Davenport House 7: Hard Times

by Marie Silk

  “Good morning,” she greeted him with a giggle. “I hardly recognized you just now.”

  Phillip gave a shy smile. “I’m going to Pittsburgh today to retrieve Gabriella and Donnie. I just wanted to thank you for sending Jimmy to help with the repairs. We got the chimney finished and the kitchen is done.”

  “Oh, I am happy for you,” Clara said. “You must be anxious to see the children again.”

  “I sure have missed them,” he said with a chuckle. “I never thought I would say this, but it’s been too quiet at the house. It will be good to have them back.”

  They both stood awkwardly for a moment. Clara cleared her throat. “Um—can I see the new kitchen?”

  “Oh—you want to see the kitchen? Yes, of course,” he stammered.

  They walked over to the farmhouse in silence. Clara smiled when they walked in the door and she saw that everything was in its rightful place with little sign of damage. “You have done well,” she said. “Thank you for letting me see your finished work.”

  “Sure,” he said. All went quiet again.

  “I suppose I should be going now, so you may get on with your journey,” Clara said. She was reluctant to leave but did not have a good reason to stay.

  “I hope to hear your story sometime, Clara,” he said apologetically. “I’m afraid I have to get going if I’m to make the train in time.”

  “Yes, of course. I wish you safe travels there and back with the children,” Clara turned to exit the front door.

  “Wait,” Phillip said, doing his best to think fast. “Would you—do you maybe want to come with me? Serena will be happy to see you again—and you can tell me what’s been happening in the house on the way over.”

  “I would love to go!” she answered with joy. “I was hoping for an excuse to get away from the house. Mary hardly said a word to me this morning. Let me just go and tell my housekeeper that I’ll be away for the rest of day—we can take my car to Pittsburgh! Would that be all right?”

  “Sure beats taking the train,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll wait at the car for you.”

  On their way to Pittsburgh, Clara relayed the events of the past week. “I hope I was right to communicate with Mrs. Davenport. I only wish that Mary would understand. It made me realize just how much I care about the estate. I want to carry on with my father’s legacy, and I suppose I feel guilty for ever thinking of leaving it.” She looked at Phillip who was listening quietly all the while. “Oh dear, I have just realized that all I have done is talk this whole car ride,” she said.

  Phillip chuckled. “I don’t mind. It’s helping to keep my mind off seeing my father again. If I took the train like I planned, I’m sure it would be all I was thinking about.”

  “But Phillip, you really are lucky that both your parents are still living,” Clara remarked. “Mother and I had our differences, but in the end, I realized that none of that really mattered as long as we cared for each other. I never knew who my father was until it was too late. How I wish I had the chance to get to know him.”

  “You haven’t met my father,” Phillip grumbled. “There isn’t a more stubborn person on earth. I’m astounded that he allowed Serena back into the house in the first place…my mother must have talked him into it somehow.”

  “Perhaps she did…is your mother very persuasive?”

  Phillip chuckled again. “She can be. Clara, I hope you don’t mind, but I planned to look at some homes to rent while in Pittsburgh. It shouldn’t delay us too long, but I did want to view the places before we picked up the children. Would it be all right with you?”

  “Of course,” Clara said with a hint of sadness. “I forgot that you were considering moving away.”

  They drove to a neighborhood that made Clara’s skin crawl. Phillip parked in front of the house that had a handwritten sign in the window, ROOM FOR RENT. A fight broke out between several men not far away. Clara could hear glass bottles breaking and voices shouting at each other. Phillip looked at Clara while they were still in the parked car. “What do you think? Should we go inside?”

  Clara was unsure how to respond. “Can I be honest? When we first drove onto this street, I had a feeling of dread.”

  Phillip forced a smile and put the car back into drive. “I had the same feeling. I’m glad you said something.”

  “Then you are not offended?”

  “Not at all, Clara. It’s important to me that my children are safe when they go outside or walk to school.”

