by L. M. Reed
Chapter 27
“Thanks for agreeing to see me, Mrs. Fowlkes,” I carefully set Mark’s car seat down on the floor next to her recliner.
“Of course, my dear,” Mrs. Fowlkes replied kindly. “And thank you for bringing this beautiful baby to see me.”
“I would have brought him sooner, but Elsee said you weren’t feeling well and I wasn’t allowed to drive,” I said apologetically as I picked Mark up.
“I’m doing much better now,” she said holding her arms out for the baby “and you are obviously doing well. You don’t even look like you’ve had a baby.”
“I still stick out more than I’m supposed to,” I replied ruefully “but it’s going away slowly. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” I continued sincerely.
“You look just like your beautiful mother,” Mrs. Fowlkes cooed to the baby. “I’m sure James is pleased.”
“James is over the moon,” I laughed. “He loves being a father.”
“Elsee raised a good man.”
“Speaking of Elsee,” I began tentatively, “she’s the reason I’m here.”
“I suspected that was the case,” Mrs. Fowlkes handed Mark back to me carefully. “I heard James was hired by a school out in west Texas, somewhere around the Midland/Odessa area.”
“Yes,” I nodded nervously. “We’re very excited, but…”
“Elsee is the only family you and James have and you don’t want to leave her,” she finished for me.
“I don’t want to take her away from you, either,” I said wretchedly. “I know how much you rely on her.”
“My dear,” Mrs. Fowlkes said gently, “You have a good heart, but I’m sure I can find another housekeeper.”
“I hope you don’t think I’m being pushy,” I began tentatively, “and I know you well enough by now to know you will feel free to say no, but I do have someone in mind.”
“You do?” Mrs. Fowlkes replied in surprise.
“Do you remember the story I told you about Hannah’s death and my parents’ housekeeper who was Hannah’s best friend?”
“Mrs. White wasn’t it? I believe I met her at your wedding,” I could see the wheels turning in her head already. “You think she would be willing to leave your parents and come here to work for us?”
“She would be ecstatic,” I replied fervently. “She only stayed with my parents because of me. She would dearly love to find a different job but has been hesitant to apply anywhere because we both feel that my parents would either give her a poor reference hoping she couldn’t get another job or kick her out as soon as they discovered she was looking. At her age there wouldn’t be a lot of people willing to take her on.”
“How old is she?”
“Sixty,” I answered reluctantly.
“I don’t suppose your parents pay her enough to even think of retiring until she could collect her full Social Security benefits.”
“My parents never pay anyone anywhere close to what they’re worth,” I agreed sadly remembering the one accidental peek I had gotten at Hannah’s paycheck when I was in high school.
Ironically, even though she had never had much, Hannah had always been the first to give to someone else in need. When she died, she had very little materially to show for her life and it had all gone to pay for her funeral expenses, but the hoards of weeping people at her funeral had told a very different tale.
“How soon can she come see me?”
“Today if you’d like,” I offered eagerly. “She has to give two weeks notice, but Elsee would want to do the same for you so that should work out. James could move our stuff and then come back on a weekend and move Elsee’s.”
“I’m guessing that you planned this visit to coincide with Elsee being out of the house shopping because she doesn’t know anything about it?” Mrs. Fowlkes raised a delicate eyebrow at me.
“Yes I did and no…she doesn’t,” I admitted sheepishly. “But I know she’ll be unhappy so far from us, and Mrs. White has been miserable for years, and if we could just work everything out everyone would be so…”
Mrs. Fowlkes tinkling laugh interrupted the gush of words that seemed to spew out of my mouth uncontrollably.
“I’m convinced,” she held up her hands as if to stop the flow. “I don’t envy you having to tell Elsee, though. I can’t see her being happy with you for coming to me directly.”
“I don’t envy myself,” I joked ruefully. “If I may borrow your phone, I’ll call Mrs. White right now and we’ll arrange the meeting. I shouldn’t be here when Elsee returns.”
“We best hurry,” Mrs. Fowlkes nodded in agreement, eyes twinkling, “I don’t want to be anywhere close when Elsee finds out what you’re up to.”
~ * * ~
“You did what?”
Unlike me, Elsee was very even tempered, generally speaking, but the blazing fury in her eyes as she glared at me left no doubt in my mind that she could burn just as hotly as anyone else once riled.
“Mom…”
“You stay out of this,” although she was speaking to James, Elsee didn’t take her eyes off of me. “I’ll deal with you next.”
“Elsee, please just listen to me,” I pleaded.
“I thought you were through trying to manipulate people,” Elsee accused angrily.
“That’s not fair,” I could feel my own temper rising. “I wasn’t trying to manipulate you; I was just trying to give you the chance to choose without feeling guilty. Mrs. Fowlkes doesn’t want you to stay with her out of a sense of misplaced duty nor do I want you to go with us out of a sense of guilt. Mrs. White understands that you have the final say, and she will abide by whatever decision you make, as will Mrs. Fowlkes.” My anger spent, I continued as calmly as I could manage “If you don’t want to go with us just say so and I’ll accept your answer as final.”
