by BJ Hoff
THIRTY-SEVEN
MISS GLADYS MEETS THE NEW HOUSEGUEST
Fond Memory brings the light
Of other days around me.
THOMAS MOORE
Late that night, Daniel decided he needed some time to think before having the conversation with Serena that he knew he needed to have. He had no intention of delaying that talk. He simply needed to clear his head first.
Before then, though, he felt a need to let Ted Gardiner know about the situation with Brad Nolan. Just the idea of broaching the subject made him uneasy. He had no desire to come across as a talebearer with a man he so highly respected. But on the other hand, it made him uncomfortable to think Ted might be completely in the dark regarding Brad’s character. Besides, in order to preserve his own reputation and standing with Ted, there was always the possibility that Brad might try to tarnish Addie Rose’s character by lying about what had taken place yesterday. Even the thought made Daniel furious.
He felt a distinct need to do something to protect her, but he wasn’t quite sure just how to go about it. He could go to Clarksburg and meet with Ted, but there was every likelihood that Brad would be in the office at the same time. They were working together, after all.
No, he had no stomach to even imagine the ugly scene that could occur under those circumstances. He finally decided it was best to write a letter to Ted and, without going into detail, at least suggest there had been a problem and it might be good to keep a watchful eye on his young assistant.
He faced a busy morning with a full patient load the next day, so he proceeded to write the letter before going to bed.
The next morning, after going to the post office and sending off the letter to Ted Gardiner, Daniel began the next part of his day by stopping by to see Miss Gladys.
It was early for a patient call, but he wanted to take this time for at least a brief visit. He couldn’t help but hope that Addie Rose would still be at the house. Even though he would see her at the office, he was impatient to make certain she was doing all right after yesterday’s ordeal.
As it happened, she and Miss Gladys were still at the breakfast table when he arrived. He appreciated the fact that they both seemed glad to see him and eager to make him welcome. And he appreciated even more how well Addie Rose appeared to be handling the ordeal she had just been through. She fussed over him almost as much as Miss Gladys did, plying him with a cup of coffee and some glazed sweet bread.
“If this is how you two eat every morning,” he said as he sat down to the table, “I just may have to stop by early in the day more often.”
Miss Gladys took pains to follow his instructions as to how much sugar and cream to add to his coffee.
“I hope you’re feeling as well as you look, Miss Gladys,” he said, stirring his coffee.
“I feel very well, thank you,” she said, touching the napkin at her throat as if to make certain it was still in place. “But it seems to me you’re looking somewhat tired, young man. You do know what they say, I expect: Doctor, heal thyself.”
Daniel smiled, pleased to hear her address him as “young man” again. It had been a while since she’d employed what he’d come to recognize as an endearment.
He glanced across the table to see Addie Rose smiling as he replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
He was so pleased to see this dear lady, whom he had long liked and respected, doing so well. He knew one of the traits of dementia patients, at least in the beginning of the illness, was a kind of “in and out” behavior when it was sometimes difficult to tell anything was amiss, along with other times when it was all too obvious there was a problem. He’d had a feeling that Addie Rose would be good for Miss Gladys, and from what he was seeing this morning, he thought perhaps she might even be responsible, at least to some extent, for the marked improvement he sensed in her condition.
He was enjoying himself and the company so much he almost hated to get on with his day. But their first appointment would soon be arriving at the office, so he reluctantly stood up and said his goodbyes.
“Addie Rose, you could ride with me on the way in, if you like, instead of driving yourself.”
“I’d actually thought of walking this morning,” she said as she stood and began clearing the table.
“I know you like your walks,” Daniel said, “but it’s really cold out there.”
“Well…”
“Addie Rose, you don’t need to be catching your death,” Miss Gladys warned in a stern tone of voice. “I’ll clear the dishes. You go on with your young man now.”
Addie Rose stopped dead, blushing faintly as she looked at Daniel, who couldn’t resist grinning at her.
“I think you should listen to Miss Gladys, Addie Rose,” he said, his tone light.
“Well…”
At that moment, the door to the pantry thumped open, and a tiny kitten emerged with a surprisingly loud meow.
Addie Rose’s hand went over her mouth, and Miss Gladys popped up from her chair as if she’d been struck.
“What in the world!” Miss Gladys cried out. “Good heavens, it’s a cat!”
Daniel had all he could do not to laugh at the stricken look on Addie Rose’s face and the shock that sparked in the eyes of Miss Gladys. Another glance, however, at Addie Rose made him suspect that she wasn’t so much surprised as guilt-ridden. So this was the little visitor she’d told him about not long ago.
Clearly, she hadn’t yet advised Miss Gladys of their new lodger.
Addie Rose’s mind raced as she went to Miss Gladys and prompted her to sit down. “I can explain,” she said, trying to clear her throat.
But before she could say another word, the kitten made its way to Miss Gladys and stood staring up at her. Then, totally without warning, she jumped from the floor onto her lap.
Addie Rose groaned. This was definitely not the way she had planned to break the news about their new houseguest. But it was what it was, so she struggled for some measure of control and said, “Miss Gladys, this is Sneaky.”
