"Yeah, but you're older, Mom. I'm still young. I don't want to live like you did for all those years."
Anna just nodded. "Can't say that I blame you. I don't want you to live like that either, sweetie. I just want you to remember that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. A silver lining in the black cloud. Things will get better. I know it."
"But now Grandmother's here." Lauren made a face. "And I don't think I can stand to see her. Do you think I could just eat my dinner in here? You could tell her that I'm not well."
"We could do that, but sooner or later you'll have to face her. Wouldn't it be easier to just get it over with?"
"I guess. It's been such a horrible day already; maybe it can't really get any worse."
Anna hoped that Lauren was right as she went back to garnishing the salmon with fresh sticks of rosemary. But, knowing Eunice, she knew that things probably could get worse. She was just taking the salmon out of the oven when Lauren emerged from her room. She'd taken the time to brush her hair and change into a fresh white blouse and had even put on some lipstick. "You look very pretty," Anna told her.
Lauren just rolled her eyes.
"Would you mind running downstairs to tell your grandmother that dinner is ready while I put the food on the table?"
"Might as well get this over with," Lauren said with a dour expression.
Before long everything was ready, but Lauren and Eunice were still missing. "Do you want me to go check on them?" Clark offered.
Anna was unsure. "Maybe they're talking."
"Let's give them a few more minutes," Hazel suggested.
Then, just as Anna became concerned that the food was getting cold, Lauren returned. "That woman!" she said as she slammed the front door.
"What's wrong?"
"She's impossible!" Lauren sat down at the table and growled.
"Well, is she coming to dinner?" Hazel asked.
"She wants you to take her dinner down to her," Lauren informed Anna.
"Oh, dear." Anna shook her head then told them to go ahead and start eating while she fixed a plate for Eunice. "No sense in everyone eating cold food."
"Hopefully Eunice won't think that she can have room service all the time," Clark teased as Anna set Eunice's dinner things on a tray. "You might want to set her straight on that, Anna."
"Good luck with that," Lauren quipped.
Anna tried not to feel too irritated as she carried the heavy tray down the stairs. On one hand, she should be relieved that Eunice wasn't going to spoil dinner for everyone. On the other hand, how selfish could one woman get?
"Here you go," Anna said as she set the tray on the dresser. "I hope it's still warm."
"Oh, don't worry about me," Eunice said in a pitiful tone. "I have no appetite anyway."
"Well, I'll just leave it in case you change your mind." Anna reached for the door.
"Wait," Eunice said in a slightly desperate tone.
"What is it?"
"I want you to tell Lauren that she must go home with me, Anna."
Anna just looked at her.
"Tell her she has no choice in the matter."
"But she does have a choice, Eunice. It's Lauren's decision."
"Yes, but you're her mother. You can make her—"
"I have no intention of making Lauren do anything."
Eunice narrowed her eyes. "No, of course not. You never did make your daughter do anything, did you? Why I thought you could help me now is beyond me. You were useless then, you are useless now." She waved her hand in a dismissive way. "Be gone with you!"
As she closed the door behind her, Anna remembered Clark's Wicked Witch of the West comment and couldn't help but smile. What made Eunice think she could come here and boss Anna around? And, definitely, there would be no more room service. If Eunice didn't want to come up for breakfast, the old woman could just go hungry.
8
Feeling a bit guilty for not being more concerned about the welfare of her "guest," Anna went down to check on Eunice before breakfast.
"Excuse me," Anna said when Eunice opened the door in a yellow bathrobe, "but I couldn't remember if I told you that breakfast is served at 8:30."
"Oh, yes," she said sleepily. "What time is it now?"
"8:15."
Eunice frowned. "You could've awakened me a bit earlier, Anna."
"You didn't ask to be awakened."
"Yes, well, anyway."
"If you don't make it up there by 8:30, I'll set something aside for you." Anna stepped in to remove the tray of empty dishes. "And did you still plan on leaving this morning? Clark wanted to know."
