by Mari Collier
They stepped into the office. Lorenz turned and laid his head on MacDonald's shoulders for the Thalian greeting. The older man responded in kind and then ran his hands down Lorenz's back murmuring, “Hello, my laddie.”
Kendal stared at them baffled. Somehow, someway this was something almost sexual. He felt the stirring of his manhood. What was this?
Lorenz looked up at MacDonald and grinned. “Hello, my Papa.” He turned and read the puzzlement in Kendall's eyes.
“I told y'all, Papa's Thalian. They have their own way of greeting.” He poured a whiskey for himself.
“Do y'all want one Papa?”
“Nay, I twill wait for the brew, but what of Kendall?”
Lorenz snorted. “He hasn't had a drink since three nights after he got here. How are Grandmère and Lemont?”
“She tis fine and glorying in the role of motherhood. Melville has accepted the fact that the child tis his.” MacDonald grinned. “It seems that the Earth genes match ours. Lemont tis two months old and waxing strong. He screams as loudly as any Thalian for food.” The smile on his face broadened.
A discreet knock told them the beer had arrived and Lorenz retrieved the bottle, handed it to his father, and closed the door.
“Lorenz, I need to check on the Golden One while I am here. We are about ready to fly it to the new launching port, but Mither wishes to wait until Lemont tis older and Melville tis at sea again.”
He turned to Kendall. “Have ye been to the Golden One? It twould be my pleasure to introduce ye to the different levels.”
Kendall swallowed. “I've seen it and don't want to go any closer.” He turned his back and then turned around. “I'm sorry, Grandpa. I can't accept any of this. I'll go see if Alice is ready for dinner.”
He walked out of the room.
Llewellyn looked puzzled. “Damn,” he finally muttered and turned to Lorenz. “He twill nay accept who we are?”
Lorenz sipped at his whiskey. “He couldn't handle the sight of it, Papa. At least he hasn't told me we're crazy, like Daniel did. Kendall will not go near the ship again.”
“That tis a shame. Mayhap curiosity twill lead him to change his mind. His mither accepted it with a certain grace.”
“Y'all forget, Papa, Antoinette is not like other women. She's a Texan.” Lorenz smiled.
“Bah! What has that to do with it? She simply tis more willing to take risks, and ye are still enthralled with her charms.”
“Completely,” Lorenz agreed. “Better drink your brew before Antoinette announces dinner is ready.”
They assembled at the large, cherry wood table set for six adults and one child as neither Antoinette nor Alice believed in feeding children separately when it was family. Dinner, however, went badly.
Alice wrinkled her nose as she pulled out her chair. Her face assumed a horrified expression when she realized the odor came from her husband's grandfather as well as Lorenz. She had just shook hands with the man and given Sarah to Kendall to put in the highchair. Instead he had boosted her up on his shoulder before sitting.
“Grandpa, this is my daughter Sarah. Sarah, this is your great-grandfather. He gives the most amazing pony rides. In fact, he helped teach me and your Uncle Randall to ride. Can you say, 'hello'?”
Alice froze as she heard Sarah say, “Hello.” The word was almost a whisper.
“Hello, my wee one. Ye are a magnificent lassie. Twould ye mind if I held ye?”
Before Alice could intervene, she heard Sarah giggle. “Wee!” The laugh came again and she heard Kendall step to the highchair. She sank into her chair as the swish of Antoinette's skirts announced her arrival.
Antoinette smiled at them all and assumed her place. Then the men sat in their chairs.
“Father MacDonald, this is such a pleasure to have y'all home again.” The southern voice was almost syrupy, and Alice felt her stomach clench. “Would y'all like to say the blessing?”
“Tis nay my place, wee one, but I'm sure Kendall remembers the words.”
The servants brought the food as soon as Kendall finished saying grace. To Alice the smell of beer seemed to permeate the whole area. Once dinner was over and the Mexican women were clearing the table, she took Sarah by the hand and announced, “It's bedtime.” She left as rapidly as possible without the grandparents kissing her baby. How dare they smell of alcohol in front of a child?