Not wishing to be accused of manipulation again, I determinedly fought to keep my face and voice carefully devoid of any emotion. I didn’t want Elsee to think I would resort to tears in order to get my way; I needed for her to choose the direction she wanted her life to go not be subject to conflicting emotions torn between duty and love.
“So whatever I decide to do, you’ll abide by that decision and stay out of my business?” Elsee asked suspiciously.
“Absolutely,” I vowed solemnly as much to myself as to Elsee. “I only wanted to provide Mrs. Fowlkes with an acceptable alternative so you wouldn’t feel duty bound to stay there to care for her. Mrs. White is one of the few people I would trust with Mrs. Fowlkes’ life.”
Even if things didn’t go the way I wanted them to, I was done meddling. It was totally up to Elsee. Whatever happened, I had gone as far as I would allow myself to go. Anything more would only serve to turn Elsee against me, if I hadn’t already.
“I’ll talk to Mrs. Fowlkes and then let you know,” Elsee said stiffly, obviously still miffed. “Goodbye,” she added turning to leave.
“I’ll drive you back,” James offered tentatively.
“Fine,” she conceded, unbending slightly. “I haven’t had a chance to yell at you yet.”
“James knew nothing about it,” I quickly interceded on James behalf. “Honestly, Elsee, it was all me. You know how I am when I want something badly,” I added contritely.
“That’s true,” Elsee’s voice warmed slightly “And I love that you care so much about your old mother-in-law that you want me to move in with you—most young girls don’t even want to visit their in-laws much less have them living in the same house—but you and James haven’t been married very long and I’m just not sure it’s a good idea.”
“We would find a house big enough to give you some privacy,” James assured her.
“It’s not my privacy I’m worried about.”
“We have a baby,” I reminded her humorously. “Privacy is already in short supply.”
“And instead of you getting a job, we were hoping to pay you to keep Mark during the day. Tha
t way we wouldn’t have to worry about finding a daycare while we’re both at work,” James added hopefully. “Not that you have to, we just thought it would be nicer for you to get paid to keep Mark than doing anything else. I know how bored you would be at home with nothing to do all day.”
“Got it all figured out, have you?” Elsee asked sardonically, but I could see she was seriously considering it.
“We want our children to know their grandmother.”
In spite of my best intentions, I was shamelessly using Mark to try to tip the balance in our favor.
“If you stay here, you’ll be so far away.”
Against my will, my voice cracked just a bit on the last word. I turned away so she wouldn’t see the tears that had come unbidden into my eyes at the thought of leaving her behind.
“You truly think this is what you want,” Elsee asked softly “A mother-in-law under your feet all the time?”
“You’re the only family we have,” my voice wobbled “I can’t imagine life without you.”
“What about you, James?” Elsee inquired.
“I feel the same way Allison does,” he answered promptly.
Elsee sighed. “If I were to agree to this” she began and then hearing my soft gasp added severely “and I said ‘if’, there would have to be a few ground rules.”
“Of course,” I faced her eagerly “whatever you say.”
“Hold on,” she forestalled me “you haven’t even heard them yet.”
“Yes ma’am,” I replied meekly.
“Don’t think you’re fooling me with that humble act,” she reprimanded me, but I could tell she was over her anger. “I know you too well.”
“Sorry,” I said, grinning unrepentantly.
“Rule number one…if any of us at any point decide the living arrangements aren’t working out we have to be honest about it and make some changes.
Rule number two…I will never under any circumstances take money for keeping my grandson or any future grandchildren you may choose to give me.
Rule number three…you will agree to accept money from me, in whatever amount I choose, in order to help buy a house.
Rule numbers four and any following rules to be determined.”
“Mom, we don’t want to take your money,” James objected.
“The money I have, I received after your father was killed,” Elsee explained. “I began saving for your college education and I added to it every month and even though you had a full scholarship, once I started saving it became habit. As far as I’m concerned it is yours.”
“Elsee, as much as we appreciate it, you need to keep it for your retirement,” I insisted. “Since we were able to live off of my paycheck, we still have the thirty thousand in my savings account for a down payment on a house. We’re better off than most newly married couples.”
“You will need a house big enough for all of us,” Elsee observed mildly “and since I will be living there, too, I insist on helping pay for it.”
“Allison,” James said mildly, not taking his eyes off his mother “I think we need to give in on this one. I’m afraid Mom will refuse to come if we don’t.”
Elsee reached up and patted James on the cheek saying, “I knew I raised a smart child.”
“Whatever it takes,” I agreed, “As long as you go with us.”
“I will talk to Mrs. Fowlkes and if I’m satisfied that she is happy with the new arrangements, I will go with you,” she promised.
I threw my arms around her and whispered “Thank you” fervently in her ear.
“I hope you don’t regret this,” she murmured skeptically.
“Never,” I replied vehemently “Never ever.”