“That would certainly be an improvement. But you’ll have to make sure you’re registered for the draft. The owner of the factory is quite patriotic.”
“But I’m only twenty. Have they changed the rules? We didn’t get much news about the war in Abbott’s Hollow.”
“No, Pole. You’re safe for now.” Sofie sighed with relief. “At least until you turn twenty-one next September.”
“You remembered my birthday?” Pole asked, surprised.
“Of course.” Sofie smiled coyly.
Janos could not deny that he was enjoying the pleasant exchanges between his daughter and Pole. It was such a relief to see her finally take an interest in a boy. Perhaps he was even witnessing a budding romance.
“Once you’re settled at Mrs. Walker’s, I’ll take you to the factory and introduce you to one of the foremen I’m friendly with,” Janos said to Pole. “Hopefully, he’ll have a spot for you. And if you think you’d like to stay here indefinitely, Aunt Anna can enroll Lily at the local school.”
The girl smiled. “I’d like that very much.”
“Well, sis, I think we should probably move on to Mrs. Walker’s. It’s gettin’ late. It’s five houses down, right?” Pole asked Anna.
“I can take you to her house,” Sofie said, grinning.
“I think Pole will be able to find it,” Janos said. “You stay here and help your aunt with the dishes.” It pained Janos to see the look of disappointment on his daughter’s face, but he needed to speak with her before her mood soured, and she escaped to her room for the night.
“I’ll show Lily and Pole to the door then,” Sofie said, sounding irritated.
“Thank you again for dinner. It was real nice seein’ you after all these years,” Pole said as he shook Janos’s hand and hugged Anna.
“Since tomorrow’s Saturday, I can show you and Lily around town,” Sofie said as she walked down the hall with Pole and his sister. “We can even go to the nickelodeon.”
As Sofie’s voice grew more distant, Janos moved toward his sister. “Did you see how happy Sofie was this evening? She seems to have forgotten about Karina—at least temporarily.”
“I forgot about her, too. I need to take her some dinner. I haven’t been upstairs since before Pole and Lily showed up.”
“I doubt it matters. She does nothing but sleep.” Janos was grateful for that small blessing. The few times he had gone into Karina’s room during the past two weeks, she’d either been fast asleep or looked like she’d just woken up. She had been groggy and said very little. On one occasion, she actually whispered his name and reached out to him, but luckily, Anna appeared with a tray of food. While Karina was distracted with her dinner, Janos slipped out the door. It was distressing enough to see his former wife with her swollen belly—the evidence of her betrayal growing day by day—but the thought of actually speaking to her was more than he could bear.
“I’ll clear the table, Aunt Anna,” Sofie said, returning to the dining room.
“Can we talk in the parlor first?” Janos asked his daughter, grateful she had interrupted his thoughts of Karina.
“Sure, I guess.”
Once she was seated next to him on the sofa, Janos squeezed her hand. “You seemed happy tonight. I have Pole to thank for that. It’s a miracle he ran into Lukas, isn’t it?”
“Can you believe how tall he is? He’s quite handsome, too.”
Janos chuckled. “I suppose he is.” Finally, his daughter sounded like a seventeen-year-old. Maybe she was finally ready to tear down the walls she had built around her heart so many years ago. Janos paused to savor the moment before assuming the role of overbearing parent. “Have you told Pole anything about your mother, Sofie?”
Her cheerful expression faded. “I told him everything,” she said, biting her lip. “I’m sorry, but Aunt Anna suggested I do it. She said I needed to confide in someone.” Her voice began to crack.
“It’s fine.” Janos patted his daughter’s knee. “I trust Pole will keep our secret.” He was glad Sofie had finally shared her feelings with someone, but was a little sad she hadn’t come to him for comfort.
“He will,” she said assuredly. She leaned closer to her father. “What have you told Concetta? I know you two have become close,” she said, her voice lowering.
“I told her your aunt is taking care of an old friend who is sick. It was the best story she and I could come up with. We told Vilium and Marek the same lie in case they notice your aunt is sleeping in your room.”
