Let There Be Light

by Al Lacy

  Jenny stiffened at the other woman’s use of sweetheart and glared at her with hot eyes.

  Nate cleared his throat uneasily. “Honey, this is Jenny Linden, a longtime friend of mine. Jenny, this is my wife, Millie.”

  Jenny felt the breath leave her lungs as though someone had punched her in the stomach. “Your wife?” she huffed. “What do you mean, your wife? You were promised to me! We were going to get married when you came home from the War!”

  Millie took a sharp breath and swerved her eyes on Nate, who said, “Now look, Jenny, there was never any such promise. Where did you ever get that idea?”

  Jenny’s chest tightened with emotion and her throat seemed to swell.

  “Why, those times when we were together the last few months before you went away to the War. You—you—”

  “I never said anything about us getting married at any time—before or after the War!”

  Jenny’s anger had her breathing hard. Her thoughts seemed to be composed of cobwebs. “But—but—”

  “Nate never even mentioned you, Jenny,” Millie said. “It sounds like you misconstrued his friendship to be more than it was.”

  Suddenly the anger within her took control. Jenny bared her teeth and knocked the package out of Millie’s hands.

  Millie gasped, her eyes flashing.

  Jenny’s right hand shot out and slapped Millie across the face. “You shut up! You don’t know that you’re talking about!” Then she wheeled on Nate and started beating on his chest with both fists. “You’re a cheating, two-timing low-down cur dog!”

  People on the street were gawking at the scene, eyes wide, mouths hanging open.

  Stan and Bruce grabbed Jenny and pulled her off of Nate just as he stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Millie bent down to help him up while Stan and Bruce held Jenny tightly in their arms.

  She struggled to free herself. “Let go of me! Do you hear me? I said let go of me!”

  But Nate’s friends kept her restrained.

  Nate was on his feet, balancing on the crutches. He stared at Jenny Linden as if he could not believe what he was seeing.

  She screamed at the young men to release her, but still they held on.

  Millie picked up her package and gave Jenny a hard look. “Come on, Nate, let’s go home.”

  Jenny was still screaming, but Stan Galley and Bruce Laird hung on as Nate hobbled away on his crutches with Millie at his side.

  The furious blonde was spraying saliva as she put her gaze on the couple. “Hey, woman! You’re a man-stealer! Nate, you’re a dirty, traitorous snake-in-the grass!”

  Nate and Millie reached the corner, made a quick turn, and headed down the side street.

  After several steps were taken, Millie pulled Nate to a stop. Her eyes searched his stunned face. “Honey, are you all right?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I’m just so shocked at this incident with Jenny. I can hardly believe it. But I’m not concerned about me.” There was apprehension in his voice as he ran shaky fingers over the red welts on Millie’s cheek. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”

  Tears pooled in Millie’s eyes, but a tiny smile rimmed her lips. “I’m fine, darling. But I will say that I’ve never been through anything like that before.”

  “I’m sorry. Really … I’m at a total loss as to what that was all about. I dated Jenny, yes, even as I dated a number of girls, but I never gave her any reason to believe that I was in love with her or wanted to marry her. You were right when you told her she had misconstrued my friendship to be more than it was. Please believe me. I have never had any serious feelings for Jenny, and I never gave her any reason to think I had intentions of marrying her.”

  Millie gave him a broad smile. “Of course I believe you, darling. Let’s just go home and forget this horrible incident. I’m sure you’re getting tired, and you need to lie down and rest.”

  A contented smile crossed Nate’s face. “Always a nurse, aren’t you?”

  “I will always be, at least where you’re concerned. Come on. My husband and patient needs his rest.”

  In front of Baldwin’s Clothing Store, as soon as Nate and Millie disappeared around the corner, Jenny Linden hissed at Stan and Bruce, “Let go of me! I mean it! Right now!”

  People on the street were still staring.

  Bruce looked at Stan. “Shall we let her go?”

  “Only if she’s cooled down and promises to leave the Conrads alone.”

