Dead of Autumn

by Sherry Knowlton

  Georgia had fewer inhibitions. She turned to Leah and asked, “Where is that little blonde that Gabe was getting it on with? I thought I would see Beth here today.”

  “Yes, Gabriel had been seeing her for a while. But, Joel says they ended their relationship. Beth was not the Christian girl Gabriel thought she was.”

  “Wow. That’s a surprise. I thought they were pretty into each other. I really liked Beth. We always found a lot to talk about. Maybe I’ll give her a call.”

  Alexa was spared hearing more about the love lives of the hunting buddies by Caleb’s mother. When she walked out and glanced in their direction, Alexa rose to join Mrs. Browne at the timbered railing.

  “Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Browne. It’s a lovely day, and the lodge is quite spectacular. I had no idea that there was a place like this in Perry County.”

  “Please dear, call me by my given name, Joanna. I am so glad to finally meet you. Caleb rarely tells us much about his social life, and he seldom brings a young woman to meet us. You must be very special to him. He has often spoken of you to the reverend and me; and now, here you are.”

  In the afternoon sunlight, Caleb’s mother showed her age. Fine lines etched the corners of her soft green eyes and the bright sun highlighted the silver strands that streaked her hair. However, the woman held herself ramrod straight, which gave her an almost regal air.

  Mrs. Browne was clearly making an effort to be kind. But, Alexa couldn’t imagine calling this distant and rather otherworldly woman, Joanna. “I’m not sure how special I am to Caleb, but we enjoy each other’s company. Although, now he’s abandoned me and is off somewhere shooting with his buddies.”

  “Oh, yes. Those four have been such good friends for as long as I can remember. I think they met in Bible School and have stayed close ever since. Of course, Caleb can’t see his friends quite as often since he moved over the mountain to Carlisle.”

  Alexa smiled inwardly at the way she said this, as if Caleb had moved to another country and not just an hour away.

  “He doesn’t come to visit his father and me as often either. The Good Book speaks pure truth when it says at Psalms 127:3 that ‘Children are a gift from the Lord.’ Caleb has certainly been our gift. I would like to see him more often, but I understand that young men must have their own lives. I am blessed that we remain close. Caleb is very much his father’s son.”

  Mrs. Browne’s Bible verses discomfited Alexa. Maybe it came with the territory when you’re married to a preacher. Still, she was ill-prepared for the next question.

  “What congregation does your family worship with, Alexa?”

  “Umm, my family has always been Presbyterian.” She failed to mention that, except for weddings and funerals, Alexa hadn’t gone to church since she was sixteen.

  Searching for more neutral ground, Alexa said, “Tell me more about yourself, Mrs. Browne. Have you ever worked outside the home or is being a minister’s wife a full-time job?”

  “Sometimes I think I would have enjoyed a job of my own, but I married Reverend Browne right after school. He had just completed his studies for the ministry and had been assigned a congregation. I stepped into the role of minister’s wife and helpmate quite young. When the children came along, there was even more to do. Although the house seems empty now with just Jebediah and me, the work of the church keeps us both busier than ever.”

  Hearing raucous laughter, Alexa looked across the lawn to see Caleb and his friends goofing around. “Looks like they had fun shooting.”

  In a few seconds, Caleb danced up the front stairs and onto the porch. “What a lovely pair the two of you make.” He wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders.

  Alexa was relieved that Caleb had interrupted the awkward conversation with his mother. “Target practice was good, it appears.”

  “It certainly was. I won three out of five. I just don’t know how I lost the last two to Joel. The gun started to pull high toward the end.”

  “You always were a good shot, son. I’m glad we had a chance to chat, Alexa. Caleb, come and speak to your father before you leave.” Mrs. Browne headed back inside.

  Dark shadows fell over the lake. For a brief moment, a narrow band of trees at the top of the ridge dripped crimson in the last rays of the setting sun. Alexa hugged her shawl a little tighter.

  “It is absolutely beautiful here, Caleb. You and your family are lucky to have this place.”

