Tracie Peterson (46 page)

Grammy would be pleased. Grammy always told them that marriage should be a lifelong commitment. “
No sense in marrying with the idea that you can run at the first sign of trouble
,” she would say. Erica cherished and respected her wisdom with new appreciation.

Life here had been very simple. They had worked hard together and played hard, but they always knew that Grammy would be there for them no matter what. Grammy held their hands when they were afraid and Grammy dried their tears. She was everything to them, and Erica suddenly wondered why they should have ever cared to have Rachelle in their lives. Thoughts of Rachelle reminded Erica of the stop she’d made just before coming out to the farm. She’d actually turned into the cemetery drive before even realizing what she was doing. Once there, it seemed silly not to at least see the grave.

Surprisingly enough, it was nothing like she had expected. A simple gray headstone marked the spot. Edgar and Robert Mitchell
were buried on one side and a wide open field splayed out from the other. As the field gradually rose to the north, the local country club could be seen atop the hill. It all seemed very fitting.

“
I forgive you, Mother
,” Erica had said, standing before the stone. “
I wish things could have been different
.” And it was true. Erica did forgive her mother for the choices she had made.

Shaking away the memory, Erica turned her car down the lane and headed for Mattie’s house. She pulled beside Brook’s new red Camaro and waited for the dust to settle before getting out. She smiled at the fancy sports car. She’d helped Brook pick it out and couldn’t help but remember her sister’s sheer delight in buying her first vehicle. In New York, Brook told her, she never had much need for a car and therefore hadn’t even considered buying one. Now that New York was behind her, Brook felt it was time to do the deed. Erica got out of her own car and remembered the verse from Ecclesiastes. “
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven
.” She smiled thinking of how her own life was changing.

“Erica!” Mattie called out as she came around the corner of the house. “What a wonderful surprise. I’m so glad you could make it for the Fourth of July.”

“Me too,” Erica said, crossing the drive to give her grandmother a bear hug. She dropped her hold and gave Mattie a huge smile. “I’m so glad to be home.”

“Well, I’m mighty glad to have you home,” Mattie said, dusting off her apron. “I came outside to get a couple of onions for dinner, and a few well-placed weeds attracted my attention.”

Erica laughed. “I can just imagine. You were always getting sidetracked by one thing or another. So is everyone going to be here for the Fourth?”

“I’m not sure about Connie. I’ve called and left messages, but she hasn’t responded one way or the other. I imagine she’s pretty busy. Otherwise, everyone else is already here.”

Erica could clearly hear the disappointment in Mattie’s voice. “Well, Connie still has a couple of days until the Fourth, right? We
have to have hope.”

Mattie smiled and nodded. “We always must have hope.”

“I have something to show you,” Erica said, grinning. She held up her left hand to show Mattie the engagement ring. “Sean and I talked through all our troubles and concerns just like you advised. We’re getting married!”

Mattie assessed the ring and then wrapped Erica in her embrace. “What wonderful news! Your sisters will be delighted for you.”

Supper turned into a celebration for Erica. Each of the girls contributed something, creating a wonderful assortment of dishes. Ashley fried chicken. Brook tossed a salad. Deirdre made a raspberry pie with berries from Grammy’s own bushes, and Erica surprised even herself by making twice-baked potatoes. Mattie declared that they had taken all the responsibility from her and that she had nothing to do, but the girls quickly requested her creamed peas and pearl onions and Mattie eagerly complied.

Sitting around the table, chatting about everything under the sun, Erica had never felt more content. There was nothing elaborate or special about the setting, but for once in a very long time, Erica felt as though her sisters were allowing their past differences to be set aside. They seemed to genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and to care what each one had to say.

“Just think of the wonderful wedding shower we can throw for Erica,” Brook said between bites. “I’m already getting ideas for a theme.”

“A stroll down Fifth Avenue?” suggested Deirdre.

They all laughed as Brook scrunched up her nose in distaste. “I was thinking something more along the lines of a musical theme. I’m thinking of opening a catering business and I could get started by practicing on family first.”

