I overslept. It was nearly eleven when Cassie shook me.
“You should get up, Semantha. Lucky for you, Daddy wasn’t a hundred percent himself this morning.”
I sat up quickly. “Did you tell him everything?”
“Of course. You want him to find out about it from some stranger? He wanted me to wake you earlier to be sure you were all right, but I assured him you were. I promised him you would call him after lunch, which looks like it will be your breakfast.”
I scrubbed my face with my dry palms and shook my head. “It all seems like a dream, a nightmare.”
“Someone was watching over you, all right. Most likely, it was the spirit of one of our ancestors. Maybe even Asa.”
“How’s Mother this morning?” I asked as soon as she had said that name.
“She ate breakfast, but only after I showed her the empty nursery again.”
“You did?”
“She kept talking about that weird dream, so I had to. Unfortunately, the sight of the furniture, the decor, the new windows, all of it put her into a little depression again. I knew it would, but there was no choice. I can’t have her believing in dreams.”
“You need to call the doctor, Cassie,” I said, rising. “This can’t go on.”
“We’ll see,” she said. “Maybe after the gala, if she’s still like this. Get dressed. We need to work on the kitchen today after you have your brunch.”
I showered and dressed. Despite the hour, I wasn’t as hungry as I thought I might be. I hurried in to see Mother. Cassie had turned the television on for her, but she didn’t look as if she was watching it as much as she looked as if she was just looking through it. Of course, I couldn’t tell her about the accident. Fortunately, she didn’t ask about my date.
“Why aren’t you in school?” she asked instead.
“It’s the weekend, Mother.”
“Oh. I’ve lost track of the days.”
“Do you want anything? I’m just going down to the kitchen.”
“No. Thank you, Semantha. You look very nice, very grown-up. I feel like I’ve been away so long. Have I been away long?”
“No, not long, Mother.”
She nodded, smiled, and then looked sad again. “Did you hear anything last night?”
“Hear anything? What do you mean?”
“A baby’s cry?”
A chill went through me. “No, Mother.”
She nodded again. “He feels betrayed, I’m sure,” she said. “I took him so far, so close, and then …”
“You can’t blame yourself like this, Mother. Please. You have to try, or you won’t get better.”
She looked at me again and smiled. “You’re so grown-up. My grown-up daughters. That’s nice. That makes me feel good. You help your father. He has so much to do, and I can’t be of any help to him.”
“That’s why you need to get better quickly, Mother.”
“Yes,” she said. “Yes.”
“You sure you don’t want anything?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
I started out.
“Did you see how beautiful the nursery came out, Semantha?”
I paused. “Yes, Mother. But please, don’t think about it so much.”
“No,” she said. “Don’t think about it,” she recited, and turned back to the television set without an iota of interest in what she was seeing.
I hurried downstairs. I didn’t care how much Cassie knew or how well she and Daddy thought she was taking care of Mother. Something more must be done. I practically charged at her in the kitchen.
“Dr. Moffet should be called today,” I said. “She’s not right. I’m frightened, Cassie. She actually asked me if I had heard a baby’s cry.”
“I’ve already discussed it with Daddy,” she said calmly. She was whipping up some cupcakes. “It’s the weekend, and Moffet’s not here this weekend. He went to visit his son in Boston. His son’s a doctor, too, you know.”
“I don’t care about his son. We should still call him.”
“We will on Monday. If she hasn’t improved, I’m afraid she might have to go back into the hospital.”
“Oh.”
“Eat something. We’ve got work to do.”
“How can we leave her tomorrow?” I asked. “She’s not going to the gala, right?”
Cassie stopped working and looked at me with a wide smile. “Can you imagine her there? Of course not.”
“Well, then, how can we leave her alone?”
“We’re not.”
“We’re not? Who’s going to be here?”
“You,” she said.
“Me?”
“I would stay, but Daddy needs me at his side. Don’t worry. She’ll have taken some of her medicine and will sleep most of the time, anyway.”
