Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold

by Joyce Magnin

  Martha added a splash and then lifted her cup. “Here’s to a grandbaby, a Grammy Suite, and a gold mine. It’s been a great day. Gee, that’s a lot of g’s.”

  “I’ll say,” Harriet said. And they laughed.

  They clinked cups. “And here’s to my dearest friend in the world,” Harriet said. “Together again.”

  Martha sipped her coffee and leaned back in the chair with closed eyes. She let go a long sigh. “I hate to fly.”

  Harriet laughed. “I never knew that.”

  “It’s the take-offs. Rattles my cage something fierce. My head still feels fuzzy.”

  The coffeemaker made a strange final rattle like it sometimes did, as though it had discovered a drop of water yet to filter. Harriet turned in its direction on instinct. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never flown.”

  “Don’t,” Martha said. “Unless it’s the only way.”

  In a few minutes, Harriet refilled their cups, and this time she set the box of oatmeal creme cookies on the table. “Just in case your stomach is settled.”

  “So tell me the truth now,” Martha said. “How is it, really, living with your kids? Is it strange at all?”

  Harriet picked off a corner of a cookie. “Sometimes. I mean, we’re family and I know that, but still, it’s their family, if you know what I mean. I’m the fifth wheel, the square peg, the stinky fish.”

  “Yeah, I guess it would be hard.”

  Harriet felt pensive a moment. “I wonder if that’s why I bought into the gold mine.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I guess the mine is … well, mine. And I’m hoping, no, praying that it will pay off big time so I can do more for them. It’s time to leave something behind, something they’ll look at and say, “Mom did this. Mom left this for us.”

  “But you’ve done that, Harriet. Henry is so much like you. You just don’t know it. He’s your legacy, and now with the baby on the way, well, if there was ever something you contributed to, that’s it.”

  “But what if I could send Henry to culinary school and he became a world renowned chef? He just started talking about school. Or I arranged the baby’s college education?”

  “I think you should let Henry decide his own future. You tried that once before, and look what happened.”

  Harriet felt the hair on her neck tingle. “He sold the business. In secret.”

  “Because he was afraid to tell you. Please, let them decide. And if you really do strike gold and get rich, then that’s gravy.”

  Harriet reached out her hands to Martha. Martha held them and squeezed. “The best legacy you can leave them is to be happy, enjoy the time you have left, at least thirty years.” She smiled. “That’s what they’ll remember.”

  “But … but …”

  “No buts, Harriet. You have a wonderful son. You raised him well.”

  “And you have Wyatt,” Harriet said.

  Martha looked into her coffee cup as though it held the answer to an age-old question. “Wyatt,” was all she said.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “MOM,” HENRY CALLED THE INSTANT HIS FOOT HIT THE porch steps. “Mom!”

  He pushed open the door. “Mom, we’re home.” Prudence followed behind.

  “Coming,” Harriet called. “We’re coming.”

  Humphrey skittered out of the room before Harriet and Martha.

  “Wow,” Martha said. “He’s excited.”

  “He should be,” Harriet said. “He’s going to become an uncle.”

  “Martha,” called Henry. “It’s so good to see you. How was your flight?”

  Martha moved close enough to Henry to hug him. “Henry, you look wonderful, and congratulations.”

  “Thank you. We’re excited.”

  Martha pulled away and hugged Prudence. “Hi, Prudence. You are gorgeous. I can’t believe it. A baby.”

  “Thank you, Martha. Welcome to California.” Then she laughed.

  Harriet stood near the couch and felt her eyebrows crinkle. “What’s so funny?”

  Prudence sat in the big chair. Humphrey trotted close and Prudence patted his side. “I see I’m not the only one getting fat around here.”

  Henry clicked his tongue. “You are not getting fat. And we won’t ever say that.”

  “Okay, okay,” Prudence said. “Do you want to tell them the news?”

  “News?” Harriet said. “You have news?” She sat on the couch. “I guess it’s good news, because you two look terribly excited.”

  “It is, Mom, but you should sit,” Henry said. “This is pretty exciting.”

