by Mike Hopper
“First stop, Ceil’s house,” Sam said.
“Our ETA?” Steuart asked.
“Soon.”
“I look forward to visiting with Ceil. I wish to thank my loyal subjects for visiting me whilst I was in the hospital.”
“Whilst? Get over yourself. Keep talking like that and I'll drop you off here in the gutter.”
“Just playing, sis. I prefer to stay in character.”
Sam tried to keep the conversation light and happy, but her heart was breaking as she thought about Trista. Why did she break into so many pieces? Sam wondered.
“Oh, come on, come on. Let’s play,” Steuart said. “This is fun. Do your part. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to banish you—to the dungeon.”
“You’re kidding me?”
Sam looked back at her brother and stuck out her tongue.
With the bike carrier attached, the biggest challenge Sam faced was the route. Because of the snow and ice along the paths, she decided to stay on paved roads, however, this made a number of trips longer than usual. Instead of biking through the preserve, Sam rode across the bridge towards the hospital and then over to the street that ran behind the children’s clinic. She continued back one more street, and then next to the dental school where she finally turned into a neighborhood. Taking another left Sam continued along the opposite side street before turning into a cul-de-sac. She stopped in front of Ceil’s driveway and turned towards her brother, “Sir, your taxi stops here.”
“What? What do you mean? You’re stopping here?”
“I am.”
“Why? You’re not taking me to the door?”
“I am not.”
“Why not?
“The drive is too steep.”
“How will I get to the house?”
“The same way I will. Use your legs.”
“But, I’m just out of the hospital. You can’t do this to me.”
“Yes I can. You’ve been out for weeks. Your legs work fine.” Sam began walking up the hill.
Steuart refused to leave the carriage. “You’re kidding me? Right? This is a joke. Ha. Ha. You are kidding me?”
“Nope,” Sam shook her head and continued walking up the drive. “You need the exercise. It’ll do you good.”
“You are a spoilsport. Royalty should never be treated in such a careless manner. You’re forcing me to punish you. It’s your choice. You’ll be made an example of for others. I will have to throw you into prison—or worse. Maybe I’ll send you to the Galapagos Islands to work with the Pirates.”
“Steuart, I’m tired. Go ahead, send me to the Pirates and see if I care. The Pirates would be easier to work for than you. At least I’d get a bowl of soup. All I get from you is complaints.”
“Don’t bet on it. The soup-maker’s position is taken. They’ll make you clean the head. You’ll have to scrounge around for your food and eat out of compost bins.”
“I don’t believe this. Sometimes you’re a real brat. It’s hard work driving you all over the city. You’re so ungrateful. Maybe you should just walk home.”
“You’re right,” Steuart stuck out his lower lip and frowned. “Thank you, Sam. I appreciate you.”
“That’s better.” Sam stood and waited for her brother. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Steuart didn’t move. “Now will you pull me up the drive?”
“You can walk.”
“I said thank you. Doesn’t that count for something.”
“Of course it does. I appreciate being appreciated. But you can walk.”
“I’m taking back my thank you.”
Sam stopped. She turned around and looked at her brother. “Too late. It’s out there and it’s non-retractable. But, if you want, I’ll let you have it anyway. It won’t make a difference because you still have to walk. Come on, it’s cold out here. Come on, let’s go see Ceil.”
* * *
Visiting with Ceil was a favorite pastime of the children. She was always happy to see them and they were equally happy to see her. Sam and Steuart were especially eager to share their art with a friend.
“It’s called Lectern in the Sun,” Steuart explained. The drawing contained a reading podium inside the sun with the name Ceil Nunstern pasted in the middle.
“The sun is smiling,” Sam said proudly.
“Oh, I like that. How lovely. I’ve never had a picture like this one before.” Ceil thanked Sam and Steuart. She gave each of them a hug. “How about a cup of nice hot tea and a ginger cookie?”
“Do you understand the symbolism,” Steuart asked, “about the picture?”
Ceil shook her head, “I'm going to have to give it a bit of thought. But, please don’t tell me. I want to figure it out on my own.”
“Do you really like it?” Steuart asked.
“Yes, very much. You are very talented.”
Steuart blushed, “It was nice of you to visit me in the hospital.”
“My pleasure.”
“Your visits made me feel well and I appreciate the Captain Crandall comics.”
“You’re not the only one. It made me feel better. I like to see things for myself. And, I’m delighted that you like Captain Crandall. How’s your arm today?”
“Better.”
Sam interrupted, “Mother said she wanted to meet you, but you were gone before she made it to the room.”
“I tried, but it never worked out that we were there at the same time.” Ceil opened the cabinet and removed three cups and saucers. “I wanted to meet her too. Perhaps we should arrange a visit?”
“That’s a good idea,” Steuart said.
“I was thankful when Mr. Felphul told me about what happened. I had no way of knowing.”
“Mr. Felphul’s been kind to us,” Sam said. “He called for the ambulance and drove me to the hospital.”
“I rode in an ambulance,” Steuart said proudly.
“He stayed with me in the emergency room until Mother arrived. I think he would’ve stayed longer, but Mother wasn’t feeling very friendly.”
