The Heavenstone Secrets

  I actually took a few steps forward, but he was already at the bottom of the driveway and preparing to turn out of the gate. In seconds, he was gone. My heart sank. I stood looking after him until I heard the front door open.

  “What are you doing standing around out there?” Cassie shouted. “We haven’t finished the kitchen yet.”

  I didn’t turn around immediately. I was afraid that if I did, I might start screaming at her, and who knew what would happen then? Daddy would certainly be very upset if Cassie and I had words. I had no choice. I took a deep breath, lowered my head, and started back to the house.

  “Did you see how fast your uncle Perry ran out of here when I mentioned giving her the medicine?” Cassie asked as I drew closer. “I told you he hasn’t the stomach for any really difficult problems. He’s like a high-strung woman or something. If he had to deal with one-tenth of what Daddy deals with daily, he’d be in a loony bin himself.”

  “You didn’t make him feel all that comfortable, Cassie,” I said.

  “Oh, pardon me. I guess I should have considered his delicate feelings more than what Daddy and Mother need.” She put her hands on her hips and wagged her head as she continued. “If he doesn’t have the common sense and the sensitivity to see how difficult things are for us now, I couldn’t possibly care less about his discomfort.”

  When I turned to continue toward the kitchen, she reached out and pulled me around.

  “You listen to me. Men like him are very self-centered, Semantha. Don’t get caught up in his show of affection. When you scratch the surface of all that, you’ll find it’s all a façade or, as Daddy says, as phony as a two-headed nickel.’”

  “That’s not true or fair,” I said, turning away again.

  “Believe what you want, but you’ll see how right I am when it comes time for him to do something for you in a crisis,” she insisted, following me.

  I didn’t respond. I returned to the kitchen to finish the work as she wanted. She went to complete her preparations for Mother’s dinner and then our dinner afterward. Before she carried up Mother’s tray, she turned to me.

  “You heard her before when we were talking about the gala. Mother’s not going to want you to stay with her tomorrow, but I still think you should. What you can do is let her think you’ve gone with us, but stay downstairs and go up to see how she’s doing hours later. If she asks you why you’re here, tell her you have a headache or something, anything.”

  “Don’t worry, Cassie. I wasn’t going to leave her if Daddy didn’t get someone to stay here with her.”

  “Good. He won’t,” she said with confidence.

  “Is Daddy still upstairs with her?”

  “No. He’s in his office.”

  “But I thought he was going to stay with her to be sure she relaxed.”

  “I told him I would do that and sent him to do what was needed. He has a great deal left to arrange, so don’t bother him. I’ll be back in a little while. Just finish that section and go up to get ready for dinner.”

  I did what she wanted and then went up to my room. Bobbi called and told me how Noel was doing, but the real reason she called was to tell me that Eddie was nervous about my telling people the accident was his fault.

  “The old guy should have been more careful,” she added before I could respond. “Don’t you agree?”

  I thought about what Uncle Perry had said about the insurance company blaming Mr. Morgan no matter what. I decided there was no point in arguing or trying to get the others to see how careless Eddie had been—and with our lives, too!

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Good. Oh, good luck with your new store, too.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be there for the festivities. My parents are going, too,” she said. “See you tomorrow.”

  I didn’t want to tell her I wouldn’t be there, so I said okay and hung up. Later, I went down to help Cassie with our dinner. Daddy was so occupied in his office that she had to go get him and insist that he come to eat. At the table, I felt like some outsider. He and Cassie discussed the details of the gala. Neither paid much attention to me. However, I had to admit to myself that I was impressed with how much Cassie knew about what had to be done. She could be the CEO of our company.

  “Should I go up to get Mother’s tray?” I asked, finally interrupting.

  They both looked at me as if they had just realized I was at the table, too.

  “No. Daddy and I will go up. You clean up here,” Cassie ordered. “I’ll bring down her tray, and you can stay with her,” she told him.