The conversation was soon filled with exclamations and questions as the sisters discussed Brook’s announcement. When everyone
had eaten their fill, Ashley began to clear away the leftovers. Erica loved the happy chatter. It was as if each of her sisters had somehow suddenly found their rightful place—the place where they fit the best.

After the table was cleared and the dishwasher loaded, they were called into the living room by Deirdre. This came as a surprise to everyone, and even Erica felt a bit uneasy. Supper had been so peaceful and pleasant, but Deirdre’s expression clearly revealed the need to get serious. Erica couldn’t help but wonder what she had on her mind. They had always been close, but since Dave’s death, she felt Deirdre had changed.

“I have something important to tell all of you. In fact, I’ve sent the boys to play in the garden with Morgan because I didn’t want us to be disturbed. I hope that’s okay with you, Ashley,” Deirdre said softly.

“It’s fine, but what’s this all about?” Ashley questioned as Erica joined her and Brook on the sofa.

Erica watched Deirdre closely. She looked so composed and at peace. Erica could only pray that Deirdre was somehow mending from the horror of Dave’s death.

“I wanted to talk to you about several things. First of all, I need to tell you something very important about myself. I would never have shared this problem had Dave not died. In fact, I thought my problem was the reason Dave committed suicide.”

Erica frowned and waited for Deirdre to continue. How could anyone suppose another person’s choice to die was their fault?

“I have a gambling addiction,” Deirdre stated rather nonchalantly. The intensity in her expression, however, told everyone that the issue was far from casual in their sister’s mind. She looked rather awkward standing before them, and Erica wondered if she was losing her nerve. Deirdre gave a quick glance at Mattie, who smiled reassuringly.

“I had taken a great deal of money from our account and had lost it. I had even pawned an antique necklace that Dave’s mother had given me. Dave was irritable and unhappy and I figured it had to
do with the fact that he saw me spending all this money and never accounting for it. As he became more and more moody, I became more consumed by my guilt.” She paused and drew a deep breath. “I knew I was doing wrong, but I kept thinking that I could somehow make it right. I kept thinking that if I could just play one more hand of blackjack or play one more slot machine, then I could win it all back and Dave need never know about my problem. Now he’ll never know about my problem—because he had a problem of his own.”

Erica felt completely drawn into her sister’s story. It played like one of the movies in which Rachelle might have had the starring role.

“Dave’s problem was not me, it was his job. He had been assigned to a very big case involving a man who had been in a car accident. Dave’s firm represented the car manufacturer, and the man was claiming that the vehicle equipment had been at fault for causing the accident. Worse still, this man lost his wife and two daughters in the accident. And he will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

“The legal firm put Dave on the job, and naturally Dave went to work in his usual one-hundred-fifty-percent manner. He spent long nights digging deep into the issues in order to prove the man wrong. But instead, he found that the man was right. The man had his suspicions and nothing more. But Dave had proof that would nail the responsibility to the door of the manufacturer. Dave went to his boss and met with the manufacturer and it was decided that Dave should bury the information he’d found. No one at the manufacturer was going to say anything because they didn’t want to lose their jobs. So it was up to Dave.”

“How did you find this out?” Brook questioned.

Deirdre nodded as if anticipating the question. She glanced at Mattie, who sat quietly contemplating everything from her favorite chair.

“I went to the bank to close out the old bank accounts and open a new one. While I was there the bank officer told me that Dave had
made a recent deposit of thirty thousand dollars. He’d also rented out a safety deposit box. I had no idea of either transaction. Frankly, I was stunned. I thought we had money problems and that Dave couldn’t deal with the pressure anymore. I was certain that my gambling had caused him to take his life, but here this man was telling me that money wasn’t an issue. Once I went through the safety deposit box, I found out the reasons for the money and for Dave’s death.”

She paused and walked to the fireplace. The weather had been far too warm for any type of fire, yet Deirdre stared into the hearth as if she could see the flickering flames from days gone by. Erica longed to comfort her sister but knew she needed to hold her tongue and stay put. Deirdre obviously needed to work through this herself.

