that there was a certain stigma attached to our family. To be honest, it's not something I'd wish upon a child."
Anna frowned. "I feel sad that what would otherwise be such a happy occasion has become so clouded. It seems unfair."
He just nodded. "Children do suffer for adult choices, but fortunately they're somewhat resilient. Or so I like to think."
"It's interesting, isn't it? My childhood wasn't exactly idyllic either. There were times when I was picked on for being part Indian. But I don't think it hurt me too badly."
He gently touched her cheek. "I don't think it hurt you at all."
She smiled. "Really, it was my adulthood—enduring Eunice's bigotry and caring for Adam after the war—that took the biggest toll on me."
"And yet you're probably stronger as a result of those hard years."
"Maybe so." She smiled. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to your mom being here. I'm sure she'll help to brighten things up."
Anna decided not to tell Lauren about Hazel's impending visit until Clark was on his way downriver to pick her up. She'd asked him to break the news to his mother before they came home. It seemed the easiest way to handle it. But now she had to inform Lauren that Hazel would soon be here.
"Clark is on his way to get his mother," she began carefully as she picked up Lauren's hairbrush.
"Hazel is coming here?" Lauren asked.
"Yes. She was missing the river and I invited her to come out." Anna began to brush out Lauren's tangled hair, just like she used to do when Lauren was a child.
"And I suppose you told her about me," Lauren grumbled.
"No, I only said you were visiting us for a spell."
"But you will tell her." Lauren narrowed her eyes.
"Honey, Hazel is Clark's mother, my mother-in-law. She's family and I love her very much. I see no reason she shouldn't know."
"Fine." Lauren snatched the brush from Anna. "Maybe you'd like to place an advertisement in the local paper—tell the whole world that your daughter is—is in trouble." Now she threw the brush to the floor and fell across the bed and sobbed.
Anna picked up the hairbrush, sat down on the bed next to Lauren's heaving body, and continued to slowly brush her hair. "You know," she finally said after Lauren had quieted down. "You're not the first young woman to get pregnant outside of marriage."
Lauren made a grunt sound.
"In fact, it might come as a surprise to you, but Clark's mother has been through this exact same thing."
Lauren sat up, looking at Anna with puffy red eyes. "You're just saying that."
"No, I'm not, dear. It's true. Hazel became pregnant when she was in college."
Lauren blinked. "What did she do about it?"
Anna shrugged. "She had the baby. In fact, the baby grew up to be Clark."
"Really?"
Anna nodded. "So if you think Hazel is going to judge you about this, think again. Hazel is a bit like your grandmother in that she's a woman who speaks her mind, but she is also very kind and gracious." Anna continued to brush out the tangles, telling Lauren about how Hazel continued her college education and how her parents helped her to raise Clark. "It wasn't easy," she said, "but it was possible. And I know Hazel has absolutely no regrets about it now."
Lauren blew her nose on a handkerchief then looked at Anna with wistful eyes. "You know what I wish, Mom?"
"No."
"Well, I mean besides wishing that I wasn't pregnant?"
"What do you wish?"
"I wish that Donald would get on a big white horse and come galloping over here in a suit of shining armor and that he would get down on a knee and hold out a big diamond ring . . . ." She sighed. "And then he'd marry me and take me away and we would live happily ever after."
Anna made a forced smile. "Like a fairy tale."
Lauren nodded eagerly. "Do you think it could happen?"
Anna shrugged. "I thought you said Donald was very opposed to the idea of marriage and children."
"Of course he'd say that. I said the exact same thing to him. But circumstances have changed now. I'm thinking that I've been gone from school long enough that he will have to miss me. He will have to wonder. Don't you think he'd want to do the right thing, Mom?"
Anna made a genuine smile as she pushed a strand of unwashed hair away from Lauren's face. "Of course I think he would. Why wouldn't he?"
Lauren made a sad little smile. "I think I'll take a shower, Mom."
Anna tried not to look too relieved. "Oh, that's a wonderful idea, sweetie. Take a nice, long hot shower. You'll feel like a new person."
While Lauren showered, Anna fixed her a late lunch of a tuna sandwich and tomato soup. She felt surprisingly hopeful now, as if perhaps they'd turned a corner. And when Lauren emerged from her room, looking fresh and clean and dressed in tan woolen slacks and a butterscotch-colored sweater set, Anna felt certain that Lauren was making real progress.
"My pants are too tight," Lauren told Anna as she picked up the sandwich. "Do you think it's too soon for me to be getting fat? Do I need to get some maternity clothes?"
Anna laughed. "Well, it's only natural that you'll put on a few pounds at this stage. But I don't think you need maternity clothes quite yet. I'm sure we can let some things out for the time being."
Lauren was just finishing up when Hazel entered the house with a grocery sack in her arms. "Hello, hello," Hazel set the bag on the table. "Oh, my goodness, it is so good to be back!"
