Poppies

The day came when Todd, Carter and Adam were to arrive with their families.

  Jobeth dressed the children in their best church clothes. Shawna and Oliver had done well in the city and dressed their children in very modern attire. She liked their garments and made a mental note to make similar outfits for her children.

  “I am so excited,” giggled Shawna as she helped Jobeth pack the large basket they planned to bring to the picnic they were having.

  Jobeth examined the beautiful woman Shawna had turned into. She had cut her long pale hair into a short bob just under her chin, making her seem years older and more sophisticated than Jobeth remembered. When Jobeth protested, Shawna had laughed and said it was modern and that Jobeth was too young to be so old-fashioned. Shawna had changed in many ways from the girl she had once been.

  “I don’t remember the rest of the group as well as you and the guys; but I do have vague memories of either Todd or Adam buying me one of my favorite dolls.”

  “That was Adam. The gang wanted you to have a normal home with the things little girls should have,” Jobeth said, remembering back in time to a group of teens trying to raise a little five-year-old girl properly.

  “Humph,” Shawna shook her head, her bob swaying back and forth. “I do remember Jonah. He gave me an apple a day to keep the doctor away.”

  “Yes,” Jobeth chuckled, recollecting Jonah’s inviting spirit. “You used to follow Jonah around like a lost puppy. He loved you so much.”

  “I loved him too,” Shawna said calmly. “Oliver sometimes asks me about him. If he was happy before he died.”

  Jobeth stopped what she was doing and looked at Shawna.

  “He was one of the best people I ever met.” Jobeth placed a bowl of fried chicken into a new basket.

  Shawna nodded in agreement. “He is one of the finest people I was blessed to have ever known. Just like I am glad to have known you and Alan.”

  “Glad to know us?” Jobeth asked, spreading butter on a piece of bread. “We are just plain country folks. Nothing we do is out of the ordinary. Look at you and Oliver. You all look so glamorous and prosperous. No one would ever guess how you two started life out.”

  “What?” Shawna stopped her packing, giving Jobeth a stern examination. “You have the perfect family. You have beautiful children and you are happy with your husband.”

  “That is true . . . but I sometimes get bored,” Jobeth sighed, putting down her butter knife. She wiped a strand of long brown hair out of her hazel eyes. She felt guilty for the way she spoke about her life with Alan and the children, but could not help the words that escaped her mouth.

  “You should move to the city,” Shawna said to Jobeth with concern. “I think you need the hustle and bustle of city life.” She picked up the sandwich Jobeth had made and took a big bite out of it, trying to lighten the mood.

  “What is it like?” Jobeth asked, curiosity winning her over.

  “Wonderful,” Shawna said as her face lit up. “Beautiful clothes, movies and sometimes you even see movie stars.”

  “Movie stars? You must be kidding. You have actually seen a moving picture?”

  “Uh-huh. And they have the best dances.” Shawna put down her sandwich and began to show Jobeth one of the dances she had learned. “Try it, Jobeth,”

  Shawna laughed, tapping her toes to a song she hummed.

  Jobeth tried, following Shawna’s lead. She was awkward and clumsy. The two laughed, so comfortable in each other’s presence that Jobeth was not embarrassed by her lack of experience.

  “It is so exciting. Every day is a new adventure.” Shawna composed herself, returning to her half-eaten sandwich.

  “It sounds wonderful.” Jobeth sighed, picking up her knife again. “But Alan loves it here. He has his work, our home. We always said we would give our children this type of life.”

  “What says you can’t still give the children a good home in the city?”

  Shawna said, offended. She blushed from her outburst. Much had changed since she had become a married woman; the shy, quiet child of her youth was gone, replaced with the strong woman she was now.

  “You have a life too, Jobeth. You have to be happy. If you are not happy, how do you expect your family to be happy? Besides, do Daniel and Donna look deprived?” She took Jobeth’s hand encouragingly. “If I thought the city would hurt my babies do you think I would live there? You taught me how to be a good mother and to take chances.”

  Jobeth turned away from Shawna and looked out the window. It was fine to think of living the life Shawna did, but a different story to actually expect

  Alan and the children to up and leave their home, just because Jobeth was bored with life.

  “I am sorry, Shawna. I just don’t know . . . but I think you might be right.

  I should hint at the idea to Alan.” Jobeth wiped the sweat from her brow, the seed of want had planted itself in her heart and it was going to be hard to stifle its growth now that it was rooted there. She watched a little hummingbird fly by the window and felt her own wings beginning to stretch. Could she convince Alan to move to the city with Oliver and Shawna?

  “It would be so much fun. We would all be together again. Just two little mothers,” Shawna chortled, putting a reassuring arm around Jobeth in the same way she had comforted her when Shawna had been a little girl.

  “I miss you so dearly.” Jobeth’s hand reached for a strand of Shawna’s blunt blond hair.

  Shawna clasped her hand in return.

  “Sometimes I cry at night because I miss my mama and papa so much.”

  Shawna placed her head on Jobeth’s shoulder. “I need you and Alan. Especially you. You are my mother in every sense. You took care of me and protected me--saved me from a horrible fate. I wouldn’t have the life I’ve lived if it weren’t for you.” She lowered her eyes. “The only thing I regret about marrying Oliver is that I had to move away from my family. It hurts terribly. Oliver knows it and it makes him feel bad.”

  “Oh, Shawna,” Jobeth sighed, brushing away the tear rolling down Shawna’s fair face.