  It shocked me to see how she was giving all of us orders now and how Daddy just accepted it.

  “Cassie told me you insisted on staying here with your mother tomorrow, Semantha. Are you sure? Because I can get someone to stand by. I hate to see you miss the gala opening,” Daddy said.

  I did want to go very much. Many of my classmates would be there, and as I listened to them talk, it was sounding more and more exciting. Cassie could see I was seriously considering Daddy’s offer.

  “Semantha and I have discussed it thoroughly, Daddy,” she said, looking directly at me when she spoke. “We both agree that strangers don’t do well in this house, and Mother is too delicate at the moment to be deserted.”

  “Oh, it’s not really deserting her,” Daddy said.

  “No, I’ll stay, Daddy. Cassie’s right. I’ll watch the video with you and Mother later.”

  “Well, it would be nice to have both of my daughters at my side, but if you’re really sure …”

  Cassie glared at me, practically daring me to say I would go.

  “I’m sure, Daddy. There will be other events.”

  “That there will. You’re right there,” he said, “right as rain. Well, then, let’s go see how she’s doing, Cassie. I expect she loved that cupcake as much as I did.”

  I watched the two of them head upstairs. Cassie whispered something in his ear that made him laugh aloud, and then they started up the stairway. My nerves felt like broken guitar strings. I practically attacked the dishware and silverware, nearly breaking a cup. It slipped from my grip, but I caught it before it hit the floor. I was almost finished with the dishes when Cassie returned with Mother’s tray. I saw that she hadn’t eaten very much, and she hadn’t touched the cupcake. When I said something, Cassie told me the medicine hurt her appetite.

  “I’ll speak to Dr. Moffet about it on Monday,” she said.

  “You will? Why wouldn’t Daddy?”

  “I meant I’ll tell Daddy to speak with him.”

  “He should come here to see her.”

  “Maybe he will. Now, forget this for the moment, and let’s talk about tomorrow, Semantha. It’s very important that Mother believes you’re going. We just told her that again.”

  “Daddy lied to her?”

  “It’s not a lie when he’s just doing what’s necessary to help her relax, Semantha. Please don’t talk like a child right now. I need you to be grown-up.”

  “I am grown-up. I’m not talking like a child. Don’t say that!”

  “Okay, okay, don’t blow a gasket. Your daddy told a little white lie. Satisfied? Now, back to what I was saying. In the morning after breakfast, you get dressed as if you’re going. Put on something special. Maybe that blue skirt outfit with the light-blue V-neck sweater, the outfit I bought you for your last birthday. Tie your hair, back and put on some makeup. Look excited about going, too, understand? I’ll be with you when you go in to say good-bye.”

  “I don’t like doing that, Cassie. It makes me feel so deceiving.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to cooperate or not? I have to know now. If not, I’ll go up to Daddy and tell him to find a stranger to babysit. Well?”

  “Yes, I’ll do it.”

  “Good. Now, go up and say good night. I’ll finish here. Well? Go on,” she ordered when I didn’t move.

  There was so much I wanted to say, but the words just wouldn’t com
e down to my tongue, and everything I could think of suggesting rang like the thoughts of someone selfish. I had no doubt that she would make me look that way in front of Daddy if I suggested any other solution, such as hiring another private-duty nurse just for the day. A private-duty nurse was a professional more than she was a stranger, but I hadn’t said anything at dinner, and I certainly couldn’t do it now.

  I left the kitchen and went up to Mother’s room, but I paused in the doorway. Mother was lying back on her pillow, her eyes closed, and Daddy was holding her hand and resting his head gently against her. The moment was so personal and tender I couldn’t interrupt it. As quietly as I could, I backed out and walked down to my room. I sat thinking until Susie called me to talk about the gala, too. Her parents weren’t going, but she was going to join Bobbi and her parents. Again, I couldn’t get myself to say I wouldn’t be there. She rattled on and on about the accident and how lucky we were. She told me Noel was hoping to go home in a day or so and that Eddie had been to the hospital to visit him. She said he really felt sorry. I knew she was saying that to reinforce their demand that I not contradict anyone else’s story of how it all happened.

