Daughters

by Florence Osmund

  “I guess.”

  Marie smiled and gave her a hug. “I love you, sweetie.”

  “Aw…don’t get mushy on me.”

  Adjustment for Olivia didn’t come without its ups and downs. Once Marie found her cowering in the closet in the bedroom she shared with Rachael. When Marie approached her, Olivia threw up her arms in a defensive posture, as though she expected Marie to hit her. Olivia’s English wasn’t that good yet, but luckily Rachael was home and able to learn from her that she had messed her pants. Through Rachael, Marie told Olivia she never had to worry about coming to Marie if it happened again. Accidents happened, and there would no punishment.

  One thing Olivia had a hard time learning was sharing and respecting what belonged to others. Judging by the way Olivia hoarded things—food and toys mostly—Marie suspected she’d had to fend for herself in the past. Marie and Rachael tried to set good examples for Olivia, but they could tell she was apprehensive. It would take time.

  Meeting Olivia’s basic needs—nutritious food, safety, and security—was relatively easy, but meeting her emotional needs was more challenging. Connecting to Olivia emotionally was difficult given the language barrier, but Marie could see that connection between Rachael and Olivia and knew this would take time as well.

  With Rachael in school and Marie at work, Olivia needed a place to stay during the day, so Marie rearranged her office to accommodate a small desk for Olivia, her own child-size sofa, and a play kitchen complete with a tea set. Marie’s staff enjoyed being served make-believe tea at least twice a day.

  One day, out of the blue, Olivia asked Marie where her daddy was. “Come here, honey,” Marie said. She took Olivia’s hands as she spoke. “Your daddy is in heaven, sweetheart. And he’s probably looking down on you right now to make sure you’re okay. Do you understand that?”

  Olivia shook her head.

  “Do you know what heaven is?”

  Olivia nodded. “Where nice people go to die.”

  Oh dear. Where are we going with this? “That’s right.”

  “Where do bad people go?”

  “Oh, I think there’s a place in heaven for everyone.”

  “Okay.”

  Okay, what?

  “Are you okay with that?”

  “Yep,” Olivia said as she skipped over to her pretend oven to whip up a batch of cookies or something.

  The Costa family—Marie, Rachael, and Olivia—went to St. Charles for the long Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone was there, including the Feinsteins. It had been almost a year since Jonathan’s heart attack, and he was back to feeling normal. The women handled the food while the men talked about sports, business, and politics.

  The Feinsteins talked about Ben and how much they missed him. He had been gone a little more than six months, and at first, Marie had learned, they couldn’t even mention his name without breaking down. But once Judy confessed to his murder, Claire told Marie, they accepted the fact he was gone and were now able to talk about him without losing their composure.

  Of course, there was the occasional cigar fest in the main barn. Much to Jonathan’s dismay, Claire had thrown away all his cigars after his heart attack, but only after cutting them in half, something he vowed he would never let Claire forget.

  “To quote the great Abraham Lincoln,” Jonathan said to anyone who would listen, “‘it has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.’”

  “That was ignorant the first time I heard you say it, Jonathan, and it still is, Lincoln or no Lincoln,” Claire quipped in front of everyone.

  “Do you realize how much they cost, those cigars you so cruelly cut up?” he asked.

  “Do you realize how many additional years of life you’ll enjoy without smoking them? What’s the cost of that?”

  “You win…dear.”

  After the cigar talk simmered down, Gloria pulled Marie aside to talk about Rachael. “I can’t tell you how happy we are for Rachael, Marie. I’ve never seen her spirits so high.”

  “I think my friends would say the same about me. Both our lives have changed completely—for the better. Has she been writing you, by the way?”

  Gloria’s face lit up. “Oh yes. We get a letter every few weeks or so. And they’re long letters. She’s told us all about school, horseback riding, her friends, Miska, and of course Olivia. We so look forward to her letters.”

