The Sounds of Home

by Greenwood Muir, Diane

"They are good boys. When I woke up this morning, I found myself thinking about just going back to bed. I haven't done that in years. That's when I knew that I needed to reach out, so I called you. I apologize for taking you away from your busy life."

  "My life is never too busy for friends," Polly said. She swallowed back tears that wanted to come out. It broke her heart that he seemed so lonely.

  They sat in silence for a few minutes.

  "Elaine …" Simon broke off and looked toward the back of the room. He started again. "Elaine and I are no longer spending time together. We broke it off three weeks ago. She had filled so much of my life, and suddenly, I found myself alone again. I kept telling myself that I'd been perfectly happy before I met her and nothing had changed, but that wasn't true. She created a spot in my heart and then filled it with laughter and joy. Now that she's gone, that little spot is all I focus on. I can't bring myself to look past it to the rest of my heart where I lived for all those years."

  "I'm sorry," Polly said.

  "Thank you. It seems like a frivolity at my age to feel the loss of a woman like I did when I was a teenager. I should know better."

  "I don't think we ever grow out of being heartbroken over loss, whether it's a friend or someone we love deeply."

  "Before Elaine came into my life, I enjoyed my solitude. There are days when it feels like it might crush me to death now."

  Polly pursed her lips. "My first instinct is to ask how I can help, but that isn't helpful, is it?"

  He smiled back at her. "I don't know what to ask for. It was enough that I called you at all today. You were the only person I could think of who wouldn't expect me to explain myself. You're much too polite for that."

  "I might have been a little confused," she admitted. "And if Henry had set me up, he was going to have to take his punishment later. He told me that he had asked you to reach out to me, though. You're both right. I need to figure out what to do up here."

  "No, you don't," Simon said. "There doesn't need to be any hurry unless you require this space. These things can sit here until your family is long gone for all that it matters."

  She glanced over her shoulder at the rooms she still hadn't entered. "Not those animal heads. Those things are leaving as soon as I can get Henry to deal with them. That's horrifying. And I'm certainly not telling Cat and Hayden what resides above them."

  "Many people like hanging those things on their walls."

  "Not this girl."

  A grey cat jumped up on a steamer trunk beside Simon. He reached out and grabbed it, pulling it into his arms. "Got'cha."

  "That's Arrow. He's a little adventurer. Are you ready to go downstairs?"

  Simon nodded. "I don't feel as if I've helped you much today."

  "You made me look at this. I have pictures, I have the beginnings of some thoughts, and I know what tasks to set Henry on right away. That will make him happy. Would you like me to carry the cat down the steps?"

  Arrow had made himself at home in the crook of Simon's arm.

  "I can do this as long as I have one hand on the railing," Simon said. "The knees like going down steps less than they like coming up." He stood and held his free hand out to Polly. "Thank you for your time today. I am a bit embarrassed that I drew you into my grief, but I feel better now than I did this morning."

  She took his hand and stood up beside him, pushing Obiwan's bottom so he would start moving. Han was already at the top of the steps, ready to go. "Would you consider helping me prepare something fun for supper and spending the evening with us?"

  His eyes lit up at the possibility and then they fell again. "I should go back to the shop and make sure that no one needed anything from me. I will be fine."

  "I can take you back to the shop if you like, but we'd love to invite you to join us for dinner. Have you met Agnes Hill?"

  He grinned. "I have. She's been in the shop a couple of times. A real fireball, that one."

  "She'll come over tonight to spend time with Cassidy. I promise that dinner will be entertaining. Please say yes."

  "I'm glad to say yes, then."

  CHAPTER FIVE

  After school, Cat came in the side door with the kids. Everyone except Cassidy stopped and looked around, their mouths open with awe.

  "What did you do?" Cat asked.

  Polly was in the middle of pulling a load of laundry out of the washing machine. "I cleaned. And so help me, if any of you drop your stuff on the floor instead of putting it where it belongs, I will sit on you. We're having guests for dinner tonight."

  Cassidy came back into the mudroom. "Where's Phina?"