Anna rushed to hug her. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Clark, bless his heart, is taking my things to the cabin, but I just had to come up here and see you first." She patted Anna's cheeks. "You look well, my dear. Marriage must agree with you!"
"Thank you." Anna blushed. "I don't remember when I've been so happy."
"I had to clean out my fridge and decided to bring a few things to you." Now Hazel looked over to where Lauren was standing on the fringe of the kitchen with a worried expression. "And I am so very glad to see you, dear girl!" She bustled over and vigorously hugged Lauren then, holding her at arm's length she smiled. "Clark explained all about your situation, Lauren. And I just couldn't wait to tell you that it is going to be all right, darling. Trust me, my d
ear, you are going to be just fine."
Lauren blinked. "Yes, I, uh, I think so too."
Holding both of Lauren's hands in hers, Hazel directed her over to the couch. "Now, you and I are going to sit down right here. And we're going to have a nice long chat. Is that all right with you, dear?"
Lauren simply nodded and sat.
"Can I get you some tea?" Anna offered.
"Yes, dear. Tea would be lovely." As Anna busied herself in the kitchen, she could hear Hazel talking quite openly to Lauren, assuring her that they lived in a new era. "Women no longer must settle for the role of housewife and mother," she told Lauren. "These days, women are making all sorts of achievements in the fields of science, literature, music . . . well, you name it and a woman is standing right alongside a man and doing it." Hazel laughed heartily. "Oh, there was a brief setback following the war. Our men came home and insisted the little women stay home and tend to the home fires. But women had already made their mark by then. Believe me, Lauren, a woman can do or be anything these days. Even if she is a mother."
Hazel continued espousing independent women and what they were capable of accomplishing, saying how it was possible to be a single mother and attend college and have a career. "But only if you're willing to work hard and make some sacrifices," she said firmly. "I don't want to paint the picture too brightly."
On one hand, Anna felt relieved for this reassurance. On the other hand, she felt quite concerned. Anna felt certain that Lauren was not as strong as Hazel. And she wasn't sure that Lauren would ever be. Besides being utterly spoiled by her grandmother during childhood, Lauren had always lacked motivation, and she'd always cared more about fashion and boys than her studies.
Just the same, Anna felt Hazel's pep talk couldn't hurt anything. And perhaps Anna had underestimated Lauren. If nothing else, it seemed that Lauren was finally getting away from that crazy talk about "getting rid of the baby." That in itself was worth a lot.
"Here you go," Anna said as she set the tea tray down in front of them.
"So you see"—Hazel poured the tea.—"anything is possible if you put your mind to it, Lauren."
Anna glanced at her daughter and was a bit surprised at Lauren's expression—a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "But what if all I want is to be a housewife and a mother?" she asked meekly. "Is anything wrong with that?"
"Well, uh, no . . . ." Hazel glanced uncomfortably at Anna. "I suppose not. If that's what you really want."
"That's right," Anna said to Lauren. "Being a mother and a wife is a very honorable thing to do. I think what Hazel is trying to say is that you don't have to settle for just that. I mean, if you want something more."
Lauren looked like she was on the verge of tears again. "But that's not good enough, is it?" She looked from Hazel to Anna.
"Of course it's good enough," Anna told her.
"No!" Lauren stood. "You both think I'm throwing away my life. You think I've messed up and am just settling now. But you don't know me. You don't know what I'm really like, what I really want." She burst into tears, turned, and ran back to her room, slamming the door loudly behind her.
"Oh, dear." Hazel shook her head. "That did not go as I had hoped."
Anna just sighed. "Her emotions have been a little unstable."
"Yes, of course. Pregnancy hormones do that to a woman." Hazel reached for her teacup. "She'll get better, Anna. Just give her time."
Anna filled her own teacup now. "Yes . . . I'm sure you're right, Hazel." Still, she didn't feel as confident as she sounded. More than ever, she felt that Lauren was a stranger to her. As much as she hated to think it, it seemed entirely possible that Lauren was more related to Eunice than to Anna.
6
Hazel had only been with them for a few days, but her optimism lightened everyone's spirits. Plus, she'd already made good progress on her thesis. During breakfast she read a portion of it aloud to them. It felt so authentic, almost as if Grandmother were speaking, that Anna grew teary. Later, as she carried a basket of dirty linens down the stairs, Anna thought about Grandmother and how she'd washed her clothes in the river. Anna just reached the laundry shed when she heard Henry's old boat chugging upriver toward them. They didn't expect any deliveries today, but Henry was clearly headed for their dock. She set down the willow basket and went down to see what had brought him their way.
Henry waved to her with a hard-to-read expression as she caught the rope and secured it to the dock. "Got a passenger on board for you." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and she peered past him to see a woman in a navy suit with a veiled hat sitting primly behind him.