“But—”
“What’s more important to you, Semantha, attending a party in a department store or making sure your mother is all right?”
“Of course, looking after Mother.”
“Exactly.” She returned to the cupcake batter. “I understand how you feel, how hard this is on all of us, and, like you, I wish Mother had been stronger, but she’s not, so we have to contend with it.
“Other families would crumble,” she continued, “but not the Heavenstones. We rise to every occasion. People look up to us. We inspire them; we always have. Mother doesn’t have the Heavenstone blood in her, so she’s not as strong as we are.” She paused to spoon out some of the batter. “Daddy’s going to love these cupcakes,” she said. “They’re marble inside. He loves that.”
I stared at her until she turned back to me.
“What? Why aren’t you having your brunch?”
“Mother is as strong as any Heavenstone,” I insisted.
She shook her head. “Yes, Semantha, and there is really a Santa Claus, too.”
She returned to her cupcakes.
I knew how Cassie was about our heritage and importance, all that. I had heard it and believed some of it myself, but something was different.
It was as if …
As if I, too, heard a baby’s cry.
Silence
I HAD NEVER been so happy to hear Uncle Perry’s voice as I was this particular afternoon. Cassie went to the door before I could. I was still in the kitchen. She had insisted we take everything out of every cabinet and wipe each cabinet clean before putting it all back. We would do the same with the pantry and the silverware drawers. The moment I heard him, I stopped what I was doing and hurried out to greet him.
“Your father’s right behind me,” he said. “He was just finishing up a few things. How’s your mother?” he asked Cassie as I approached.
“She’s about the same. You know she’s on some antidepressants, right?”
“Yes, your father told me. Hi, Sam. How are you doing?” he asked as soon as he saw me.
“Sam,” Cassie said, turning to look at me before I could respond, “was very lucky last night. She was in a bad car accident.”
“What? Teddy didn’t say anything about any car accident.”
“As you can see, Semantha is all right, and my father has his mind on many important things today, Uncle Perry,” Cassie said.
Uncle Perry turned to me. “Are you all right?” he asked, clearly implying that he didn’t trust Cassie.
“Yes, Uncle Perry. Cassie’s right. I was lucky. One of the boys, however, hit his head on the dashboard and has a concussion. He should be all right, though.”
“Wow. So, what happened?”
“Yes, why don’t you amuse Uncle Perry with that story while I look in on Mother?” Cassie said. “I’ll see how she is and let you know if you can visit when I come down,” she told Uncle Perry.
“Why couldn’t I visit her?” he asked or, rather, demanded. I saw he was losing patience with Cassie. “I didn’t drive out here just to chat with you two. I promised your father I’d visit your mother.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t visit, Uncle Perry. Chill out. All I m
eant was I’d see if she was awake. She drifts in and out with this medicine Dr. Moffet has prescribed. You don’t want to stand there looking at a woman asleep, do you?”
“I’ll wait until she wakes up, even if it takes the rest of the day,” he replied firmly.
Cassie smiled and nodded. “We appreciate that, Uncle Perry. Honestly, we do,” she said, and walked off to the stairway.
He looked at me, the anger in his face receding. “What happened to you, then, Sam? What’s this about a car accident?”
I walked him into the living room. He sat on the sofa, and I described the accident. With him, I told the truth.
“There’s probably no doubt your friend Eddie could have prevented the accident if he had been paying attention. All of us, but teenagers especially, should be trained in defensive driving. I don’t know all that much about insurance companies, but I can’t see how the elderly man won’t be held accountable anyway, Sam. If he couldn’t back out and drive off without any car hitting him, he should have waited. He was probably not looking enough. But from the way you describe your friend who drove, I don’t think this is the end of his getting into trouble.”
“I feel so terrible with all that’s happening to my mother and Daddy right in the middle of so much.”
“It will be all right. Don’t worry,” he said, and stood up to give me a hug just as Cassie entered.