  “I’m not going to bother them,” Jenny said coldly. “They aren’t worth it.”

  Stan nodded. “All right.”

  Both men let go at the same time.

  Jenny scowled, gave them both a piercing look, then wheeled and stomped down the street.

  15

  MYRNA LINDEN WAS HAVING EVEN A BETTER DAY than she had experienced the day before. She had even accomplished some chores around the house. Knowing that William would be coming home soon had given her the reason she needed to strive to get well. Bright sunshine filled the house with welcome light, and with her chores done, she opened a couple of side windows in the parlor.

  Going to the large window at the front of the parlor, she looked out and was amazed to see tulips blooming in an array of colors along the path in the front yard that led to the street. “My, my,” she breathed, “they seem to have blossomed overnight. It’s been such a long and dismal winter, but now the War is over and spring is in the air!”

  Myrna settled into the rocking chair with a sigh. “Oh, William, I haven’t been this happy since the day Jenny was born. You’re coming home to me, darling. You’re coming home to me!”

  Lost in her own state of anger as she walked hurriedly along Main Street, Jenny Linden was unaware of the people who spoke to her. She acknowledged no one. When they were ignored, the people stared after her, murmuring among themselves, wondering what was wrong.

  One woman commented to her husband, “I hope she hasn’t received bad news concerning her father.”

  The husband watched Jenny march stiffly down the street. “Something’s wrong, that’s for sure.”

  Myrna was rocking the chair gently in her reverie when movement on the sidewalk caught her attention. She focused on the figure turning into the yard and smiled. “There’s my Jenny—”

  She caught her breath.

  The look on her daughter’s face made Myrna’s heart sink. “Oh no,” she mumbled as she rose from the chair and headed for the parlor door. “Something is wrong, dreadfully wrong. William? Has Jenny somehow learned that her father isn’t coming home?” Myrna stepped into the hall just as Jenny came through the front door.

  Jenny saw the shadow of apprehension in her mother’s eyes just before Myrna said with a quiver in her voice, “Jenny, is something wrong? Did you hear bad news about your papa?”

  Jenny had to clear her throat before she could speak. “No, Mama, there is no bad news about Papa.”

  “Well, you’re upset about something. What is it?”

  As they entered the parlor, Jenny said, “The most horrible thing in all my life just happened to me on my way home.”

  Myrna’s brows pinched together as they stopped in the middle of the room, facing each other. “Come. Let’s sit down so you can tell me about it.”

  “I don’t want to sit down, Mama. You go ahead.”

  Myrna’s frown deepened as she eased into the rocking chair, looking up at her obviously frustrated daughter. “Tell me, honey.”

  Jenny’s breath was sawing in and out of her lungs. She bared her teeth and clenched her fists. “I was on Main Street, approaching the corner where Baldwin’s Clothing store is. Suddenly I saw Nate standing there, talking to Stan Galley and Bruce Laird.”

  Myrna gasped. “Nate?”

  “Yes.”

  “How come he’s home ahead of the rest of the army?”

  “I’ll tell you about that later. I rushed up to him and threw my arms around his neck. I knew something was wrong right then, Mama. He didn’t respond as if h
e was glad to see me at all. Then I turned around, and here stood this redheaded hussy that he introduced as his wife.”

  Myrna’s hand went to her mouth. She stared at Jenny for a brief moment, then spread her fingers. “His wife?”

  “Yes. He was unfaithful to me, Mama. He went off to the War and found himself a wench to marry!”

  Myrna bit her lower lip. “Didn’t I tell you not to set your heart on Nate?”

  The cords in her throat tautened like steel cables. Jenny’s face suddenly became a crimson blur. “Why do you have to rub that in? Why?”

  Myrna’s eyelids fluttered, and she looked as if Jenny had slapped her face.

  “Don’t look at me like that!” Jenny hissed. “It’s bad enough what Nate did to me. I sure don’t need my own mother rubbing salt in my wounds!”

  Myrna seemed to cave in.

  Ignoring her, Jenny paced the floor in a temper fit, shaking her fists as she stormed all over the parlor, calling Nate Conrad and his new wife more choice names.