Miss Gladys looked up at her, frowning. “So it seems. You knew about this?”
“No. I mean…that’s her name,” Addie Rose stammered. “I named her Sneaky.”
But Miss Gladys was scarcely listening. Her hand had gone to the kitten’s back, just a touch at first, and then a stroke or two. Finally, she began petting her as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to do. For its part, the kitten was purring loudly enough that she could probably be heard in the next room.
Addie Rose looked at Daniel, trying to signal for help, but he stood stroking his chin, clearly enjoying the scene in front of him.
Meanwhile, Sneaky looked up at her with a decidedly smug expression on her tiny face.
Quickly, Addie Rose moved to free Miss Gladys from Sneaky’s claws before she could tear her morning dress. “Here, I’ll take her…”
But Miss Gladys apparently had other ideas. She placed her hand between the kitten and Addie Rose’s reach, saying, “No, let her be. She seems frightened.”
Frightened? It seemed to Addie Rose that the devious little feline was anything but frightened.
“But I need to leave for work. I’ll just put her in the pantry and make sure the door’s secure this time. I’m really sorry about this. I had hoped to tell you about her before—”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Addie Rose! I’m perfectly capable of taking care of a kitten without a guardian! You just go ahead to the office with Daniel and don’t keep your patients waiting.” She paused and then added, “Sneaky and I will be quite all right without you to supervise.”
Daniel finally spoke up. “She’s right, Addie Rose,” he said, his expression deceptively bland. “It seems that Miss Gladys has everything under control. Why don’t you just get your coat, and we’ll be on our way?”
Outside, Addie Rose practically snarled at him on the way to the buggy. “You were a big help.”
His mischievous grin reappeared. “I try.”
; “Are you sure it’s safe to leave her alone like that?”
“She’s not alone,” Daniel pointed out. “She’s been staying alone, after all, when you’re at work.” He waited. “I think she’s in good hands…er, paws.”
Addie Rose glared at him. “You’d better be right.”
He looked at her. “You know I wouldn’t take chances with Miss Gladys. Besides, you can go home at noon and check on her.”
“Oh, I intend to.”
“Yes, I know.”
She shot a suspicious look at him, but when he said nothing more, she finally settled onto the seat and sighed as they drove away.
THIRTY-EIGHT
A FAREWELL FROM SERENA
This heart, fill’d with fondness,
Is wounded and weary.
WALSH’S IRISH POPULAR SONGS
In a week it would be Christmas, and Daniel was still trying to figure out what to do about two final gifts he planned to buy: one for Serena and another for Addie Rose.
He was strongly wishing now that he’d had the talk with Serena—the one he knew he couldn’t avoid—days ago. But he just had not been able to know how to even instigate a conversation with her at this point. He knew she had to be depressed and no doubt at odds about the loss of the schoolhouse. It seemed a petty idea to face her with such a heavy subject as he’d planned to approach. But it was becoming more and more difficult to keep his feelings for Addie Rose silent, and he just didn’t feel right about voicing them with matters at such a standstill with Serena.
It would soon be evening—he could see from his office window that dusk was fast approaching—and he was still in the office. Addie Rose had gone home some time ago, after they’d seen their last patient, but his state of mind had kept him rooted to his chair, trying to decide what to do.
He was about to give up and head home. Sarge had been pacing in the reception area for a good half hour or more. He was probably hungry and wanting his supper. It wasn’t fair to make him wait because of his own lack of initiative and foul mood.
Daniel actually jumped when he heard the outside door open. Sarge barked but immediately went quiet. Thinking it was either an emergency or that Addie Rose had forgotten something and returned for it, he got up and quickly headed for the waiting room.
No more had he stepped into the reception area than he stopped, catching a quick breath at the sight of Serena, standing just inside the door. She looked her usual perfectly groomed self, but she was pale, and her eyes were shadowed.
“Well, this is a nice surprise,” he said. And it was a surprise, although he felt a bit uneasy about whatever might have prompted it.
“I wasn’t sure you’d still be here until I saw the light from your office window,” she said, removing her gloves. “Working late?”
“A little. I was actually thinking of stopping by to see how you’re doing, but I didn’t know if you would want company.”
She stood where she was, watching him for a moment. “Do you have time to talk? I won’t keep you long.”
“Of course I have time. Let’s go in my office. Let me take your coat. How are your mother and dad? I haven’t seen them for a while.” He was making idle small talk, but there was something different about her, something peculiar.
“No, I can’t stay. Right here is fine.”
He studied her. “Is something wrong, Serena?”
“No.” She glanced away and then turned back to him. “Well, not wrong, but I need to tell you something, and I’m not sure how to go about it.”
That statement put Daniel on alert. Serena was seldom, if ever, unsure of herself or at a loss for words. “Oh?”
“I might just as well tell you.” She drew in a noticeably long breath. “I’m leaving, Daniel.”
He stared at her, not comprehending. “Leaving?”
“Yes. Leaving Mount Laurel. A few days after Christmas, we’ll be moving to Buckhannon.”
This was the last thing Daniel would have expected to hear. It had the effect of leaving him nearly speechless. “But…why?”
