A Special Kind Of Family

Vanessa worked hard at helping with homework, but they had difficulty concentrating. It was after the girls had gone upstairs, and after she’d spent another hour working with the older girls’ studies that she checked a second time to make sure all first-floor doors and windows were locked. She considered pulling the opaque shades at the kitchen windows, but couldn’t recall Gram’s doing that except when midsummer’s late-afternoon sunshine streamed in.

She did, however, deliberately leave on both back and front porch lights, and was going back to the kitchen when Rob phoned to tell her of his mother’s prayers. He added, “Honestly, Van, I don’t know how you’re doing everything!”

“The question isn’t so much how I’m doing, as how well.” She’d tried to say that lightly, but surprised herself with, “I wish Gram were here!”

There was a split second’s pause. “What’s wrong, Vanessa? Is it something I can help with?”

His voice sounded worried, and she wanted nothing more than to share this with him. “I shouldn’t….”

“Van?”

“It’s, not something I can talk about on the phone.” Actually, I shouldn’t talk about it at all.

He must have sensed her turmoil. “I’ll be there within three minutes.”

She felt guilty involving him in this, and told herself she should be calling her lawyer-mother for advice. Instead, she went out on the front porch and sat on the swing for what proved to be no more than the short time he’d predicted.

She’d told herself she had no right to trouble him, but as he parked along the curb, hurried up the walk and steps and then across the porch to sit beside her, she knew she needed his input and suggestions, and felt heartened by his presence.

He held her hand as she filled him in on Barb’s situation, and how worried she was. He asked questions, most of which she couldn’t answer, and talked about what-ifs and maybes—and it did help immeasurably just having him there.

They eventually went together into the house, Vanessa having decided to call her mother for advice. Rob used the phone in the front room; Vanessa sat near him using the portable phone, what Gram referred to as her “walk-around.”

“Gram’s not worse, is she?” Mother’s concern was evident.

“She seems to be doing fine, but we have another problem….”

Paula McHenry said almost nothing as her daughter told what she’d just learned, but then she stated, “I’m calling the authorities tonight.”

“Is there any other way? Barb’s going to be terribly upset if this becomes public knowledge.”

“We have no choice.” There seemed to be sadness, at least resignation, in that voice. “Barb’s a minor, and what’s been perpetrated is a major crime which, by law, you and I must report.”

“I doubt she’ll be willing to repeat any of this.”

“There are people specially trained to work with these situations. I think she’ll open up once she finds this to be the only way she can ever feel safe.” She cleared her throat. “The girls adore Gram…she’ll be able to get Barb’s cooperation.”

Rob, too, asked Paula questions and discussed the situation with her and, later, with Vanessa, leaving only when she insisted she must get to bed if she was to be even functional the next day.

Vanessa had trouble sleeping, however, and awoke early. She must talk to Gram about Barb, and the sooner the better. She would have to find time today to run over to the hospital.

And then she stopped short, sitting there on the side of her bed, asking herself why she’d involved Rob with something that had nothing to do with him. It was my own weakness, my own need. It’s not his problem, and yet I dragged him into what could become very messy.

That bothered her even after their neighbor came and Vanessa was driving the two girls to school. They were nearly there when she told them what her mother had said.

“He’ll kill me!” Barb had become almost hysterical. “He said he would—over and over he said he’d kill me if I told anyone! And he’d kill Mom, too. I trusted you, Vanessa, and you’ve already told someone else!”

They were still a block from school, so Vanessa pulled to the curb, stopped, and turned to look her in the eye. “My mother is our legal advisor, the one who took care of all those forms and regulations that made it possible for Gram to open her home to you. I had to touch base with her, Barb, for your sake and for everyone else’s.

“Gram, herself, would have to report this if she knew. Since I’m trying to take care of things while she’s in the hospital, it was necessary to find out what must be done in order to stay within the law.”

When Jana also started yelling about not keeping confidences, Vanessa stated firmly, “Listen, you two! We could be closed down if we don’t obey the law. Then where would you be?

