It was not as difficult as Addy thought it might be to steal time alone with Riley, for Poppa had been ill since his trip to Port Huron. He spent a good deal of time asleep or coughing in his bed, and in his waking hours visited with the many friends who came to wish him well. When Poppa was asleep or distracted by guests, Riley’d join Addy in the kitchen to talk and help with the recipes and cleaning-up just like L’il Leam’d done back in Rusholme. Sometimes they would steal into one bedroom or the other and kiss and hold each other, but they would not do what they’d done before. Both of them longed to, of course, but could not bear the shame if they were found.
It was on one such night, when Poppa was propped up in bed and involved in a passionate discussion with a few male friends, that Addy and Riley stole away to the bedroom and set upon each other’s mouth. They had been whispering to each other between kisses. “You gonna stink like ink your whole long life?” Addy teased.
“You stink too, Adelaide. Don’t think you don’t.”
“I do? What do I stink like, Riley?”
“Like cake and pie and anything sweet a person could eat.”
“Mmmm.”
“I wish I could lay down with you.”
“Shh.”
“I wish I could—”
“Shh.” Addy covered his mouth now and it was not because she didn’t want Riley to continue. It was because she thought she’d heard the doorknob turn. And she had. For in the next moment the bedroom door opened and the silhouette of a striking young woman was revealed. Riley and Addy pulled apart but not quickly enough. Verilynn had seen them and they knew it.
“Well,” Verilynn said. “This must be young Adelaide Shadd. Haven’t you two become good friends.”
Riley neither laughed nor smiled but said, “You might have let us know when you were coming, Very.”
“Why?”
“We could have met you at the station.”
“I didn’t ride the train. In fact, I had a drive from a very nice gentleman who teaches at the school and whose family happens to live not far from here.”
“Poppa won’t like that.”
“You won’t tell Poppa then, will you Riley?”
The first thing Addy noticed, since she couldn’t see Very’s face yet, was that her voice was rich and smooth and she had a fancier way about her words than any person she’d ever heard talk before.
Riley pulled Addy out of the room and into the light, and Verilynn stepped out behind them. Addy nearly lost her knees at the sight of the woman. Verilynn was tall as Poppa and not like Riley at all. Her limbs were long and strong, her waist narrow, her hips and bust full. Her face was beautiful, with sharp almond eyes and a long sloping nose, perfect white teeth, and full, wide, berry-stained lips. The breathtaking young woman held her hand out and smiled with her red, red mouth.
Addy just looked at the hand, unaccustomed as she was to such a greeting, and said, “I’d have washed your sheets if I’d knowed you was coming tonight.”
Verilynn opened her mouth and dazzled with her laughter as the three moved into the sitting room. “Charming,” she said. She set her leather suitcase down on the floor and looked around the room at the popcorn-and-cranberry garlands and the plate of oddly shaped cookies on the table. “Well, Merry Christmas, as they say.”
The beautiful woman arranged herself on the sofa and pulled a silver case from her handbag. She opened the case and extracted a long, slim, perfectly shaped cigarette, then passed the case to Riley. He took one of the cigarettes, examined it, and nodded, impressed. Riley passed his sister a red candle they’d left burning, then lit his own cigarette with it too. They inhaled and exhaled and said not a word.
There was something different in the room and it was not just Verilynn. Riley was different too, and not the young man Addy knew. She watched brother and sister smoke their cigarettes as she made circles on her stomach. Verilynn narrowed her eyes and blew out a ring of smoke in Addy’s direction. “When is your baby due, Adelaide?”
Addy swallowed and searched for her voice. She couldn’t find it though, and turned to Riley for help.
Riley cleared his throat. “Baby’s due in March, Very.”
Verilynn nodded and took a long look at Addy’s protrusion. “Looks bigger than just six months. Poppa’s been feeding her well.” She plucked a strand of tobacco from her soft pink tongue. “Now, just so I have my information correct, this is not your baby, Riley. Is that right?”
A breeze stole through the room though the windows were all shut tight. Riley smiled at his sister for the first time, though it was a dark smile, and Addy didn’t like to see it. “Did you come back home just to make trouble, Very?”