"Well, no, I don't think I'm ready to leave this morning."
Anna just nodded as she exited with the tray. She wasn't sure what to think now. If Eunice wasn't leaving this morning, how long did she plan to stay?
Hazel was helping Anna clean up the breakfast dishes when Eunice came up. "I've got a plate for you in the oven," Anna told Eunice after introducing the two women. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Please." Eunice sat down at the kitchen table, loudly clearing her throat. "I would have risen earlier except that I hardly slept a wink last night."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Anna exchanged glances with Hazel. "I tried to find the most comfortable beds possible."
"Yes, well, my bones are old." Eunice sadly shook her head as Anna set a plate in front of her.
"Mind if I join you?" Hazel asked as she brought over the coffee.
"Please, do." Eunice frowned down at her plate. "There's enough food here to feed a logger, Anna."
"Just eat as much as you like," Anna called.
"If you have trouble sleeping, you might want to try some of Anna's grandmother's natural remedies," Hazel told Eunice.
"Are you referring to Anna's Indian grandmother?" Eunice sounded horrified.
"Yes. I'm writing my doctoral thesis on Pearl. Did you know she was one of the last Native American healers of her time? A very wise woman indeed."
Eunice laughed. "You've got to be joking."
"I am most serious." Hazel began to tell Eunice about a fern that tasted like licorice and worked wonders on arthritis.
"If you think I'm foolish enough to eat some strange plant because of some old Indian mumbo-jumbo, you are sadly mistaken."
"Perhaps you're unaware that most of our modern medicine is extracted from natural sources," Hazel told her. Now she began listing off medicines and the plants they used to create them. "Aspirin was originally derived from spiraea ulmaria, otherwise known as meadowsweet, and yet aspirin is considered the wonder drug of this century. And meadowsweet is simply an innocent-looking little wildflower."
"I suppose you're going to tell me an Indian made this amazing discovery."
"All I am saying is that Native Americans were probably more evolved than us in the field of herbal medicine—quite likely there are many other things long since forgotten—it's a crying shame that so much was lost due to white man's ignorance."
"Oh, please! Are you suggesting Indians knew more than whites?"
"About some things, absolutely."
"Then tell me, why are the Indians nearly gone and we are still here?"
"Because the white man stole tribal land, broke their treaties, shared their lethal diseases, and practiced genocide not so much different than Hitler in Nazi Germany."
"Oh, pish-posh." Eunice waved her hand. "For an educated woman, you are certainly full of a lot of foolish notions."
"Lauren should be coming back soon," Anna said to Eunice, hoping to change the subject before the conversation grew any more heated. She didn't mind Hazel sharing her knowledge with Eunice, but she knew that Eunice was just words away from saying something truly regrettable.
"Coming back from where?" Eunice demanded. "Didn't you tell that girl I wanted to speak to her?"
"She took a walk," Anna said as she refilled Eunice's coffee cup. "The fresh air and exercise is good for her." Anna told Eunice a bit about Donald
's disturbing phone conversation yesterday. "So you see . . . Lauren is still rather upset."
"I should imagine she'd be upset. What on earth is wrong with that boy anyway?"
"What is wrong is that he is just a boy," Hazel answered, "who needs to grow up."
"His mother is a good friend of mine," Eunice stated. "She raised him better than that."
"Does his mother know about this?" Anna asked.
Eunice looked uncomfortable. "Well, I considered telling her . . . but I just wasn't sure how to go about it. I thought that if I could bring Lauren back with me, we could go to see her together—and we could insist that Donald do the right thing."
"The right thing?" Anna shook her head. "How do we know what that is? Right now Donald is dating another girl. He acts as if he has no interest in Lauren. What good can come of forcing him to marry?"
"What good?" Eunice looked shocked. "A marriage will make this thing right . . . or as right as it can be. It won't eliminate all the shame, but babies are known to arrive early. The sooner we get those two kids married, the better it will be for everyone."
"But a marriage without love?" Anna frowned.