Ceil picked up a wooden tea box and let the children choose their flavor. “Mr. Felphul is a good person to know.”
“I like his book store,” Steuart said. “I’m looking forward to visiting him again soon.”
“Mother says that we can’t,” Sam added.
“Why would she say that?”
“She blames Mr. Felphul for Steuart’s accident.”
“Oh dear, that’s dreadful.”
“She says that his bookstore is dangerous. She also blames me for not watching Steuart more carefully.”
“She called it a firetrap,” Steuart said.
“That’s such a shame. Mr. Felphul does have books everywhere, but that’s the nature of a great bookstore.”
Steuart nodded, “I love that place.”
“I wish you could help Mother understand,” Sam said.
Ceil looked at Steuart, “You need to be careful anytime you’re climbing, no matter where you are. If you can’t reach something, ask for help. That’s what I do all the time.”
“It wasn’t the height of the books,” Steuart shook his head and looked away.
“No?”
“It was the button lady,” Sam said.
“The button lady?”
Sam and Steuart told Ceil about their misadventure with Della Ivy. “We thought we’d lost her.” Steuart touched his face. “I was looking around the shelves at Mr. Felphul’s and then I saw her again. She glared at me through the window. All I could think was she found me. She tapped on the window and we were suddenly eyeball-to-eyeball. It happened fast. I was afraid she was going to come inside and grab me again.”
“My goodness.”
“That’s when I fell. She startled me.” Steuart shook his head, “I don’t remember falling.”
“Oh dear, poor, poor, dear. Did she come inside?”
“No, Mr. Felphul said she knows to stay out of his store.”
“But she still frighten
ed you?”
“I didn’t know she wouldn’t come in.” Steuart scratched his head. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, poor dear? Poor dear me, or poor dear Della?”
“Both of you.”
Steuart raised his voice, “Why poor dear her? She’s a scary person.”
“I understand. I can see that. I say poor dear Della because she can’t help herself. But you didn’t know that. I can only imagine how the two of you felt.”
“Petrified,” Sam said.
Ceil shook her head, “I can understand. Della is a sad, misunderstood, and terribly confused woman. I’m sorry that you had a bad experience with her. She was a very nice lady in her younger years.”
Sam took a bite of cookie, “Mr. Felphul doesn’t like Della.”
“Is that what he told you?”
“No, but he told me to be careful around her.”
“I see,” Ceil sipped her tea.
“He said she might try to take my doll. I don’t think Della and Mr. Felphul get along.”
“Maybe not. He’s such a nice man. I can’t imagine that he would have a problem with anyone.”
Sam stared at Ceil. “Do you have a doll?”
“What type of doll?”
“Like Ed Camino…” Sam turned towards her brother, “Steuart, show Ceil your doll.”
Steuart removed Ed from his backpack and placed him on the table. Ceil glanced at Ed and then back at Sam. “Do you have one too?”
Sam nodded, “I do. I have one, but she got hurt.” Ceil stood with her back to Ed and asked, “What happened?”
Sam told Ceil and Steuart about Trista’s accident. Ed stood and began walking around behind Ceil as she was talking with Sam. Steuart listened quietly.
“I left Trista on my bed the morning of Steuart’s operation. That’s where she got hurt.”
“What?” Steuart asked.
“Got hurt?” Ceil asked.
“When I got home from the hospital,” Sam began to cry as she told the story, “I found Trista in a plastic bag on my dresser. Her head was in pieces. She was badly broken.”
“Oh, honey,” Ceil put her arm around Sam, “We all have accidents. I’m sure you didn’t do anything on purpose. Don’t feel bad.”
“I didn’t do it,” Sam shook her head and looked at Ceil. “It wasn’t me.”
“What?” Steuart asked.
“It was Mother. She told me that she dropped Trista in the bathroom.”
“She dropped her?” Steuart asked. “That’s what caused her head to shatter? What was Mother doing with Trista?”
“She told me that it happened because Trista was poorly made.”
Ceil wrinkled her forehead and continued to listen.
“Mother hates our dolls.”
“Don’t you think the word hate is a little strong?” Ceil asked.
“No, she called them the wayward trash.”
“Does Dr. Klesel know?” Steuart asked Sam.
“That your mother dislikes the dolls?” Ceil asked Steuart.
“No,” Steuart shook his head. “Does he know that Trista was in an accident?”
“No, I haven’t told him yet. I want to get Trista well before I tell him.”
Steuart swallowed his cookie, “Why?”
“I don’t want him to know. I want her fixed before I say anything.”
“Dr. Klesel?” Ceil asked. Ceil turned and looked at Steuart. Ed quickly sat down.
“The dolls belong to Dr. Klesel. They’re not ours.”
Ceil turned back towards Sam. Ed turned and looked at Steuart who put his fingers on Ed’s shoulder. Ed reached up and held onto Steuart.
Ceil poured more tea. “Sam, I’m sorry to hear about this. Surely, Dr. Klesel will understand.”
“It’s more than that. I’m worried about Trista.”
“Worried? In what way?”
