Chasing pearl, p.12
Chasing Pearl, page 12
She nodded. “I can see that.” For a few moments, they just sat and slowly rocked. “This was good for you, though.”
“Good for me? How do you figure?”
“If you’re able to pull back and see actions and reactions and analyze grief, then you’ve obviously reached a healing point. Don’t you think?”
With a shrug, he leaned forward and laced his fingers together. “It keeps coming back, though. I think I’m good, then something happens, and it overwhelms me again.” He stared up at her. “How are you the strong one? Dad was your husband, your best friend, the love of your life. Yet, you’ve been everyone’s pedestal. How come I’m not the one rushing to be there for you?”
“You and Cora, your hearts, that’s what made me strong. I have a dog pile of experiences that prepared me for coping with things I don’t want to have to cope with, and God gave me outlets for dealing with them. I’ve filled three sketchbooks since your dad died. Three. Hundreds of drawings. My hand is a mess right now because I did so much. All of my grief was poured into them, night after night. Then I’d get up in the morning, wash my face, and love on my family. But it wasn’t easy. I’m not strong. I’m just coping in a less outwardly apparent fashion.” She waved a hand down the porch and laughed. “I didn’t run away.”
“Yeah.” He could tell by her tone that she was not condemning him, but understanding him and loving him. “There’s a little more now, though.”
Maxine raised an eyebrow. “More? Now?”
He took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I met someone here.”
“Is that so?” Her eyes widened. “I’m sure that’s complicated your decision to go back to Hawaii.”
He laughed and shook his head. “You don’t say something like, you’re acting out of grief. Or maybe, you’ve only been here three weeks, there’s no way you could feel this deeply. You give me nothing but understanding.” He stood and leaned against the porch railing. “You know, most moms would be sprinkling some caution in here and there.”
She studied his face for several moments. “Most moms don’t know the level of prayer life of their sons, and many don’t always believe God places people in our lives in very strategic ways.” She laced her fingers in her lap. “Cora shared a little bit with me.”
“Ah,” Chase nodded. “Of course.”
“So,” Maxine prompted. “Tell me about Violet Pearl.”
He thought he might begin with the box, but instead, he started with the Weedeater. He told her about the box and Violet’s fascination with the contents, how she studied them. He talked about going to church with her, having lunch with her, and Cora’s impression of her.
“She’s a believer. A strong believer. She’s a bestselling author, hitting high on the bestseller lists every time she puts a book out.” After this litany of facts and events, his mother still looked at him expectantly. He searched his heart. “Mom? She’s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen”
Maxine took a breath. “I’m waiting for the problem. I can hear that there’s a problem in your voice, but I’m not getting it yet.”
He looked out at the sloping grass, the gravel parking lot, the bright summer sky. “She’s never left Texas. Never really been out of the eastern part of Texas. She’s shy in a way I’ve never seen before. Plus, her family has run this inn since the Great Depression, and she’s an integral part of the inner workings of it.” He crossed his arms. “I can’t see removing her from this place. Her home.”
Several moments passed. Chase watched a heavy bee climb through the flowers in a hanging pot. Finally, Maxine said, “And you just turned down a job offer that would bring you out of the military and into civilian life right here in this town. Her home.”
“Right.”
“Because you know that’s where God is leading you.”
He felt the muscle tic in his jaw. “Exactly.”
Quietly, Maxine said, “Then trust that she’s praying, too.”
“How, Mom?” he asked with a sigh, “Just trust? How do I do that?”
“You know, when your dad and I were first married, he thought he’d made a mistake. He even tried to get the marriage annulled. It’s all he talked about for months. Even tried to serve me with papers on Christmas Day. But I wouldn’t concede.”
“What?” Her words did not reconcile with the intense loving relationship of the parents he knew. “What are you even talking about right now? Mom!”
“It’s true. It took me months. Months. Every night, I’d end the day on my knees, praying that God would soften his heart, that he would realize he loved me as much as I loved him.” She smiled, as if proud of herself. “He eventually came around.” She paused. “Want to know how I did it?”
“Yes, of course.”
She nodded. “Faith. And love. Two very powerful forces when combined together.”
Chase heard a step on the porch and looked over to see Violet appear from the around the back of the house. She had her laptop in her hand and earbuds in her ears. When she saw them, she stopped, eyes wide. Casually, she tugged on the wires and popped the earbuds out of her ears.
“I’m sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to interrupt.” Her voice got quieter as the sentence ended. She took a step backward, but he held a hand up and stepped forward to stop her.
“Hey. Speak of the devil. I was just talking about you.” He walked toward her, knowing she warred with the desire to turn around and head the other way. “I want you to meet someone. Violet Pearl, this is Maxine Anderson. My mother.”
“Your mother?” He watched in fascination as she put on her polite, public face. All shyness appeared to vanish, and she smiled and stepped forward. “Hey, there. I’m Violet. Violet Pearl. I’m so happy you’re here.” She frowned. “Did you have a reservation? I don’t remember seeing your name.”
Maxine pushed herself out of the rocking chair and stepped forward with a limp. “No. I barged in, no reservation, no head’s up for my son. I’ll get a hotel.”