"Eunice?" Anna couldn't believe her eyes.
The older woman stood, and rocking precariously, she grabbed Henry's arm to steady herself. "Yes, of course, it's me. Who did you think it would be?"
"But what are you doing here?"
"Help me out of this smelly tub," she growled at Henry.
"Gladly, ma'am." He grabbed her elbow and led her up the steps as Anna hurried over and, giving Eunice a hand, helped her down onto the dock.
Eunice pulled her hand away with a scowl. "I am here for Lauren."
Anna blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I came to take Lauren home with me."
"Does Lauren know about this?"
"She will as soon as I inform her."
"But I don't understand." Anna glanced up toward the house. Clark was coming down to the dock with a curious expression. Perhaps he could help her figure this out.
"What should I do with her stuff?" Henry asked Anna.
"What stuff?"
"That stuff," Henry pointed a gnarled finger at a small pile of luggage.
Anna looked back at Eunice. "What do you want Henry to do with your bags? Did you plan to stay here?"
"I planned to stay in a hotel." Eunice turned up her nose. "Is there such a thing in this backwater place?"
"Anna has a right nice inn," Henry said as Clark joined them on the dock.
"You're welcome to stay here, if you like," Anna told Eunice.
"Well, I don't know." Eunice looked like she'd just bitten into a lemon.
"We have plenty of room," Clark informed her.
Eunice adjusted her handbag on her arm, folding her gloved hands together in front of her. "I don't want to be an imposition."
"Like Henry said, this is an inn." He glanced uneasily at Anna. "Guests are always welcome. Although it is Anna's inn."
"It's our inn," Anna corrected.
He grinned at her.
"Wanna give me a hand with them bags, Clark?" Henry called out. "I still got me some deliveries to make 'fore the day's over."
"But you will return to transport my granddaughter and me?" Eunice asked urgently. "You haven't forgotten?"
"Like I already told you"—Henry handed Clark an overnight case—"all you do is give me a telephone call first thing in the morning, and I'll arrange to pick you up."
"But I intend to leave tomorrow," she told him with impatience. "I want you to plan on getting us tomorrow morning. Do you understand me?"
He frowned as he hoisted the last bag to Clark. "That's a mighty short stay, ma'am. 'Specially considering you brought all them bags with you."
"My luggage is no concern of yours," she retorted.
"Not now, it ain't." Henry tipped his hat to Anna then winked. "Looks like you've got your hands full, Anna."
"Thank you, Henry." She untied the rope and tossed it to him.
Henry put the boat in reverse and waved. "Let me know when you want me to come back for her," he called as he backed away.
"I said tomorrow!" Eunice shouted.
"I heard you," he shouted back.
Anna waved, then turned to Eunice. "May I show you to your room?"
Eunice stared at the house. "You really call this place an inn? It looks more like an old barn to me."
"It used to be a store," Anna explained as she led Eunice from the dock. "Our home was on the second floor and the
store was below. But Clark helped me to remodel the old store space into several rooms. That's where you'll be staying."
"You're putting me in an old storeroom?" Eunice's nose was wrinkled as if she'd smelled something rotten.
"Like I said, we've done some improvements." Anna pointed to the smaller building. "Clark just finished the bathhouse last summer."
"You mean I have to go outside to use the restroom?"
Anna chuckled as she continued on the trail to the house. "Well, you would've had to use an outhouse before. But Clark wisely suggested a bathroom in this building too."
Clark pointed to the other building, in various stages of progress. "And right now I'm working on finishing up some more cabins."
"Those will be used for the inn too," Anna said proudly. She paused to admire some of the flowers she'd transplanted last spring. They looked so bright and cheerful in the late afternoon sun, putting on their last show of color for the season. "Someday we'll be able to host up to fifty people here." She glanced back at Clark and smiled. "Can you believe it?"
"So you honestly think people will actually pay good money to stay in this place?" Eunice shook her head. "I haven't had many paying guests yet." Anna pressed her lips tightly together. She was determined not to react to Eunice's jabs. "But I believe that in time the guests will come."
"What on earth for?"
Anna exchanged glances with Clark as he lugged Eunice's bags up to the porch.
"A lot of people enjoy the natural beauty of the setting," he told Eunice. "The river is peaceful and the fishing is good. It's really a very attractive location."
"Humph." She shook her head. "Well, it's far too rustic for my taste. I recall Lauren telling me how you people didn't even have running water or electricity."
"We've made a lot of improvements." Anna opened the door to the suite. It was the largest of the three rooms downstairs and, like the rest of the rooms in the inn, it was decorated in lodge style with Native American blankets and rugs and rustic furnishings. "I'll put you in here, Eunice." Thankfully she had freshened the sheets since the last guests were here, back when they'd had a full house for their wedding. "There's the bathroom." She pointed to a door. "And the closet is here. Please, make yourself at home."
River's Call Page 4