“How can you say that?” She pretended to be hurt.
“I wrote to you about Adelaide. Three letters. And didn’t Enos tell you about her circumstances when he visited you at the college?”
“Well, it’s all a little complicated, Riley. You’ll just have to be patient if I forget some of the details.” She turned to Addy again. “You come from Rusholme, Adelaide? Have I got that part of the story right?”
“You know Rusholme?” Addy asked, surprised.
Very yawned deliberately. “Some little Canadian town settled by slaves.”
Addy sat up. “Rusholme’s a rare place. One of the last stops on the Underground Railroad. Some important Negroes settled that town.”
“Really? Someone ought to write a book about it. Can you read?”
“Yes,” Addy answered, insulted.
“I recently read a book called Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s an old book. Have you ever heard of it, Adelaide?”
Addy didn’t like being talked down to. “I read that book when I was twelve years old.”
“Have you ever heard the name Josiah Henson? He was a preacher somewhere in Canada. He’s the man Harriet Beecher Stowe interviewed for her story. A man I know gave me the book and told me all about him.”
Riley blew his smoke at the ceiling. “I thought Uncle Tom was a made-up story. I never heard of a preacher called Henson. Have you, Adelaide?”
Addy could not hide her pride. “My Daddy sat on Reverend Henson’s knee when he was a boy. His Daddy played trumpet in the band that saw the Reverend to his grave.”
Verilynn laughed at the outrageousness of Adelaide’s claim. “Well I doubt that, seeing as Reverend Henson lived in a place called Dawn. And it was a long, long time ago.” She tried to share a look with her brother but Riley kept his eyes on Addy.
Addy drew herself up, not caring that Verilynn was watching her make circles on her stomach. “Reverend Henson lived to be ninety-some years old. Dawn is called Dresden now and it ain’t too far from Rusholme. Reverend Henson had not just a church in Dresden, but he and a Quaker man built a school there called the British American Institute for Fugitive Slaves. Most people think Harriet Beecher Stowe interviewed him, but the truth is they didn’t meet till years after she wrote her book. Did you know that, Verilynn?”
A round of laughter rose from the back of the house and saved Verilynn from further embarrassment. Riley waited to see if Poppa’s door would open and his visitors come out. He turned to his sister. “Poppa know you’re here?”
Verilynn shook her head. Addy felt suddenly ashamed for her show of pride. She leaned toward the woman, speaking softly. “I should have said earlier—my condolences to you on your mother’s passing.”
Verilynn wagged her finger. “No. No. Save your condolences. Rosalie was Riley’s mother. Not my mother. My mother died in childbirth many years ago. Though I suppose I shouldn’t tell you that, Adelaide. Sure you’re frightened enough about giving birth to that baby.”
Addy nodded and could not stop her chin from quivering. Riley ground his half-smoked cigarette in the dish and called, “Poppa! Poppa! Very’s home! VERY’S HOME!”
The door to Poppa’s bedroom opened. He shuffled out wearing a toothless smile and an old robe, which he had not belted carefully. He was followed by two old men, one
of them being Rich Enos himself. There was a good deal of laughter and embracing, for all the men wanted to embrace Very, and Rich Enos more than once.
Riley and Addy slipped off to his bedroom. When they were alone, Addy sunk to the bed. “She hates me, Riley. She hates me.”
“I don’t mind. I hate her.”
“I do mind. You shouldn’t hate your sister, Riley. You should love your sister.” Addy blinked back tears.
“Shhh. It’s just the baby getting you teary, Adelaide.” He kissed her wet lips and whispered, “You have a good sleep in my bed, and I can’t tell you how I wish I could stay. Very’s only here for a few days. Stay out of her way and everything’ll be fine.”
Addy nodded but pulled Riley back when he made a move to go. “Riley?”
“Shh.”
“Am I gonna die having this baby?”
“No. Shh. Everything’s gonna be fine.”
“I’m afraid.”
Riley stroked Addy’s cheek and smiled and whispered, “I’ll be right beside you, Adelaide. Don’t be afraid.”