Kendall looked at the others. “I'm sorry, but Alice just can't accept your drinking.”
“Well, that's too bad, Kendall, but this is our home. Drinks with a meal are firmly anchored in civilized dining as long as drunkenness is not an issue. Frankly, we've never allowed such behavior; nor, would we dream of correcting non-existing faults in someone else's home.” Antoinette's tone was icy.
“Y'all are letting that sweet child Sarah believe that her grandparents are evil people.”
“I'll agree that this is your home, Mother. When did you wish us to leave?” This was strange. When he was younger his disagreements had been with his father. Now they were with his mother. He could not understand why his mother and wife did not like each other. Before he could respond, Lorenz intervened.
“Kendall, y'all know that mess in South Dakota needs to be straightened out first. The other house will be finished within the week. In fact, you all can move right now. Any work that needs to be completed can be accomplished while you're living there. Agreed, Antoinette? And Toni, that last remark wasn't like y'all.”
“Lorenz, I am sick and tired of my sons' selections in women looking down their noses at us; first that skinny snob of Randall's and now Alice. She didn't even have the decency to spend a full hour with our friends that came here to welcome Kendall home. That was not polite; not when our neighbors went to so much trouble to be here on such a short notice.”
Kendall sat back down. He was defeated by the truth in his mother's statement and the warning gleam in his grandfather's eyes. Worse, his mother was correct. The drinking hadn't been that much that early in the evening. Of course, the fiddle playing and dancing had upset Alice too.
MacDonald cleared his throat and asked, “Why twould Randall's fiancée find fault?”
“Who knows? She seemed to consider me a robber baron and Antoinette from the worst of the slave owning plantations of the South.”
Antoinette sniffed. “She even had the gall to inquire if things had gone badly in France and Italy while we were overseas, and how perhaps we should have hired a translator to accompany us since it had been so very long since I studied French. Fortunately, I was able to inform her that I did just fine and your father speaks both languages fluently.”
Kendall stared at his father. “Since when?”
“It seems my mind is able to perform the translation as soon as I identify what some of the words mean. Then I have no problem understanding or speaking it. It was quite enlightening to learn what Europeans really think of the hordes of Americans doing the grand tour.”
Kendall picked up his water glass and drained it. He really could have used a shot of whiskey after that statement. “Perhaps you're right, Pawpaw. It would be better if we moved into the other house tomorrow.”
“That is probably the best solution.” Antoinette smiled. She'd had her say, and her son was not leaving. She turned to her father-in-law.
“Father MacDonald, I want y'all to know that y'all are as welcome as ever. Ah do hope y'all will stay for at least a month. We see so little of y'all and we do need to catch up on all the family gossip. Ah hear y'all have visited Melissa too. Y'all must tell us how she is doing. Her letters can sometimes be so uninformative.”
MacDonald leaned back and smiled at her. “Ye, my dear lassie, are a marvel. Melissa tis fine. She claims her stock investments from her New York office twill enrich us all, and I am beginning to believe her. She does fret about having to hire a man to do the actual trading on the floor, but she seems to have found one that tis receptive to her mind telling him when to buy or sell.
“Kendall
, how long twill ye stay now that the housing tis settled?”
“Like Pawpaw says, I can't really go anywhere until the legal matters are settled. Pawpaw and Mama want to go to New York for Randall's wedding. Alice and I have declined as Randall wrote that the reception was at some huge ballroom and that champagne would be served. Alice delivered a sermon that was heard all over the house. She doesn't understand how such 'refined, educated people could be so enmeshed in sin.' Her words, not mine.
“I think I'll go tell her about the move. Grandpa, I'll make sure you see Sarah tomorrow. Goodnight all.”
The goodnights were said and the two remaining MacDonald men stepped to the sideboard. Lorenz handed his father another bottle of beer and poured two glasses of wine. He handed one to Antoinette before they resumed their seats.
“Just how long do ye think the laddie and his family twill stay?”
