Silt, Denver Cereal Volume 8

by Claudia Hall Christian

  “She used to say it was a mystery for the record books,” Ivy said.

  “I like mysteries. I help my friend Seth with his detective work,” Delphie said. “I don’t have any mixed mint tea, Ivy, just peppermint. I do have chamomile. Does that sound good?”

  Ivy nodded. She watched Jackie sleep for a few minutes before she realized that Delphie knew what kind of tea she liked. Ivy’s heart filled with hope. She looked up at Delphie and Delphie smiled at the girl.

  “I don’t see any souls around you, so that probably means your mother’s sister is probably alive,” Delphie said. “Tell me about her.”

  “I only know what my mom told my dad and what my dad told my Grannie,” Ivy said.

  Honey came out of the cabinet with a Tupperware full of cookies.

  “That took a while,” Delphie said.

  “I try to hide them from the young men in the house,” Honey said.

  “Locusts.” Valerie laughed. “Ivy was telling us about her mother’s sister.”

  Honey wheeled to the table and set the cookies on top.

  “Oh right,” Ivy said. “Well, my mom had a bunch of brothers and sisters. She was the youngest. Most of her brothers and sisters died from getting sick or hurting themselves or whatever. They were real poor and didn’t have insurance or money for doctors and stuff. I guess they worked on farms or whatever work they could get.”

  “How do you know your mom had a sister?” Delphie asked. “Or that she’s here? You know, Honey, those boys are going to blow through here in about five minutes.”

  “I know,” Honey said.

  “At least we get some first.” Valerie reached for a cookie. “Ivy?”

  “Oh, I don’t know for sure,” Ivy said. “My mom’s dad died. A tractor fell on him or something gross. My mom and her mom moved here to Denver. I know that because my Grannie found the apartment building they lived in together. We talked to the owner once during one of our adventures.”

  “If we can’t figure this out here, we can always go to the apartment building and see if I can get something there.” Delphie nodded.

  “Good thinking,” Honey said.

  “It’s kind of bad, because my mom’s father sold her sister,” Ivy said. “But it’s kind of good because if he hadn’t, she probably wouldn’t have survived.”

  The electric kettle clicked and Delphie turned around to get two more mugs from the cabinet.

  “Do you know your mom’s sister’s name?” Valerie asked. “Maybe Delphie can call in the name.”

  “Chastity Bell,” Ivy said.

  Delphie dropped a mug.

  “Anyone here?” Nash yelled from the front room. Charlie said something to Nash and Noelle laughed.

  “What did you say?” Delphie scurried to clean up the broken mug.

  “My mom’s last name was Bell,” Ivy said. “I mean before she married my dad. Her sister was called Chastity or we thought it was.”

  “There you are!” Noelle said. “Hey they’re back here.”

  Noelle grabbed a cookie and looked at everyone.

  “How come you guys are all weird?” Noelle asked.

  “Did I wreck everything?” Ivy asked. “I’m really sorry.”

  With his arm draped over Tink’s shoulder, Charlie came in. He glanced at Delphie and moved away from Tink.

  “What’s going on?” Charlie asked.

  “I wrecked everything again.” Ivy gave Jackie to Valerie and ran out of the room. Tink and Noelle ran after her.

  “She’s a little girl who has no one in this world,” Charlie said to Delphie. “You need to fix this.”

  “Charlie!” Noelle said.

  “No, he’s right,” Delphie said.

  Delphie walked out of the kitchen. She looked around the living room, not sure where Ivy had done.

  “Hi Ivy,” Jacob’s voice came from the front room. “Nash. Tink. What’s going on?”

  Delphie followed his voice.

  “She’s running away from me,” Delphie said.

  “Are you eating little girls again?” Jacob laughed. He put his hands on Ivy’s shoulders. The little girl looked up at him. “Sometimes, people can’t give us what we need at the exact moment we need it. That’s all that happened. You surprised her.”

  “She broke a cup,” Ivy said.

  “We have lots of cups,” Jacob said. “It’s your heart that matters to Delphie and to all of us.”

  He stepped to the side to let Tink hug the little girl.

  “Ivy?” Delphie asked.