Again she avoided meeting his eyes. “We do have family there, you know.”
“Yes, I know, but you’ve lived here for years.”
“We’ve lived here for years,” she said, seeming to pronounce each word distinctly and with great care, “because of my job with the school. And as it happens, we’re leaving for the same reason.”
She went on to explain. “Clearly, it’s going to be some time before we’ll have a school building again. In the meantime, there’s been an opening in the Buckhannon district—a rather recent opening—for an elementary teacher. I’ve accepted the position.”
Only then did she meet his gaze again. “They offered me the job a few weeks ago, and I turned them down. But after the fire—” She left her words hang with a shrug. “I found out they were still looking for someone to fill the position. It just seems to be the best thing for me to do.”
“I…don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry. I know you couldn’t have expected this, but I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure.” She sighed. “It’s a good move for me, Daniel. And for my parents. This will reunite them with our relatives there, and because they’ll have family close by, I believe it will free me to have a little more independence than I’ve had here.”
“It’s just so sudden—”
“Yes, I know. I don’t suppose…” She stopped, as if uncertain whether or not to go on.
“What?” he prompted.
“I don’t suppose,” she said, raising her head to face him directly, “you’d be open to also making a move?”
He delayed so long she gave a sad smile. “I didn’t think so,” she said quietly.
“Serena—”
She lifted a hand to stop him. “I know. And I understand. It was just a thought, but I was fairly certain you wouldn’t even consider it.”
Daniel had never had so many mixed emotions roaring through him at the same time. In truth, he didn’t know how he felt, other than being suddenly mired in total surprise and confusion.
But there was one thing he knew beyond all doubt. His home was here. His patients were here. His very life was here. And Addie Rose was here. But even if he were actually in love with Serena, as he’d once believed himself to be, he would have the fight of his life trying to convince himself to leave Mount Laurel.
She nodded, as if she could read his thoughts. “It’s all right, Daniel. I know. I think we’ve both been questioning our…relationship…for some time now. You don’t have to explain anything to me. I’ve had my doubts too.”
“I’m sorry,” he fumbled for the right response, though he didn’t even know what the right response was. “I really am sorry.”
“Please don’t apologize. We probably would have come to this at some point—this need to be honest with each other—even if I hadn’t decided to move away. We’re friends. Good friends. Let’s leave it at that, why don’t we?”
Daniel could feel a heavy sorrow, and yet also a vague sense of relief, building inside him. He knew she was right.
“I’ll miss you, Serena,” he said quietly, reaching for her hand.
He saw an uncharacteristic glaze of tears form in her eyes. “And I’ll miss you. Well, I need to go now.” She paused. “You have a blessed Christmas, Daniel.”
She gave Sarge an affectionate pat on the head, and then she was gone.
As he watched her leave, Daniel felt his own eyes begin to mist. He knew an important part of his life had just ended, and the knowing brought a heavy blow of pain. But at the same time he also knew that Serena was making the right move for her life.
And now he was faced with the need to make the right move for his own life.
EPILOGUE
I bring you with reverent hands
The books of my numberless dreams.
W.B. YEATS
Before dark on Christmas Eve, Daniel summoned up all the nerve he hoped he possessed and drove over
to Miss Gladys’s house.
He knocked firmly on the door and waited. When no one answered, he knocked again. Finally, the door opened on Addie Rose, a vision in a rose-colored dress topped by a white, stiffly starched apron.
For a moment he lost his ability to speak. After he finally recovered, he said, with deceptive calm, “Merry Christmas.”
Although her smile met her eyes, she was clearly surprised to see him. “Daniel! Please tell me you didn’t work today.”
“I didn’t work today. Actually, I went shopping.”
Now she looked genuinely puzzled. “Then—”
“What am I doing here? I come bearing gifts. May I come in? Or am I interrupting anything?”
“Of course you can come in! And you’re not interrupting a thing. Miss Gladys is entertaining Sneaky, and I’m just finishing up in the kitchen.”
Inside, he wiped his feet and let her take his overcoat, while he held on to the large sack he carried in with him.
“Where’s Sarge?”
“He’s at home, waiting for his present.”
“And what is he getting for Christmas?”
“The biggest beef bone in Mount Laurel.”
She led him on to the living room, where Miss Gladys was ensconced in her favorite rocking chair with Sneaky half asleep on her lap.
“Miss Gladys, Merry Christmas to you—” he glanced at the sleepy kitten—“and yours.”
She continued to stroke the kitten’s head. “And to you, Daniel. I thought you were going to the Hollidays’ this evening.”
“Tomorrow,” he said. “Today I went to the noon service at church. Since then I’ve just been getting ready for Christmas.”
“And what does a bachelor do to get ready for Christmas?”
Daniel watched as Addie Rose went to stand behind her.
“Why, he shops, of course,” Daniel said as he dug into the sack he’d carried in from the buggy and handed her a brightly wrapped gift.
“Oh my goodness! This is for me?”
“For you and your little friend there,” he said, pointing to the kitten, whose eyes were now completely closed. “Open it, why don’t you?”