“How loving,” she said. “An uncle and his favorite niece caught in a tender embrace. My mother is awake, Uncle Perry. I told her you were here. She had no reaction, but don’t mind that. It’s the medicine.”
He looked at me with skepticism, then started out and stopped. “Why don’t you come up with me, Sam,” he said.
“I’ll wait here for Daddy,” Cassie said, as if he had asked her and not me.
I joined him, and we went upstairs. Mother was in a robe and sitting in the oversized chair in the bedroom. I made a mental note to work on her hair as soon as Uncle Perry left. Right now, it looked like a rat’s nest. She wore no makeup, and sitting in the afternoon sunshine pouring through the windows, she looked quite pale. When she saw Uncle Perry, she began to cry.
“Arianna, please, don’t,” Uncle Perry said, rushing to her. He knelt beside her and took her hand in his. “You can’t blame yourself.”
“I came home without my baby. Teddy’s male heir,” she said. “His Asa. I know how much he dreamed of him.”
“He’s got heirs.”
“The Heavenstone name, Perry. It’s so important to him.”
“Not more important than you are to him, Arianna. Besides, I’ve always told him that this Heavenstone thing is over the top. We’re just people who happen to have a thriving big business. Everyone has a history. This isn’t some kind of royal dynasty, and Teddy isn’t Henry the Eighth.”
If Cassie were there and heard him say that, she would pounce on him and scratch him from ear to ear, I thought. He glanced back at me as if he heard what I was thinking.
Mother nodded slightly but without any enthusiasm. “I know it’s just my imagination,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper, “but sometimes … sometimes I hear a baby’s cry, and I think maybe he was born. You know what I mean?” she asked Uncle Perry, her face brightening with some hope.
It was as if she really did expect him to say she was right. She had heard her baby. What did she think he would tell her? That all of this was just a bad dream, or she had suffered so much difficulty giving birth that she had lost her memory?
“Now, now, Arianna, you’re only making yourself sicker with this sort of talk. You’ve got to get hold of yourself, get strong and well again. Please,” he begged, still holding her hand.
Her face sank with disappointment, but she nodded. “I know. I know just how much of a burden I’ve become for everyone.”
“No one says you’re a burden. That’s ridiculous. Everyone wants you to get well and is anxious to help you do so. C’mon. Let’s see that joie de vivre again. You’re my inspiration, Arianna. Just knowing you’re around spurs me on to try harder and do better and better things. You’ve always been my best cheerleader. I’d be lost without you.”
Mother gave him a quick smile.
“Now, that’s the sister-in-law I remember.”
We turned toward the door when we heard Daddy’s voice from the stairway. He sounded very excited and happy. Cassie’s laughter followed, and moments later they both entered.
“Arianna, you’re up and about. How wonderful,” Daddy said, hurrying to her.
Uncle Perry stepped back so Daddy could kiss Mother. Then he took the newspaper out from under his arm and held up the pages that had pictures of our new store. Both pages were dedicated to the story. There was a good picture of Daddy and, next to him, a picture of the governor, who was definitely coming to tomorrow’s opening gala.
“Cassie suggested we hire a band and set them up near the entrance,” he said. “I just hired them. And look at this, Arianna. Look at what else your daughter came up with.” He pulled out a key chain that had an angel attached. It read, Heavenstone’s. Where angels shop. “We’re going to give one to each of the first five hundred customers.” He handed it to Mother.
She smiled and looked at Cassie. “Very clever, Cassie,” she said.
“Thank you, Mother.” Cassie glanced at Uncle Perry, but he said nothing.
“We’re blowing up hundreds of balloons, and we’ve constructed a small stage area with seating for four hundred people,” Daddy continued. “I’m sure there will be another few hundred standing. We’ll have the mayor, the governor, and,” he said, digging into his pocket to come up with a letter to wave, “Senator Barry is flying in from Washington. With the suppliers, retail salesmen, and employees, we’re sure to have an overflow crowd.”
“I’m happy for you, Teddy,” Mother said.