“I wish you didn’t have to do that. Let me see what I can work out.” Violet smiled and started to turn away.
“I’ve actually got some pull with the Viscolli hotels. I’ll manage.”
“That’s clear on the other side of town, ma’am. Give me just a minute.”
“Not if it means putting you out.”
“It’s okay.” Violet checked her watch. “I’ll be right back.”
After they heard the front door shut behind her, Maxine looked at Chase. “She’s lovely. I can see the shyness. She gave herself a task to avoid having a chat with me.”
“She doesn’t like chatting. She has to have something to talk about.” He grinned, feeling like he’d just passed an evaluation. “That box addressed to Grandpa Chase is what brought her out of that polite stranger shell. I should get it out of my room and let her show you everything in it. By the time she’s done, she’ll feel like she knows you and warm up.”
“A package intended for Barry’s grandfather? Chase, I’d actually love that.” She retrieved her cane from where it leaned up against the porch railing. “Let’s go inside, then you can go get us some take-out lunch while she and I examine this box of yours.”
Violet leaned her back against the kitchen door and closed her eyes. His mom was here? Great. Now anything that had started will surely end. There’s no way she’s going to approve of some college town Texan who can’t coherently string two sentences together.
“Hey, there, Shoog. What are you doing?” Scarlett asked, coming out of the storage room carrying bags of carrots and celery.
“Hiding.”
“Hiding? Why?” She set the produce on the metal work table.
Violet walked over to her and leaned down on the table, propping her chin in her hand. “Chase Anderson kissed me last night.”
Scarlett’s hands immediately paused from opening the vegetables. “Is that a fact? Well shoot out the lights!”
“He told me he wanted to get to know me better, then kissed me.” Saying it sounded out of place, like she recounted the events of a barely remembered dream instead of actual events.
Her sister came around the work table to stand next to her. “Listen, Shoog. Isn’t he leaving? Going back to Hawaii?”
“Yes.” Her heart-rate increased at the thought of saying goodbye to him. “It’s like this whole time, when I realized what was happening with us, I kept telling myself it was foolish, and even if I found him really attractive and super nice, I should just keep this little crush to myself because he ain’t staying.”
“So, what happened?”
“He told me he was considering staying and he had a job interview. I allowed myself to imagine that someone like him would want to be with someone like me.”
She stood straight and put a hand over her heart. “As soon as I let myself think it, I realized how much I wanted it. And…,” She cleared her throat. “And last night he told me that he feels like God wants him to stay in the military, so he’s finishing the pee wee camp and going back to Hawaii. Only…”
She ran her finger over the cold, shiny surface of the table. “Only?” Scarlett prompted.
“Only he still wants to take time to get to know me even though he’s leaving.”
Her sister raised an eyebrow. “What do you want?”
“How am I supposed to know what I want? I hardly slept last night trying to figure that out. Feels like I’m one bubble off plumb.” She scrubbed her face with her hands. “He checked into this place three weeks ago tomorrow. It’s not like we’ve known each other long enough to know anything.”
Scarlett walked over to the knife block and grabbed a cutting board and a chef’s knife. “Well, Shoog, I don’t know what to tell you other than to say that if he’s leaving, then everything at this point is temporary. So, you either enjoy the ride then pack the chairs in the wagon when he hits the trail, or you cut it off. You have to do what’s right for you.”
Scarlett grabbed a colander from the shelf under the table and the bag of celery. She opened the bag of celery and carried it along with the colander to the big sink. “Just go into either decision with your eyes open. Either way,” she said, turning the water on and raising her voice just slightly to compete, “you have my support.”
Violet pursed her lips and pivoted on her heel. Not much help, but at least she told someone and wasn’t holding it in anymore. She went to the registration desk and pulled up the schedule. She had a honeymooning couple checking in tomorrow morning at ten. They’d made special arrangements for an early check-in, so she held the room for them for tonight so that she wouldn’t have to rely on an early checkout.
Perfect.
“God, you are so good,” she whispered, going out the front door. She found Maxine and Chase where she left them. “I have a room, but it’s just for one night, and I’d need you to check out by nine. If that works for you, you’re welcome to stay here.”
Maxine smiled at her. Her eyes, though green instead of blue, reminded her of Chase’s eyes, the way they appeared to glow from his face. “I think I can manage that. I’ll check out before church and leave shortly after.”
“It’s upstairs, mom,” Chase said. “All of the rooms are.”
“Oh, that’s alright,” Violet said. “We have an elevator in the kitchen. It will put you out in the laundry room on the second floor.”
“Perfect. I’ll get your bags, mom.” A smile covered his face that reminded Violet of a pleased little boy. Would she ever have a son? Would he love her on this level? Where in the world did that thought come from?
Twenty minutes later, Violet had Maxine checked in and in her room. Along with the key to the room, she gave her a key to the elevator. “Fair warning. The kitchen is rather chaotic in the morning,” she warned.
Maxine smiled. “Chaos never scared me, and I have been in some seriously busy kitchens in my time. I’m not even one little bit afraid.” She propped herself on the armchair by the bed. “If you’re done making a fuss, you two go on. Don’t worry about me. I’ll get some rest before my son decides where he wants to treat me for lunch.”