  Martha sat next to Harriet on the couch. “Okay, we’re sitting, son,” Harriet said.

  “Right, right.” He looked at Prudence. Humphrey sat with his head resting on her knee. Sandra Day sauntered past and leaped onto the back of Prudence’s chair.

  Henry nearly sucked all the air out of the room. “Okay. Are you ready?”

  “Ready,” Harriet said. She couldn’t imagine what was so exciting.

  “Do you want to tell, honey?” he asked Prudence.

  “No, no, I think you should tell.”

  Henry took another deep breath and said, “Twins. We are having twins.”

  This time it was Harriet who nearly sucked all the air out of the room. She grabbed onto Martha. “Did you hear that? Twins. We’re having twins. Well, they’re having twins, but me, also, sort of, twins. I’m going to be Grammy to twins. Twins. Oh my goodness.”

  She leaped up and wrapped her arms around Henry. “Congratulations, Henry.”

  Then she gave Prudence an equally substantial hug.

  “That is exciting,” Martha said. “Twins. Wow. Two of everything.”

  “We were stunned,” Prudence said. “But there they were on the ultrasound monitor. Two … babies. Two heartbeats. And that’s why I really am beginning to show.”

  Henry sat on the arm of the chair next to Prudence. “Yep. Baby A and Baby B. That’s what the technician, Jennifer, called them. Isn’t that cute?”

  Martha laughed. “He’s so happy. That’s nice.” But then she got kind of a faraway look in her eyes that Harriet could feel in her heart. She made a mental note to ask Martha about it later.

  “This calls for a celebration,” Harriet said. “We should all go out for dinner. To that lodge, you know the one, with all that rusticness—what’s it called?”

  “Half Moon Lodge?” Prudence said. “That’s a fabulous idea.”

  After Harriet caught her breath and sat back down she said, “Well? Did you ask?”

  “Ask what?” Henry said.

  “Boys? Girls?”

  Prudence shook her head. “No. The technician said it was too early to tell with any amount of certainty. All we know is that they are not identical twins.”

  “Oh, well that’s just fine,” Harriet said. “Now we need to get double everything.”

  She nudged Martha and whispered, “That gold will come in handy now.”

  “What was that, Mom?” Henry asked. “Did you say something?”

  “I’m just glad we’re building the extra rooms. It’s really going to come in handy.”

  Harriet and Prudence locked eyes. Harriet felt so much emotion well up inside of her she thought she might burst. “Oh, Prudence,” she said, “I am so happy for you.”

  “I know you are, Mother. I just wish …”

  “Wish what?” Harriet asked.

  “Well, you know, my own mother …”

  “Yes,” Martha said. “This must be bittersweet for you.”

  Prudence said. “It’s okay.”

  “Now, you should try not to think about it too much,” Harriet said. “We might never know why it worked out like this, but try to rest assured that God has got you and those dear sweet babies in the palm of his hand. He’s got his reasons.”

  “I know, Mother,” Prudence said. “Do you really think he has my mother in the palm of his hand?”

  Harriet looked at Henry. “Maybe not the sam
e hand,” she said. “But I know he loves her too, and if you two are meant to be reunited someday then you will be. For now, all you need to do is take care of yourself.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Henry said. “In fact, why don’t you rest before we head out for dinner, honey? I’ll wake you in plenty of time.” He kissed her head.

  “Okay. I am a little tired.”

  “That actually sounds good,” Martha said. “It’s been a long, trying day. I’d like to rest before dinner also. There is the time difference to contend with.”

  “Oh, that’s right. And was your flight especially tiring?” Prudence asked.

  Harriet laughed. “Let’s just say we had to play a little game of hide-and-seek. Martha dropped her phone at Midway Airport in the toilet and had no way of getting in touch with me.”

  “Oh no,” Prudence said with a little giggle. “I did that once. Sometimes if you set the phone in a bowl of rice it will start working again.”

  “Really?” Martha said. “I hadn’t heard that.”

