A Daughter's Return

by Janet Lee Barton

  Her mother chuckled. “Maybe I’ll go up and see what she’s up to while you practice.”

  “I’m sure she’d love your company, Mama.”

  Rebecca thanked Maida for her cup of tea and headed for the small parlor. She settled in front of the typewriter and enjoyed her tea, then set it aside and started on her practice lessons.

  Ben would be giving her a real test that evening after dinner and she hoped to be able to beat her previous time with no mistakes. She checked the small clock she used to time herself, fastened her attention on her lesson and began typing as fast as she could read. Once she was finished, she glanced at the clock again. She was very close to beating her previous record but wasn’t there yet, and she had several mistakes she circled.

  Rebecca took a sip of now-lukewarm tea and began again. By the time she heard the front door open and the boarders coming in, she’d typed the same lesson four times, getting closer to beating herself each time. She was almost there. Maybe tonight she’d get it.

  * * *

  Ben put the next day’s problems up on the blackboard, but his mind wasn’t really on the task. He’d pushed thoughts of Rebecca from his mind all day. But now that his classes were over, she’d sneaked back in and he had no desire to push those reflections away.

  When he’d seen her and Jenny first thing that morning, he’d realized how quickly he’d come to enjoy them being part of his day. Watching Jenny get used to living at Heaton House was heartwarming. Seeing her mother’s reaction to her happiness had him wondering—again—what life had been like for them in the tenements and why they’d been living there in the first place. Perhaps one day she’d open up to him, but he had a feeling he’d have to earn her trust, be the kind of friend she needed, for that to ever happen.

  He slipped on his jacket and headed out the door of his classroom, locking it behind him. Friendship like that took time to build, but it would be time well spent. Instead of taking the trolley to Heaton House, he hired a hack and had the driver take him the long way home through Central Park. He was happy to see skaters out on the ice in the lake. If there was no huge weather warm-up, perhaps he could convince Rebecca and some of the other boarders to go skating on Saturday. If so, he’d give Jenny her first lesson.

  Heaton House was quiet when he arrived, except for the sound of typewriter keys coming from the back parlor. He hurried down the hall to peek inside. Rebecca was practicing, concentrating so hard she never heard his footsteps or saw him at the door.

  He smiled and backed away. No sense disturbing her. It was near dinnertime and she’d be stopping soon. Besides, they’d be going over her work that evening anyway and he looked forward to spending some time with her.

  Ben turned and took the stairs down to the ground floor to freshen up. He hoped Rebecca’s shopping trip with her mother had gone well and wondered if she’d gone to visit Kathleen. He couldn’t wait to find out what kind of day she’d had.

  * * *

  Rebecca glanced at the clock and jumped up. It was time to go check on Jenny and get ready for dinner. She neatened her work area and hurried upstairs to find her mother and daughter on their way down.

  “Mama, Granma played dollies with me. We had such fun!” Jenny’s eyes were shining and so were her mother’s, for that matter. “She helped me get ready for dinner so I could come help Maida set the table.”

  “I hope that was all right, dear?” Rebecca’s mother asked.

  “Of course it is. I’ll go freshen up and be right back down.”

  “No need to rush. Take your time.”

  Rebecca watched the two head off to the kitchen before going upstairs. She still felt a little strange not having Jenny along with her at all times. Should she feel guilty or rejoice that she knew Jenny was well taken care of and she could relax and enjoy some time to herself? She chose the latter and did as her mother suggested. She took her time getting ready for dinner.

  She even changed into a different shirtwaist, one a little more appropriate for dinner than the one she’d worn shopping and over to tea with Kathleen. Then she repinned her hair and turned this way and that before a full-length mirror, suddenly realizing that she cared more about how she looked than she had in a long while.

  Not that she didn’t want to look neat and clean, but now she found she wanted to look pretty. Rebecca didn’t want to think about why too deeply, so she turned on her heel and hurried out the door.

  Going downstairs, she could hear the boarders had begun gathering in the parlor awaiting her mother’s announcement that dinner was ready. Sometimes she wasn’t sure if she should join them or not. Not that they hadn’t made her feel welcome when she did, but she still didn’t feel she quite belonged. She was a mother and had responsibilities they didn’t. At least that’s what she told herself.

  Part of it was because they didn’t know her past and that wasn’t something she wanted to go into, although she felt that she wasn’t being totally truthful with them. But...did they need to know every last detail about her life? She didn’t know theirs.

  Unsure what to do, Rebecca decided to check on Jenny. Maybe she’d join them tonight after she put her daughter to bed. Instead of going through the dining room to get to the kitchen, she turned down the hall to go in the back way and didn’t see Ben as he came up from downstairs. She ran slapdab into his chest.

  He reached out to steady her. “Whoa, there. Where are you going in such a hurry?”

  They’d never stood quite this close, except when he’d handed Jenny to her that day she’d slid down the banister, and Rebecca felt a little breathless at his nearness. “I was...on my way to check on Jenny. I think she’s in the kitchen.”

  “Did I knock the air out of you?” His hands still held her upper arms.

  “No, I’m all right. I’m sorry I didn’t see you. I was woolgathering, I guess.”