  The girls turned to look at her. Delphie glanced at Jacob, and he nodded to her.

  “My name was Chastity Bell,” Delphie said.

  Tink gasped and stepped away from Ivy.

  “You’re her mom’s sister?” Charlie asked.

  “I don’t know,” Delphie said. “I could be. I left home when I was a little kid. I was the oldest so I don’t really know what happened to them after I left.”

  “She looks like you,” Nash said.

  “I do?” Ivy asked.

  “I’m quite a bit older than you,” Delphie said.

  “She does look like you,” Tink said. “I didn’t notice it until Nash said something.”

  “We all noticed it downstairs,” Nash said.

  “Come on, Ivy,” Delphie said. “Whether I’m your mom’s long lost sister or not, you’re welcome here. Why don’t we sit down, have some tea, and get to know each other? Would you like that?”

  Ivy nodded.

  “I would too,” Delphie glanced at Jacob. He smiled at her.

  Delphie put her arm around Ivy’s shoulder and led her back to the kitchen.

  “Who’s going running today?” Jacob asked.

  He started pushing the other kids out of the kitchen.

  “Charlie?” Jacob asked.

  “I can only go within one square block,” Charlie said.

  “Good to know,” Jacob said. “Let’s go!”

  Honey’s baby monitor gave a wail as Maggie woke up from her nap.

  “Have fun!” Honey waved and wheeled back to her apartment.

  “I’m going to change Jackie.” Valerie pointed upstairs and Jacob nodded.

  He managed to round up the rest of the children and they left.

  “It’s so quiet,” Ivy said.

  “They’re giving us time to talk,” Delphie said. “Please sit.”

  Delphie sat down at the kitchen table. Katy came running down the stairs from the apartment. She pulled out the chair Valerie had been sitting in and sat down.

  “Katy?” Delphie asked.

  “I wanted to meet your niece,” Katy said.

  “Is that all right with you?” Delphie asked.

  “Sure,” Ivy smiled at Katy.

  Katy took a drink of Valerie’s tea. Too uncomfortable to start, Ivy stared at her tea. Delphie was unusually quiet.

  “So, where did you grow up, Ivy?” Katy asked.

  Ivy chuckled and Delphie laughed. Katy smirked.

  “Katherine Roper Marlowe!” Jill yelled from the upstairs apartment. “Your bath is ready and you’re not here!”

  “Have to go,” Katy said. She ran up the stairs.

  “She’s really . . .”

  “She is,” Delphie laughed.

  “Are you all psychics?” Ivy asked.

  “Me, Jacob, Katy,” Delphie said. “Everyone in the house has a special capacity. We’re drawn to each other.”

  “Do you think I do?” Ivy asked.

  “I don’t know,” Delphie said. “We’ll have to see.”

  Ivy nodded and drank her tea.

  “So, where did you grow up?” Delphie asked.

  Ivy smiled and answered the question

  Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty-Two

  It begins

  Tuesday evening—7:17 p.m.

  “Tanesha!” Jill yelled when Tanesha came through the backdoor.

  Standing near the door, Heather gave Tanesha a hug. Jill and Sandy met their friend near
the deck. In order to celebrate meeting Ivy, and the possibility of her being Delphie’s niece, Honey and Valerie had put together an impromptu gathering while Jacob and the kids were running. As typical of Denver, the recent freezing weather had broken into an unseasonably warm fall day and night. They were barbequing in the backyard.

  “What’s going on?” Tanesha asked. With her jaw still wired shut, her voice came out in low tones.

  “How are you?” Jill asked.

  “I don’t know Rapunzel, how did you get down from your lofty castle?” Tanesha asked.

  “That’s a long story.” Jill smiled.

  “Short version is that her husband’s freak out was unwarranted,” Sandy said.

  “She’s a brood cow, like me,” Heather said.

  The women laughed.

  “I love my house,” Tanesha said. “I slept like a stone last night. First time since . . .”

  She made a gesture, which indicated finding her mom and almost getting raped and everything good and bad. She waved to Jeraine, who was talking to Mike near the grill.

  “The boy is behaving,” Tanesha said.

  “Why isn’t he at work?” Heather asked.