  Phina was the name she'd given to the doll that Mrs. Renaldi had sent to her via Jon and Ray last summer. She carried that little rag doll everywhere when she was at home. They'd had a small meltdown when Polly wouldn't let her take it to school every day, but as long as Cassidy knew that she could come home and snuggle her doll, she was fine.

  "On the steps," Polly said. "Each of you has a basket filled with your things. Take it upstairs and put everything where it belongs. I don't want to see any of it on your floors or still in the basket when I come up. Now, get going."

  "Who's coming over?" Cat asked.

  "Mr. Gardner from the antique shop. I spent time with him today and I think one of our family dinners would be good for him."

  "Isn't he dating that woman?"

  "Not any longer."

  Cat nodded. "Ah. I get it. I won't be able to do much tonight. I have a load of papers to grade."

  "On your second day?" Polly turned the knob on the dryer before dumping the next basket of laundry into the washing machine. She grabbed up the basket of clean clothes and headed into the kitchen.

  "I know. It hardly seems fair, but I offered. Mrs. Wallers took home a bigger stack of work than I did."

  None of them could believe how fortunate Cat was to have landed in Maude Wallers' third grade classroom. The wife of the local police chief, she was one of the best teachers at Bellingwood Elementary.

  Cat slung her satchel over her shoulder and took the basket from Polly. "I can't believe what you managed to make happen here. It doesn't look like the same place I left this morning. Where can I help?"

  "I have three lasagnas ready to go, I've mixed up the garlic butter and Henry is bringing bread home from Sweet Beans. Eliseo has a bag of lettuce, tomatoes, carrot, cucumbers, and onions waiting for Henry in the office at Sycamore House, so we'll make a salad, and I’ve already mixed up the ingredients for ice cream. I called Hayden and he's going to pick Agnes up on his way home. If you could make sure the boys are on task, that would be great. They need to do their homework and practice their music. Until dinner goes in the oven, I'm just going to continue straightening things up downstairs. I dashed into the living room and it still looks good. The library is what it is, I'll close the door on the office, and the family room is in pretty good shape."

  "I don't know how you do it," Cat said.

  "Simon was here this afternoon. We spent time in the attic and I wanted to cry at how messy this kitchen was," Polly said. She put her hand up before Cat could apologize. "We had the house clean enough on Saturday. This is what I get from living with so many people. I'm not upset with anyone but me. I have to find help. You and I can't manage this house and our busy lives. Especially if you are about to have hours and hours of grading and lesson planning each week. I understand that the only extra time you have to do that work is in the evenings and on weekends. We'll be fine."

  Cat put the basket on a seat in front of the island and caught Polly into a hug. "You never complain. You just do what has to be done. Thank you."

  Polly hugged her back, unsure as to what to say. She knew better. Some days it felt like all she did was whine and complain.

  "I'll be back down to check on laundry," Cat said. "The boys managed to clean most of the bathrooms this weekend, but I'll check to make sure they are in good shape."

  "They did, didn't they," Polly said with a laugh.
"Whichever child finishes their homework and practicing first gets to come down and help me set the table for dinner."

  "They'll be so excited." Cat reached down for Cassidy's hand. "Come on, little one. Let's go upstairs and get your clothes changed. Mrs. Hill is coming for dinner."