"Oh, you are one to talk," Eunice said sharply. "Where was the love in your marriage, Anna? And don't think you can fool me. I was there, remember?"
"You weren't there early on, not when Adam and I first met and married—"
"Married against my wishes!"
Anna ignored that. "At least Adam and I were in love," she said to Hazel. "But when times got tough, even that love wasn't enough . . . not after he came home from the war. For Lauren and Donald to marry . . . without love . . . it seems doomed from the start."
"Anna is right," Hazel agreed. "It would be better for Lauren to raise the child on her own than to subject it to a bad marriage."
"And I can help Lauren with the child if she likes," Anna said. "Clark and I have discussed it. We're willing to have them stay on with us for as long as they like."
"You expect Lauren and her child to live out here in the sticks with you?" Eunice set her coffee cup down with a loud clink. "Perhaps you want Lauren to raise her child like a little Indian? Maybe you'll take to eating plants for medicine?" She pointed to a basket on a shelf. "I expect you'll teach the child to weave baskets too." She laughed as if this was ridiculous.
"I would be proud to teach both Lauren and her child about her heritage." Anna stood. "Including basket weaving."
Eunice chortled even louder now, only stopping when Lauren came into the house. "Oh, Lauren, you are missing all the fun," Eunice called out in a snide tone. "Your mother plans to teach you to weave Indian baskets and turn your baby into a papoose. In no time, I expect to see you wearing moccasins and beads, dear. Can you imagine?"
"What?" Lauren looked at Anna in confusion.
"Oh, your grandmother is just being humorous." Anna felt an old familiar flush of anger and humiliation running through her as she went over to the sink. All the times that Eunice had made fun of her came rushing back—how had she endured those years? And did she have to continue to endure it, right here in her own home?
"I do not find any of that to be humorous," Hazel said stiffly. "In fact, I find it to be rather bad taste, Eunice. And I think you owe Anna an apology."
"You expect me to apologize?" Eunice sounded affronted.
"You have insulted your hostess," Hazel continued. "I'm not sure how you were raised, Eunice, but I was taught to be more respectful than that. Especially when staying as a guest in someone's home."
"Oh, don't be too shocked, Hazel." Lauren went over and put an arm around Anna. "Grandmother is always like that. But you're used to it, aren't you, Mom?"
Anna turned and looked at Lauren. "I suppose I am used to it, Lauren. In the same way that a dog that is regularly beaten becomes used to it. But it still hurts."
Lauren looked surprised. "Really?"
Anna just nodded and returned to rinsing dishes.
"Then I agree with Hazel, Grandmother. I think you owe my mother an apology."
"Well!" Eunice made a harrumph and Anna heard the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. "Excuse me!" The sound of footsteps was followed by the firm closing of the front door.
"Was that supposed to be an apology?" Hazel asked.
"Maybe for Grandmother it was," Lauren said.
Anna looked back at Lauren and smiled. "You know, sweetie, that is the first time you've ever stood up for me."
"Really?" Lauren looked sad. "I guess I never knew that it bothered you so much."
"You never knew?" Anna frowned.
"You always seemed so strong, Mom, like nothing could penetrate or hurt you."
Anna just shook her head. "I guess I put on a good act, then. But all those words, all those years . . . they hurt. Trust me— they hurt a lot. They still do."
Lauren seemed truly surprised. "I'm sorry, Mom. I really didn't know."
Anna reached out and hugged Lauren. "Maybe that's my fault . . . for keeping my feelings locked up all those years." She stroked Lauren's hair. "It seems like you've been feeling better this morning."
Lauren made a sad smile. "I do feel better. I guess the stuff Babette sent over really works."
"Did you have a good walk?"
"Yeah. It's really pretty out there, Mom. I even saw fish jumping in the river."
"Have you ever been fishing?" Hazel asked Lauren.
"Not really. I went with Donald once, but I never actually fished myself."
"Maybe you'd like to try it."
"Would I have to bait my own hook?" Lauren looked concerned.
