All Bedlam Courses Past (part eighty-seven)

All Bedlam Courses Past

Chapter Three

An Object in Motion

(part eighty-seven)

In the wake of suspected insult, the offer came flat. “Honoré. We are going out to lunch. I hope you and Clotilde may like to come.”

Worse, cooking was taking place somewhere in the house. Mother rose partway, summing up—

A delight to be living close by… Clotilde very welcome to join any excursion, shopping, etc… Possibly they would not see as much of one another…

(Honoré’s murmur: “Sad to say.”)

Élucide and Walter rose in full, eager for it. Mrs. Heilmann kept her seat. She tapped Élucide’s knee, gave a nod to Clotilde: “Ask her if she’s in the family way.”

I don’t know when he came home last night, I was already in bed! Mother, do men settle after a while? Papa was very different, I’m sure. Owen says he has to visit his parents, and not to complain, since I don’t much like going, and since he makes excuses for me. I try to take all your advice, and get along with Owen’s mother. My father-in-law cannot come to dinner, and Mary cannot fix a dinner, so I only ask Mrs. McClurkin for tea or coffee. When she visits, she tells me it must be a pleasure having a maid in a small household, and looks around to count the stained saucers, and the towel where the puppy got, and Owen’s coat on the floor (his fault!) Well, he’ll be a father soon, and will have to tell his friends I’m sorry, it’s home for supper. Edith says he is too forward with the guests

“Lonely. It can’t be helped. And Owen does stick to the job. To speak in his favor.”

Why speak in Owen’s favor? Because the dinner table was stocked with witnesses—the young Davises, daughters and son of Mrs. Heilmann’s church friends; Judge Haws, older brother of Gideon.

Returning home should look the regrettable choice. The proper niche for regret was “unfortunate, but must be”. If Phyllis, or Aileen, or Julius, seated next to Élucide (“he will be your age”), had the facts, the verdict might be: she’s a spoiled girl, Mrs. Owen McClurkin. Her father bought her a house, her mother sends her Mary Paton Sundays and Mondays, a family friend gave her husband that job…

Papa, not reading the letter laid by his plate, might say (and often did), she made her bed, she can lie in it.

Before witnesses, then, hopeful fairness to Owen. If this day’s pressure added its straw’s weight…after all, so many of the political wives kept to their houses, their husbands took hotels when the legislature was in session, Papa had the better luck, owning a house, and Mrs. Heilmann there to keep it, Walter easily to stay enrolled at the high school, board with Judge Haws when Papa came down…

Still, no part of Mother’s arguments ever was impractical, or second-guessing of Papa.

“You are a widower, I think Mother said?” Élucide spoke across the table to Judge Haws, a man past her father’s age. His eyes spoke eloquently of his regard for her as a child.

“Sadly, my dear. And you are a little secretary, your father tells me, a great support to your mother.”

The ball was returned. Mother said: “With Luce doing her part, I manage.”

92

Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part eighty-eight)

(2024, Stephanie Foster)