“Ah, you don’t know that, Mark.” She turned the windshield wipers up several notches to combat the sheets of rain that were pelting the car. There was a long pause while Alice focused her attention on navigating Mark’s Range Rover down the nearly flooded highway.
“Do you ever wonder why neither of us married, Alice?” Mark asked.
Her hands gripped the wheel more tightly, partly because of the weather and partly because of his question. “Well, on occasion …” she finally said.
“Well, I’ve wondered about it a lot,” he continued. “The truth is I never really figured it out. Sometimes I believed it was because God was saving us for each other—and for the right timing. Sometimes I believed it was simply because we both prefer not being married.”
She nodded. “I’ve had similar thoughts.”
“So which do you think it is, Alice?”
She slowed down as they caught up with a truck that was spewing a wake of water behind it. “I really don’t know, Mark.”
“I’m sorry,” he said suddenly. “Here you are driving through this torrential rainstorm and I’m asking you all these tough questions. I’m sorry, Alice, we’ll table this discussion for a better time. For now, we should focus our attention on the road and on finding Adam. Right?”
“You’re absolutely right.”
The rain let up when they reached Potterston, and after they had scoured the streets of Potterston, they started to feel that their search was useless.
“It’s like finding a needle in a haystack,” Mark said sadly after they finally turned back toward Acorn Hill.
“It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”
“But maybe he wants to be found,” suggested Mark.
“Then, I would think we’d find him.”
“Yes, you’re probably right.”
“Maybe he’s back at the inn,” said Alice hopefully.
“I guess that’s possible.” Mark did not sound convinced.
When they got back to the inn, they found that Adam had not returned or called or been seen by anyone. Mark decided to go to his room to rest, and Alice went to help Jane in the kitchen. “You know what’s funny,” said Jane as Alice stood at the sink, peeling carrots.
“What?”
“Even Laura’s parents looked for Adam today.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Laura told me. They went all around Acorn Hill looking for him this afternoon after they had tea.”
“That’s sweet.” Alice picked up another carrot.
“Yes, I guess we are all worried about him.”
Alice felt a lump form in her throat as she thought about poor Adam and Boots living in a smelly, damp car.
“He’ll be okay, Alice.”
“I hope so. Mark tried calling Adam’s grandmother when we got home, but she said she hasn’t seen Adam in ages.”
“God knows where he is, Alice.”
Alice brightened. “You know, you’re right about that.”
“Hey,” Jane said, observing Alice’s smile, “now there’s a nice change.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Good Friday dawned cloudy and gray, but according to Jane, the forecast called for clearing later in the day. “The weatherman said we’d have some blue skies by this afternoon,” she told Alice as she put a pan of cinnamon rolls into the oven. “And it should be nice for the weekend.”
“Oh, good. That’s a relief.” Alice filled the teapot with hot water.
“Did you have a good walk?”
“Yes, but we cut it short. Vera is preparing for family coming for the weekend. That reminds me, has Louise heard whether Cynthia’s coming or not?”
“Yes, she called yesterday and she can’t make it, but she promised to come down in a couple of weeks.”
Alice slapped her forehead. “Oh my! Jane, I’m so sorry. I forgot to tell you that I invited a guest for dinner tomorrow night.”
“That’s fine. Who did you invite?”
As Alice stemmed a basket of strawberries, she explained about the unexpected meeting with her old college friend Mattie. “I had not seen her since school,” she told Jane. “And she wanted to come over to Acorn Hill for the egg hunt, and well, it just seemed right to invite her to dinner. I hope you don’t mind. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner, but so much has been happening it just slipped my mind.”
“No problem,” said Jane. “I was already planning something special anyway.”
“And, of course, I’ll help you.”
“Tell me about Mattie,” said Jane as she sliced a melon in half.
Alice wondered where to begin, and finally decided just to be honest and tell Jane her candid impressions of her old friend.
“Oh my,” said Jane. “Four husbands?”
“Well, she did admit to having poor taste in men.” Alice pulled the stem off a big strawberry, which she placed into the strainer. “Although she seemed to fully approve of Mark.”
“Goodness,” said Jane. “I hope you haven’t invited trouble along with Mattie.”
“Oh, I hardly think so.”
“Don’t be so naive, Alice. If this Mattie has gone through four husbands, she might think nothing of snatching a nice-looking, successful man from you.”
“Oh, Jane.” Alice rinsed the stemmed strawberries in cold water. “That’s not fair to say. You don’t even know her. Besides, do you really think Mark’s the sort of man who would go for someone like that?”
“Maybe not, but that probably won’t stop her from trying.”
Alice really didn’t feel concerned. If Mark could be so easily snatched, as Jane put it, then perhaps it would be for the best. Alice knew Mark well enough to believe that Jane’s scenario was unlikely.
Breakfast that morning was as somber as the weather, for everyone seemed a bit down. Alice knew her reasons for being quiet had to do with Adam, and she assumed the same was true for Mark and Laura.
Finally, Mr. Langley asked, “Has anyone heard anything from our missing young man?”
Both Mark and Alice looked at the older gentleman with surprise.