Riley left Addy in the darkness. She curled up in his narrow bed and wondered how she’d ever fall asleep, only to find daylight streaming in through the window and the smell of strong coffee coming from the kitchen.
The two days before Christmas while Verilynn was home passed smoothly and without incident. As Riley had instructed, Addy stayed out of his sister’s way even while she sought to please. Verilynn preferred coffee to tea and so they would have coffee. And Verilynn did not care for beef or fowl, so they ate fish for supper and listened patiently to her prattle at the table. Poppa adored his daughter, but feared her too and would only smile and listen quietly. Riley fixed a scowl on his face and didn’t pass up an opportunity to argue. Addy was quiet and tried to be invisible. She thought Verilynn was like a scared skunk and prayed she would not get sprayed.
It was the evening before Christmas. The air was filled with promise and the scent of Verilynn’s perfume. Addy hurried out the door late in the afternoon, just before darkness settled. She was hoping for a good price on whatever she might buy, seeing as the shops would be closed down tomorrow and the merchants not wanting anything unsold and spoiled on Christmas Day. She raced past the butcher on her way to buy fish and was all the sudden spitting mad at Verilynn and at herself for not speaking up.
She hadn’t thought a mess of pickerel, what the Americans called walleye, would be a proper Christmas supper, but Verilynn had cornered her in the kitchen and mentioned she had a particular fancy for the fish. Addy had intended to buy the walleye like Very wanted, until the moment she stopped herself on the street and headed back for the butcher. She chose a large and costly pork loin and didn’t get a good price on it, seeing as the place was full of shoppers with the same idea. Addy was pleased nonetheless. They’d have pork roast and gravy for Christmas supper and if Verilynn wanted fish she could just take herself down to the river and catch one.
The evening passed without a song or hymn or prayer, as Poppa was feeling poorly and retired to his room just after supper saying, “Don’t worry, children. I’ll be fine by morning.” Addy stood at the window, trying not to wonder what her own mother and father were doing this Christmas Eve in Rusholme. She thought of the food and the traditions and the joy of Christmas on Fowell Street and called silently, “Merry Christmas, Mama and Daddy.” She couldn’t know her mother was sitting alone, staring into the fire, or that her father had crossed over in his sleep nearly two weeks before.
Riley and Addy shared a quick kiss and embrace before she climbed into bed for the night, but she could not sleep for the noise and the cigarette smoke sneaking under her door. Riley and Verilynn were in the sitting room, and by the tone of their conversation and the trill of their laughter, Addy reckoned one of them had brought a bottle of spirits into the house. She was surprised to hear Verilynn and Riley carrying on like old friends, and though she didn’t like to think Riley hated his sister, she wasn’t sure she liked to know he was fond of her either.
In the morning, Addy fixed a breakfast of pork sausage and eggs and biscuits with strawberry preserves, which she knew the rest of them would enjoy but she could not eat herself. Poppa ate heartily and did seem better and was full of good cheer when he said it was time to open the gifts. Addy had crocheted long scarves and soft wool caps for Riley and Poppa, and they put the hats on their heads, saying beautiful work and thank you, Adelaide. Verilynn pursed her lips at the crocheted white doily and set it upon her head like she mistook it for a hat. Riley laughed at that and Addy felt cross with them both.
Riley gave Addy a wicker basket filled with needles and different-coloured thread and soft wool and a new large-size crochet hook and Addy loved it all and didn’t mind that Emeline Fraser helped pick it out. Verilynn said, “I didn’t know you could read, so,” and passed Addy a picture book, which came from the Cleveland library and said so in ink printing on the very first page. Addy thought Verilynn not so intelligent after all to make a gift of a stolen book, but she reminded herself the woman’d be leaving tomorrow and life on Chestnut Street would return to normal.
Poppa presented Riley with a gift of dollars, and judging by his son’s face, it was just what he’d hoped for. Riley knew the money came from Rich Enos and his bootlegging, even if Poppa would never admit that was how his old friend made his fortune. Poppa reached into his pocket and pulled out two small velvet boxes wrapped in pretty lace handkerchiefs, saying, “The handkerchief’s part of the present. That was Emeline’s idea.”