“Will you invite Concetta here for Thanksgiving dinner? She shouldn’t spend the holiday alone, but what if Karina comes out of her room?”
“We needn’t worry about that. Concetta is leaving for Philadelphia in a few days and won’t return until mid-December.”
Sofie raised an eyebrow. “That’s a long trip.”
“It is,” Janos said, nodding. He was not looking forward to Concetta’s departure, but sending her away from Beaver Creek was the easiest way to prevent her from finding out about Karina. Concetta had been surprised when he’d suggested she spend the Thanksgiving holiday with Tony in Philadelphia and even more stunned when he had urged her to stay the entire month of December. She was hesitant to make such a lengthy trip. Janos hated manipulating and lying to Concetta, but knew their romance would come to an abrupt end if she learned of his pregnant wife’s return.
“Papa …” Sofie said timidly.
Janos noticed the uneasiness in his daughter’s eyes.
“Have you sent Lukas any news of Karina? Have you thought about how he’s going to react when he comes home next week and finds her here?”
“He’s not coming. I got a letter the other day. He’s spending Thanksgiving with Edith.”
“Oh,” Sofie said, disappointed. “I was looking forward to seeing him.”
“I know, but it’s probably for the best. At least we have another month to figure out how to tell him the news. He won’t be home now until Christmas.”
“He has more reason to hate Karina than I do,” Sofie snapped. “She’s the reason he lost his leg.”
“Does he believe that? Has he talked to you about his accident?”
“Never. That’s strange, isn’t it?”
Janos nodded solemnly.
“We’ve always pretended our mother was the victim of a crime or accident. Lukas never told me whether he believes Karina was on the train that day, but I suspect he does.”
“Why is that?”
“Have you ever seen the way he reacts when someone says the word ‘mother’? He winces every time. I think he’s very bitter about Karina. He just hides it really well. Or …” Sofie paused and stared past her father, her face expressionless.
“Or what?”
“He doesn’t even realize how deep his resentment is,” she whispered.
Janos shuddered. He dreaded the day Lukas would learn about his mother’s return. But maybe they would get lucky in the next month. Perhaps Karina would have the baby, recover fully, and be gone before Lukas came home for Christmas. It would be far easier for him to stomach the news of his mother’s most recent betrayal if she had already moved on from Beaver Creek. Janos closed his eyes. He wouldn’t hold his breath for that miracle.
Satisfied that he had finally been able to have a real conversation with his daughter for the first time in weeks, Janos leaned back in his favorite armchair and prepared to dive into a book. Four sat on the side table, but he wasn’t sure which one he was in the mood for.
“Janos,” Anna said, entering the parlor with a worried look on her face. “Karina would like to see you.”
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“Our patient is surprisingly lucid this evening. She’s awoken from her stupor,” Anna said, shrugging her shoulders.
“What did she say?”
“She said she’s feeling better—and I could tell. She sat up in bed and practically inhaled her dinner. She said she wants to talk to you about the baby.”
Janos�
�s stomach turned. His luck had run out. Dealing with a weak and disoriented Karina was not pleasant, but it was a better alternative than interacting with her. What could she possibly have to say to him? And would she make any sense?
“What am I supposed to do? March upstairs and pretend that everything’s fine?”
“I don’t know.” Anna shook her head. “This is the first time she’s said more than a few words to me. She’s been lethargic and confused until today. She actually thanked me for taking care of her.”
Janos eyed his sister. “Seriously?”
“Hard to believe, I know. And she wants to know where Sofie and Lukas are.”
“My God! What did you tell her?”
“I said they were sleeping.”
Janos sighed as he stood up. “I’ll be back shortly. Can you make me some tea?”
“Of course. Try to remain calm. Think of the baby she’s carrying,” Anna said, touching his arm.
Janos climbed the stairs, reciting the Jesus prayer over and over again for comfort. He had hoped for an improvement in Karina’s condition for the sake of her baby, but in that moment, he wished she would fall back into her deep slumber. He was terrified at the prospect of speaking to her. He paused at her door and made the sign of the cross before entering the room. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” he whispered one last time as he turned the doorknob.