  “They’re almost caught up,” Tanesha said. “Seth’s orchestra is doing longer sections which means they can get more done at one time. That’s how he was able to get everything moved yesterday. He should be done with the movie by the end of the week.”

  Tanesha shrugged.

  “Do you love the bathroom?” Sandy asked. “Or I should say, I love your bathroom.”

  “My towels were warm this morning.” Tanesha smiled. “How did that happen?”

  “Housewarming present,” Jill said.

  “From all of us,” Heather said.

  “I love you guys,” Tanesha said.

  Tanesha held her arms out and they hugged.

  “Wait, that’s Tink.” Tanesha gestured to where Tink, Noelle, and Ivy were talking. “Isn’t she supposed to be in that shelter?”

  “She lives with us now,” Heather said. “It’s a trial run. We get six months. If it works out, then we file for adoption!”

  “I love that.” Sandy smiled.

  “I go to medical school and all this cool stuff happens,” Tanesha said.

  “It’s weird, but I guess we’re getting what we’ve always wanted,” Jill smiled.

  “Who’d ever believe it?” Tanesha asked.

  “Not me,” Heather said.

  Jill and Sandy shook their heads in agreement.

  “Hey,” Tanesha said. “I was hoping you could cut my hair.”

  “Sure,” Sandy said.

  “What are you going to do?” Heather asked.

  “That rapist guy?” Tanesha pointed to a spot of missing hair on her head.

  The women shook their heads in anger.

  “I want to shave it all off,” Tanesha said.

  “What about . . .?” Jill gestured toward Jeraine.

  “He’s always been such a dick about your hair,” Sandy said.

  “You has a nappy head.” Heather imitated Jeraine in a whining voice.

  “Yo’ ‘fro’s too dry.” Tanesha imitated his voice.

  “You should get a weave,” Sandy whined. “I can’t believe yo’ cheap-assed weave.”

  “My favorite,” Jill said. She switched to a whining voice, “Get glamorous or get left behind.”

  Jill imitated one of Jeraine’s “cool” gestures and they laughed.

  “You’ve noticed the man has no teeth?” Tanesha asked. “I figure I’ll slide this one in while he looks a fool.”

  “He told me he’s getting them fixed tomorrow,” Jill said.

  “We’d better hurry,” Sandy said.

  “What about the kids and . . .?” Tanesha gestured to where Charlie, Teddy, and Nash were practicing their martial arts or quite possibly kicking each other for no reason.

  “They’re fine,” Sandy said. “Shall we?”

  “Let’s do it at my house,” Jill said.

  “I just need to grab my clippers,” Sandy said. “I’ll meet you up there.”

  “Let’s check in then go,” Tanesha said.

  “Good thinking,” Jill said.

  “Oh look, Sissy’s home,” Sandy said.

  Sandy went up to the deck to hug Sissy. She barely got a squeeze in before Sissy ran to see her friends. When Aden came out, she gave him a kiss. She snuggled Rachel and gave her to Aden. Sandy went into the house. Heather went to where Blane was talking to Honey and MJ. Heather caught Mack as he ran around the yard. Tanesha went to talk to Jeraine.

  Jill found Jacob in the kitchen on his way out to the party.

  “How was your shower?” Jill asked.

  “Lonely.” Jacob hugged her.

  “Did Julie pick up Katy?” Jill asked.

  “Katy and Paddie are at the movies with Colin,” Jacob said. “I’m sure they are stuffing themselves with popcorn as we speak.”

  “Thanks for taking care of that,” Jill said.

  “No problem,” Jacob said. “I’m looking forward to having Rapunzel all to myself tonight.”

  “I’m looking forward to being had,” Jill said.

  Jacob gave her a rousing kiss and she laughed.

  “Are you off?” Jacob asked.

  “Sandy’s going to cut Tanesha’s hair,” Jill said. “I thought we could take a little time . . .”

  She clamped her mouth shut. She didn’t want to ask his permission because she didn’t want him to be a guy who needed to give her permission to hang out with her friends. Her desire to ask him if it was all right for her to spend some time with her friends pounded at the back of her throat.

  He smiled at her dilemma and she grinned.

  “Great,” Jacob said. “Should I bring up some barbeque?”