Verilynn raised a brow at seeing the package, not only because hers was identical to Adelaide’s but because she’d hoped for a gift of dollars too and already felt disappointed. She tore at the handkerchief on the package and didn’t care when she ripped the lace. She opened the small velvet box and smiled tightly. Inside was a gold brooch that had belonged to Rosalie Rippey. The brooch was circular, with a delicate pearl and ruby-chip setting, not modern or chic in Verilynn’s eyes. She’d never wear the thing and doubted she’d even be able to sell it. She said, “Thank you, Poppa,” and didn’t even try to act pleased.
Addy was next. She thought the handkerchief beautiful and the lace edging excellent workmanship. She smoothed her palm over the fabric, admiring it, until finally Poppa laughed and said, “Open the box, Child. Open the box.”
Addy opened the box and looked at the thing inside. She looked back up at Poppa and was so overwhelmed she could not do or say anything.
Verilynn could stand the suspense no longer and moved from her place on the sofa to see what it was that made Addy’s face go blank. Her own face was not to be believed when she saw it was a white-gold ring with a beautiful marquise diamond flanked by two green emeralds. Even Riley winced when Verilynn looked at her father and choked, “Mama’s ring?”
Poppa nodded and forced a smile. He had not anticipated Verilynn’s feelings about the ring and it was too late to address them now. “Yes, Very. I’m giving Adelaide that ring. It’s a wedding ring and wouldn’t be proper to go to you anyway. But I want to say now, in front of Riley and you and the Good Lord, who I know is with us too, that I would like to take this girl for my wife. And to give that child of hers my name.” He looked up shyly. “If Adelaide will have such a old man as me, that is.”
Addy trembled and set the velvet box on the table, sure she had not heard right. Very couldn’t decide between laughing and crying so her face stayed fixed. Riley just hung his head and didn’t look at anyone. He already knew about Poppa’s intentions because he’d been told that very first morning when he went to get Adelaide’s tea. Riley had wanted to tell her himself, but kept hoping his father would have a change of heart.
Poppa waited. Addy did not know what gave her the courage to speak or the sense to say just the right thing. “Poppa, I think of you as my father and never thought of loving you as my husband. I wonder if you might give me some time to think on that?”
Riley had been studying the smoke rising from his
cigarette, marvelling at how quickly the present could collapse the future. He looked up now and thought Adelaide Shadd the wisest woman he ever knew.
Poppa nodded and said, “Yes, Child. I do understand such a confusing thing as love. I only want you to say yes if you think you might be happy to share my bed. I already know the answer to that myself.”
Addy nodded and sat paralysed in the chair. Verilynn snatched the diamond ring from the box. She smiled darkly and looked back and forth from Addy to Riley before turning on her father. “Poppa, she’ll never take this ring. You ought to know that now and save yourself the wondering.”
Poppa didn’t want to hear it. “Sit down, Very. I’m sorry if this takes you by surprise, but you left this home and family and hardly even bother with a letter. You can’t expect to understand the things that have happened in your absence.”
The smooth voice was gone, and an angry, quivering one suffered Verilynn’s throat now as she held the ring between her finger and thumb and shook it at Poppa. “I understand that this ring belonged to my mother and should be mine. I understand that it’s Riley who owns this ignorant country girl’s heart and not you. It’s you who doesn’t know what happens in your absence, Poppa. It’s you.”
Addy could not feel her legs to rise and could not glance at Riley or he at her. Poppa shook his fist and opened his mouth and said, “Cherry bridge middle up.” They all stopped and knew they weren’t imagining that Poppa’s words made no sense.
Poppa’s eyes moved from Addy to Riley to Verilynn. He looked like he didn’t know them and was wondering what business they had in his house. He laughed strangely, then grasped his head as a sharp knife pain drove into his right eyeball. He opened his mouth again, but no words came out. He opened wider, thinking the words were clogged and he needed a bigger spout, but still there was nothing. Poppa made a choking sound and fell to the floor before any of them could stop him. He sunk to his knees, then tipped over on his head and lay there unconscious, wheezing.