THE SUB A Study In Witchcraft
Page 33
“So,” said Janet brightly, “how long does it take to become a minister?”
“Well, if I take a heavy load and do summer sessions, I can get the degree in five years.”
“Well, I won’t sell the church to anyone else till you’re back here,” Jim promised. “If it’s the church you think you’ll want.”
“I don’t suppose many of my father’s parishioners will be left by then, and if there still is one or two, I don’t figure I would be their first choice for a minister. People like to have ministers more their own age.”
“Why do you want to be a minister?” Kelly asked in the voice she reserved for boring conversations with grown-ups. It was the question they’d all wanted to ask.
“I’m not sure I do want to, exactly. It’s more like the wine we brought. It’s something you’re supposed to do. Once they’re a certain age, people are supposed to get jobs, and I’m already older than that. Maybe it’ll turn out it’s the wrong idea. But I’ve got a head-start, kind of, since I did all the office work for my father.”
“I thought Reverend Johnson was your grandfather,” said Kelly.
“He was that, too,” Alan agreed.
“And you, Mr. Cottonwood,” Janet asked, using a hostess’s prerogative to change the subject. “What are your plans for the future?”
“I don’t know. A race car driver? A rock singer? Those were the leading ideas I had before I was put away. A few days ago I signed up at the unemployment office, and I’ll find out what they can offer along those lines. But my lawyer says the settlement he’s hammered out with the state will work out about the same as if I’d been a lottery winner. So that’s my plan for a career, winning the lottery. How about you?”
She had had no intention of springing the news this evening. But once she had blurted it out—“I’m going to be a mother,” adding, so there would be no confusion, “It will be a boy this time”—she felt a heaven of relief.
Jim Cottonwood was the first to break the ensuing silence with a quiet “Congratulations.”
“I’m going to have a brother?” Kelly marveled.
Janet nodded. “Sometime in March.”
“How long have you known?” Alan asked.
“Since just after Grandma Turney’s funeral. But that didn’t seem like the best time to make the announcement, everyone was in such a state. I’m sorry, Alan, I should have said something before this. Carl has been after me, but—” She sighed. “It’s hard to be honest about everything.”
Janet looked confidingly at Jim. “Which is what we all agreed we were going to try and do, Carl and me and Alan. We’d talked it over and agreed that all the problems people have come from their not being up-front about things.”
“I’m the father?” Alan finally had the nerve to ask.
Carl nodded. “I’m pretty sure I’m not, and Janet says you’re the only other candidate. But nowadays, with DNA testing, you don’t have to settle for a good guess. You can nail it down, as you know from experience. I don’t see any practical difficulties. Janet and I are looking forward to bringing up a boy, and we’re well fixed for money, thanks to the insurance. And we hope you’ll be a regular visitor.”
“But I thought you said you wanted to move to Arizona?”
“To Scottsdale,” Carl said, nodding. “As soon as we can sell this house. We’ve got it listed with three different agencies.”
There was another silence, and then Kelly said, “Doesn’t anyone want to know what my plans are?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” said Janet, rising to clear the dishes. “What are your plans?”
“I want to be a teacher. Like Aunty Di.”