Patience and I lived in a small home in the forest. She had been an early settler in Connecticut. She arrived with her parents when she was barely out of her childhood. Her two brothers had not survived the journey across the ocean and her parents clung to her as their only child.
When her parents both died Patience knew that she was in danger. The rules of life were very strict. She would not marry and there were rumors that she was a witch. Being a witch was a capital crime in Connecticut. The preacher did several sermons on Exodus 22:18.
Because she lived alone in the house that had been her parents', the men of the community helped her with what they considered man’s work. Independent of nature, Patience tried to return the favor and help them with chores.
Patience knew she was deemed to be different from the other women in the small community and she was aware that the leaders believed she was violating the norms of society. She knew she could be banished from her community for unorthodox behavior.
Patience worked like a man with the men of the community and when rumors began that she might be intimate with one of her neighbors, adultery also being a capital crime, she slipped away in the darkness of a spring evening.
She knew all too well what happened to people who were considered unnatural, she left without taking her cow or a goat or even a hen. She bundled her clothes and a few valuables and walked into the woods.
These are things I learned about Patience after my death. She didn’t talk much about her life before me when we lived together in her little house in the woods.
She missed her cow. She did tell me about that. It had been a descendant of the Great White-backed Cow that came from England with the settlers. We had a cow. We also had goats and hens, and of course, sheep.
God provided them, Patience told me. I could feel her presence beside me and knew she was on the other side of the veil as I stood looking at the Walker mansion. It made me smile to know she was there.
When evil brushed past me, I moved ahead to the side of the road across from the rose bushes and I stood there as the man and woman entered the house. I watched the door shut and thought about disappearing behind the veil and listening, but it wasn’t time yet.
I saw another machine appear from around the corner of the house and head in my direction. It was a lovely dark green. I went behind the veil. All I could do now was observe.
~~~
Karen steered her Mercedes out of the driveway and turned left toward Armstrong Point. She had no destination in mind but if someone had asked her where she was going, she would have said, “to Ruth’s.”
The car was on automatic pilot, or more precisely, Karen was on automatic pilot. As she approached Ruth’s street, she slowed down and took a deep breath. There was no way she was going to run to her sister and cry on her shoulder.
She had to get a grip. She squeezed the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She though about going to visit Gladdie Cameron but dismissed that thought. The second she was out of the house, Gladdie would be on the phone prattling her disingenuous gossip which would hit the tabloids by tomorrow.
Famed Writer William Anderson Smythe Marriage on the Rocks or whatever headline they could post to cause the maximum embarrassment to her. The strange creature she saw on the road flashed into her mind and she wondered if that had been a stalker, fan, or reporter trying to inveigle his or her way into her peaceful home.
Peaceful home. Karen felt the tears burst though her fading self-control. No. She was not going to see Gladdie or Ruth or anyone. She had to go somewhere and have a good cry. Somewhere no one could see her.
She drove out of Armstrong Point and turned right. She would go to the cemetery. If anyone saw her crying there, it would seem more reasonable. She turned onto the Line Road. There were new houses built up for the first half mile of the old Road.
Then it was the same old abandoned farms, the buildings long since gone, the fields returning to their wooded past. The old Coffin trailer had been replaced by an attractive minihome. Just past the minihome, on the left side of the road, there was the cemetery almost hidden behind a front border of pines.
Karen parked near the entrance and sat in her car, great heaving sobs wracking her body. When she stopped crying, she looked at the cemetery. It had been cleaned up and landscaped. It was lovely and bright flowers bloomed in beds arranged around the perimeter.
She got out of the car and walked toward the tombstones she knew well. And the crying started again. These were the people she loved and they were gone. What was she going to do? She couldn’t go back home now. Not this minute.
When she watched Bill make breakfast for Chrissi and her beau, she had to get away, and get away fast. She remained calm for a few minutes, her head throbbing, and then said, “Oh. Oh. I am so sorry. Bill, forgive me. I completely forgot, I volunteered to help out at the church this morning. I have to get going.”
She hurried off to get her handbag and fluttered out of the house, saying she would hurry back. She deliberately avoided hearing what Bill said. Now, she had to stay away for at least an hour or he would be suspicious of her behavior. What could she say to him? That his niece was the worst member of his family she had ever imagined?
It wasn’t until she deadheaded several blossoms that she remembered it was Mabel Haniman’s day to houseclean. When she passed the minihome on her way to the cemetery, Mabel had not crossed her mind. She didn’t think about Mabel much and she rarely drove past her home. Indeed, she had forgotten about Mabel living in her brother’s old place. She tried to remember if Mabel’s car had been in the minihome’s lane, but she couldn’t.
If she could catch Mabel, she would cancel her services for the day. She could pay her and tell her they had unexpected company. But she couldn’t let Mabel see her like this.
To hell with it, she was at the cemetery. She could use that as an excuse. She rushed to the car and drove to the minihome, getting there just as Mabel was walking toward her car. Mabel stopped to take a final drag of her cigarette and Karen tooted the Mercedes horn.
Mabel stopped with her hand reaching for the door of her car and looked toward Karen. Karen stopped the car and got out.
“Oh good, I’m glad I caught you. I am so sorry. I meant to call you before I left the house but….”
Mabel was walking toward her, looking concerned. “Is everything all right. You look like you just lost your best friend.”
“I went up to the cemetery. My goodness, but it looks marvelous.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue she had balled in her hand. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it. The cemetery always does this to me. Mom and Dad.” She waved a hand of dismissal. “The older you get, the harder it is to see – things like that.”
Mabel nodded, and extracted another cigarette out of the package nestled in the side pocket of her little purse. “I know what you mean.”
“Anyway, we have company coming today and I meant to call you to say not to come today.” She reached into her bag, “I meant to come here and pay you for the day but felt and urge to visit Mom and Dad’s grave.” She shook her head, “Silly old woman that I am. And here I almost missed you.”
She felt her checkbook but thought to check her wallet. Yes, she had enough cash to pay Mabel. She handed over several bills.
“Same time next week?” Mabel asked.
Karen nodded. Then she said, “You’re looking well.” She meant it. Mabel was still too skinny, and her face showed the telltale signs of too many cigarettes and too many late nights, but her hair was cut in a flattering style and streaked with auburn highlights.
Mabel thanked her, and they said their farewells. Karen knew that her behavior was out of character, but everyone knew that Mabel was an unreliable gossip. Besides who could she talk to?
Mabel watched Karen drive away. She fingered the money in her hand and shrugged. She’d already heard from Patsy Peters about the transport truck heading to the Walker mansion and she had seen Karen speed by in her forest green Mercedes.
She smiled as she tucked the money in her purse. She would have to go to Patsy’s to see what was going on with dried up old Karen and her crazy old husband.