  “I’m so glad she’s doing that. I wasn’t sure, and when I ask her, she rolls those big blue eyes of hers and says, ‘Yes, Sergeant.’ You know, with that tone of hers.”

  Gloria smiled. “Well, we don’t get that tone in her letters.”

  Marie laughed. “That’s good.”

  “She talks about you a lot. Says you’re real cool. At first we thought she meant you were indifferent toward her, and we started to get concerned. But when I mentioned it to Claire one day, she set us straight.” Gloria laughed. “I guess she’s a bit more hip than we are.”

  “I still don’t understand all the lingo, believe me.”

  Rachael stuck her head in the door. “Everything okay in here?”

  Gloria turned her back toward Rachael and mouthed thank you to Marie.

  Olivia made a big hit with the Brooks family members. She had been with Marie for almost two months, and her bubbly personality was gradually emerging. The once sad-looking, shy little girl who hid behind her hair had blossomed into an energetic darling who loved wearing her hair in a ponytail and could light up a room with her smile and antics.

  Jonathan summed it up in his Thanksgiving dinner prayer. “Dear Father in heaven, we gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing as we partake of this food. We pray for health and strength to live our lives as you would have us do. We give thanks for this food prepared by loving hands. We give thanks for life itself and the ancestors who brought us to where we are now so we can enjoy it.

  “As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on our daily lives, care for those who mean so much to us, and extend what we have to offer to strangers who are less fortunate.

  “We pray that you will bless all those who gather here, and help us to remember that we are all brothers and sisters, called to serve one another and walk together, despite our differences. We are particularly blessed to have Rachael and Olivia with us this Thanksgiving Day. Please watch over them as they make it through life with our daughter, Marie, and give her the guidance she needs to provide them with what they need.

  “We ask all this in the name of Christ, oh heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  “A-men!” Olivia cried out through a big smile.

  And that was all that was needed to set the mood for the rest of the day.

  CHAPTER 28

  Mi Marie

  The preliminary hearing for Olivia’s adoption had been set for December 12, sixty days after she’d moved in with Marie, long enough for Miss Hierra to determine there were no relatives or even close family friends to take Olivia in. Marie’s attorney, Olivia’s caseworker, and Miss Hierra accompanied Marie to court. Rachael was so excited about it, she asked if she could take the day off from school to attend, to which Marie agreed.

  The judge examined the paperwork while Marie and the others anxiously sat in front of her. The judge called on Olivia’s caseworker first. “I have read your reports, and from them I am interpreting you find the living conditions at the Costa residence suitable for Olivia. Is that correct?”

  “That is correct.”

  “You have visited the Costa household a total of eight times. Is that correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Were any of these visits surprise visits?”

  “Except for the first one, they were all surprise visits.”

  “Did anyone try to coerce you into writing favorable reports?”

  “No, they did not.”

  “I can read here what you say about Olivia, but I would like to hear it directly from you. How would you characterize this child?”<
br />
  “I would characterize her as a happy, healthy little girl with a very sweet disposition.”

  “How is her English?”

  “Considering she just started learning it two months ago, I’d say it’s pretty good.”

  “Is it good enough for me to ask her a few questions? If not, I can get an interpreter in here.”

  “I think so.”

  The judge looked at Marie. “Do you have any objection to my asking Olivia a few questions?”

  Marie’s stomach churned. “No, your honor. I do not.”

  “Olivia, can you come up here, please?”

  Olivia looked at Marie, who nodded. Rachael leaned forward, her gaze fixated on Olivia.

  Olivia walked up to the bench and peered up at the judge. She looks so small. She turned around and smiled at Marie. And she looks so brave.

  “Maybe you should come up here by me.” The judge came out from behind her bench, took Olivia by the hand, and led her to her chair. “This way your back isn’t to the people who care so much about you. What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  Five Olivias could have fit in the judge’s oversized chair. “Olivia,” she said in soft voice.

  “And how are you today?”

  “Fine.”

  “And who do you live with, Olivia?”