Lorenz grimaced. “Well, until that mess in South Dakota is over and we return from New York, but after that I can't say. It seems all of our children will live far away from us.”
“Isn't that what happens in this land? Yere mither and her brither left their home for here.”
“Martin's boys have stayed close.” Lorenz smiled. “Maybe I should have worked ours harder.”
Last Years on Earth 1921 to 1950
Chapter 35: A Death in the Family 1921
Lorenz was at the white board fence looking at the horses while drinking a cup of coffee, and wishing he could ride away his sorrow and forget why he was here. Antoinette had gone to bed with what he suspected was a non-existent headache. She wanted no one to see her weeping; after all, she was a Texan. He really wasn't thinking about one heart, two hearts, or the Schmidt's family history of bad hearts. All his thoughts were focused on losing a child. Such an event aged a man inside no matter what the outside looked like or the length of years that child had lived. Kendall's death at the age of fifty from a heart attack hurt; hurt deeply. Watching Toni grieve for her favorite son hurt, and there was nothing he could do to put things right.
The family had gathered at the MacDonald Lodge after the graveside ceremony for Kendall. He'd asked to be buried up in the mountains if he couldn't be buried in the church cemetery at Schmidt's Corner. Alice refused to consider Texas. She had not spoken to them after the funeral, or at the grave. She rebuffed their attempts to console her and hung onto Sarah or Andrew, sobbing, and using her handkerchief. Sarah would glare at him or Antoinette while supporting her mother. It was as though both blamed them for Kendall's death. According to Alice, Melissa had lured them to New York City with her fancy office and job offer for Kendall. That Alice secured employment reading and writing Braille at the Blind Institute and thoroughly enjoyed the companionship of others there did not matter. Why, Lorenz wondered, had Kendall married her?
For that matter, why did anyone marry another? He'd fallen in love with a pair of smiling, violet eyes at the age of thirteen. Seeing Antoinette again when they were sixteen had only driven the wanting her deeper. Most of the time she was a compliant wife who looked after his comforts, but at other times she was as strong-willed as his mother, Anna. He had never been sure that Alice looked after anything for Kendall. Had Kendall wounded in spirit married someone he considered more wounded than himself?
“Pawpaw, why was Uncle Kendall so different from you, Father, and Aunt Melissa?”
Elizabeth, Randall's tall, slender, auburn-haired fourteen year-old daughter brought his mind back to the now and to the young. She was standing in front of him, physically looking more like Iris than Randall, but she had the same solemn look on her face as Randall did when he was little. Her mouth was in a determined line as though she would be able to understand any adult answer if she were given one. She'd been allowed to dress in black for the funeral and wore two-inch high shoes.
“Elizabeth, hasn't your father explained any of this to you?”
“No, Pawpaw, he hasn't. That's why I came to you.” Her words were clearly enunciated.
“Sweetheart, I must have your father's permission. Would y'all mind if I consulted him first? I'm not trying to put y'all off, but it is your father's place to do this.”
“It has to do with Mina's Story, doesn't it, Pawpaw?”
He stared at her for a moment. This child realized there was a purpose to the story. It was a concept the adult spouses of his children never grasped, or had they? That wasn't fair to Edward, he decided. Melissa and Edward never had children, but Iris, Randall's wife, had to know. Gary, their firstborn, had two hearts. Amusement flooded his eyes and his mouth twitched.
“Elizabeth, I knew y'all were one smart young woman, I just hadn't realized how smart, but I still need to consult your father.”
She pursed her lips. “If he doesn't allow you to tell me, will anyone ever tell me?”
“When you are an adult I will, but I believe he'll agree to the telling it now.”
A smile lit her face. “When will you ask Father?”
He returned her smile. “Right now.”
She took his hand to walk back to the lodge with him. While they were walking, he used mindspeak.
'Randall, your very intelligent daughter just asked me to explain Mina's Story. Do you wish to do so, or do you prefer Papa and me to give the explanation?'
'It would be preferable for you and Grandfather to do so.'
'Shouldn't your three sons be there? Gary needs to know the full story before he goes off to college again, and so does Wesley if that West Point appointment comes through. Benton, I'll grant is a bit young.'