“Hello, Janos.”
Karina sat in bed, propped up by several pillows. She held a brush in her hand, which she quickly placed on the night-stand. She smoothed her frizzy hair with her fingers and looked demurely at Janos. “There are no mirrors in this room. I hope I’m not too unkempt.”
Janos studied his wife. The color had returned to her cheeks, and she had put on a little weight. She was still thin, but not as dangerously gaunt as when she had arrived. She looked stronger and more alert. He wondered if she knew where she was.
“You needn’t worry about your appearance. You haven’t been well, Karina.” Janos almost choked as her name left his lips. He was in awe of the fact that he was addressing her directly after all these years. And the irony! How many times had he cursed her name? His hand began to tremble.
“This baby has been much harder on me than Sofie and Lukas. I’m so tired.”
Janos stared at his wife’s wild hair, hoping to avoid eye contact with her. He wondered what had happened to her beautiful blonde locks. Thirty-five seemed too young an age to be so gray.
“Where are the children? Why haven’t they come to see me? I miss Lukas’s giggle.”
Janos’s shoulders tensed. “Karina, do you remember how you got here?”
She shook her head, a forlorn look on her face.
“What do you remember?”
“I got lost on my way home. And no wonder! Our new house is so far from the old one.” She fingered the pastel-colored quilt covering her. “I like our new bedroom.”
Janos swayed, his terror knocking him off balance. He grabbed the rocking chair for support.
“I’ve started thinking about baby names. I’d like Mary for a girl—after Mary Pickford, of course. I love her films. And Janos if it’s a boy. After his father.” Karina smiled at her husband.
Janos cringed. Sister Agnes had mentioned that Karina thought the baby was his, but he assumed she had come to her senses upon emerging from her delirium. Dear God! She really has lost her mind.
“Why don’t you come over and sit next to me?” Karina asked as she patted the empty space on the bed. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
His head spinning, Janos could not decide how to approach the situation. He didn’t want to upset Karina and endanger her baby, but he could not play charades. He could not pretend he had fathered her baby, no matter how beneficial that pretense might be to her wellbeing.
“It seems you’re confused, Karina.” Janos reluctantly took a step toward her. “But you are right about one thing. We haven’t seen each other in ages. Over seven years, to be precise. The baby you’re carrying is not mine.” Janos swallowed hard. He waited anxiously for his wife’s reaction.
Karina’s face went blank. She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. “Why would you say something so ridiculous?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“How could that be?” she asked, incredulous.
“You left me over seven years ago.”
“That’s absurd! I’d never do anything so cruel,” she said, her voice growing louder with each syllable, her face twisting.
“I know you’re having trouble remembering,” Janos stammered. “But I haven’t seen you in seven years. I am not the father of your baby.”
Karina covered her ears and screamed, “Stop it! Stop lying!” She began to rock back and forth. “Stop!” She screeched loud enough to wake the dead. She picked up a book lying on the nightstand and threw it at Janos. It missed his head by a few inches, slamming onto the wall behind him.
Panicked, he rushed over to Karina and grabbed her hands. “Shh. Calm down. Calm down.”
“Why are you saying these things?” she wailed. “Why?” She began to sob.
Janos knew she needed comforting, but dared not embrace her. The sensation of her hands in his was disorienting enough. “Why don’t you lie down?” he said gently, as he made repeated attempts to nudge Karina onto a pillow. She swatted at him every time.
Suddenly, Anna burst into the room. “What’s going on in here?”
Janos had never been so relieved to see his sister. “She’s confused. She doesn’t remember that she left us.”
“I didn’t leave you,” Karina whined. “I only went to work. I went to Mr. Archer’s.”
“Is that where you were coming from when you got lost?” Anna asked in a sympathetic tone, as if speaking to a child.
Karina nodded emphatically.