  Just then Oliver and Alan came storming into the kitchen.

  “They’re coming up the driveway!” Alan said, unable to hide his excitement.

  It seemed everyone owned a car nowadays. Even Jobeth and Alan had purchased one of the automobiles.

  Shawna took Donna from Oliver’s arms and went to stand on the porch.

  Alan and Jobeth followed, clutching each other’s hands. The children ran up the steps of the porch to stand by their parents, eager to meet these strangers they had heard so much about.

  Three cars followed in procession behind one another, then stopped. The doors opened and three men followed by women and children piled out of the vehicles. They looked around apprehensively. Jobeth’s hands flew to her trembling mouth. A moan escaped her lips.

  “They are home,” she said, facing Alan. “They are finally home.”

  Alan nodded, trying to force back his emotions. He placed a loving arm around Jobeth’s shoulders and coaxed her down the stairs to greet their long-awaited guests.

  Adam, Carter and Todd had stuck together over the years. Carter and Adam eventually met two lovely girls, fell in love and married. Adam had two boys, ages twelve and seven, and his wife Caroline was pregnant again. Carter had two boys also, nine and six, and a seven-year-old daughter. Todd was engaged to a lovely young girl who was as shy as he.

  They were shocked to hear about Jonah and Tamara’s tragic deaths. Alan and Jobeth refrained from telling their guest that Tamara and Oliver had a child and that child was Mara-Joy. Shawna and Oliver respected Alan and

  Jobeth’s wishes.

  When all the children were asleep in the loft, the adults settled in around a roaring fire in the fireplace. It was warm and cozy in the living room and the adults felt relaxed and content with one another.

  “Mara-Joy is a beauty,” Carter said, sipping a steaming cup of tea. Alan and Jobeth smiled pleased. “Yo
u must be pretty proud of her, Oliver.”

  Jobeth grasped Alan’s hand tightly causing pain to shoot up his arm.

  Her nails dug into his flesh, causing circles of white to surround her fingers embedded into Alan’s flesh. He gently pried Jobeth’s grasp from his hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. With his eyes he told Jobeth not to panic.

  “Uh,” Oliver said, his eyes nervously darting to a frightened Alan and Jobeth, “Mara-Joy is Alan and Jobeth’s daughter.”

  “Oh. Sorry, I just thought she looked . . .” Carter coughed, embarrassed.

  His wife put a hand on his knee and gave him a warning look. The discomfort passing between the two couples hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  Carter’s mind began to work, wondering if something had happened between Jobeth and Oliver. But there was something else--something familiar about Mara-Joy.

  Something he couldn’t put his finger on. Carter’s wife glared at him once more. She knew he was trying to figure out the obvious. Mara-Joy was Oliver’s daughter and if the two couples wanted to keep the facts secret, who was she to say anything? It was none of their business and if Carter didn’t stop it, the lovely visit would end terribly--which was something Carter, Adam and Todd would regret.

  “Well . . .” Jobeth cut into everyone’s thoughts. She knew what was going through their minds. How could Mara-Joy be Alan’s and her child when she didn’t look like either of them?

  All eyes turned gratefully to Jobeth. The atmosphere had become increasingly uncomfortable.

  “We finally have found a place we can be together and be safe.”

  Alan smiled proudly at his wife and gave her hand another reassuring squeeze. Jobeth could always get out of a bad jam.

  “I think we have done all right,” he chuckled, helping her along.

  “Yes, I never thought we would come this far,” said Todd, who sat beside his fiancée, Nancy.

  “Well,” Adam said, lighting a fresh cigarette, “we do deserve it.”

  “Here, here!” Oliver cheered, raising his glass of wine. “We went through hell but we lived to tell about it. Everything worked out in the end.”

  “I just want you all to know that I love you and you have always been in our hearts.” Jobeth choked out a sob. “If Shawna and I had not wandered into that abandoned house and found you, I don’t know what would have happened to us.”

  Shawna looked to Jobeth with tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t help the upheaval of emotion brewing in her. She reached for Jobeth’s hand. Oliver then took Shawna’s free hand. Jobeth held Alan’s. Everyone followed suit and joined hands, creating a warm, inclusive circle.

  Jobeth felt the familiar lump in her throat form. She looked around at her reunited family and could feel Jonah and Tamara’s presence. She knew they were smiling down on them, happy they were finally all home.

  Joanna stared down between the beams of the railing of the loft. She watched as the adults grasped hands below her.

  “What do you think Carter meant, Constance?” Joanna turned to her sister who sat crouched closely beside her. All the other children slept silently behind them. Joanna and Constance, unable to sleep, had crept to the railing to watch the scene play out beneath them.

  “I don’t know,” Constance said in earnest, brushing her soft blonde curls out of her face.

  “Why would he think Oliver was Mara-Joy’s father?” Joanna whispered, staring straight ahead at nothing. “And why did Mama and Pappy look so frightened?” Joanna turned her cat eyes to her mother.

  Jobeth had that same look. The same look she did when Oliver and Shawna had moved away. Joanna still remembered when she listened to their departing conversation, and she had played out that night in her mind over and over again. What was this talk about a woman named Tamara and how come everyone thought Mara-Joy was Oliver’s daughter and not Mama and Pappy’s? Things were starting to make Joanna wonder about her older sister; making her wonder if she was her sister at all.

  Part 2

  AND THEIR CHILDREN

  SHALL LEAD THEM

  Chapter 22-