“Mr. Felphul told us that you have dolls. That’s why I’m telling you what happened.”
“He said that one of yours got lost.” Steuart said.
“You have to understand. You must know that they’re alive, don’t you?” Sam looked Ceil in the eyes.
“Alive?” Ceil asked. “Of course they’re real to you. I have no doubt, but...”
Sam cut Ceil off, “I see. Will you show us your doll?”
“Honey, I’m afraid Mr. Felphul was mistaken. I don’t have any dolls. I wish that I did. They can be quite fascinating and wonderful. Would you like another cup of tea?”
“You just poured another cup for all of us,” Sam looked harshly at Ceil. She wondered if Ceil was being truthful and remembered how Mr. Felphul suddenly changed his story about Ceil’s dolls.
“Ceil, you have such a beautiful house,” Sam said. “How long have you lived here?”
“About ten years.”
Ed and Steuart sat straight. Sam saw tears in Steuart’s eyes.
“Was the tree house here when you moved in?” Steuart asked.
“No,” Ceil stopped and corrected herself. “No, I mean yes, it was here when we moved in.”
“We? I thought you live by yourself,” Steuart questioned.
“Oh, I was just speaking in the third person. We, as in me, the royal we.”
“Ceil, sometimes you’re strange,” Sam said.
“Do you think so?”
“Yes.”
“I guess we all have our little quirks.”
Steuart broke into the conversation. “I do the same thing. We should like another cup of tea, please.”
“We should?” Ceil smiled.
“Yes, we should. Please.”
“Then we shall have it.” Ceil poured another cup of tea for Steuart, “How is your arm feeling, really?”
“You’ve already asked twice, but since you asked again, we, are feeling fine, thank you for asking.”
“This is ridiculous,” Sam stood and walked towards the back door. “You’re...” Sam stopped. She turned around and gave Ceil a stern look.
“What’s wrong, Sam? Is there something you want to say?
“You don’t want to let on that you know anything about the dolls. Pa my leg again.”
“I don’t understand the game you’re playing. You know I’m not good with anagrams.”
Sam let out a deep sigh. She looked at Steuart and shrugged her shoulders. “It’s time for us to go.”
FOURTEEN
Leaving Ceil’s, Steuart and Sam agreed that something was odd.
“I think she knows a lot more than she’s saying,” Steuart said.
“I don’t understand why she won’t tell us what she knows.”
“Maybe she doesn’t know anything.”
Sam gave her brother a hard look. “You are kidding me, right?”
“Do you really believe she’s hiding something?” Steuart stepped into the bike carrier with Ed.
“That’s what it feels like to me. She’s evasive about too many things.” Sam shrugged her shoulders. “Why would Mr. Felphul tell me that Ceil has dolls like ours?”
“He backed off,” Steuart said. “He changed his story.”
“I don’t believe Mr. Felphul either. I think they both know things that they’re not saying.”
“Sam you are paranoid.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You may be right—or not. I can’t think of any reason that Ceil wouldn’t tell us the truth about things, especially if she had information that might be helpful. Maybe that’s it—maybe she doesn’t know anything.”
“That doesn’t make sense. If she didn’t have any information that could help us, she could still tell us what she knows. You weren’t standing there when I was talking with Mr. Felphul. One minute he told me that Ceil had a doll that was stolen. The next minute he said he was confusing her with someone else.”
“They’re not bad people. Maybe that’s exactly what happened.”
“I’m not saying that either of them is bad, all I’m saying is that I think they have a secret. I think they both may
know something they’re not telling us.”
Ed sat quietly and listened to the conversation. “Ed, what can you tell us?” Steuart asked.
“Not much.”
“You never tell us much. It’s frustrating. You were supposed to tell us more about things as soon as we got your boxes. We’ve been through a lot and still don’t know much more about where you’re from.”
“It wasn’t my fault that you decided to take a swan dive onto a giant pile of books.”
“Can you tell us more now? It might help us help Trista.”
“All you had to do was ask.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“Does that mean you’ll tell us anything we want to know?”
“No. It means that I’ll tell you what I can.”
“Where’d you come from?” Sam asked.
“Bellamy. Any thoughts? Let’s see how smart you are."
Steuart and Sam conferred with one another. Ed refused to give clues.
“I’ve got it,” Steuart shouted. “I know the answer. Sam does too.”
They shouted the name in unison, “Maybell!”
“Correct. You’re the big winners, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! You guys are quick.”
“Where’s Bellamy?” Steuart asked.
“Not far,” Ed laughed, opened his arms and said, “Sam, Steuart, welcome to the wonders of the Anagrammatic Universe.”
Steuart and Sam gasped in unison.
“Anagrammatic Universe,” Steuart whispered.
“Do a lot of people travel from Maybell to Bellamy?” Sam asked.
Ed shrugged, “I couldn’t say. Probably more than you might imagine, but not a high percentage.”
“What does that translate into as far as numbers?”
“Here we go again.” Ed mumbled to himself, “They always have the same questions. She wants numbers. He wants to know who and how many.” He grew serious, “Kids, these are good questions. The problem is I’m not allowed to say.”