  That was all it took. Cassidy ran for the back steps. Agnes came over two or three evenings every week. Now that school had started, she spent time with Cassidy reinforcing the things she'd learned in school and helping wherever she could. If it had only been Agnes for dinner, Polly wouldn't have worried about the mess in the house. The woman was practically family and she'd seen this place in much worse shape.

  ~~~

  Elijah was practically vibrating by the time they finished dinner. Simon had brought a paper bag with him and after a brief discussion with Polly, told the kids they needed to wait until after dinner before he opened it. Polly just didn't want her kids disrupting the meal with whatever toys he'd brought for them.

  "How about you and I get the ice cream," Henry said, patting Elijah's knee. "It should be finished by now."

  "Ice cream," Elijah said with an immense sigh. "It's always ice cream. I don't want any tonight."

  Polly laughed out loud. "This from the boy whose entire diet could consist of ice cream. I don't believe you for a single second. We're going to clear the table anyway. You can put dishes in the dishwasher or help with ice cream."

  "I'll help with ice cream," Caleb said.

  JaRon jumped up from his seat. "Me, too."

  "If you boys help clear the table, you can bring in the toppings," Henry said. "Come on, Elijah. You're up."

  Elijah looked longingly at Simon, then seemed to realize that he had no control over when that mysterious paper bag would be opened and followed Henry out of the dining room.

  "This was a wonderful dinner, Miss Polly," Simon said. "Thank you for inviting me to join you."

  Agnes bumped his arm as they carried dishes into the kitchen, nearly knocking his silverware to the floor. "She was tryin' to impress you. It's never this fancy when I'm the only old person at the table."

  "Maybe I should join you all more often," he retorted. "Especially if she has failed to impress you with her culinary talents."

  "Culinary talents," Agnes scoffed. "It's like you went to college or something. All that fancy talk."

  Polly waited a split second to see how Simon would react to Agnes's acerbic behavior, but he acted as if she hadn’t said anything odd.

  "In fact, I was quite the scholar once upon a time. I'd thought it might be my life's work, but then …"

  "Life has a way of kicking you in the behind." She finished his sentence. "I understand that." Agnes took a plate out of Cassidy's hands and set it on the countertop. "But sometimes life surprises you and drops a little ray of chocolate sunshine right into your lap."

  Polly blinked. Agnes rarely commented on the color of Cassidy's skin. In fact, she'd have to say she'd never heard a comment like that.

  "Chocolate is my favorite," Cassidy said, beaming at Agnes.

  "I know it is, sweetie. Mine, too."

  Agnes turned to Polly and gave her a smug smile.

  "What?" Polly asked.

  "You know what. I just made your mind melt a little bit, didn't I?"

  "Maybe a little."

  "Things are suddenly happier in my life. Cassidy, let's see if we can bring in more dishes. You can carry something, can't you? Boys, I expect all of you to make a second trip with me. Let's hurry so we are ready when Daddio comes in with the ice cream."

  "She's a very interesting person," Simon said quietly.

  Hayden burst out laughing as he looked up from putting dishes into the dishwasher. "That's an understatement. No one knows what she'll say next. The evenings she spends with us are some of the most entertaining I've ever experienced."

  A parade of children re-entered the kitchen, each of them carrying something. Even Noah had been wrangled into service.

  Agnes put the last pan of lasagna on the counter and then rapped her knuckles twice beside it. "Come on, youngsters, you're holding up the parade. Bring down the bowls and dishes. Didn't I see a couple of pans of brownies? Are they cut and ready to serve? Do I have to do everything?"

  She grinned at Simon. "I'm the tyrant they never knew they needed."

  "You are really something," he said.

  "I'll bet you say that to all the pretty girls. Speaking of pretty girls, weren't you dating some lovely thing from out of town?"

  Polly gulped. She didn't know how Agnes heard everything that she repeated, but somehow that woman had her ear to the ground when it came to gossip in Bellingwood.

  "I was keeping company with Mrs. Borden."

  "Was? Was? That sounds like a story. Is there a good story behind the reason you used a past tense term?"

  "Not much of a story," he said. "As you said, life tosses curve balls at us sometimes."

  "I don't believe I mentioned anyone's balls," Agnes said, winking at Polly. "But now that you've brought it up …"

  "No one brought it up," Polly said, trying to focus the woman's attention on the children. She set two platters in front of Agnes. "Brownies. Begone, you. Noah, would you count out spoons and dessert forks for us and take them to the dining room? Cat, would you help Caleb and JaRon with the toppings?"