“Dave moved forward with his case and he won it. The man walked away with nothing, not even payment for the funerals or his own medical expenses. Dave, in turn, walked away with his thirty pieces of silver. That’s exactly how he put it to me in the last letter he ever wrote me.” She turned. “That letter, as well as the evidence against the manufacturer, was inside the safety deposit box.”

“What will you do?” Erica asked, unable to contain herself.

“I’ve already done it,” Deirdre said, meeting her gaze. The moment seemed to be shared solely between the two of them, and Erica felt the connection she had been missing since her brother-in-law’s death.

“Dave asked me to get in touch with the man and his lawyer and to turn the evidence over to them with his sincere apology. I did this and also gave the man the thirty thousand Dave had earned as a bonus. I told the man what had been happening. I told him about Dave’s guilt and his suicide. I apologized on Dave’s behalf and asked the man to forgive Dave. And you know what? This man, who had suffered such loss, told me that he forgave Dave the moment he stood against him in court. He told me that God had always been the most important part of his life and that even though he’d lost everything dear to him, that, like Job, he would go on trusting in God.”

Deirdre shook her head, and for the first time that evening took
a seat. “I can’t tell you how humbling that was. But now it’s in the hands of the lawyers and I can get on with my life.” She looked at each of them and added, “Which brings me to another reason I asked you here. I’m selling the house in Kansas City. I hired a team of professionals who will see to everything. They will pack our belongings, ship them to storage, clean the house, replace the carpet in our bedroom, and repair the window. Then they will put the place on the market and conduct all of the business without my needing to ever return to that place. You may think me silly or emotional or even stupid for my actions, but I’ve prayed about this and I know that for Morgan and for me, it’s the best choice. Neither of us are up to facing that kind of pain for some time to come.”

“Where will you go? Will you live here with Grammy?” Erica asked.

“For a time. Grammy has agreed to let Morgan and me stay with her as long as we need. I hope that isn’t a problem for anyone here.”

“Why should it be?” Brook questioned.

Deirdre shrugged. “I wouldn’t want anyone offended by my returning home. I’ll pull my weight and pay for our needs. Grammy won’t be taken advantage of in any way.”

“No one would ever believe you’d do that,” Mattie chimed in. “They know only too well that I’d have you all here in a heartbeat if I could.”

“Well, I just want to make it clear so that no one feels they have to question the details behind my back. I want our communications to be wide open, and I want everyone to feel free to ask any questions they have.”

Erica admired Deirdre for her strength. This was so uncharacteristic of the sister she had known and loved for so many years. The old Deirdre wouldn’t have just announced her plans, the old Deirdre would have asked permission first. She would have worried about how everyone else felt and whether it would cause any hard feelings.
I suppose we’ve all found strength to deal with the issues of the past. I let go of thinking it had to be music or love, but never both. Brook has let go of competing
against Rachelle’s image, and now Deirdre is taking a stand for her own best interest and that of Morgan. Good for her
.

“I know it won’t be easy to get over Dave’s death. Maybe I’ll never get over it, but I have to think of the future and I have to think of Morgan. You’ll be happy to know that I have an appointment for her to see a local pediatrician on Monday. He’ll give her a complete physical and then suggest who we should go to in order to help Morgan deal with her grief.”

Erica saw tears form in Deirdre’s eyes. She knew how difficult it was for her sister to see her child in pain. Erica bit her lip and fought back her own tears. Healing was often just as painful as the infliction of the original wound.

Brook got to her feet and went to hug Deirdre. “I’m glad you’re going to do this. Would you like me to go with you? You know, just for moral support?”

Deirdre smiled through her tears. “I’d like that very much.”

Erica felt a twinge of guilt for not having thought of it first, then felt jealous for not being the one Deirdre was turning to. But even as the feelings touched her heart, Erica knew that this was the start of a new beginning. It was a bonding between Brook and Deirdre that needed to happen. It was time for them to let go of clinging to one or the other. They were family, and they needed to find strength in their numbers.