  The next house they pulled up to was very close to the train station. The walls of the house rattled each time a train passed. “It’s better than the last one,” Clara said. “Could you tolerate the noise of the trains every day?”

  “Might have to,” Phillip said, trying to be realistic. The horn of a train passing by sounded off just then, causing both Clara and Phillip to jump. “Let’s keep looking,” Phillip said with a sigh.

  The third room they looked at was furthest from the school. “This one is not so noisy…and I like how it’s not too close to the busy part of town,” Phillip remarked.

  Clara nodded. “Will it do for your future home?”

  Phillip shrugged. “I think so. It’s similar to the way we lived before we moved into the farmhouse.”

  “I see. Out of the others we saw today, I suppose this one would be the least objectionable.”

  Phillip nodded thoughtfully as he continued to look around the house. “We should get going to pick up the children now. Thank you for looking at the houses with me, Clara. I think it helps to have a woman’s input on these things.”

  “I am glad you suggested that I come with you today. I can’t tell you how lovely it feels to get away from the house for a while.”

  Phillip left his address with the landlord before he and Clara drove to their final stop: his parents’ house on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. Serena ran out to greet them as soon as Phillip parked the car in front. “Clara?” she asked in pleasant surprise. “How wonderful of you to come for a visit. I hope you’ll stay for supper.”

  Phillip gave Serena a look. “We just came to pick up the children and go,” he said.

  “You know our mother would never allow you to leave without eating first,” Serena said with a laugh. “Come, Clara. I want to show you my room here.” She linked arms with Clara and led her into the house with Phillip following behind.

  Gabriella squealed with excitement when she saw them approach. “Miss Clara! You came to my grandma’s house!”

  “Hello, dear,” Clara said, suddenly blushing from the attention.

  Mrs. Valenti was in the kitchen when she heard the commotion. She walked out to see Gabriella hugging Clara around the legs and Phillip standing by awkwardly. “Well? Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Mrs. Valenti said to her son.

  “Clara, this is my mother. Mother…meet Clara.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Valenti,” Clara said shyly.

  “And I am pleased to meet you too. Come have a seat in the kitchen so I can talk to you while I cook.”

  “Ma,” groaned Phillip. “We have just come to take the children back home. I don’t think Clara has time to stay and talk.”

  Mrs. Valenti looked disappointed. “You won’t be staying for supper?”

  Clara looked between Phillip and his mother. “Oh, I think I can stay a little while.”

  Mrs. Valenti perked back up. “Wonderful! Now come with me so I can show you how to get the sauce just right.” She disappeared with Clara into the kitchen.

  Phillip heard Serena giggling behind him. He spun around. “Do you mind telling me what’s so funny?”

  “Ma is showing Clara her secret recipe as we speak, and you don’t see anything funny about that,” Serena answered mischievously. “Our mother already made plans for you two the instant you brought Clara into the house. You should stop our mother before she says anything about more grandchildren at the supper table.”

  Phillip smacked his forehead with his han
d. “I was thinking we could just get the children and leave. I should’ve known better than to bring Clara with me.”

  “She must have been terribly bored today. You are not all that exciting of a person for conversation,” she said with a laugh.

  “Come on, help me, Serena,” he muttered. “Can you explain to Ma that Clara is only our neighbor? I don’t want Ma getting any ideas.”

  The voice of Mr. Valenti suddenly boomed into the hallway. “Son? What are you doing standing in the hallway? Come out here where I can look at you.”

  Phillip gave Serena a pathetic look. “Into the lion’s den I go,” he said dramatically.

  Mr. Valenti watched from the sofa as Phillip entered the sitting room. “I hear that you’re an American citizen now. Is that true?”

  “It’s true,” Phillip mumbled. He walked close enough to his father to hold out several coins to him.

  “What’s this for?” asked Mr. Valenti.

  “It’s the train fare you sent for me. I didn’t use it.”