  “He had to take a taxi. His father has taken away his driving privileges for a month even though it wasn’t his fault. Parents,” she said disgustedly. “They forget when they were our age.”

  “Maybe they don’t and that’s why they do what they do,” I said.

  “Huh? What’s that mean?”

  “Figure it out, Susie. I’m tired. Thanks for the call,” I said, and hung up.

  I ended up dozing off before returning to Mother’s room and then decided it was too late. I’d see her in the morning. Cassie must have risen at the crack of dawn, because by the time I awoke, she was already dressed to leave and had brought Mother her breakfast. I had to admit that Cassie looked prettier than ever. She had taken time with her hair and her makeup and wore one of her nicest dresses. In her high heels, she looked years older to me. She came charging into my room to wake me and be sure I chose the clothes she had suggested and did everything to make it appear that I was going.

  “Hurry up and dress. We have a lot to do today,” she told me. I was jealous of her excitement.

  When I went down to breakfast, I was surprised to learn that Daddy already had left hours ago. I had wanted to wish him luck.

  “I didn’t know he was going so early. I would have set my alarm clock,” I whined.

  “You can call him later,” Cassie suggested, “but don’t be upset if you can’t get to him quickly. He’ll be inundated with people requesting this and that, and he does have to make special preparations for the governor. Let’s both go up to get Mother’s tray and say our good-byes now. If you have trouble keeping to our story, just look at me, and I’ll help you. Okay, Semantha?”

  “Okay,” I said. My voice cracked. I was that close to tears.

  “Get hold of yourself,” Cassie ordered, her eyelids narrowing. “Don’t screw up this day for Daddy.”

  I took a deep breath, nodded, and followed her up the stairs. The first thing that struck me was that Mother had not eaten much of her breakfast, and she had not eaten much of her dinner the night before. She was lying there, looking up at the ceiling.

  “Mother,” Cassie said sharply, “we’re getting ready to leave for the gala.”

  She barely turned her head, but then, when she saw me, she smiled and looked more awake. “You look lovely, Semantha. You both do,” she said. “I’m very proud of the two of you.”

  “Thank you, Mother,” Cassie said.

  “Don’t you want to eat more of your breakfast, Mother?” I asked, going to the tray. “You hardly touched your eggs and didn’t eat much toast.”

  “No. I ate what I could this morning.”

  “But you haven’t eaten enough to get you through the time we’re gone,” I stressed.

  “I’ll bring her a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and something to drink,” Cassie said, looking at me and sounding as if she was trying to make me feel better rather than Mother.

  Mother said nothing. She reached out for me, and I took her hand. “You must do what you can to make your father happy, Semantha. He’s had a great disappointment. I’m sure he’ll be proud to have the two of you at his side today. Don’t think about me. Think about him,” she said. “Promise?”

  I pressed my lips together to keep myself from sobbing. My heart ached. All I could do was nod.

  Cassie moved quickly to my side.“I’ll make sure she does, Mother. You just eat what I bring you and rest. We’ll head back the moment the festivities end.”

  “Thank you, Cassie. I have always been proud of how strong you are and how dependable.”

  Cassie simply stared at her. I saw a struggle going on in her face, and for a moment, I thought, She’s going to tell the truth, she’s going to say something warm and loving, but she pulled back her shoulders and looked at me instead.

  “I’ll go get Mother’s lunch prepared,” she said, taking Mother’s tray. “You get those flyers I prepared with Daddy and bring them out to the car.”

  What flyers? I thought, and then realized she was making it up to get Mother to believe I was going. I didn’t say anything. I leaned down, kissed Mother on her cheek, and turned away, comforted to know I would soon be back up there and taking care of her. Maybe we would have a good talk without Cassie around to interrupt.