  “Hide-and-seek?” Henry said as though he was just hearing it. “You mean Martha was lost or you got lost? I knew it. I knew you’d have trouble.”

  “No,” Martha said. “I was the one who got lost. Your mom was terrific. And here I am, safe and sound.”

  Harriet smiled at Prudence. “Are you okay, dear?”

  Prudence touched her stomach. “I’m glad you’re here to … teach me. I don’t know anything about taking care of a baby and now all of a sudden I have two. Two, Mom. Two babies. What if I don’t wake up when they cry? I usually sleep like a rock. What if I drop one? What temperature is the right temperature for a bottle? And … should I use the bottle or breast-feed. Can you nurse twins?”

  “Prudence,” Harriet said. “Calm down, honey, before you explode. You will know. I’ll teach you some things, like routines and schedules and the proper way to swaddle an infant. They like that, you know. But most of it will come to you because God gives it to you. He’s the best mother of all. And the best teacher.”

  “Mothering is an instinct,” Henry said. “I think you’re going to do great.”

  Prudence looked at Henry. “Sometimes I … sometimes I worry that I might not be able to do it, like my mother. She had to run away. I won’t do that, will I?”

  Harriet shook her head so hard she thought it might snap off. “No, of course not. For one thing, I won’t let you and, for another, you’re not your mother. Your father did a pretty good job raising you all by himself.”

  “That’s right,” Henry said. “And you’ll have me.”

  “My father did the best he could,” Prudence said. “I miss him too. I know he would be so happy to meet his grandchildren.”

  Harriet’s thoughts quickly turned to Lily and Win. For a split second she considered telling Prudence. Not on account of the gold mine but because maybe Prudence could help Lily.

  But no, Prudence didn’t need that right now.

  “Now, look,” Harriet said, “you go take a nap. You need your rest. I’ll call you for dinner.”

  “Come on, honey. I’ll tuck you in,” Henry said.

  Harriet and Martha waited until they heard the bedroom door shut before speaking. “What do you really think?” Martha asked.

  “About what?”

  “Prudence’s mothering skills.”

  “Let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised at anything. Remember, this is a woman who wears Versace to the grocery store and has a near fit if one of the couch pillows lands on the floor.”

  Martha laughed. “She’s in for a few surprises. And with two? I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me too. But you know, the poor dear never had a mother of her own to show her what to do.”

  “That’s true,” Martha said. “But the learning curve is steep, and even those of us who had role models made mistakes.”

  “Come on,” Harriet said. “You haven’t even settled in yet. Let me show you our room.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  THE NEXT MORNING HARRIET AND MARTHA ROSE FAIRLY early, even though Martha’s body clock was not yet on California time. Harriet had not slept all that well considering Martha’s snoring, but she wouldn’t tell her that. And Humphrey had done a pretty good job of sawing wood himself.

  “Good morning,” Martha said as she sat up in bed.

  “Morning,” Harriet said. “How did you sleep?”

  “Like a log. I can’t believe I slept so well.” She hung her legs over the side of her bed. “I thought I would have trouble the first night or two, but I was really tired.”

  “I’m so glad.” Harriet yawned.

  “How about you?”

  “Fine,” Harriet said. “Although I will admit that I might have been kept awake from time to time thinking about everything.”

  “You have a lot to think about,” Martha said.

  Harriet took a breath. “You know, you’re absolutely right. Here I was complaining to you about how bored and lonely I was, and now I’m almost overwhelmed with things to do and think about.”

  Martha slipped her bathrobe over her shoulders. “So what shall we do first? I want to see everything.”

  Harriet took another breath. This time she let it out slowly. “Well, first we should have breakfast and then I need to meet Win at the café at ten-thirty.”

  “Oh yes, the call from yesterday.”

  “Yeah. He needs more money.”

  Martha sat back down on her bed. “Harriet, are you sure about this guy? Have you checked it out?”

  Harriet cinched her bathrobe around her waist. “I didn’t think I needed to. Wait until you meet Win and Lily. You’ll see what I mean. And besides, he said he’d have pictures of the actual mine for me today.”