  “You can keep it anyway, son. Serena tells me you don’t have enough money to keep your own house.”

  Phillip felt his neck stiffen. “Serena talks too much.”

  Mr. Valenti shrugged. “She sure cares about you though. She explained to us about how you took her in and supported her after…the unfortunate incident.”

  “It was you who forced her out and left her penniless in the streets,” he said bitterly.

  “Your mother tells me it was a mistake, and I suppose I agree with her now,” Mr. Valenti said, shaking his head. “Sometimes you think do everything to raise your children right, and then something like this happens. You’ll see what I mean when Gabriella is grown.”

  Phillip was insulted by his father’s implication. He crossed his arms stubbornly. “I wouldn’t let her out of my sight long enough for her to do anything foolish.”

  Mr. Valenti held his stomach and laughed heartily. “You can’t control every action of a daughter, no matter how much you might wish to.”

  Phillip did not respond, but turned around to head toward the children’s bedrooms.

  “Where are you going?” asked his father.

  “I’m going to get the children. I don’t want to impose on you and Ma any longer.”

  “Wait just a minute, son.” Mr. Valenti rose from the sofa and took an envelope from the fireplace mantle. “Take this with you.”

  Phillip was baffled by the envelope full of cash. “What is this?” he asked.

  “It’s to pay the taxes on your house…and a little extra,” he answered.

  “I can’t take this,” Phillip said, handing it back. “I never earned it.”

  Mr. Valenti did not take the envelope from Phillip but instead turned to sit back on the sofa. “You’ll take it, all right, because you love your children so much you’ll do anything for them…even if it means taking money from the man you hate. Serena has already forgiven me. I hope you will too someday.”

  Phillip swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’ll pay you back,” he started to say.

  “Son, you went to war and fought to become an American and still took care of your family all the while. I heard you nearly lost a limb, too. You’ve earned it.”

  Donnie walked into the sitting room just then. “Papa, are we going home now?”

  Phillip turned to pick up Donnie and hold him in his arms. “We are going now. We just have to get your sister.”

  “Gabriella says she’s not coming home with us,” Donnie said sadly.

  Phillip chuckled. “Why would she say that? Don’t worry, I’ll go talk to her. Stay here with your grandpa for a minute.”

  “Come here, Donnie,” Mr. Valenti said playfully.

  Phillip stuffed the envelope into his suit pocket. Before he left the sitting room, he turned to look his father in the eye. “I don’t hate you,” he said.

  Mr. Valenti nodded. “All right, son.”

  Phillip nodded back and felt a weight lift from him as he went down the hallway to find Gabriella. She was crying softly in one of the bedrooms.

  “Gabriella, what happened?” Phillip asked. He seated himself next to her on the bed.

  “I want to go home with you,” she whimpered.

  “We will leave just as soon as you cheer up. Why did you tell Donnie you didn’t want to come back home with us?”

  “I thought you didn’t want me to come back.”

  “Gabriella Maria, you are only being silly. Do you think I would drive all this way to come get you, only to leave you behind?”

  “But you were so angry when I burned down the house,” she said, wiping tears off her face. “It’s why you sent me away.”

  Phillip felt his heart aching for the little girl. “Is that what you were thinking all this while? You didn’t burn down the house. The firebox was closed just as it should have been.”

  “Then what happened?” she asked with wide eyes.

  He looked at the ceiling and groaned. “It was my fault. I should have kept the chimney clean, but I did not. That’s what caused the fire.”

  “You burned down the house?” she asked in disbelief..

  “Yes, it was me,” he laughed. “And even if you did leave the firebox open, I would still want you to come home with me.”

  Gabriella threw her arms around him. “I will never make you angry again, Papa.”

  “We all make mistakes,” he said, choking on his words. “But I always want you to come home to me no matter what—understand?”

  She nodded solemnly. “I understand, Papa.”