  “Yes,” he replied almost wistfully. “The lodge is one of my favorite places on earth. Not that I’ve seen much of the rest of the world, but I can’t imagine many spots that could compare. I’ve put a lot of Perry County behind me, but I’ll always come back to the lodge.”

  Caleb had never shared anything that was truly important to him. In one short afternoon, she was learning more about this man than she had during their entire relationship. Today certainly was providing a new perspective on Caleb Browne.

  “Let’s go eat. I’m starving again. Caleb pulled her toward the great room door.

  “Eat again? It’s only been a couple of hours since I devoured a huge plate of food.”

  “That’s what picnics are all about, isn’t it?”

  The dining room still overflowed with food. Alexa could swear that she saw ten new things on the entree table and an entire new table of desserts. These people had gone all out for this picnic. Caleb filled a plate, and Alexa couldn’t resist some chicken wings and another piece of pumpkin pie. They filled their cups with cider.

  Caleb led Alexa into the great room where they grabbed two seats on an aging leather couch against the wall. “So, tell me about these friends of yours,” Alexa asked.

  “I’ve known Gabriel, Daniel, and Joel my whole life. We were best friends at church and in school. We sowed our wild oats together and stayed friends even after we left Perry County. I moved to Carlisle after college and opened my business. Daniel worked at a sales job in Harrisburg for a few years until I hired him as a sales manager. Gabriel is an artist. He sells his handcrafted wooden furniture in artisan shops up and down the East Coast. Joel did a stint in the army. Then he married and came back to work on the family farm. These days the four of us get together to hunt here at Kingdom Lodge.”

  “I could tell that you’re pretty tight with these guys.”

  The conversation ebbed when Caleb tackled the mound of food on his plate. Alexa nibbled at a chicken wing and took in the large gathering before her. The room hummed with activity. Kids tore through the room, dodging furniture and weaving through clusters of adults. Many of the men stood around the roaring fireplace, which threw off enough heat to warm even the edges of the room. A number of women sat together, many holding babies and small children in their arms.

  Alexa felt like she was watching a movie. Then it hit her. Something was missing: color. Everything here had been filmed in sepia tones. The men wore faded flannel shirts and brown hunting clothes. The robust-looking guy right in front of Alexa sported brown camouflage pants and a well-worn plaid flannel buttoned up at the neck. Most of the men had adopted a similar uniform.

  Even more subdued, the women looked like a flock of pigeons, cooing together in their plain garb of gray and brown. Perhaps they sewed their own clothes and had all used the same pattern for their modestly cut dresses? Alexa searched in vain for bright colors, even among the children. Bizarre. Was brown the new black here in Perry County?

  During the afternoon, Alexa had caught a few women whispering when she passed by. She assumed they were gossiping because she was Caleb’s date. Now she realized that her bohemian designer dress, especially paired with the cowboy boots, was way out of the norm for this crowd. She had walked onto the wrong movie set. Georgia was probably the only other woman here today who looked like she belonged in the twenty-first century.

  A hush fell over the room. When Alexa glanced at Caleb to ask what was going on, she followed his gaze to the center of the room. Reverend Browne stood by
the big fireplace with his hand raised. Everyone in the room had turned toward the minister, who let the silence linger a few seconds. Holding a large red Bible, he began to pray.

  “God, our heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Today, we thank You for all Your many blessings to those assembled here. As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, ‘It is a key to faith and it is natural and right that we give thanks always to the One from whom all good things come.’

  “Thank You, Father, for the blessings of this day, for this wonderful food, for the fellowship of our church and of Kingdom Lodge. Thank You for each day we live and faithfully do our humble best to carry out Your Word and Your will.

  “We are all brothers and sisters in Christ who take into our hearts Psalm 100, ‘Know the Lord is God. It is He that made us and we are His: we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving.’ We come to You today in thanksgiving and seek to live our lives in Your service.”