  “We can come down,” Jill said.

  “I opened the red wine Tanesha likes,” Jacob said.

  Jill laughed.

  “Have fun.” Jacob kissed her again and turned to go.

  Smiling, Jill watched him. Heather waited at the door for Tanesha. She jogged into the kitchen.

  “Let’s go before they catch up with us.” Tanesha laughed.

  The women went up the long stairwell to the loft. Sandy came across the kitchen a moment later.

  Jacob laughed when he heard the lock turn. On the way out the door, he ran into Jeraine.

  “You seen Tanesha?” Jeraine asked.

  “She went upstairs with the girlfriends,” Jacob said.

  Jeraine shook his head.

  “Anything I can help with?” Jacob asked.

  “Sandy is going to cut, ‘He has a small dick’ in the back of her hair, so the paparazzi would know the truth about me.’ Like I have a small dick, and who does she think she is telling the world that kind of thing anyway and . . .”

  Jeraine gave an indignant shake of his head. Jacob laughed.

  “Yeah?” Jeraine asked. “And why is that funny?”

  “She always could get you going,” Jacob said.

  “You don’t know the woman,” Jeraine said. “She’s crazy.”

  Jacob laughed.

  “Come on,” Jacob said. “I’ll buy you a beer.”

  He put his hand on Jeraine’s shoulder and guided him out of the kitchen.

  “You don’t think she’ll do it?” Jeraine asked.

  “No,” Jacob said. “I don’t.”

  “Why ‘zat?”

  “She’s pretty serious about becoming a doctor,. Jacob stopped walking and turned to face Jeraine. “And, I know it’s shocking; it’s hard for me to fathom sometimes too, but sometimes our women do things that don’t have anything do to with us.”

  Jeraine looked surprised, and then burst out laughing. Jacob laughed.

  “Hey Jer,” Mike yelled from the grill. “I’m on diaper duty. Can you . . .?”

  Jeraine went to take over the grill. Jacob looked out across the party. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. He noticed Aden and Sam talking n
ear the edge of the deck.

  “Jacob.” Honey yelled from the grill. “Can you get the chicken from the refrigerator?”

  He went back inside and grabbed the container of chicken in a dark marinade. He passed it over the railing to Jeraine and went to talk to Sam and Aden.

  “Where’s Delphie?” Jacob asked.

  “She’s praying,” Sam said. “This whole . . . thing has really thrown her for a loop.”

  “Why?” Jacob asked.

  “Oh . . .” Sam smiled. “You’d have to have known her as a child. I met her when she was a little younger than Ivy and . . . I guess she’d just given up on her family. Celia’s the one who made a family for her. Celia created all the interconnections you see now. All of these people . . .”

  Sam gestured to the party.

  “They’re all here because of Celia,” Sam said. “Now Celia’s gone and Delphie . . . She’s confused, I guess that’s the easiest way to say it.”

  Jacob nodded.

  “She’s not very flexible,” Sam said in a low tone. “But I’ll deny it if you repeat that.”

  Jacob and Aden laughed. Rachel made a gurgling sound as if she agreed.

  “What’s up with you, son?” Sam asked.

  “What do you mean?” Jacob asked.

  “You seem to have something big on your mind,” Sam said.

  “Should I leave?” Aden pointed to the party.

  “No,” Jacob said. “I . . . hmm . . .”

  “You may as well just tell us,” Sam said.

  “I’m just not sure how to tell you,” Jacob said.

  “Try using your mouth,” Sam grinned. “You psychics make everything so complicated.”

  Jacob and Aden laughed. When their laughter died down, Jacob felt the weight of their eyes on him.

  “I had a vision today,” Jacob said.

  “I know,” Sam said. “Blane called us.”

  “I asked you about it when you got back from Jeraine’s but you were kind of . . .” Aden started.

  “Kind of?” Jacob asked.

  “Weird,” Aden said.

  “Secretive,” Sam said. “Like when you were slipping out to see girls when you were a kid.”

  “Slip out? Me?” Jacob did his best to look confused, but Sam laughed.

  “Just spit it out, son,” Sam said. “How bad can it be?”

  “There’s a deep underground fault zone under the site,” Jacob said.