  “Enjoy the day,” Mother called to us. I started to turn back, but Cassie nudged me to keep walking, and I did.

  “I’ll get the sandwich made quickly. You wait in the living room,” she ordered.

  “She’s not eating, Cassie. She looks worse to me.”

  “We’ll call the doctor. Just concentrate on what we have to do today,” she insisted.

  I went to the living room and sat on the sofa to wait. About twenty minutes later, she came in. I thought she suddenly looked very agitated. She began to pace, as she often did when she was giving me some lecture or instruction.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked her.

  She shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. Now, you listen carefully. You’ll only make things worse for Mother and yourself if you don’t do exactly what I’m telling you to do.”

  She looked at her watch.

  “It’s a little after nine. Don’t dare go up there until two. By then, it will be too late for her to make a stink about your not going to the gala. If you go up earlier, she’ll be very upset and try to get Daddy on the phone or something, and that will cause great problems for him right in the middle of everything. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, Cassie, but what if she calls out or something?”

  “She won’t. She thinks no one’s here. Don’t imagine anything, either, Semantha. You’re making me very nervous. Are you going to do this right or not? If I have to take you with me, Daddy will be very upset thinking no one’s here with her.”

  “I’m doing it,” I said. “I’ll do what you say.”

  “All right. You can call me on my cell phone, but be sure you call from down here, so she can’t hear you if you call before two, okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “And make sure you’re as quiet as a ghost. If she hears you moving about or talking to someone or watching television, she’ll get frightened. Here’s the program Daddy and I designed for the gala,” she said, handing me a copy. “We should keep to the schedule, so you can imagine what’s happening by looking at the clock. Just sit and read it quietly. Understand?”

  “I understand, Cassie.”

  “Good. Good. We’re going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right, even better,” she added.

  “Better? How could it be better if Mother doesn’t improve?” I asked, but she didn’t reply. Her mind had already taken her to the gala.

  “Wish us luck,” she said instead, and left. When the front door closed, the house seemed to grow ominously quiet. I looked up at the family portraits and imagined an expression of concern on al
l of their faces. No one smiled in any of those portraits, anyway. Back then, they didn’t believe smiling was dignified or something. At least, that was what Cassie had told me, but right now, I desperately needed a smile.

  Instead, I had only these somber faces. I sat there sinking deeper and deeper into my own troubled thoughts and staring at the grandfather clock. Mother always said, “A watched pot never boils.” Well, that seemed true for time, too. Hours seemed more like days. I dozed off once or twice and rose on tiptoe to the windows to look out. Fortunately for us, we were having a beautiful Kentucky day. There were only a few scattered clouds, and the breeze looked as gentle as could be.

  I looked at the program Cassie had given me and tried to pretend I was there at the gala. I heard the music when it was scheduled to begin. I imagined the crowds, checked off the list of speakers as the hour passed, and envisioned Daddy standing there looking like a president. I could easily see Cassie at his side, making sure every little thing was done correctly. And then I thought about Uncle Perry and imagined his disappointment in my not being there. Maybe when he complained, Cassie said something nasty to him.

  I got a little hungry just after one and went to the kitchen to eat some cheese and crackers. I hoped Mother had already eaten the sandwich Cassie had brought her. When I went up in about an hour, I would make sure she ate it if she hadn’t. I would insist and ask her to do it for me.

  The last hour seemed to take the longest. I thought about calling Cassie and even Daddy but decided not to interrupt anything, and besides, they probably wouldn’t hear their cell phones ringing. When the grandfather clock bonged two, I rose quickly from the sofa and headed to the stairway, rehearsing all that I would say to calm Mother down and then even apologize for having had to fool her like this. I would justify it by explaining, as Cassie had, that Daddy would have been too upset to enjoy his gala opening otherwise. I was sure she would understand.