“Each one of you is more important to us than just keeping Gram’s home open, but you saw a certain car, Barb, which could mean someone’s looking for you, has perhaps found you. Should that be the case, the law is the only protection you have against what he could do.”

“I can run away….”

“Where could you go where you’d be absolutely certain he can’t find you?”

She almost mentioned that she and others could be hit with huge fines and lose the opportunity to continue doing for others what had been so recently begun, but that would seem of little importance to either girl right now. Instead, she tried to impress upon them the necessity of acting as normal as possible and staying together during lunch and after school.

She pulled up at the entrance nearest the cafeteria and pointed to the front corner of the parking area. “If at all possible, I’ll be over there by the time school’s out,” she said. “If I’m not, wait inside these doors for another five minutes. If I still haven’t come, walk back to Gram’s—with others, if possible—and along the main streets.”

They solemnly assured her they would do so, but as they left the car Vanessa added one more thing. “If you must walk home, go directly there.” I’m not sure that’s strong enough. “If you aren’t home in a reasonable amount of time, we’ll have to notify the authorities about two missing persons—which could become particularly sticky since we haven’t told them what’s going on.”

Cars behind hers kept her from staying until the girls were inside, but she did check her rearview mirror as she slowly moved forward….

She tried to tell herself that this day was no worse than usual, but didn’t believe it. Trouble with one packaging line right at the beginning of the shift kept that crew out of operation several hours.

A man in Shipping fell and hurt his back. The nurse didn’t think his injuries serious, but recommended that for his own and the company’s sake he should be taken to the hospital for X rays and evaluation.

It was then she learned that one huge carton of a large order of new-games-for-Christmas CDROMs had not arrived at a major wholesaler’s, and their purchasing agent was threatening to cancel the entire order if this portion wasn’t received by the following day. She finally got him to agree to giving them two days, but finding what went wrong and getting that taken care of took far too much of her time and attention.

She was out of her office more than usual, leaving Suzan Gibson, her secretary, to handle problems with her usual calm efficiency. Except for a granola bar and coffee, Vanessa had eaten nothing since a small breakfast, but was at her desk finishing a report that had to get out today when Suz came in. “You need an apple break, boss-lady.”

Leaning back in her chair, Vanessa reached for the shiny Red Delicious apple that Suz offered to her. “Ummm, it looks wonderful.” Shifting position and stretching, she glanced at the dainty ormolu clock Gram gave her when she first assumed the position. “Oh, no! It’s nearly four!”

“What’s that about time flying when you’re having fun?”

She ignored that remark as she struck her forehead lightly with the palm of her hand. “I intended to pick up the kids at school.”

Suz was shaking her head as she started for the outer office. “In case you hadn’t noticed, Vanessa, they’re in high school now. How ’bout giving that mother-hen complex a rest? Haven’t they walked home most days?”

She tried to smile, to come up with anything but her real reason for fretting, but blurted out, “It’s impossible for me to take Gram’s place in their lives!”

“Be yourself, Van.” Suz turned back to face her. “They don’t need cookie cutter adults around them, they need authentic, honest-to-goodness real people who care.”

“I’ll try to keep reminding myself of that.” Will they believe I care? she wondered. If only I’d paid attention to the time and got to the school when I said I would—but then I’d have had to come back later.

She reached for the phone as Suz closed the door after herself. Gin answered, saying that Jana and Barb were at the kitchen table doing homework. “Tell them I got held up here, but hope to be home by five-thirty.”

“Okay—and I understand it’s that dear Betty Jefferson preparing today’s meal. Maybe you’ll be here when she comes.”

“I’ll try to be.” It occurred to her that thus far the food had been provided by people she would least have expected. I consider myself a good judge of character, but these folks from First Church are amazing….

Little Teddy Jefferson came running across the yard as Rob’s car stopped in the driveway. “I been waitin’ and waitin’ for you to come.”

Rob got out and stooped to pick up the child, toss him in the air, then catch and set him on his shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for that, too, my young friend. Let’s go inside and see what your mama and sister and baby brother are doing.”