  As the Reverend continued, Alexa tuned out and studied the others in the room. Everyone she saw, even the toddlers, sat completely still, hanging on to every one of Reverend Browne’s words. The tall, bearded preacher did cut a fascinating figure. In this mode, he looked less like the ZZ Top guys and more like some old time prophet ready to lead the faithful to the Promised Land. She was jolted out of her reverie when the minister’s voice rose to a thunderous level.

  “As we rejoice in Your blessings, Father, we also pray to vanquish the powers of darkness. We vow to continue our vigilance against those who do not honor Your work here on earth or seek to subvert Thy will. We pledge to continue our work to bring the sinners to the light and drive the demons back into the darkness and the hellfire from whence they came.”

  Reverend Browne’s eyes, the same eerie silver-gray as his son’s, smoldered. “We are Your Christian soldiers in the war against evil and the holy fight to help Your Son save the world. John 3:17, ‘For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.’

  “We ask for Your help in this sacred task and ask You continue Your blessings to this flock. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

  Amens echoed across the room as he finished. The chorus of Amens rang with a peculiar similarity, just like the crowd’s clothes. Caleb whispered an Amen, and then sat in silence.

  Alexa felt like she had stumbled into another country. Hers was not a family who prayed in public at weekend picnics. Ambivalent about the idea of God and turned off by organized religion, Alexa never prayed at all. The closest she came to prayer was when she practiced meditation. Add on this group’s slavish devotion to drab as a fashion choice. This whole experience was weirding her out. She was ready to leave.

  “Caleb,” she said, much more lightly than she felt. “Can we head out of here soon? I’d like to get back to the house. I didn’t make arrangements for anyone to take care of Scout. He’s been alone for hours.”

  “Sure. Things will start to wind down here soon, anyway. Why don’t we leave now?”

  Caleb headed toward his parents, who were holding court by the fireplace. “Goodnight, Father. Goodnight, Mother. I’m taking Alexa home, so we’re saying goodbye.”

  “Yes,” said Alexa. “It was a lovely day. It was nice to meet you both.”

  “Drive safely,” Mrs. Browne told her son, then turned to Alexa. “I’m so glad to finally meet you, my dear.”

  Reverend Browne put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “It is always good to see you, son. Come to dinner soon. And bring Alexa so we can get to know her better.”

  He raised his hand above Alexa’s head and chanted, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.”

  It seemed like the ride home would never end. Caleb rattled on and on about his friends and target practice. Alexa just let his words wash over her and tried to reconcile the Caleb she had been dating for months with the Caleb she had met today. This Caleb was unexpectedly formal, almost diffident with his parents. This Caleb had a tight bond with three guys he had barely mentioned. But, Alexa had been most freaked by the ultra religious atmosphere at the lodge, one that this Caleb blended into so seamlessly. The old Caleb had kept this entire part of his life secret.

  When they reached Alexa’s cabin, Caleb walked her to the door. “Thanks for coming with me today. I hope you had a good time.”

  “The lodge is beautiful. I can see why you love the place.” Alexa stepped into the house. Scout slipped past her, headed for the trees.

  Caleb stopped at the threshold and grabbed her hand. “I can’t come in tonight. I have to fly to Atlanta tomorrow. I might not be home again until next week. But, I’ll call you as soon as I get back.” He leaned over to kiss Alexa, drawing her into a tighter embrace, then sighed, “No. I’ve got to go.”

  “It was a long day. If you’re traveling tomorrow, you need your rest. Call me when you get back.”

  Alexa followed Caleb onto the deck. Long after the afterglow of his taillights faded, she continued to gaze down the lane ruminating about the revelations of the day. When Scout ambled up the steps and pushed his cold nose into her palm, she finally let the thoughts go and walked into the house.

  Chapter Eleven

  Wednesday, November 21, 1934.

  Folded so close …

  As the car drove down the endless road, Dewilla stared in wonder at the big white and red barns that punctuated the miles of fields. Some of the structures had fanciful paintings on them. When the family first passed paintings like these a few days earlier, Winifred told the girls that they were Pennsylvania Dutch Hex signs.