  She took a step back and he let go of her arms. “No need to be sorry. I’ll let you go look for Jenny.”

  Before Rebecca made a move, her mother was announcing that dinner was ready.

  Jenny came running down the hall. “I was just coming to tell you to come downstairs, Mama.”

  “And I was just coming to find you.” She took hold of Jenny’s hand, but her daughter turned to Ben. “Hi, Mr. Ben.”

  He smiled down at her child and crooked his arm. “Hello, Jenny. Would you like an escort to dinner?”

  Jenny nodded and slipped her small hand through his arm. His kindness to her daughter turned Rebecca’s heart to mush.

  Ben crooked his other arm and smiled down at Jenny. “I can escort your mama, too.”

  That same mushy heart gave a weak flutter as Rebecca put her hand through his arm. “Thank you, Ben.”

  They were the last ones at the table and Rebecca was relieved when no one seemed to notice as Ben seated Rebecca and then Jenny before taking his seat. She felt flustered and she wasn’t sure why. The men at Heaton House had always escorted women to the table, or pulled chairs out for them—it was common courtesy, after all.

  So why did she feel all fluttery on the inside?

  Chapter Six

  Once everyone found out Rebecca and Jenny had visited Kathleen, the conversation at dinner turned to the upcoming housewarming.

  “What is her house like, Rebecca?” Julia took a serving of roast chicken from the platter being passed around.

  “It’s lovely, but I won’t spoil her fun in describing it to you all. She’s so excited about having everyone over.”

  “Are we supposed to give a gift for a housewarming?” Ben took a portion of creamed potatoes and passed the dish on. “I don’t have the slightest idea what to get.”

  “Nor do I,” Mathew said. “I’d be glad for any ideas you can give us.”

  “Why don’t we all go together and buy something really nic
e for them?” Rebecca’s mother suggested.

  “That’s a great idea, Mrs. Heaton,” Millicent said. “But what should we get?”

  “You know, she has a beautiful bay window that could use something...a plant or bowl maybe?” Rebecca asked. “She could put it in the window or set it the middle of her dining table.”

  “That’s an excellent suggestion,” her mother said. “What about a brass bowl large enough to hold a plant or pretty enough by itself?”

  “Do you know where we’d find one?” Julia asked.

  “I’m sure Macy’s or Lord and Taylor will have something nice. Rebecca and I can go look tomorrow.”

  “May I go, too?” Jenny asked. “I love going to Macy’s.”

  “Of course you may,” Rebecca said. They’d rarely gone shopping for anything other than food when they lived in the tenements, but occasionally she’d managed to take Jenny to Macy’s to look around.

  “Let me know how much I need to put in,” Ben said. “I’m relieved I don’t have to go shopping for a gift. I had no idea what to begin looking for.”

  “We will. The cost shouldn’t be too bad with all of us going in together.”

  Rebecca knew her mother could afford something herself, but she loved how she was trying to help the others with their gift giving.

  “We’ll do the same for Elizabeth and John’s housewarming, too, if you’d like,” her mother suggested.

  “Yes, and we could choose it tomorrow, too,” Rebecca added.

  “Maybe we should get them the same thing?” Millicent asked. “That way, they’ll know we love them all just the same.”

  “Good idea,” Julia agreed.

  “I’m glad we got that settled,” Rebecca’s mother said. “We’ll go shopping for two of the same item tomorrow, and make it clear that if they don’t like the bowls, they can exchange them for anything else in the store.”

  With the subject of the housewarming party exhausted and dessert served, Ben took the opportunity to introduce a new topic. “I checked out Central Park today. Lot’s of people were ice-skating. Want to try to go on Saturday?”

  “That sounds fun,” Mathew said. “What do you all think?”

  “I think we should, if the weather lets us and the ice stays frozen firm,” Millicent said.

  Rebecca heard Jenny catch her breath and saw the hope in her eyes. “Oh, can we, Mama? Will you teach me how?”

  There was no way she could refuse. “Well, I might be too rusty to teach you, but Mr. Ben has offered to, so yes, if the weather cooperates, we’ll go.”

  “Oh, thank you, Mama and Mr. Ben.”

  “At the housewarming on Friday, we could ask the others if they’d like to join us,” her mother suggested.

  “Let’s do.” Julia smiled. “It’d be great if we all can make it. It’s been a while since we’ve all gone on an outing together.”

  By the time dinner was over, everyone seemed quite excited about the upcoming weekend as they left the dining room.

  Rebecca’s mother offered to watch Jenny while she and Ben met in the small parlor so that she could take her first typing test.

  “Thank you, Mama. Jenny is bound to be excited about going skating for the first time and I’m sure it’ll take a while for her to get sleepy. After the test I can get her ready for bed.” She kissed both her mother and daughter on the cheek and turned to Ben. “Will now work for you, Ben?”

  “Whenever you’re ready is fine with me. I’ll go get the test we use at school and be right up,” Ben said.

  “I’m not sure I’m prepared enough for this, but I’ll be waiting in the parlor.”

  “You’re going to do fine.”