  Phillip held her hand and led her to the kitchen where he planned to retrieve Clara. He opened the kitchen door just in time to see Clara wearing an apron and stirring a pot with a wooden spoon under Mrs. Valenti’s guidance. The savory aroma of Italian sauce made Phillip’s knees go weak.

  Mrs. Valenti gazed at Clara endearingly. “You have such a lovely complexion, Clara. Your children will be very fair.”

  “We have to go!” Phillip said so loudly and abruptly that it startled the ladies. He gave his mother a hasty kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for taking the children in this week, Ma. I must get them home now.”

  Mrs. Valenti looked sadly into his eyes. “But our supper is nearly ready, and I can’t have my grandchildren starving all the way to York County.”

  “No one is starving, Ma,” he said, only to be betrayed by a loud growl from his stomach. It took all of his willpower to say no to his mother’s cooking, but he would make the sacrifice it if it meant avoiding an awkward supper. Phillip took a deep breath. “I must get Clara back to her house. Sorry, Ma.”

  Clara removed her apron and hung it on the hook near the table. “Thank you, Mrs. Valenti. I will see if I can make this sauce half as well after I get home.”

  She followed Phillip into the narrow hallway outside the kitchen. “Phillip,” she whispered. “I really don’t mind staying a little longer.”

  He looked at her incredulously. “You don’t?”

  Clara shook her head. “It’s all right, truly. If it’s too uncomfortable for you, then we can leave now. I just wanted you to know it’s not uncomfortable for me.” She stifled a giggle when Phillip’s stomach growled loudly again.

  “I suppose we can stay—so the children at least get one last good meal,” he acquiesced. “Once I’m cooking for them again, there are no guarantees.”

  “I was hoping you’d be staying, son,” his father said from behind him. “Are you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady?”

  Phillip sighed. “Clara, this is my father. Father…Clara.”

  “You must be the Clara I’ve heard so much about from my Serena,” said Mr. Valenti.

  Clara laughed nervously. “I’m afraid so, Mr. Valenti. I’m pleased to meet you.”

  He led her back into the kitchen where the whole family proceeded to seat themselves at the small wooden table. Phillip finished his meal before everyone else. He hoped they could leave before anything emb
arrassing could be said, but it was evident that he was the only one in a hurry to go. The whole family seemed to be enjoying Clara’s company, and she theirs. After supper, the family went outside to say goodbye to Phillip, Clara, and the children.

  Mrs. Valenti took her son aside. “I have something for you to give Clara,” she said discreetly. She handed him a gold ring from her apron pocket.

  Phillip looked around quickly to make sure no one had heard or seen. “Ma, it’s not like that,” he insisted. “Didn’t Serena explain to you that Clara is only our neighbor?”

  “Serena never said any such thing,” his mother said, looking confused. Phillip glared at Serena, who responded with a smirk. “Why would you bring your neighbor here to meet the family if it wasn’t more than that?”

  “It—it’s a long story,” he stammered.

  “Ever since Serena arrived, she told us such wonderful things about this Clara. Why don’t you take her for a wife already?”

  “She doesn’t even think about me like that,” he replied.

  “Of course she does,” his mother said with confidence. “My son is strong and handsome and a hero of this fine country.”

  Phillip thought hard about what he could say to dissuade his mother from pursuing the subject. Finally he knew the answer. “Clara is not Catholic.”

  Mrs. Valenti went speechless for a moment. “I see. She might convert, you know.”

  “Ma, I’m sorry it wasn’t what you thought with Clara and me, but we really have to leave now.”

  “Very well,” Mrs. Valenti said sorrowfully. “Give your mother a kiss first.” He gave her a peck on the cheek while she hugged him tightly.

  “Goodbye, Ma.”

  The car ride back to Pittsburgh was quiet. Clara glanced into the backseat at Gabriella and Donnie. “The children are asleep,” she told Phillip quietly.

  “It’s been a long day,” he sighed. “I’m really sorry for keeping you out so long.”