  At one point, when pivoting at the corner of the wall near the front window, Jenny saw her mother slumped in the rocking chair. Her head was tilted forward. She was shaking severely. Her eyes were staring vacantly toward the floor, and she was mumbling incoherently. Tears were making furrows down her mottled cheeks, dripping off her chin.

  Jenny’s heart lurched in her breast. She dashed to her, sank to her knees, and took Myrna’s hands in her own. “Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry for upsetting you. What have I done?” Her own tears began to flow. “Mama, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Please say you forgive me!”

  Myrna’s lips were so pale that they stood out disconcertingly, like scars, against her blotched complexion. There was no response. Myrna continued to shake and mumble inarticulately while staring into nothingness. There was not so much as a flicker in her eyes.

  “Oh no. I’ve got to get help.” She let go of her mother’s hands and laid them in her lap. “Mama, I’ll be right back.”

  She dashed out the parlor door, swung open the front door, bounded down the steps, and ran as fast as she could across the yard toward the Bowden house next door. John Bowden was retired and home most of the time. He and Dorothy would help her.

  The Bowdens, who were in their midsixties, were sitting on their front porch. John was reading the day’s edition of the Harrisburg Journal and Dorothy was knitting.

  As Jenny crossed into the Bowden yard, holding her skirt above her ankles while she ran, Dorothy saw her coming. “John. Something’s wrong at the Linden house.”

  John looked up and lowered his paper. When he saw the frightened look on Jenny’s face, he rose to his feet and moved toward the porch steps. “Jenny, what’s wrong?”

  Jenny drew up. “It’s Mama! I need to get her to the hospital. Would you take us?”

  “Of course. I’ll go hitch up the buggy.”

  Dorothy was now at John’s side. “Jenny, I’m going along. I’ll go over to the house with you.”

  Moments later, the Bowden buggy was racing through the streets of Harrisburg in the direction of the hospital. Jenny and Dorothy were in the rear seat with Myrna between them. Myrna was still shaking, mumbling, and staring vacantly into space. When answering the Bowdens’ inquiry as to what happened, Jenny did not give them the real reason. She simply told them that her mother went into her present state suddenly, without provocation.

  When they arrived at the hospital, John carried Myrna, as he had done at the house. The receptionist at the front desk knew Jenny and her mother, and was aware of Myrna’s depression. She called for a pair of orderlies, who came quickly with a stretcher. The receptionist told Jenny that Dr. Adam Griffin just happened to be at the hospital, visiting patients. She would find him and send him to the examining room. While the orderlies were carefully placing Myrna on the stretcher, Jenny thanked the Bowdens for bringing them to the hospital and asked if they would go by the general store and tell the Hendersons what had happened.

  “Of course,” said John. “I’ll leave Dorothy here with you.”

  “Thank you, but it won’t be necessary. Dr. Griffin will no doubt give Mama a strong sedative. Once she’s asleep, I’ll head on back to the store. Please tell Zack and Emma I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  John nodded. “All right.”

  “Honey,” said Dorothy, “is there anything else we can do for you?”

  Jenny managed a smile. “Not right now, but I’ll sure call on you again if I need you. Thanks for being such a help to me.”

  The Bowdens went away, and Jenny followed the stretcher into the examining room. Dr. Griffin arrived when the orderlies were placing Myrna flat on her back on an examining table. He saw immediately the state Myrna was in, and asked Jenny to take a seat across the room. He began his examination by checking her vital signs, then started talking to her in low tones. Jenny watched as the doctor talked to her mother, and was pleased when she saw her begin to respond.

  Dr. Griffin worked with Myrna for several minutes, talking to her, and asking questions. When he was satisfied that his patient was at least partially coherent, he set eyes on Jenny and motioned for her.

  As Jenny joined the doctor at the examining table, Myrna looked up at her and raised a hand toward her. Jenny took her hand, then looked at the doctor. “She’s better already, Dr. Griffin. Her eyes are focused, and I saw her talking to you.”

