11

PERLA CLOSED HER EYES and massaged her temples. Sadie would be here soon and she couldn’t afford to have a headache now. She thought back to Imogene and her sick headaches. She’d never had much sympathy for her aunt, but this week she wished she could go back in time and say she was sorry.

Ella had gone back to Henry and Margaret’s so that Sadie could have the spare room here. Perla was glad to have the house to herself that morning. Since coming home from the hospital, it seemed there was always someone underfoot. A little privacy was exactly what she needed as she considered how best to tell her story.

But right now she wished for someone to bring her an aspirin. No, not just someone. She wished for her mother. How could it be that she, a woman of seventy-nine, could still long for her mother?

She looked at the clock and saw that she had at least an hour before Sadie was due to arrive. Their relationship had grown more and more strained in recent years, and she hoped that with her finally revealing the identity of Sadie’s father, the ice would begin to melt.

“‘The truth will set you free,’” she whispered.

Glancing at the clock again, she decided there was time to take that aspirin and lie down for a bit. Maybe she’d try Imogene’s trick of laying a cool cloth across her eyes.

Ella watched the Volkswagen Jetta putter toward the house, knowing Aunt Sadie was inside the car. Ella was eager for her aunt to arrive so she could find out what Gran was up to. She’d been acting mysterious all week, like she knew something Ella didn’t. Maybe she’d finally share whatever was preoccupying her now that Sadie was here.

Sadie pulled up to the house and, a minute later, came inside. “I thought I’d come say hello before heading over to Mother’s. You’re welcome to come with me, Ella.”

Ella hugged her buxom aunt, loving the enveloping feel of her arms. Sadie had always been on the plump side and leaning into her was like snuggling into a down comforter. At fifty-nine, her aunt called herself a permanent old maid, yet Ella couldn’t help wondering why she hadn’t found someone. She was smart, kind, and adorable with her ginger curls that hadn’t turned gray so much as turned a few shades lighter. And she had the warmest brown eyes.

“I’d love to ride over with you. Gran said she was looking forward to having some time to herself today, so I haven’t even called to check on her.” She laughed. “It’s probably the first day she’s truly been alone in months. She’ll either be anxious to see us or wishing she could have another day like this one.”

Sadie stretched her neck like it was stiff from the drive down. “Mother has never been shy about letting me know what she needs. If it’s time alone, I’m sure we can accommodate her.”

Ella decided not to answer that. Apparently the tension she’d been noticing between her grandmother and aunt was alive and well. Best not to dig—at least not right now.

“I’ll grab a sweater and we can head on over. I think Gran is making chicken and dumplings for supper.”

They drove the short distance between houses and walked up to the door. Ella expected Gran to come out and greet them, but there was no sign of her. Maybe things were even tenser than she realized. They walked into the kitchen and still there was no sign of Gran, even though a pot sat on the back of the stove on low heat, sending up a wonderful, comforting aroma.

Ella gave her aunt a confused look and poked her head into the living room. No Gran. She peeked into the bedroom and then put a finger to her lips. “Looks like she lay down for a nap and is still sleeping.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, wake her up. I can’t tell you how many times she let me know she didn’t want to be treated like an invalid, so let’s not start now.”

Ella tried not to cringe at the annoyance in Sadie’s voice. She tiptoed into the bedroom and laid a hand on Gran’s shoulder. “Gran, we’re here.”

Her grandmother stirred and lifted a hand, a soft moan escaping her lips. Ella watched, alarm stirring in her belly. This wasn’t right. One eye had opened, but the other side of Gran’s face looked like it was sliding toward her neck. Like a hand was dragging it down. Gran groaned again and opened her mouth, but only gibberish came out.

Sadie stood in the doorway, looking peevish.

“Call 911,” Ella said. “I think it’s another stroke.”

Something had wakened Perla. She lay in bed, eyes straining against the darkness, wondering what made her stir. Something rattled against the side of the house, and she slipped across the cool floor, nightgown clutched to her throat, to peer out the second-story window. At first she saw nothing. Then a shadow, darker than the rest, separated from the trunk of a sugar maple, and Sonny materialized in the side yard.

“I want to show you something.”

Perla felt both scandalized and excited. She’d never before had a young man waken her in the dead of night and ask her to come out to him. She knelt at the open window so that her body was mostly hidden from view.

“I can’t. It’s not proper.”

“Well, get dressed then. I’ll give you five minutes and then I’m going without you.”

