Threads of Love (41 page)

After Addie had gone to bed, Tessie and Charlie sat on the front porch, wanting to be sure she didn’t overhear their conversation, which was something they were having to get used to. It occurred to Tessie that they hadn’t even told Lydia that Addie’s hearing had been restored—not that Lydia would have particularly cared unless it was of benefit to her.

“We’re going to have to handle this very carefully, Tessie. I understand your anger and your fear because I have those same feelings, but Lydia isn’t going to back down just because we tell her. I’d like to get this resolved as quickly and painlessly as possible, but I’m afraid if I offer her a sum of money, she’ll keep coming back for more. I think we must come up with a permanent solution that will benefit her, Floyd Jr., and the three of us, especially Addie.”

“I agree with everything you’ve said, although I do have trouble holding my temper. Her audacity truly offends me, thinking she can just waltz back into Addie’s life and turn it upside down whenever it suits her fancy. Have you thought of a plan that she might agree to?” Tessie questioned, trying to calm herself.

“I have an idea she’s not been entirely truthful with us, and we’ll need time to verify what she’s told us. It’s going to be difficult to placate her if she becomes suspicious, but in order to discover the truth, I’m going to have to leave town. In the morning I’ll tell Lydia that I must leave town on business, which is true enough, and request that she wait until I return to make a final decision regarding Addie.”

“Do you really think she’ll agree to that?” Tessie inquired.

“If I offer to pay the tab for her little vacation at the Harvey House, I think she’ll agree. We may have to offer babysitting services if she wants to go out partying with her friends,” he said, giving her a lopsided smile.

“I’d keep him the whole time you’re gone if it would help. Speaking of which, how long do you think you’ll be gone?” Tessie asked.

“If everything goes as planned, I should be back in two or three days at the most, but in the event this fails, we’ll have to come up with an alternate plan. You might give that some consideration and prayer while I’m gone. I hope you trust me to handle this,” he stated.

“I trust you implicitly, Charlie,” she answered.

“In that case, I think it’s about time we added a wedding band to that engagement ring,” he said with a wink. “Perhaps you could spend a little time making wedding plans too?” he continued, with a question in his voice.

“Perhaps I could,” she answered, looking into his gray eyes.

Gently, he pulled her to him and slowly lowered his head. “I love you, Tessie Wilshire,” he said and then gently kissed her. “I’ll stop by tomorrow after I’ve talked to Lydia, but for now I’d better get back over to the hotel,” he said, walking toward the door.

Encircling her in his arms, he smiled down at her. “We’ll see this through, Tessie. Things will work out—you’ll see,” he said, kissing her gently on the lips.

“I know you’re right. I’ll try to quit worrying and start praying,” she responded, hoping God would lead Charlie in the right direction.

“Good! I’ll see you sometime tomorrow morning,” he replied. “Now, I’d really better be on my way.”

Tessie watched as he walked toward the Harvey House.
He is truly a marvelous man. How did I ever consider anyone else?
she thought to herself.

The next morning Charlie arrived shortly after ten o’clock. “Things are looking like they might work out. I’ve convinced Lydia to sit tight as my guest at the hotel, and she seems willing to do that. She was complaining about the baby, and I told her if she needed a brief respite, you would most likely agree to care for him so long as it didn’t interfere with office hours,” he said almost apologetically.

“Charlie, that’s fine. I said I didn’t mind, and I don’t. It’s the very least I can do while you’re off tracking down information,” she told him.

“My train leaves in half an hour so I can’t stay, but if Lydia attempts to take Addie, rely upon John for assistance. I’ve filled him in, and he said he’ll keep an eye on her over at the hotel. He’ll have no problem getting information from the waitresses about what Lydia’s telling them.”

“I’m glad you thought of John as a resource. He’s been a trusted friend, and Addie loves him so much. I know he would do anything to help her,” she stated, pleased to know that she would have an ally while Charlie was gone.

“It seems all I do is leave you, but I must get over to the station,” he said.

She reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. “I love you, Charlie Banion,” she sighed.

“You’re not making it any easier for me to leave,” he said, leaning down and ardently kissing her. Quickly, he moved away. “If I don’t make an exit now, I may never go,” he told her and bounded down the steps with a wave.

