At Seddon Station (The Girls Book 5)

by Sheila Horgan

  “I once had a friend named Berta. Also a gossip. I couldn’t for the life of me remember the name of the neighbor’s granddaughter.”

  “Belinda.”

  “And you commented on my memory?”

  “I once had a friend named Belinda.”

  The girls burst out laughing.

  Adeline adjusted her seatbelt. “An aging mind is a very interesting conundrum, is it not?”

  “It goes along with the rest of it. I like some of the byproducts. I resent some of them. Some aspects of getting older, I allow myself to thoroughly enjoy.”

  “Enjoy?”

  Anna continued as she checked the rear view mirror. Why do people follow so closely these days? “There are things you can do as a mature woman you simply could not do at any other time in life. The nosy old lady is charming. The testy old lady is to be expected. If I walk out of the house dressed to the nines, it isn’t an expectation; it’s something to be celebrated. People are bizarre in this country about aging.”

  “True. I must confess, I would never want to be young again.”

  “Nor would I, but there are a few things of my youth I’d like back.”

  “Yes, like my energy.”

  Anna pulled a face. “My waistline.”

  “If I could talk to the younger me, I would assure her life gets better. Not to fight aging. To wallow in it. Once you get past the more shallow things that weigh you down in your youth, life really does get better.”

  Anna agreed. “Exponentially.”

  “But still, my memory is not what it was. Let me call Roland before I forget. Belinda.”

  SIX

  CAROLYN WOKE WITH a start. Had she heard something or was it just another bad dream? She’d been having the most horrendous dreams since all this started. She couldn’t decide if it was the medication for her back or the memories bubbling to the surface.

  Don’t be ridiculous. Those days are long ago gone. At your age, you are entitled to your past and your mistakes.

  The knock on the door had her moving. Experiencing little if any pain was a welcome surprise.

  “We called, but there was no answer. I decided I’d come by and make sure everything was all right. Did I wake you?” Anna tried to sound less concerned than she was.

  “I did lie down for a bit of a nap. Left my phone out here. What time is it?”

  “It’s just now seven thirty. I thought as long as I was coming by, I’d bring you a little something to eat.”

  “You didn’t need to do that, Anna.” She appreciated all the girls had done for her, but this was beginning to get ridiculous. And a little tiresome.

  “I know you’re probably getting a little tired of all this. I know I would.” Anna smiled. “I promise, I’ll step back a bit tomorrow.”

  Carolyn laughed. “We both know tomorrow never comes.”

  Anna stuck to the script she and Adeline had figured out when they decided one of them had to pay Carolyn a visit and plant the seeds of why Roland’s people would be close by. It would do no one any good if Roland’s people were in the building without Carolyn’s knowledge. If she needed help and didn’t call, what good were they?

  “I’m surprised you didn’t hear your neighbors earlier. When Adeline and I left. They had quite a nasty altercation going. When we walked past their door, we could hear the young one at them again.”

  “Oh, no. I’m not sure what I can do about it. Remember when it all happened last time? I did try calling the authorities. They may have paid a visit to the door, but I don’t think anything ever came of it.”

  “Adeline was not pleased. Didn’t you say the older couple had been hospitalized at some point?”

  “I had to accompany them to the hospital. Was there all night. I’ll try to think of something.”

  “The whole thing reminded Adeline of when she was stuck in her great big house. Her health and her will were fading. I get the feeling she’s going to take it upon herself to take action. I’m just not sure what action is.”

  “I’m really not sure what can be done about it. Short of finding a way to get the granddaughter out of the house, nothing will change. I’m not sure we can convince anyone that’s the course of action to be taken.”

  “I’ll talk to Adeline tonight. I’m going over there when I leave here. Maybe we can find something on the computer.”

  “Anything helpful would be appreciated. Eventually. Although, I worry if the other neighbors get wind of it, they may be less than gracious. I wouldn’t want my next-door neighbors to lose their home over problems with their granddaughter. They love her. They’re very protective of her. They’re simply not willing to create and enforce limits for her. She’s unable or unwilling to create limits for herself. In my day, it would have never crossed my mind to raise my voice to my grandparents. Not ever. I worry for the future of this country. There are so many lost souls.”

  “Me too.” Anna allowed her concern to show. “Is there anything I can get you before I leave? I’ll just warm up this food, if you have an appetite at all. I don’t want you leaning down to put it in the oven.”

  “I can just zap it in the micro. You don’t need to wait on me, Anna.”

  Anna’s intent was to change the subject before Carolyn asked too many questions about her neighbors and what Adeline had planned. It was a manipulation—and Anna felt bad about it—but Carolyn’s well-being was in jeopardy.

  Even if her lurker didn’t take any further action, just the stress of worry would set back Carolyn’s recovery.

  Anna and Adeline had decided not to refer to the stalker as a stalker unless and until further action was taken by the sick and twisted individual. They did, however, begin to document everything—Anna’s job—and contact people that could be of service if a larger problem were to build. That was Adeline’s mission.