Hazel chuckled. "I'll help you with it."
"Do you think I should, Mom?"
Anna nodded. "I think it's a wonderful idea."
"Why don't you come too?" Lauren suggested.
"Yes," Hazel agreed. "We'll do a girls' day. We'll take a picnic and really make a day of it."
Anna glanced out the window. "The weather is certainly enticing. But what about Eunice? I should probably stick around to make her some lunch."
"Why not let Clark handle that?" Hazel suggested.
"You think Clark would really want to fix Eunice's lunch?" Anna tried not to look shocked.
"He knows how to cook," Hazel assured her. "And I'll bet he'd agree that you deserve a day off, Anna."
"Yeah, Mom." Lauren nodded eagerly. "You're always working."
So Anna decided to just do it. But as she made a picnic lunch, she made extra provisions for Clark and Eunice. She was just finishing when Clark came in.
"I hear that I'm on KP for lunch." He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.
She pointed to a plate of sandwiches. "I made extras."
He gave her a hurt expression. "What? You don't think I can cook?"
"I'm sure you can cook, darling. But I was making sandwiches anyway."
"Mom told me about Eunice's bad manners this morning." He put a strong hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I don't blame you for wanting to escape. Any idea when she's leaving?"
Anna straightened the collar on his plaid woolen shirt. "She didn't mention anything. I suppose she can always call Henry if she wants out of here today. We'll have the boat."
"If she wants out of here today, I'll even drive her, although she might not enjoy the bumpy ride and it will take longer." His blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "But at least we'll be rid of her."
"Somehow I have a feeling she's not ready to leave yet."
"Well, you girls have a fun day, and don't hurry back either."
She placed both hands on his cheeks now, feeling the beginning of stubble against her fingers. She looked intently into his face. "Do you know how much I appreciate you?"
He grinned. "Probably not as much as I appreciate you, darling." He leaned forward until his forehead touched hers. "And don't think it's easy for me seeing Eunice treating you like she does. For your sake I try to mind my manners, but my tongue is getting doggone bloody."
&nbs
p; "What?"
"From biting it so much."
Despite the span of their ages, Hazel, Anna, and Lauren actually did have a fun day. After getting over her initial squeamish ness, Lauren even managed to put a worm on her own hook. And she squealed in delight when she landed the first catch of the day—a ten-inch trout. Between the three of them, they caught more than a dozen fish. Then, with their fish on ice, they tied the boat to a decrepit dock and enjoyed a picnic on an island. Afterwards they gathered blackberries and pickleweed and even explored an abandoned farmhouse that was reputed to be haunted. When they'd gone nearly to the river's end, they decided to stop in town for a bit. There they got an afternoon snack of ice cream and some additional ice to keep their fish cool.
"Oh, look what's playing at the theater," Lauren said as they walked with their cones. "Some Like It Hot."
"What's that?" Hazel asked.
"Just the funniest movie ever," Lauren told her. "I saw it last summer. You mean you never saw it?"
Hazel laughed. "I haven't been to a movie in ages."
"Nor have I," Anna admitted.
"Look, there's a matinee," Lauren exclaimed. "Let's go!"
"Right now?" Anna looked uncomfortably at Hazel.
"Why not?" Lauren said.
Anna didn't know what to say. On one hand, she was thankful that Lauren was having such a good time . . . on the other hand, what about Clark . . . and Eunice?
"I think we should do it," Hazel pronounced. "Carpe diem!"
"What?" Lauren tipped her head to one side.
"That means 'seize the day,' " Hazel explained. "Enjoy the moment."
"Yes." Lauren linked her arm into Anna's. "Let's do that."
"But we'll get home after dinnertime," Anna protested.
"Clark will handle it," Hazel assured her.
"But I—"
"Come on, Mom." Lauren tugged on her, and Hazel was already purchasing tickets. Giggling like she was a girl again, Anna gave in. Of course, it was a very silly movie, but Anna laughed so hard she had tears running down her cheeks.
River's Call Page 6