Lydia lost little time making her way back to visit Tessie, causing Addie to hide in her room immediately upon her sister’s arrival. “This kid is drivin’ me crazy,” she stated, plopping Floyd Jr. on the floor. “Mr. Banion said you’d watch after him while he was gone, so I brought his clothes and things,” she said, dropping a satchel beside the baby.

“Lydia, Mr. Banion told you I would watch the baby so long as it didn’t interfere with my office hours. I have patients to see and certainly can’t watch your baby. If you want to go somewhere this evening with your friends, bring him back then,” Tessie said, trying to keep her voice friendly.

“I guess if I can’t leave him, I’ll have to take Addie over to the hotel with me so she can watch after him. I’m planning on enjoying this little holiday,” she stated in a menacing voice. “I think I’ve got the trump card, Dr. Wilshire. What’s it gonna be, Addie at the hotel or Floyd Jr. at your house?”

“Floyd Jr. at my house,” Tessie answered. “You certainly seem to have no qualms about disposing of the people in your life, do you, Lydia?”

“Nobody ever had much problem disposing of me either,” she angrily retorted. “Are you keeping him or not?”

“I said I would. When will you be back?”

“Mr. Banion said he would be gone a couple of days. Guess I’ll be back when he is,” she retorted and walked out, slamming the door behind her, frightening Floyd Jr., who began to wail. Addie, who had been listening to the conversation, came running out in need of consolation just as a patient walked into the office. Tessie wasn’t sure where to turn first.

Tessie took Addie and Floyd Jr. into the office with her, and within a short time Addie had become fond of the baby and was entertaining him. By the end of the day, he was in love with Addie, and she was in love with him. He held his chubby arms out for Addie, not Tessie, and in no time she was diapering and feeding him as if she had been doing it all her life.

“Don’t get too attached, Addie. Lydia will be back in no time, and Floyd Jr. will be gone. Enjoy him while you can, but remember he’ll be leaving soon,” she reminded the child, fearful that the baby’s departure would be difficult.

“I know, I know,” Addie would answer and immediately begin hugging and kissing Floyd Jr., who was thoroughly enjoying the continuous attention.

Two days later Charlie returned.

A
ddie peeked through the lace curtains, watching as Lydia sauntered toward the front door with a smug look on her face. “She’s coming,” the child called out in a hushed voice.

“It’s all right,” Tessie reassured her. Floyd Jr. was in Addie’s arms, much cleaner than when he had arrived, although his clothing was tattered and permanently stained from lack of care.
He is a sweet child
, Tessie thought, watching him play with Addie’s hair.

Tessie opened the front door just as Lydia had raised her hand to knock. “Couldn’t wait for me to get here, could you? Now, you know how it feels, being tied down to a kid all the time,” she greeted in a taunting voice.

“It’s nice to see you, Lydia,” Tessie responded, ignoring the hateful remark. “As soon as Charlie arrives, we’ll have dinner,” she offered.

Lydia seated herself on the sofa and stared after Addie, who was headed for the backyard carrying the baby. Tessie had expected the baby to miss his mother and show excitement at her reappearance, but that didn’t occur. Floyd Jr. clung to Addie, who appeared to be his preference, at least for the time being. Lydia didn’t seem to mind, however, showing no interest in either of the children.

“She seems different somehow. Probably ‘cause she’s living the good life here with you—but not for much longer. She’ll soon remember what it’s like to do without all this finery,” Lydia stated smugly.

Tessie inwardly grimaced at the thought of Addie being required to live with Lydia. It was obvious that she would be reduced to servant status and once again become the brunt of Lydia’s bitterness and resentment.

“Where is Mr. Banion anyway? He told me to be here at five o’clock. I’m not waiting around forever. Maybe he ran out on you, just like Floyd did to me. Men have a way of doing that,” Lydia retorted above the rumbling of the evening train as it pulled into the station.

“I’ll be just a few moments. I need to check things in the kitchen,” Tessie replied, her palms wet with perspiration.

Where can he be?
she thought, not sure how much longer Lydia would remain. She stood there envisioning Lydia grabbing Addie and whisking her off into the night, never to be seen again.
Stop this nonsense
, she admonished herself, quickly bowing her head in prayer to ask God’s forgiveness for not trusting this matter to His care. “Father, I know there is no problem You can’t handle, if we’ll just remember to ask and place our trust in You. I’m doing that now and will cease this useless worrying.” No sooner had she uttered the prayer than the command in 1 Peter 5:7, came to mind: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” An awareness of God’s peace was now with her as she returned to the parlor.