“It’s for us, not just for me, Arianna. Don’t worry. I’m videotaping all of the festivities, and I’ll be able to play it for you tomorrow night.”
“Maybe she can go,” Uncle Perry suggested.
Cassie stepped forward instantly.
“It would be too tiring, and she’s not ready to listen to people offering their condolences. They’ll drown her in an ocean of pity. Daddy and I and you, too, will be too occupied to care properly for her.”
“What about Sam?” Uncle Perry nodded toward me.
“My sister isn’t equipped for such a responsibility yet.”
“What?” Uncle Perry smiled incredulously. “Not equipped? Why not, for Heavenstone’s sake?”
“She’s barely able to look after herself,” Cassie muttered, glaring at me. “Other teenagers will distract her attention, and she won’t know how to keep people from badgering Mother.”
“Other teenagers? You’re a teenager,” Uncle Perry pointed out.
“Hardly,” she replied.
“Huh?”
“Please, don’t argue,” Mother said with surprising energy. “Cassie’s right. Just the thought of walking down the stairs tires me out right now.”
“I’d gladly carry you all the way,” Uncle Perry said.
“I know you would, Perry. Thank you, but I’d rather Teddy not have to worry about me. I don’t want any of you to be worrying about me tomorrow. All of you, go and enjoy.”
“Semantha is staying with you,” Cassie said.
“Oh, no!” Mother cried. “I don’t want her to miss it on account of me. You go, too, Semantha. I’ll be fine.”
“I could call someone,” Daddy said. “Just to be around if you need someone.”
“I’ll be fine,” Mother insisted. “Please, Teddy. Don’t make me feel like any more of a burden on you all than I am.”
“You’re not a burden, Arianna.”
“That’s what I told her,” Uncle Perry said.
Cassie made a show of looking at her watch. “Mother is due to take a pill now, and I’d like her to rest before I bring up her dinner. She has to eat more. I’ve made those cupcakes you
made for Daddy a while back, Mother. I’ll be bringing you one.”
“Are you staying for dinner, Uncle Perry?” I asked, hoping he would say yes.
“I’m afraid I have to get back. I still have some work on the displays and some arrangements to complete for tomorrow, but thank you for asking, Sam.” He glanced pointedly at Cassie, but she looked disinterested and unashamed that she hadn’t asked him to dinner.
“I’ll sit with her a while and make sure she’s resting,” Daddy said, moving toward Mother.
Uncle Perry returned to her side just held her hand for a moment and looked at her.
“Please get better soon, Arianna. Everyone needs you back.”
Mother didn’t speak, didn’t smile. She simply stared at him. He leaned over to kiss her cheek and whisper something, and then he started out.
“I’ll walk you to your car, Uncle Perry.” I hurried after him.
He charged at the stairway and didn’t speak to me until we were well out of earshot. He turned at the bottom of the stairs and looked up.
“I don’t like it, Sam. I don’t want to alarm you, but Cassie is taking on too much responsibility here. Your father should have hired another nurse or had her readmitted. She is in a deep depression. She shouldn’t be this way so long after the miscarriage. As I understand it, she hasn’t left that room since she was brought home, not even to go out and get some fresh air, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then, talk your father into getting someone else immediately, will you?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll try.” He was saying what I felt and was afraid to say. It made my heart thump and my stomach swirl. We walked out, and he kissed me good-bye.
When he opened the car door to get in, he paused and smiled. “I’m sure it will be all right, Sam. I don’t mean to get you overly alarmed. I’m just … not used to seeing her like that, and your sister … your sister makes me feel like an outsider. I don’t want to start any trouble between you, but when it comes to being nice and loving, you’re miles above her, and right now, your mother needs a lot of tender loving care.”
He got in, started his engine, waved, and drove off. I watched him go, feeling as if I was coming apart where I stood. I wanted to run after him and shout, Don’t go, Uncle Perry. You’re right. Stay here and convince Daddy. I can’t do it by myself, and Cassie wouldn’t like it.