She thought about telling him to go away, but instead she slipped a housedress on over her gown, wrapped a sweater around her shoulders, and stepped into her shoes. Feeling as though the blood in her veins was bubbling, she stifled a giggle. She mustn’t let anyone hear her. Goodness knows she was old enough to do as she pleased, and for some reason running out into the dark to see what Sonny would show her was exactly what pleased her.

Though it was May, the nights remained cool. Perla could feel the dew wetting her shoes and ankles as she skipped across the yard to where Sonny waited. The lilacs were almost done blooming, but she could still smell a hint of their perfume on the night air. Stars sparkled overhead, and she had to swallow laughter down once again. What was it about Sonny that made her heart feel so light?

He held his hand out, eyes capturing the glint of the stars and throwing it back at her. She did laugh this time as she took his hand and followed him wherever he might lead her.

After about ten minutes of tripping through the dark, they came to Panther Run. Perla shivered, maybe from the cold, maybe from the thought of the wildcats the little tributary had been named after.

“No one’s seen a panther round here in a coon’s age,” Sonny said.

She laughed again. “I should hope that isn’t what you dragged me out here to see—a little spill of water and no wildcats.”

“It’s not such a little spill,” he said, pulling her close to his side. “Looky there.”

He pointed across the water to a still pool on the far side. Perla peered through the dark, trying to see something other than water and rocks and the roots of trees. The water stirred, then something shimmered, quicksilver in the starlight.

Perla gasped. “What is it?”

“Trout spawning. Rainbows.” He laced his fingers with hers and it felt as natural as breathing.

“How did you know?” Perla turned her face toward Sonny and found him watching her rather than the fish. She swayed toward him and then caught herself and took a step away, releasing his hand.

“I just knew,” he said, raising and dropping one shoulder. “It’s like I can hear them sometimes.”

Perla didn’t know what to make of that. “It’s beautiful,” she said while watching the water. “But maybe I should go back in now.”

His face slid into shadow, and she couldn’t guess what he was thinking anymore. “Reckon so,” he said.

They walked back to the house, not touching each other. Perla could see a hint of dawn in the east and hoped no one would be up yet. What had she been thinking? A whippoorwill called from the edge of the field. As she moved to step up onto the porch, Sonny caught her hand.

“I’m glad you came out with me. Sometimes I get more lonesome than I ought.”

Perla smiled, hoping he could see it in the dark because she didn’t know any words to ease lonesomeness.

“—caught it in time.”

Perla meant to sit up, but she felt as though giant hands held her down. She opened her mouth to speak, then quickly shut it again when she heard the horrible sound that came out. Warm hands grasped her own and smoothed the hair back from her face. She felt like she was peering through a fog and couldn’t quite make anything out.

“Just rest.”

That was Ella. But there were other hands on her as well, and somehow Perla knew they belonged to her daughter. She could feel the frustration burning in Sadie’s fingertips. She slid back into darkness, hoping the tide washing her out to sea might carry her back to 1948 and those days when she was still innocent and life was pure.

“It’s much more serious this time,” Dr. Endicott said, rubbing his hand over tired eyes. “I’d hoped with her improvement after the last stroke that we might be out of danger, but these things tend to be unpredictable.” He looked embarrassed, as though he’d broken some rule by admitting he didn’t know everything.

“She recovered quickly last time. What are the chances she can rebound like that again?” Sadie was all business, writing in a little notebook she’d pulled from her purse.

Dr. Endicott sighed, and Ella wished she had the nerve to give him a hug. He was wrung out. Anyone could see that.

“I really can’t offer a prediction at this time.”

Sadie made a face like that was an unacceptable answer. “It took a great deal of effort on the part of the family to work with her last time. Are we looking at something similar? I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay, and clearly she’ll need assistance for some time to come.”

Dr. Endicott straightened his shoulders a notch. “A rehabilitation facility is always an option. Of course, she’ll need to stay here for a while. If she fails to improve as rapidly as after the last stroke, we can look at alternatives to returning home.”

Ella felt like she’d better jump in. The last thing Gran wanted was to go to some rehab clinic or nursing home. “What should we be doing for her now?”

“Being here with her is good. Touch her, talk to her, let her know you’re close. Often stroke patients can still think clearly even when they have a hard time articulating thoughts.”

Sadie opened her mouth, but Ella spoke ahead of her. “So just love her?”

“I can’t think of a better prescription,” the doctor said. “I’ll be back around in the morning. We should know more then.”

Sadie pursed her lips and tucked her notebook in her bag. While Ella loved her aunt, she was skeptical that she was going to be much help at the moment. She seemed to be carrying some sort of grudge that kept her from connecting with her own mother.