  “Okay, but … but … well, this is your call. I’ll try to keep an open mind.”

  Henry had risen early also. He was already sipping coffee and writing by six and had managed to complete another chapter. Feeling pretty good about the book, he thought it looked like a French toast kind of day. He leaned back in his chair. “Yep. I think it’s going to be a good day.”

  He saved his file for the third time. “I’ll be back later,” he said.

  That was when Humphrey ambled into the den and let go a woof. “What’s that, boy? You say you need to go out?”

  Humphrey wagged his tail.

  “All right, I’ll let you out. Mom must still be sleeping.”

  Henry slid open the deck door, and Humphrey scooted out and made a mad dash for his favorite bush.

  “All-righty then,” Henry said. “French toast with raspberries.”

  He was whisking eggs and milk when Prudence appeared in the kitchen, looking a little like a wrung-out dishcloth. Henry stopped whisking. “You don’t look so good.”

  Prudence sat down at the table. “I don’t feel so good.”

  He sat across from her. “Are you sure this is normal?”

  Prudence shrugged. “According to your mom and every mother at the office, it is perfectly normal.”

  Henry was not about to let his anxiety show. “Then we don’t worry. Maybe something to settle your stomach. Some tonic water with a splash of cranberry juice?”

  Prudence shook her head. “Nothing yet … but maybe a couple of crackers.”

  “Sure thing. I’m making French toast.”

  “None for me,” Prudence said. “I think I’ll shower and get ready for work.”

  Henry set three crackers on a plate near Prudence. “Work? Are you certain you’re up for it?”

  “I have to. Court today.”

  Henry went back to his egg mixture. “Look,” he said with his back turned. “Maybe you should quit.” He waited. He soaked two slices of bread in the mixture and set them in a hot, buttered pan before turning around.

  “Did you hear me, honey?”

  “I heard. And I’ve thought about it, but we’d never make it without my salary.”

  Henry felt his heart sink through the kitchen floor. �
��I’ll get a job.”

  Prudence shook her head. “No. You’ll never get your books written.”

  “I’ll do whatever it takes. I can work at night.”

  “Check your pan,” Prudence said. “No, I just have to get through this part of it. Everyone says it goes away. Usually.”

  Henry flipped the bread and dropped another slice into the eggs. “Just promise me you’ll not overdo it.”

  “I promise.”

  That was when Henry noticed Martha standing at the kitchen doorway. “Good morning,” he said.

  Martha looked at him with wide eyes. “Morning. Smells good in here.”

  “Come on,” Prudence said. “Coffee is on and Henry is making his famous French toast. I’m just going to go shower and head off to work.”

  Martha smiled at Prudence. “It really does end.”

  “Thanks. You have a good day with Harriet. I’ll be home for dinner.”

  Henry handed Prudence a glass of bubbling Coke. “Just a few sips. I’m sure it will help.”

  Prudence sipped the Coke. “Starting to feel better already.”

  “I heard what you said about Prudence quitting her job,” Martha said once Prudence had left the room.

  Henry flipped the bread. “I wish she could. I wish she would never have to work again.”

  “Oh now, that might not be best for her. But I understand. It would be nice if she could quit, at least for a while.”

  “There’s just no way. I don’t make nearly enough writing books. That’s why I’m thinking about culinary school, but that could just make it worse, what with tuition and books and whatever else I might need. Not to mention the time away from home.”

  Martha poured coffee into a mug. “Well, maybe something will happen to change all that.”

  “Like what?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, but things have a way of changing. Maybe your mom—” Martha stopped talking.

  “Maybe my mom what?” Henry said.

  “Nothing, Henry. I just mean people have been affording babies forever. You’ll figure it out.”

  After breakfast and making a grocery list, Harriet and Martha went into town in Henry’s BMW. They stopped at the bank first and Harriet withdrew the money Win requested. Martha’s eyes grew when she saw that much cash. “I hope you know what you’re doing. Maybe it would be better to just give the cash directly to the kids.”