  Ben headed downstairs while Rebecca continued on down the hall to the small parlor. She did feel nervous, although she’d practiced well. Maybe it was because Ben would be right there in the room with her, or that she didn’t want to disappoint him or her mother.

  She let out a big breath trying to let go of her anxieties. She’d do the best she could and if she didn’t do well, she’d practice more. She wasn’t going to quit. She was going to make sure she had the ability to take care of her and her daughter no matter what happened in her future.

  Whatever she did, she’d do it to the best of her ability. She wanted to be treated with the same kind of esteem the merchants had shown her mother that morning. And...she wanted to feel respectable again.

  * * *

  Rebecca seemed lost in thought as Ben entered the room. “You ready?”

  He must have startled her for she seemed to jerk out of her reverie and put a hand to her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

  “I’m fine. I was just woolgathering. And I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.” Rebecca took her seat in front of the typewriter.

  Ben handed her a sheet of paper and pulled his watch out of his pocket. “Just type this as fast and accurately as you can. You tell me when you’re ready and I’ll start timing you soon as I say to begin.”

  Rebecca nodded and Ben watched as she rolled her neck and shoulders, then put her fingers in the correct position on the keyboard. As much practice as she’d been getting in, Ben didn’t think she’d be nervous about this test, but obviously she was. “Relax, Rebecca. You are going to do fine.”

  “I’ll try.” She inhaled and let out a deep breath. “Ready.”

  Ben smiled, took a seat and looked at his watch. “Then you may...begin.”

  There was no hesitation as her fingers hit the keyboard and she began typing. The paper she was transcribing from was a copy of one of the practice sheets he’d given her earlier and he knew she’d used it the week before. He was sure she’d do well. He watched her for several minutes before checking his watch again. “Stop.”

  Rebecca immediately raised her hands from the keyboard as he came over and pulled the sheet of paper from the typewriter. “That was three minutes. Looks like you did pretty well on word count. I’ll check that and your accuracy. Won’t take but a few minutes.”

  Rebecca sat still as he went over her paper. Ben knew she was getting better, but she didn’t know how fast she should be typing by now. She’d done very well on speed. He searched for mistakes and he found she’d done as well on the actual typing as he thought she had.

  After only a few minutes, he smiled at her. “You’ve really improved since I checked last. You only misspelled one word and you averaged thirty-five words per minute. That’s very good for how long you’ve been at it, Rebecca.”

  “What speed should I be typing to be able to get a good position typing?”

  “You’d be able to get one now. But if you can get your speed up to forty to forty-five words per minute, you could get an even better-paying position. Or maybe even teach typing at the Y one day.”

  “Really?”

  She smiled and her expression told him she’d never thought of teaching before, but the Y was always looking for people to teach classes. “Yes, really. Keep practicing to build up your speed and accuracy. I think you were a little nervous tonight, this being your first real test. I’ll have you take another one next week, and I think I’m safe in saying you’ll do even better then.”

  Rebecca’s smile grew. “I’m certainly going to try. Thank you, Ben.”

  “I’m not doing anything—you’re the one who is working hard and you’ve done really well.”

  As he watched a delicate pink creep up Rebecca’s cheeks, he became more determined than ever to make sure she realized she could do this and would continue to improve over time.

  “Thank you most for your encouragement, Ben. It means a lot to me.”

  “You’re welcome, but I’m just telling you the truth. How about your math? Did you get your problems done for tomorrow night’s class?”

  “Not yet.
I’ll work on them in the morning, but I think I’ll be able to do them.”

  Ben was glad to hear the confidence in her voice. “I’m sure you will. How did the grocery shopping with your mother go?”

  “Very well. I didn’t realize how much went into planning and ordering and arranging for deliveries before today. And Mama commands such respect when she walks into a store! I was so proud of her. I hope to garner that same kind of admiration one day.”

  There was an expression in her eyes that tunneled its way into his heart. Had she been treated in a way that made her think she was unworthy of respect in the past? He hoped not. “I’m sure you’ll be shown the same kind of regard shown to your mother.”

  “Oh, I...” She shook her head and he had a feeling she’d said more than she intended to him. She changed the subject. “Thank you for offering to teach Jenny to ice-skate. I think I’d better go check on her and Mama. She’s so excited—it will probably take an extra hour or so to get her settled down for the night.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” And he was. “Do either of you have ice skates?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “No. That’s something I must remedy by Saturday, thank you for reminding me. I wonder... Maybe Mama has some in the attic.”

  “She might.”

  “I think I’ll go ask her.” Rebecca straightened up her work area and got to her feet.

  “All right. You have a good evening.” Ben waited for her to leave the room and then headed downstairs. If she wasn’t going to join the others, he didn’t much want to, either. It wasn’t quite the same with so few boarders at the moment.

  And perhaps it was a good thing she didn’t head into the parlor. He had no intention of letting his feelings for her get out of hand but there was no denying that he looked forward to being around her and her daughter more each day.

  * * *

  The next morning Rebecca, her mother and Jenny went shopping for housewarming gifts. A clerk at Macy’s showed them all sizes and shapes of brass bowls. Finally, they decided on the two they liked best. Both were the same size and shape but had just enough difference in the pattern that they felt sure each couple would love them.