Violet watched as Chase kissed his mother on the forehead and she waited for him in the hallway. As he shut the door behind him, he smiled at her. “Would you like to join us for lunch?”
She shook her head. “Can’t.” She could see the look of disappointment that crossed his face. “I have morning chores. But, I can meet you later.”
“Deal.” He put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. His gentleness with her, his tender touches always amazed her. “I wondered if you could show my mom the box. I’d thought maybe during lunch, but instead, maybe we could take over your dining room again after dinner.”
Excitement about getting her hands on the contents of that box again made her grin. “Definitely. After supper, I’d love that.”
“Perfect.” He stepped back and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I’ll, uh, let you get on with it, then.”
“See you later.” She walked past him but turned around. “By the way, I would like to get to know you better. But I’m going to do it with the understanding that you’re leaving in a couple of weeks and we won’t see each other again. Are you willing to have those kinds of constraints?”
His eyebrows came together. “I’m grateful to accept anything you’re comfortable sharing,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”
The doorbell rang, then rang again and again. It sounded frantic. Chase suddenly became very tense. Then someone started pounding on the door.
Violet rushed downstairs and threw open the door. Wilma fell into the room, clutching the baby against her chest. She had a bloody nose and a bruise forming on her forehead.
“Wilma!” Violet knelt down and lifted the baby from her arms. “What happened?”
“Please help,” she hiccupped. Tears poured out of her eyes and she clutched at Violet’s arm. “He’s coming.”
At the sound of the truck brakes squealing outside, Wilma covered her ears and sobbed. Violet looked around and saw Chase coming down the stairs. The way he moved startled her. His attention clearly swept over the women at the landing and took in the environment outside. Every motion looked planned and efficient, smooth and practiced. He never even looked down as his feet confidently found each stair. A man that large should not be able to move that fast and that silently. She suddenly remembered that this man was a soldier, a warrior. In that second, she could see it. He was a deadly force, a lethal purpose, a sharpened spear, an arrow in flight.
Chase gracefully stepped in front of Wilma and blocked the door. Wilma’s husband Don honked the horn three long blasts then slammed out of his truck and started up the walk. He roared, “You tell my useless wife to get her sorry butt out here!”
Don wore a plaid flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the tail tucked into jeans. A tattoo of a bikini-clad cowgirl covered his right forearm. His large belt buckle caught the late morning light and his boots barely made a sound on the sidewalk as he stormed forward.
“I know you can hear me, Wilma. You’re dumb but you ain’t deaf. Now get out here, you stupid cow! Bring my son and get in the truck. If I have to come inside and get you, I promise you’ll be sorry.”
Chase looked at the two women on the floor. “Call the police. Do it now. Right now,” he ordered, then walked outside and shut the door behind him.
Violet pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed 9-1-1, telling the operator about the angry, threatening man outside and her suspicion that he had beaten his wife.
Don roared, “And just who do you think you are? Huh?”
She heard Chase’s voice, and moved to look out the window. “Oh, you don’t recognize me. Allow me to introduce myself.”
“How ‘bout I just give you a beatin’ then check your ID?”
Chase smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. “You’re welcome to try.”
Don threw a punch right for Chase’s chin. Chase blocked it easily and caught the right cross like he knew it would follow. With a grip on Don’s wrist, Chase put Don in a classic bone lock.
“Hey! Hey, man! Get your hands off me!”
Violet handed the phone to Wilma and kissed the baby’s forehead. He slept peacefully, blissfully unaware of the chaos around him. She went back to the window. Chase gripped Don’s arm up behind him, using it to propel him toward the hood of his truck. Chase slammed Don against it so hard it made Violet cringe. Then he bent down to whisper something in Don’s ear. Whatever he said, Don stilled and quieted. Chase just held him there, by the arm bent up behind his back, just as casually as if he waited for a bus.
About three minutes later, a police car pulled up. At the officer’s orders, Chase held both hands up and stepped backward. Violet helped Wilma up, and the two of them walked outside.
As she walked toward the curb, Violet heard Chase say, “So to protect the women and the infant inside, I restrained him and detained him out here until you arrived.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant Anderson. I think that’s all we need,” one of the officers said, handing Chase’s military ID back. He looked at Wilma. “Mrs. Larkin, if you don’t mind, let’s go inside so I can take your statement.”
Violet handed her the baby as she went by. One officer put handcuffs on Don then deposited him into the back of a newly arrived car. He spoke to the driver of that car for a few minutes, then followed his partner inside.
Violet looked up at Chase as he put his I.D. back into his wallet. “Well I reckon you got more guts than you can hang on a fence.”
“Doesn’t take guts to confront a guy like that.” Chase wouldn’t look at her.
“You don’t fool me, you know. You’re double-backboned.”
“Any man that can hit a woman,” Chase pressed his lips together staring at Don with a lethal-looking gaze, never meeting her eyes. “He’s just a bully and a coward. He’ll show his yellow belly to any man his own size.”
She looked him up and down. “Or a foot taller.”