“We’ve been praying for him,” explained Mrs. Langley. “We know that he’s troubled and, well, we’ve felt bad for him.”
“Thank you for praying for him,” said Mark. “Although we’ve looked for him, we haven’t any clues to his whereabouts.”
“We looked for him yesterday as well,” said Mrs. Winston. “Just around town.”
“Yes,” said Mark. “I heard about that, and I appreciate it.”
“We thought we’d keep an eye out for his car when we head west today,” said Mr. Langley. “You never know.”
“Thank you,” said Alice. “The more people looking for him, the more likely we are to find him.”
After the guests had finished their breakfasts and were preparing to leave the table, Louise reminded everyone that they were welcome to color eggs for the egg hunt. “We’ll start at around two this afternoon, and we expect to finish before dinnertime.”
“That sounds like fun,” said Mrs. Winston. “I haven’t colored eggs in years.” She turned and looked at her daughter. “Do you remember when we used to do that?”
Laura just shrugged, then excused herself.
It was not long before the other guests followed her lead and only Alice, Louise and Mark remained in the dining room.
“Not a very cheerful bunch,” observed Louise.
“I feel like I’m to blame,” said Mark. “I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t asked Adam to meet me here and hadn’t then made such a mess of things, well, obviously everyone would be much happier.”
“Not necessarily,” said Louise. “Laura has been moody since the Winstons arrived last weekend.”
“That’s true,” said Alice.
“I don’t know why I thought bringing Adam here would help things,” said Mark. “I guess I hoped that he would be as charmed with Acorn Hill as I am and that somehow it would bring him back to his sens
es. It seems I was wrong.”
Jane emerged from the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee. “More caffeine, anyone?”
Louise and Mark both had another cup, and Alice poured herself a cup of tea, but no one said anything.
“We’ve got to think of some way to cheer this place up,” said Jane. “It’s not feeling very festive for Easter weekend.”
Alice gave her a warning look. “We were just discussing that, Jane.”
“Yes,” said Mark. “I’ve been apologizing for being responsible for the pall of gloom that seems to be hanging over your inn.”
Jane frowned. “But, really, what can we do to brighten things up?”
“Well, the egg dyeing should be fun,” said Alice.
“And there’s the egg hunt,” offered Louise.
“I wonder what Father would say if he were here,” said Jane.
“It’s interesting that you ask that,” Alice said. “Father was usually quite somber on Good Friday. He was very quiet and contemplative, spending time in his office, thinking about the Passion and how Jesus suffered on the cross. He usually wrote his Easter sermon on Good Friday.”
Jane nodded. “You know, that’s just what Pastor Ken was saying to me this morning. I ran into him while jogging, and he was walking along with his head hanging down like he’d lost his best friend.”
“He was simply thinking,” said Alice.
“So perhaps it’s right for us to be a bit more serious on this day,” said Louise.
“As true as that may be,” said Mark with his eyes on Alice, “I would still like to go looking for Adam again this morning.”
“Driving with one arm?” asked Jane.
“I’d be happy to drive for you again,” offered Alice.
Mark gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“Will you be back in time for egg coloring?” asked Louise.
“Of course,” said Alice.
They decided to try driving north. “Perhaps he’s headed for the countryside north of here,” said Mark. “He told me that his family vacationed up there.”
“Then that’s the direction we’ll take,” said Alice as she headed north on the interstate.
“Perhaps we can just check out camping or rest stops for some miles ahead.” Mark sighed and leaned back into the seat. “I suppose it really is useless, isn’t it?”
“We might get lucky,” Alice said, “or perhaps God will help us.”
“I could use some divine help,” he admitted. “Sometimes I think I depend on Dr. Mark Graves more than I depend on God.” He held up his broken arm. “Then something happens that makes me feel helpless and useless, and suddenly I remember I’m not supposed to do everything on my own.”
Alice smiled. “I guess we all need a wake-up call occasionally.”
“How about you, Alice?” He turned to watch her as she drove. “Do you ever need a wake-up call? You seem so stable and grounded to me.”
She laughed. “Well, don’t forget that appearances can be deceiving. As far as stable and grounded? Lately, I’ve been feeling anything but.”
“Is that because of me?”
She shrugged.
“And Adam?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s just life in general. And, really, isn’t that what life is supposed to be, Mark? Surely, God never intended everything to move in a straight, unwavering line. What would be the point of that?”
“How did you get to be so wise, Alice?”
She smiled. “Well, if that were true, and I’m not sure that it is, I would have to give a lot of the credit to my father. He was the wisest person I have ever known.”
He sighed. “I wish I’d gotten to know him better.”
“You would’ve liked him, Mark.”
“Yes, I’m sure. I suppose I’ve actually gotten to know him a bit through you. I’m quite sure that you’re very much your father’s daughter.”
She laughed. “How could I not be?”
They drove for over an hour before they decided to turn back.
“I feel bad for wasting your time like this,” said Mark.
“It’s not a waste,” said Alice. “I love road trips, and your car is wonderful to drive.” She smiled. “The company’s not bad either.”