  She pointed to Marie and smiled.

  “Let the record show Miss Olivia pointed to Marie Costa. And do you like living with Miss Costa?”

  Olivia gave Marie a puzzled look. Marie stood up. “Your honor, she knows me as mi Marie.”

  The judge smiled and looked at Olivia. “Do you like living with tu Marie?”

  Olivia nodded.

  “Let the record show Miss Olivia nodded in the affirmative. Why do you like living with tu Marie, Olivia?”

  “She takes care of me and Rachael and Sheana and Miska.”

  The judge looked at Marie. “Just how many people live in your house?”

  “Sheana and Miska are my cats, your honor.”

  “I see. Olivia, tell me about Rachael.”

  “I like Rachael.”

  “What do you like about her?”

  “She teached me English.”

  Oh dear.

  “And she’s my best friend.”

  “I see. Is there another place you would like to live instead of with tu Marie and Rachael?”

  Marie thought Olivia was going to cry and got ready to get up to rush to her side. “No, please,” Olivia said in a shaky voice.

  “Okay, my dear. You may go and sit back with tu Marie.”

  As soon as the judge sat back down, Rachael stood up. Oh my God. What is she doing?

  “Your honor?”

  The judge gave her a disconcerted look. “Approach the bench if you have something to say.”

  Rachael walked tall to the place in front of the judge.

  “State your name for the record.”

  “Rachael Feinstein.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “I’m sorry Olivia said ‘teached’ instead of ‘taught.’ We haven’t gotten that far yet. But what I really want to say is that I’ve been living with Marie since April, and when I got there, I was a mess. You have no idea. I was two grades behind in school. I didn’t trust anyone. I was angry all the time, and I was a total freak.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “I’m sorry. I mean I didn’t fit in anywhere. Anyway, Marie took me in and turned everything around for me, and she is doing the same for Olivia. She cares about us—both of us.” She paused. “Well, I guess that’s all I have to say, your honor.”

  “Thank you, Rachael. That was very well said.”

  As soon as Rachael sat down, Marie put her arm around her shoulders and whispered, “That was crazy.”

  “Please wait while I make my decision.” The judge got up and exited through a door behind her bench.

  Rachael broke the uncomfortable silence. “Somebody say something. How do we think it went?”

  Before anyone could answer, the judge returned. “There seems to be one important thing missing from the documentation submitted,” the judge said. Marie’s attorney stood up. “What is Olivia’s birth date?”

  “We don’t know that, your honor. Her father didn’t leave behind a birth certificate.”

  The judge gave Marie’s attorney a skeptical look. “So you don’t even know how old she is?”

  “We think she’s around five.”

  Olivia’s caseworker stood up. “Your honor, this is a very troubling case. I personally talked to every adult in her community, and no one knows how old she is or if she has any living relatives. I even conducted a birth certificate search in every jurisdiction of Mexico.

  “Your honor, I have handled hundreds of these cases, and I feel very strongly she belongs with Miss Costa. There is very little likelihood this child will fair well in an orphanage and less likelihood she will ever be adopted. What you have in this courtroom is someone who cares deeply for this child and has demonstrated she can provide a good home for her.”

  “My job is to do what’s in the best interest of the child,” the judge said. She looked at the caseworker. “You and I go back many years, Miss Hierra, and I trust your judgment.” She paused to glance at Rachael. “But I have to admit, I may have been more influenced by Miss Rachael’s testimony.”

  The judge looked toward Marie. “Based on everything I’ve heard, I’m prepared to extend temporary custody. I’m going to order monthly visits by Olivia’s caseworker for the next six months, and if all goes well, your chances will be very good for permanent adoption. I am also going to arrange for a birth certificate for this child. All I need is a birth date.”

  Rachael whispered into Marie’s ear, “December 24.”

  “Would you please stand, Miss Costa? Do you have a date in mind when you would like to celebrate this child’s birthday?”