  Carolyn sat gently and allowed Anna to flutter around the kitchen for a few minutes.

  Anna warmed the dinner in the microwave and set it on the table. She got Carolyn a drink and sat with her.

  “I do not require a sitter, Anna.”

  Anna smiled. “I just thought I would keep you company while you eat.”

  “I’m not sure what it is you and Adeline are up to. I appreciate the concern, I truly do, but I’m fine. My pain level is very manageable, and I’m convinced that I’m in no danger from whoever it was that left the note under my door.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “Don’t be condescending. I’m not that drugged.” Carolyn laughed. “I’ve given it some thought. The person behind the note under my door has had several decades to do me harm if that were his wish. Obviously, it’s not. Someone from my past was having a bad moment. I doubt it will go any further. Even if something more were to happen, the person involved wishes me no harm. I’ve led a relatively boring life, Anna. I have no enemies.”

  “I believe you.”

  “Then there’s no reason for you or Adeline to be concerned.”

  “I believe you believe what you’ve told me. That’s not to say I believe you’re correct.” Anna shrugged.

  “I want you to promise me that you’re not going to do anything about this whole situation. Allow it to go back into hibernation.”

  “I give you my promise I will do nothing that will compound the problem, but I cannot promise you I will not worry or provide any type of support I can think of. Carolyn, you’re one of my dearest friends. If anything were to happen to you because I didn’t intercede, I would never forgive myself.”

  “I can understand that, really, but please believe me. This is a nonissue. Can we act accordingly?”

  “I promise you I’ll do nothing overt to try to solve this one.”

  Carolyn let out a puff of air. “I guess that’s as much of a promise as I’m going to get.”

  “It’s more than you deserve.” Anna winked at her. “If the situation were reversed, and you were to find such a disquieting note under my door, would you walk away without any
effort to comfort me?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Then I suggest you eat your dinner, crawl back in bed, get some rest, and we’ll talk about all this tomorrow.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Carolyn smiled. Sometimes having people care about you is burdensome.

  More burdensome for the ones doing the caring, of course.

  Carolyn felt as if her entire day had been spent sleeping. She was annoyed with herself for taking so many of the pills the doctor had prescribed. More than twice had she taken them off schedule. First, when the kids had come to visit. Then when the note had been found under her door. Those two occasions might be considered justifiable. What about all the other times?

  It bothered her that she had been so quick to fall into old habits. Taking a pill to escape. First the pain, then the thoughts.

  She would not allow herself to do that again. Not ever.

  Back when she had grown dependent on medication before, she didn’t know any better. Back then, the doctor would prescribe one pill to calm you down, another to wake you. One to help you lose weight and another to help you with the problems created by the pills you had been taking. Back then, any woman above the poverty line had access to better living through medication.

  Heavens, the ads in the paper for Miltown alone would be scandalous now. It was a tranquilizer to help you through everything from your pregnancy to menopause. It promptly relieved stress. A major selling point. Insomnia, emotional upset, anxiety, all were taken away with a little pill. Doctors were convinced. It would make life for you and your whole family a much better experience.

  No one talked about the fact that it was habit-forming. No one mentioned taking care of small children while drugged had sometimes disastrous outcomes and that driving was unsafe.

  The withdrawal had been horrendous. Confusion, convulsions, hallucinations, and vertigo had been downright dangerous.

  Carolyn had promised herself she would never again be in such a position and intended to keep that promise. She walked into the bedroom and grabbed the pills.

  Unwilling to actually flush them down the toilet, she instead placed them up high over the fridge.

  She reasoned that if her back was bad, she would be unlikely to be able to reach them.

  If her back was bad enough, she’d find a way.

  Her ice blanket arrived at just before eight that evening. It was much larger than she thought it would be. She cut it into three more reasonable pieces. She was able to rearrange everything in the freezer so that two of the pieces fit, leaving the third on the table to be placed in the freezer when one was removed for use.

  It annoyed her that such simple tasks had tired her.

  She’d spent too much of the last few weeks in bed. It was taking a toll. She now understood why her neighbors were so fragile. It didn’t take much to go from youthful to aged. One fall, one back issue. You might not come back from it.

  She wasn’t about to let that happen.

  Carolyn went in and took a warm shower while she waited for her ice blanket to freeze.

  According to the nurse she had spoken to in the hospital, the idea was basically to freeze her back. Lying on the ice blanket for at least forty-five minutes and then no ice for the same period of time. Then back on the ice. She was to follow that procedure for forty-eight hours, and she would feel better.

  The nurse warned the process would be painful. At first. But well worth the pain.

  Still waiting for the ice blanket to freeze completely, Carolyn sat on the couch and watched TV. Adeline and Anna called to check on her. She assured them she was fine.

  She was tempted to take a pill. Sitting on the couch was making her stiff, and a pill would not only help her back, but it would slow her brain down as well.

  Who in the world had left that note? Why had they left it?

  She allowed herself to go back to that time, back when the kids were young, she was a bit lost, and Emerson was pursuing her every time Coop left town on a business trip.