Anna approached the bed and motioned for Janos to get out of her way. She sat down and pulled a vial out of her pocket. “Pour her glass of water,” Anna said, pointing to a pitcher resting on the dresser.
Janos did as he was told.
As Karina wiped the tears from her eyes, Anna unscrewed the lid on the vial. She dropped a few white crystals into the glass of water Janos had handed her. She swirled it around for a minute before offering it to Karina. “Drink this. It will help you feel better.”
“I’m not thirsty.” She crossed her arms.
“It’s for the baby. It’s medicine to help it grow stronger. You’re still too thin.”
Karina looked away.
“You want your baby to be healthy, don’t you?” Anna chided.
Karina grabbed the glass of water and downed it in one gulp, slamming it on the nightstand when she was finished.
“Good girl. Now get some rest,” Anna said, patting her patient’s shoulder.
“But what about Janos? Why did he say those horrible things?”
Anna scowled at her brother. She expected him to smooth things over. Janos hated the idea of lying, but seemed to have no other option in that moment. “I’m sorry, Karina. I didn’t mean what I said.”
She nodded slowly as she sank further into bed. She suddenly looked groggy. Janos turned off the light and slipped out the door with his sister.
“What did you give her?” he asked.
“Veronal. It’s a medicine to help her sleep,” Anna replied.
“Where did you get it?”
“Dr. Adler left it here the other day. He gives it to his female patients.”
“What are we going to do about her? She’s convinced the baby is mine. And she doesn’t even realize how much time has passed. How is that possible?”
Anna shook her head as she sat down in the only chair in the hallway. She sighed as she took off her right shoe and rubbed her bunion. She massaged her foot for almost a minute before Janos grew irritated.
“Stop that. Stop playing with your foot. We need to figure out what’s going on with Karina.”
&nbs
p; Anna looked up and glared at her brother. “That’s what I’m doing.”
Janos huffed. “Now you’ve lost your mind, too.” He plopped himself onto the attic steps and buried his face in his hands.
“Her name was Mrs. Horvath.” Anna’s soft voice broke the silence. “You wouldn’t remember her. You were just a baby.”
Janos let his hands drop to his sides. His sister’s tone had caught his attention.
“She was a lovely woman who lived down the street from us. She taught me how to make lace and Russian honey cake. Her lacework was so exquisite, she sold it in the local general store for a price no one in our neighborhood could afford.” Anna sighed. “It was a visit to that store that changed her life forever.”
Janos leaned forward. “What happened?”
“Mrs. Horvath took her two-year-old son, Jakub, to the store one day to drop off her lacework. She hadn’t planned to stay long, but a businessman from Košice happened to be admiring her pieces in the store as she walked in. He immediately wanted to know if she could create something special for his wife.”
Janos wondered how this was relevant, but kept silent as his sister spun her tale.
“It was rare to see such a well-dressed man in our little town, so naturally, Mrs. Horvath gave him her full attention. She spoke with him for several minutes and even took notes on his request. She never noticed that her little boy had left her side.”
Janos shuddered. “What happened to him?”
“He wandered out of the store and into the street. He was struck by a team of horses pulling a wagon.”
“Dear God!” Janos covered his mouth.
“Thankfully, Mrs. Horvath didn’t see it happen. But she was ruined all the same. Her grief broke her. It broke her mind.”
“In what way?”
“A few days after Jakub was buried, Mrs. Horvath came to Sunday mass with a baby doll wrapped in a blanket. No one said a word. We were too shocked.” Anna shook her head. “The day after that, she was seen shopping with the same doll in a stroller. In a matter of weeks, the town had grown used to seeing Mrs. Horvath nurturing that baby doll and taking it everywhere she went.”
“No one tried to talk some sense into her?”
“Our priest tried to intervene on several occasions, but Mrs. Horvath would only become hysterical. She actually slapped him once when he tried to pry the doll from her arms. He eventually gave up and began complimenting her on her baby’s outfits. Soon we were all doing it. I can still remember Mama making a fuss about a sailor suit the doll wore one day.”
Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash Page 26