Walking into the room, Tessie stood back as the front and back doors opened simultaneously. “Charlie! Floyd!” came cries from the assembling group.

“What’s he doing here?” Lydia fumed, pointing her finger in Floyd’s direction. Floyd Jr. began crying, wriggling in Addie’s arms in an attempt to reach his father.

“Here, I’ll take him, Addie. How’s Daddy’s boy?” Floyd crooned to his son. “How are you, Addie?” he asked, tousling her hair and giving her a genuine smile.

“I’m just fine, Floyd. I can hear again,” Addie told him.

“Why that’s wonder—”

“What do you mean, you can hear? Nobody told me anything about you hearing? Were you just playacting for more attention, you little brat? You always got the best of everything, even now,” the older sister enviously raved.

“Stop it, Lydia! Stop it, right now. Mr. Banion knows all about what’s going on between the two of us. I even told him about not wanting to leave Addie but that you insisted on running off, away from Florence, away from Addie, away from everything. Even when I offered to quit my sales job and stay in Florence so Addie could live with us, you wouldn’t agree. You had to go to the big city. Well, you’ve been there, Lydia. Now, what? Are you going to ruin everyone else’s life, deciding what you want next?”

“You know, I think it might be best if we all just relaxed a bit and had dinner. We can talk after we’ve eaten,” Tessie suggested, not wanting a full-fledged battle to take place in front of the children.

“That’s a good idea. I could eat a horse,” Charlie replied.

“You could? Not me. I’d never eat a horse,” Addie giggled back.

“You would if you were hungry enough,” Lydia angrily shot back at the child.

Addie moved closer to Charlie, feeling the need of his protection against this woman who was so full of hate.
Why does my sister despise me so
, Addie wondered, as they sat down at the table.

Tessie’s roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and peas, butterhorn rolls, and apple cobbler were eaten in formidable silence. Charlie and Tessie made feeble attempts at dinner conversation, only to be cut short by Lydia’s caustic rebuttals. Floyd held the baby, spooning mashed potatoes into the child’s mouth, unable to conceal his embarrassment.

None of them failed to note Floyd’s compassionate nature with his son. Whereas Lydia slapped and hollered, Floyd praised and coaxed. When Lydia was annoyed with the baby’s antics, Floyd was delighted. It was obvious he loved his son, and it was obvious that Lydia had woven a tale of lies.

After dinner, with Floyd Jr., asleep in his father’s lap and Addie in her bedroom, Lydia admitted that Floyd had not run off and left her.

“But why did you do this, Lydia? I just do not understand,” Floyd questioned.

“I don’t think you really want to know, Floyd.”

“Yes, I do. How can we fix this unless I know what’s going on?”

“I don’t think you can fix it, Floyd, but here goes,” she replied. “I can’t stand being tied down to the baby all day. He gets on my nerves. You get to be gone, out seeing other people and come home, and all you do is play with him. All I do is cook and clean. I want some fun out of life, Floyd. Can’t you understand that?”

“If the baby is such a problem for you, why’d you bring him? Why didn’t you just slip away at night and leave him with me? You could have left him, just like you left your sister,” he retorted.

“To tell the truth, I thought about that. Long and hard. But, then I decided upon this plan, which would’ve worked if you hadn’t gone and found him,” she fumed at Charlie. “Speaking of which, just how did you know where to find Floyd?”

“You gave me enough information about where you lived that it didn’t take much investigating to find him. All I had to do was ask a few people to do a little inquiring.”

She glowered at him, hating his ability to outsmart her and ruin her plans.

“You still haven’t told us about your great plan,” Floyd insisted.

“Oh, what’s the difference? I might as well tell you. Everything’s spoiled now anyway. I figured if I said I was taking Addie and going to make her take care of Floyd Jr. while I was working, Dr. Wilshire would offer me money so she could keep Addie. I wasn’t going to take the money right away. Thought I’d find someplace a ways off, over to Marion or Lost Springs, and get a job. Make her real lonely for wonderful little Addie until she offered me as much money as I wanted. Then I’d give her back, take Floyd Jr. back to you, and be off to make a life for myself. Not a bad plan until Mr. Banion stuck his nose in the middle of it.”