  “Emerson, I asked you not to call here.”

  “Your husband left yesterday. My ma told me. I knew he was gone. I need to see you.”

  “You need no such thing. And why are you talking about me to your mother? I’m quite certain she would get the wrong impression.”

  “I didn’t bring it up; she did. She said they were talking again at church. She works there in the basement. They collect used clothing and such for the poor. That’s just about everybody in this town. They sort and gossip all the day through. One of the ladies said your husband was off again. He works too hard. What a shame it is he never stays long enough to know his children, but they always add he’s a good man for providing so well.”

  “I am not at all comfortable with those women talking so freely about me and mine. Where do they even get their information?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Carolyn. Your mother is right there in the thick of it.”

  “As she would be. In any event, it’s not right for you to be calling me like this. If you need to talk to someone, go home and talk to your wife.”

  “My wife is busy with the children.”

  “Well, as you know, I have children of my own.”

  “Yes, but you’ve kept yourself so well. You seem to be more organized. More disciplined.”

  “I have only been blessed with the two. Your wife is constantly adding to your brood.” She tried to keep the jealousy out of her tone but wasn’t sure she had accomplished her goal.

  “It’s just talk, Carolyn. What’s the harm?”

  “The harm is in the gossip any meeting might invoke. You know how talk goes. First, it’s truthful and accurate. We shared a cup of coffee. Next thing you know, without any alterations in our behavior, the gossip is that we are having a fling. That would hurt my Coop. It would hurt him badly.”

  “Your Coop is never home. He doesn’t go to the church basement to idle away his time with the women of the group. He would never hear such a thing even if the worst were to happen and the women did begin to gossip. We meet in public. There’s nothing wrong with that. Not a single thing.”

  She had argued the point and tried so hard to enforce her self-imposed restrictions, but by the time the conversation was at an end, she had agreed to meet with Emerson yet again.

  She declined to ask her mother to sit with the children, insisting her mother would find it odd she needed a sitter at all. She refused to use the girl down the way, as her mother was one of the women in the church basement. She had insisted, if Emerson wanted to meet with her, he could find her at the park. She would have the children playing there at three.

  When Emerson hadn’t arrived by three thirty, Carolyn gathered the children’s things into the stroller basket and snuggled her daughter into the seat. Albert had figured a way to ride as well. He would lower the seat back and stand with his feet on either side of his sister’s rear, with his torso between the handle of the stroller to steady himself. He could hold the slim metal tube as it rose to meet behind his back or, if the sidewalk was smooth, he would sometimes lean back against the handle, bracing himself between Carolyn’s hands. To Carolyn’s mind, it was much more effort to ride this way than actually walking, but she didn’t have the energy most days to argue with him.

  When she arrived at her door, Emerson was waiting. His car parked right there in front of her house. Her heart nearly stopped. What would the neighbors think?

  Rosemary would have a field day. It would be from one end of the street to the other. Rosemary was more than a gossip. She went out of her way to create the worst possible scenario no matter what the truth.

  There was no way Emerson would be allowed into her home. Enough damage had been done.

  “Emerson, what are you doing here?” She said it loud enough for Rosemary to hear. She had no doubt the woman was sitting on her bed, the window nearest the Cooper driveway open just enough for the sound to find its way to her.

  “Mama asked me to drop this off. It
’s from the church. They got themselves excited about a carnival they’re going to organize, and they’re hoping to make quite a little profit. Something about kids in third-world countries.”

  “I appreciate you stopping by to drop it off, but really, you could have just left it at the door.”

  “I saw you walking the kids home from the park. Thought I’d just see to it that it was delivered into your hands.”

  “Well, I appreciate that. Did your mama say what it was the ladies would like me to do?”

  “Your mother said you could organize the midway games. Said you were real good at games.”

  The look on his face screamed it wasn’t the midway they were discussing, and it had nothing to do with her mother, but his voice never gave anything away.

  Later, it would bother Carolyn he lied so well and so easily, but she didn’t catch it that day.

  “I’ll call Mother and see what it is she has volunteered me for. Thanks again, Emerson. Have a good day.”

  “You need any help getting these two inside?”

  “Thank you, but I’ve got it down to a science. We go to the park most every day. We have our little routine. Albert is a big help, and Ellen is almost asleep. You give my best to your wife.”

  The look on Emerson’s face hurt Carolyn down to the bone, but there was nothing to be done about it. Their life choices had made anything but painful meetings—like this one—impossible.

  Emerson was wily in finding ways to happen upon Carolyn. It had become second nature to look around to see if he might be about. On those days, she thought he might try to make contact. When he did not, she found herself distraught.

  Perhaps that was the reason she took a pill or two more than the doctor had recommended, but as everyone knew, the pills were harmless.

  It was just before Christmas—while Coop was in Cincinnati—when Emerson found a way to make sure he and Carolyn were alone and away from the watchful eyes of the town.

  The midway games Carolyn had organized for the carnival in the spring had been such a success, the church had decided to do an indoor winter event.