  Her family scurried to obey, sensing that things had just grown uncomfortable with the adults.

  Henry and Elijah came back in from the patio; Elijah carried in the pail of ice cream and scooted around everyone to put it in the sink.

  "Can I serve?" he asked.

  "Let Polly do that," Henry said.

  Polly missed the silent conversation between Henry and Simon, but the older man spoke up. "While we're waiting for ice cream to be served, I found a few things lying around my antique shop that I thought might be of interest to you all. Why don't we return to the dining room?"

  She smiled at her husband and mouthed, "Thank you." While it wasn't terribly late yet, the kids needed time to wind down before bed. Rebecca would be home within the hour and her arrival always heralded a certain level of excitement. Even when she paid no attention to the boys, they were excited to see her when she walked in the door. She generally had one or two fun stories from her day. The girl was in high school, for heaven's sake, the goal of every one of the boys.

  Cat, Polly, and Hayden set to work scooping ice cream into bowls and delivering them to the dining room. Since Polly's favorite addiction was ice cream sandwiches, any leftover ice cream was scooped between two chocolate chip cookies, wrapped in freezer wrap and put away for another day. With her large family, there wasn't generally much left over, but if she could eke out one sandwich, Polly considered it a success.

  "Look what he gave me." Caleb ran over to Polly when she walked into the dining room. He carried a bright purple metal biplane. Each of the boys had an old-fashioned plane in their hands and were zooming them around the room.

  "That's fantastic," she said. "Boys, put the planes beside your plate on the table. You can take those into the foyer later and play. But do not toss them off the landing. Got it? These don't really fly."

  "Show her," Agnes said to Cassidy.

  The little girl held up a family of tiny dolls. "For my dollhouse."

  "They'll be perfect," Polly said. "Maybe you and Mrs. Hill can show them their new home after we finish our ice cream. Did you say thank you?"

  Cassidy got down out of her seat and walked over to Simon. He turned to look at her. "Thank you," she said earnestly.

  "You're very welcome, Miss Cassidy. I hope they make you very happy."

  "Boys?" Polly prompted.

  Thank-yous came from the four boys, some mumbled from mouths filled with ice cream. With every bite Noah took of his ice cream, he patted the red-cross helicopter that sat beside him. "This is from World War II," he said. "That's what Mr. Gardner said. Isn't that the war that forced kids to go to the country in England?"

  "Like
in Narnia?" Polly asked. "Yes, that's right."

  Simon smiled at her. "Isn't it interesting how we learn history. The bomber that Elijah has is also from that era."

  Elijah held his greenish-black plane up. "These must be the bomb-bay doors." He shoved his seat back. "I'm done. Can I go …" He stopped when Polly held her finger up, then continued. "May I be excused?"

  She'd taught them table manners, but it wasn't until Agnes joined them for meals on a regular basis that she realized how much she'd forgotten from her own childhood. Mary Shore had been a stickler for good table manners, and it appeared that Agnes was, too.

  "Wait until your brothers are finished," Polly said.

  "Miss Cat," Simon said. "I understand you are teaching at the elementary school this fall. Are you enjoying your time there?"

  Cat beamed. "So far, so good. I think I have the best teacher in the school. Mrs. Wallers is going to teach me a lot."

  "She is a wonderful woman. Have you met her daughter yet?"

  "Which one?"

  He nodded. "Oh yes, Naomi. The other two are in college, aren't they?"

  Naomi Wallers had Down Syndrome and was one of the sweetest girls Polly had ever met.

  "I haven't met her yet, but she'll be helping in the classroom."

  "Really," Polly said. "She's finished with high school?"

  "She graduated last year," Cat said. "Mrs. Wallers wants the kids to become comfortable with her and says that Naomi is a wonderful help. I look forward to spending time with her. I guess Chief Wallers comes in to read to the kids, too."

  "In his uniform," Elijah said. "He's a nice policeman. He waves to me whenever he sees me, too."

  "Me, too," Caleb said. "I like him."

  The boys were both fortunate to have been in Mrs. Wallers' classroom. Caleb had her last year and that had been a huge blessing. The little boy had blossomed while working with her.

  "We're all finished," Elijah said. "May we be excused now?"

  Polly looked at the other three boys. "Are you all ready?"

  They nodded effusively.

  "Take your bowls to the kitchen, and thank you."