  Dewilla hadn’t learned anything about these Dutch people in school, but the family moved around so much that her lessons had been interrupted many times. Dewilla thought that she would like to learn more about these Hex signs when she enrolled in her new school in the East.

  Dewilla didn’t understand why they left California to make this long journey east. It didn’t make sense. Daddy said that something called the Depression made it hard for people to find work. But, Daddy had a good job in California, working at the fruit company. He had even made enough money to buy this big blue Pontiac Essex sedan for their trip.

  Now Daddy needed a new job. She had heard him ask about work at several stops along the way, but he’d had no luck. So, they just kept driving. Now, Daddy had turned west again, and Dewilla didn’t know where they were headed.

  Sometimes, Dewilla thought that she had been traveling her whole life. In those ten years, the Noakes had lived in Utah, California, and then moved back to Utah. When Mama died two years ago, Daddy packed the girls up and took them to California again.

  That’s when Winifred came to take care of them. Dewilla had so admired her beautiful cousin. “Norma,” she sighed, “I wish I had stylish dark hair like Cousin Winnie. Instead, I look just like you and Cordelia with our light brown hair and dumb freckles.”

  “She’s pretty, I guess. But, Winnie is stuck on herself.”

  “Since Aunt Pearl is Daddy’s sister, you would think that we would look more like Winifred.”

  “Maybe you and Cordelia, but not me since Daddy’s not really my father. My real father still lives in Idaho, you know. So, Winnie’s not my blood cousin.

  “I’m glad that you came with us after Mama passed. I don’t know what I would do if your real father took you away from us. I miss Mama so much.”

  “I miss Mama, too. And I don’t mind us having light brown hair because we look like our Mama, not that prissy Winifred. I don’t know why Daddy wants that girl here anyway. I’ve been taking good care of you and Dewilla since Mama died, and Winnie is just a few years older than me.”

  “Norma, Winifred is six years older than you; she’s almost a grown woman. But, I hope she will be a lot of fun, like another big sister in the house.”

  After a few months, Dewilla concluded that Norma had been right. Winifred was a disappointment, more interest
ed in Daddy than the girls. Norma said that Winifred was the reason they were heading east. She told Dewilla, “People in town started calling Winifred a harlot, so Daddy wanted to get her away from California.”

  Dewilla didn’t exactly know what a harlot was. Harlot sounded a lot like Jean Harlow, who Dewilla had seen on movie posters at the picture palace. With her platinum hair, Miss Harlow’s beauty put even Winifred to shame.

  It seemed strange that Daddy wanted to get Winfred away from people who were calling her beautiful. Of course, Daddy always told the girls not to be vain. Maybe he didn’t want Winifred to hear everyone comparing her to Miss Harlow and get a swelled head.

  This harlot thing was a puzzle though. Winifred didn’t look a whit like Jean Harlow.

  As Dewilla watched the countryside pass by, she hoped that Daddy would find a place to live soon. The excitement of a trip across the country had waned. After a week and a half on the road, Dewilla was bone tired—tired of traveling, tired of sleeping in shabby tourist camps, tired of the relentless hunger that stalked her every waking moment.

  Monday, the girls nibbled at stale Parker rolls that Norma had pocketed from their feast at the diner. After a stop at a filling station, Daddy climbed into the Pontiac with his shoulders slouched. Dewilla cried when he whispered, “I am so sorry. The rolls will have to do for today’s meal. I used all of today’s food money to fill up the car.”

  On Tuesday, her father fed the family. Afternoon was slipping into evening before he pulled over at a rundown cafe. By that time a fog had claimed Dewilla. She couldn’t surface from the dense mist that filled her head.

  “Dewilla. Get out of the car now, girl.” Dewilla latched onto Winifred’s whispery voice and climbed out of the thick miasma that enveloped her. When Dewilla’s feet touched the pavement, her legs nearly buckled. Driven by the prospect of a hot supper, she forced herself to walk into the restaurant. When Daddy ordered only one meal to divide among the three sisters, Dewilla’s tiny portion left her desperate for more.