  Myrna nodded. “Jus’ a li’l bit, honey.”

  “She’s in a very deep state of depression, Jenny,” said Griffin. “I just gave her a strong sedative. But before I did, I asked her what brought this on. She said she couldn’t tell me. What was it?”

  Jenny bit her lip. She really didn’t want the doctor to know, but since her mother was listening and her mind was clear enough to know what she was saying, she would have to tell the truth. She cleared her throat nervously. “Dr. Griffin, it isn’t that Mama couldn’t tell you, it’s that she wouldn’t. She doesn’t want to make me look bad.”

  Griffin frowned. “Go on.”

  Jenny sighed. “Well, I’ve been in love with a young man since before he went off to the War four years ago. I thought he was in love with me, but I was wrong. Today I ran into him on Main Street. He had come home with a medical discharge last Friday. He had his new wife with him.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  “Doctor, by the time I got home, I was half out of my mind with anger and grief. I stormed around in front of Mama, and when she reminded me that she had warned me not to set my heart on the man, I blew up at her. That’s what sent her into this deep state of depression.”

  Griffin shook his head. “Jenny, your mother is very fragile. I’ve told you that. You must be very, very careful not to do or say anything that can upset her.”

  “I know. Even though I was so angry, I should have thought of Mama and not of myself. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry. Thank you for your kindness to Mama.”

  The doctor nodded. “I’ll need to keep her here in the hospital a few days so she can be tended to properly.”

  “I understand, and that’s the way I want it.”

  Griffin looked down at Myrna, whose eyes were closed. She was breathing steadily. “The sedative has already taken effect, Jenny. I’ll leave orders for her to be kept right here on this table for a couple of hours before they put her in a room. There will be a nurse with her at all times. She’ll probably sleep till tomorrow morning.”

  Jenny thanked Dr. Griffin again for the good care he gave her mother, saying she would come back that evening after work and check on her.

  Upon returning to the store, Jenny told Zack and Emma that her mother was deep into depression when she got home, so she had the Bowdens take them to the hospital in their buggy. She explained that Dr. Griffin was going to keep her mother there a few days for observation. She apologized for being late. The Hendersons told her they understood, and both said they hoped Myrna would get better quickly.

  That evening when Jenny arrived at the hospital, sh
e was given her mother’s room number by the receptionist, and when she entered the room, a staff physician was checking Myrna’s vital signs. The doctor told Jenny that her mother was still sleeping heavily under sedation and wouldn’t awaken until sometime in the morning. She wouldn’t be clear-minded until evening. He explained that the nurse who had been assigned to her mother for the evening shift was out of the room for the moment, but was keeping a close watch on her.

  As Jenny left the hospital and headed home, her mind went once again to Nate Conrad, and her anger toward him grew hotter. By the time she entered the house, she was so angry that she could do nothing but pace the floor of the parlor and rail at Nate as if he could hear her. She was also irate at Millie for daring to steal Nate from her.

  In her anger, Jenny found herself picking up a flower vase, ready to smash it on the floor. She caught herself just before throwing it down and took a deep breath. “If I smash anything, it’ll be something that belongs to that two-timing skunk and that man-stealing hussy!”

  The next day after work, Jenny Linden went to the hospital to check on her mother. When she stopped at the receptionist’s desk, the woman said, “Hello, Miss Linden. I happen to know that your mother is awake and is talking quite clearly. Her assigned nurse is with her.”

  Jenny thanked her and headed for room twenty-four. When she drew up to the room, the door was open. Her mother was sitting up with pillows at her back, and the nurse was standing beside the bed, talking to her.

  As Jenny stepped into the room, the nurse turned and looked at her.

  Jenny stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide.

  It was Millie Conrad.

  Myrna was just focusing on her daughter when Jenny’s face flushed with fury. “Get out of here, you brazen man-stealer! I don’t want you in the same room with my mother!”

  A staff doctor was passing by, but hearing Jenny’s outburst, he stepped into the room. “What’s going on here?”