  Her emotions were hard to contain. “Yes, your honor. December 24.”

  When they reached Marie’s car, she took Rachael by the shoulders and then gave her a long hug. “I am so proud of you.”

  “Aw. No sweat.”

  Marie called Jonathan the next day. “Congratulations, my dear. The news couldn’t be any better. I’m so happy for all of you. Wait, Claire wants to talk to you.”

  After Claire gushed over the news, Marie asked her if they would be too disappointed if they didn’t visit with them over Christmas. With two birthdays on December 24 and their first Christmas together, Marie wanted it to be a special time they spent by themselves.

  “Of course we understand. How about Easter, then?”

  “Perfect.”

  Marie invited Karen, Maurice, and Barry to dinner the following Sunday to celebrate. Karen and Maurice brought Olivia a Betsy McCall doll, complete with red plaid dress and black patent leather shoes. Barry opened a savings account in her name and put five hundred dollars in it for her.

  Everyone’s attention was on little Olivia, and Marie realized that had it not been for Rachael’s mother, they would likely have been celebrating Rachael’s adoption as well. She pulled her aside after dinner.

  “I know what you’re going to say, and it’s okay,” Rachael said.

  “Okay, Miss Know-It-All. What was I going to say?”

  “That this is all about Olivia, and you don’t want me to feel left out.”

  “Do you feel left out?”

  “No.”

  Marie gazed deep into her eyes.

  “But just keep in mind I’ll be sixteen in ten days and old enough for a driver’s license.”

  “You little…”

  Rachael took Marie’s arm and smiled. “Shall we? We really shouldn’t keep our guests waiting.”

  When they returned to the living room, Karen and Maurice got up. “I know this is supposed to be a celebration for little Olivia, but…we have an announcement to make,” Karen said. She took Maurice’s hand and looked at Marie. “We got married.”

  “What?!” Marie shrie
ked. She got up and hugged Karen, then Maurice. “You guys! When did this happen?”

  “Last weekend,” Karen said.

  “And you’re just telling me now?”

  “I know. I’m sorry, but you had so much going on with…well, everything, and we did it kind of on the spur of the moment…and, well, I’m…”

  “That’s okay. I’m just so excited.” Marie gave Karen another hug and whispered, “I’m so happy for you.”

  “I’ll explain later,” she whispered back.

  They spent the rest of the evening talking about Karen and Maurice’s announcement. Certain there was much more to the story than what they were telling, Marie was anxious to talk further with Karen.

  Barry was the last to leave. Marie walked him down to his car.

  “I have a confession to make,” he said.

  “A confession?”

  “I called Karen the other day and asked her if you were involved with anyone.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded. “Do you remember when we first met and I asked you out? You told me you were married.”

  “Yes, I remember that.”

  “Was that true?”

  “It was then.”

  “How long have you been divorced?”

  “A little over a year.”

  He gazed into her eyes and smiled a curl of a smile. “Would you like to talk about it over dinner sometime?”

  “Not without confessing something first myself.”

  He leaned up against his car beside her and folded his arms across his chest. “Okay. Shoot.”

  “And after I tell you this, if you want to change your mind about dinner, I’ll understand.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “My father is a Negro. Therefore I am a Negro. My ex-husband is mixed up with the Chicago mob and has wanted to get back with me ever since I left him in May of ‘48. And the reason I haven’t adopted Rachael is because her mother is in prison for killing the man Rachael thought was her father, but really wasn’t.” She looked him straight in the eye to get his reaction, but Barry didn’t flinch.

  “I have a twin brother who still lives at home and thinks he’s Henry VIII—on a good day. I have just three toes on my right foot due to frostbite after I got cockeyed drunk on cheap Puerto Rican rum when I was nineteen and then passed out in the snow. I was madly in love with my fifth grade teacher, Miss Crandon, but other than that, I have never been in a relationship longer than three months. And I played a role in Olivia’s father’s death.” He paused. “How’s Saturday?”