'Wesley received the confirmation while we were at the cemetery. He's saying his goodbyes right now.'
'Tell him, damnit.'
'I can't. There are too many people. Benton is not mature enough.' Randall ended the mind connection. Unconsciously, Lorenz had increased his stride.
“Pawpaw, I can't walk that rapidly with these shoes and tight skirt.”
“Uh, sorry, little lady, we need to go to the great room. It seems Wesley is leaving.”
“Pawpaw, how do you…”
Before she could finish speaking, Wesley ran out the back door with his suitcase and the chauffer trailing him.
“Pawpaw, I was going to look for you. I'm leaving. I have to be at West Point in four days.”
He smiled broadly and put out his hand. Lorenz shook the hand when he would have preferred to hug this broad-shouldered, young man with the sandy hair, light brown eyes, and gleaming smile.
“Congratulations, Wes, we're proud of y'all.”
“If you have a connection with the departed, let my great-grandfather know I'm following the warrior tradition.” With another smile and a hug for Elizabeth he was gone.
“Elizabeth, would you find Gary and your MacDonald cousins for me and then all of you come to the lower conference room? We shouldn't be interrupted there.”
She looked at him with puzzled eyes and then her face cleared. “You're like the Justines in the story aren't you, Pawpaw? You just spoke with my father who looks like them.” She smiled at him and hurried off.
Her statement startled him, but he needed to contact his father. Mindspeak was the quickest way. 'Papa, we have some explaining to do. Elizabeth has realized the meaning of your fairytale. Meet me in the lower conference room. Ask Grandmère if she wishes to join us.'
He descended to the basement room to wait for his grandchildren. Gary and Elizabeth had followed within minutes and sat in the round chairs at the round table.
“Andrew was saying 'goodbye' to everyone when Elizabeth said you had something to tell us. He went to tell Sarah. It will be a few minutes before they are here,” Gary announced before sitting down. Gary was twenty and he shifted in his seat during their wait, his brown eyes puzzled. Elizabeth's brown eyes were smiling and she waited expectantly.
Lorenz nodded and the wait began. LouElla and Llewellyn had decreed this room be done in the manner of a Maca of Don's office on Thalia. To create the illusion of windows, plush roy
al blue drapes hung over the wall behind him. Filled bookcases and built in cabinets lined two of the walls. The other wall had been lathed and plastered before being painted a lighter shade of blue. The chairs themselves were round, and covered with a navy blue velvet material. It was, thought Lorenz, a little overwhelming and right now, damn depressing. He would have preferred hard, wooden chairs.
Finally, Andrew came running into the room. Although he was only fifteen, he was six-foot tall and broad-shouldered. His straight, strawberry blond hair was parted in the middle and he was still all feet and nose. Lorenz figured Andrew would grow into the nose and feet. Most boys did. Andrew smiled at Lorenz and flopped into a vacant chair next to Elizabeth.
“Sorry I'm late, Pawpaw, Sarah's throwing a fuss.”
To prove his words, blond, blue-eyed, petite Sarah came running into the room, her face displaying the same look of disgust as her mother's when around the older MacDonald's. He wondered why she even bothered to answer the summons.
“Andrew, I insist you come with me. Grandfather is an evil, lying hypocrite.”
Lorenz stood. “That's enough, Sarah. The good Lord's fourth commandment says that you are to honor your parents. That includes your grandparents. If y'all cannot say anything decent about us in our own quarters, y'all may leave.”
Sarah gasped. “How dare you use scriptures? You smoke, you drink alcohol, you have murdered men, and because you pressured my father to work with that vile aunt of mine he's dead.”
“Kendall died from a heart attack just like my mother and Uncle Kasper at about the same age. I am not arguing with y'all. Either sit down and shut up, or leave.”
Sarah started towards Andrew who was sitting with lips clamped together and staring straight ahead. Lorenz stepped in front of her.
“Not allowed.”
“We're leaving now. Andrew must ride home with us.”