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The kitchen door was pushed open just as she stood up. “Well, who’s this?” The voice was raspy, as though the vocal cords had been strained. The man was in his mid-fifties. His eyes were bloodshot and faded with the bleary expression of the heavy drinker. He was painfully thin, so that the waist of his pants settled somewhere around his hips.
He stared at Je
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m Josh Brothers, Joe’s uncle.”
The electrician who had been responsible for the accident. Je
“I can see why Erich picked you,” Josh said heavily. He turned to his sister. “Swear it was Caroline, wouldn’t you, Maude?” Without waiting for an answer he asked Je
“Yes, I did.”
“The Krueger version. Not mine.” Clearly Josh Brothers was about to tell an often-repeated story. Je
“Divorcing!” Je
The bleary eyes became crafty. “Oh, Erich didn’t tell you that? He likes to pretend it didn’t happen. Lots of gossip here, let me tell you, when Caroline didn’t even try to get custody of her only child. Anyhow the day of the accident I was working in the dairy barn and Caroline and Erich came in. She was leaving for good that afternoon. It was his birthday and he was holding his new hockey stick and crying his eyes out. She waved me away; that’s why I hung the lamp over the nail. I heard Caroline say, ‘Just like this little calf has to be weaned away from its mother…’ Then I pulled the door closed behind me so they could say good-bye to each other and a minute later Erich began screaming. Luke Garrett pounded on her chest and did that mouth-to-mouth breathing, but we all knew it was no good. When she slipped and fell into the stock tank, she grabbed the cord and pulled the lamp in with her. That voltage went right through her… She never had no chance.”
“Josh, keep quiet,” Maude said sharply.
Je
Deep in thought, she collected the girls and murmured goodbyes.
As they walked back home, Joe spoke timidly to Je
“I’m not going to discuss it, Joe, I promise,” she reassured him.
The country road back to Krueger Farm was peaceful in the late morning. Beth and Tina ran ahead of them, happily scooping up loose snow. Je
If only I had a friend here, Je
“Mrs. Krueger,” Joe said softly, “you look as though you feel real bad. I hope my uncle didn’t upset you. I know Mom talks kind of mean about the Kruegers but please don’t take offense.”
“I won’t,” Je
“Anything.”
“For God sake when Mr. Krueger isn’t around, call me Je
“I call you Je
“Terrific,” Je
Oh, dear God, she thought, if he ever looks at me like that in front of Erich there’ll be hell to pay.
15
As they neared the big house Je
She hurried the girls into the house and began preparing grilled cheese sandwiches and hot cocoa. Tina and Beth perched at the table, expectantly watching the toaster oven as the bubbling smell of melting cheese filled the kitchen.
What could have made Caroline so desperately unhappy that she would leave Erich? How much resentment was mixed in with Erich’s love for her? Je
The children were tired from the long walk and fell asleep as soon as she put them in for their nap. She watched as their eyes drooped and closed. She was reluctant to leave the room. She sat on the window seat for a moment, realizing she felt lightheaded. Why?
Finally she went downstairs, pulled on a jacket and walked over to the office. Clyde was working at the big desk. Trying to sound casual, she remarked, “Erich hasn’t come in yet for lunch. I thought he might have been delayed over here.”
Clyde looked puzzled. “He just stopped in for a couple of minutes on his way back from getting supplies. He told me you knew he’s pla
Wordlessly Je
“Sure will. Usually I just give anything for you to Erich.”
Anything for you… In the month she’d been here, even though she’d written to Fran and Mr. Hartley, she hadn’t received a single piece of mail. “I’m afraid he forgot about it.” She could hear the strain in her voice. “How much has come in?”
“A letter last week, a couple of postcards. I don’t know.”
“I see.” Je
“Someone from church phoned last week about a meeting. And the week before you got a call from New York. You mean Erich didn’t give you those messages?”
“He was so concerned with getting ready for the trip,” Je
Slowly she started back to the house. The sky was overcast now. Snow was begi
I won’t share you,… Je
Who had written? Mr. Hartley? Fran?
I can’t let this happen, Je
“Je
How much did he suspect? Could she discuss Erich with him? No, that wouldn’t be fair to Erich. But there was one thing she could do.
She tried to make her smile seem natural. “I’m fine,” she replied. “And you’re just the person I wanted to see. Remember we talked about having you and your friend-is it Emily?-for di
“Yes.”
“Let’s make it March eighth. That’s Erich’s birthday. I want to have a little party for him.”
Mark frowned. “Je
“I know,” Je
Mark seemed to be choosing his words. “Go easy, Je