“Really?” He sounded hopeful now. “I thought perhaps you would be sick of me by now. I feel as if I’ve brought you nothing but trouble for the past week.” Mark pointed to an exit ahead. “Hey, why don’t you turn there, Alice. As I recall, there’s a pretty good restaurant in this town. Maybe we could get some lunch.”
She followed his directions, driving into a small town not unlike Acorn Hill. Soon they were parked in front of what appeared to be an historic inn. “This looks lovely,” she told him as she handed him the keys.
“We could take a little stroll,” he suggested. “Just to stretch our legs some.”
They walked up and down the streets of the quaint little town. Mark told her a bit about his childhood and about the times that his family had stopped in this town while on their way to a lake to the north. “I remember my sister and I used to fight all the way and, once, my father actually threatened to leave us right here in this town.”
Alice laughed. “Well, it’s not such a bad spot to be abandoned. I’m sure some nice family would’ve adopted the two of you.”
“I think I sometimes forget how important family is,” he said. “I mean, I’ve led such an independent life. As hard as it was spending time with Adam, I really started to get a feeling of what it’s like to have family. Even though it was hard, I think I rather liked it too. I mean, it had its moments.”
“I’m sure you would’ve made a good dad, Mark.”
“Do you think it’s too late? I mean with Adam.” He chuckled. “I don’t exactly want to have children of my own.”
Alice felt herself blushing. “No, I didn’t think that’s what you meant. But, really, I don’t think it’s too late with Adam.”
“That is, if I ever see him again.”
“I’m sure you will, Mark.”
By now, they had gone all through town and were back at the inn. The old building was as interesting on the inside as the exterior. With antiques that looked like they had been there for at least a couple hundred years and with waitresses who wore period costumes, Alice felt that she had actually gone back in time. The food was excellent, and by the time they were finished, Alice was not sure she wanted to leave.
“This is a charming place,” she told Mark. “I’m so glad you brought me.”
“I thought you’d like it.” He smiled as he held the door for her with his good hand. “It’s not Acorn Hill, but it’s got its pluses.”
“Oh, I think that this town could give Acorn Hill a run for its money.” She glanced down the cobblestone street. “But Acorn Hill has always been and always will be my home.”
“I’d hoped to make it my home too,” said Mark after they got into the car.
“Yes, I heard that you’d looked at the Olsen house,” she said as she started the engine.
“You did, did you?” He chuckled. “Well, I guess it’s hard to keep secrets in a town Acorn Hill’s size.”
“Especially when you have an Aunt Ethel.”
He nodded. “An aunt who dates the mayor.”
“Yes, you see what I mean.”
“Things got so busy with Adam that I never had a chance to get back to the real estate agent.”
She made no comment. This was none of her business.
“I rather liked the old house. Oh, I can see it needs lots of work, but I could imagine myself puttering around there, fixing things up. And then there’s the carriage house in back that would be perfect for a small animal infirmary.”
Part of her wanted to ask him how she fit into this picture, but another part of her was unsure that she wanted to hear that answer just now. So she just drove in silence.
After a bit, Mark turned on his radio. “What is that jazz station you listen to?” h
e asked as he played with the dial.
“It’s 97.4 FM,” she told him. “You should be able to get it from here.”
He tuned it in to the smooth sounds of Miles Davis. “That’s nice,” he said. “I’m glad we like the same kind of music.”
Alice did not tell him that she liked a variety of music and, occasionally, even listened to country, which Jane could not, for the life of her, understand. Louise didn’t even know, thank goodness. But Alice didn’t have to reveal everything about herself to Mark or anyone besides God, for that matter. Perhaps it was good to have some secrets.
They got back to the inn just before two. “As much as we’d love your help with the eggs,” said Alice as they walked up to the porch, “I’d recommend you have a rest first.”
“I won’t even argue with you,” he said as he opened the door and waited for her to go inside.
Before he went upstairs, Mark asked whether anyone had seen or heard from Adam. Unfortunately, they had not. Alice tried not to notice the distinct slowness to Mark’s steps as he went upstairs. She told herself it was simply because he was worn out, but she suspected it had more to do with disappointment.
At least the ANGELs brought some joy and levity to the egg dyeing party, and it was not long before Alice found herself laughing over things like rainbow-colored fingernails (when Ashley dyed her fingertips various colors) and other childish goings-on. Laura and her mother joined in, and Alice appreciated how the ANGELs gravitated toward the teenaged girl, showing obvious admiration of her age, not to mention her cool, acid-green sunglasses. To everyone’s delight, Laura seemed to warm up to the girls too, and didn’t even mind them helping her.
Alice had privately informed them that Laura had become blind recently. Of course, this was of huge interest to them, and being young, they had no qualms about asking her questions like, “Can you still remember what purple looks like?” and “Do you close your eyes when you get scared?” To everyone’s relief and amusement, Laura actually answered them.
“This has been wonderful,” said Mrs. Winston as she helped Alice tidy up. “Thank you for including us.”
“Thank you for helping,” said Alice. “Many hands make light work.”
Memories from Acorn Hill Page 17