Wild Woods
5
Levayah
Recruiting Mommy
“PANZA RESIDENCE, this is Marian,” the bright voice on the phone said.
“Marian, this is Gee. How are you?”
“Oh, Gee! How nice to hear from you. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Things here are bright. We just announced to the family that we’re expecting another child. I planned to call you today,” she answered. Marian and Nathan Panza had been the first friends Gee made in Rosebud Falls when he saved their son, Devon, from the Rose River. They had given him a home and a job, and through no real fault of their own had also told him he had to leave. Nonetheless, their friendship had survived and Gee saw Devon each Wednesday evening at the library reading time.
“That’s wonderful Marian! I’m so happy for you.”
They celebrated on the phone, Karen adding her congratulations as well.
“Did you want to talk to Nathan?” Marian asked.
“Not just at the moment,” Gee answered. “Actually, I need some advice and perhaps some help.”
“Of course! Whatever we can do.”
“Did you read about the children recovered in the woods?”
“Yes. How awful. I’m so glad they were found. Have you met…” Marian broke off suddenly. “Oh! Did you find them, Gee? The story was a little short on details. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, though a little tired,” Gee said. “I wasn’t the one who discovered them but I’ve been helping them. I spend a lot of time each day reading and trying to understand them. Marian,” Gee struggled to keep his voice calm even though tears welled in his eyes whenever he spoke of the children, “they are five to eight years old physically. Mentally, they’re babies. They’ve never known a mother. I hate to ask so much of you, but would it be possible for you and Devon to have a play date with them? I’m not sure they’ve ever known another child.”
“At the hospital, Gee? I’ll be there at ten.”
“A bold move, Gee,” Dr. Salinger said as they watched Marian and the children through the observation window. I wholly agree with bringing in the mother but I wouldn’t have thought of bringing her son with her. It might have been risky to introduce the children to another child.”
“Devon is a pretty capable three-year-old,” Gee said. “Here’s what I was thinking: As far as we know, the children have never known or don’t remember knowing a mother. So how would they distinguish Marian from just another nurse or woman who brings food? By having Devon with her, they get the concept of mother and an example of how a child acts with a mother.”
“I can’t argue with that. And Devon seems relaxed with them even though they aren’t speaking.”
“He has a joy in life that is hard to match.”
“I understand he was your introduction to Rosebud Falls.”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Does it anger you that he caused the loss of your memory?” Dr. Salinger often asked Gee questions about his own life and seemed devoted to helping him come to terms with his role in the lives of the children. But Gee was puzzled by this question.
“He what?”
“You dove into a river to save him and came out with a little boy and no memory. Doesn’t that bother you?” she asked.
“Oh, I see. No, not particularly,” Gee answered. He had learned to respond to the psychologist’s questions as honestly as possible. He’d struggled with feelings of doubt in the past weeks. She helped him see what kind of man he was. “I don’t know if I had any memory before that. I do remember back as far as walking into town that day. Perhaps it was crossing the city limits that erased my memory and if I just left town it would return. Dr. Poltanys says there was no physical trauma that would cause my memory loss. It’s just another of life’s mysteries.”
“You are so calm about having a piece of your life missing.”
“Karen has commented about what she sees as a lack of concern for my past. I do question it sometimes. First, whether I am suffering from this loss as a way of coping with some terrible thing I did in my past.”
“Fundamentally, a loss of memory would not change the kind of person you are,” Dr. Salinger assured him.
“I guess the only other thing I’m concerned with is whether I have hurt someone by disappearing from their life. The book I carried into town was inscribed, ‘Love, Rae’. I’m sad that someone out there cared for me and I can’t let her or him know I’m okay.”
They watched Devon take Sister’s hand and guide it to the stuffed bear Marian held. Sister smiled at Devon and brought Littlest to the bear.
“Look at him,” Gee said. “Even if foolishly diving into an unknown river to rescue him caused my memory loss, wouldn’t you give up your life to save him?”
Forest Management
The long-awaited snowstorm struck late Friday night and snow continued to fall in fat wet blobs Saturday morning. It was more like having snowballs thrown at the windshield than flakes. Karen calmly held her Lincoln firm on the narrow road to the foresters’ office. They had stopped briefly at the hospital to tell the children Gee would be back to have dinner with them. Before they settled into their quiet waiting mode, as Julia called it, Marian and Devon had arrived with a new batch of books and toys.
“Do you think anyone will show up to volunteer this morning?” Karen asked.
“We are,” Gee chuckled. “I just want to see what the forest looks like in the snow. I’m sure someone will want to go for a walk with us. If not, we’ll go. I’ve something amazing to show you that I discovered Thursday.”
Three other vehicles were parked at the office. Karen and Gee stomped the snow off their boots in the entry. Jessie and Jonathan were in the office along with much of Gee’s normal crew. Drake Oliver talked to Alyson and Shannon. JD and Jeanie were glaring at each other from opposite sides of the room. In a corner of the office, Gabe leaned his chair back against the wall as he sipped coffee and watched the kids’ interactions.
“I don’t think we’re going to get much cutting done today,” Jonathan said as Gee and Karen shook off the snow. “Your crew here has more enthusiasm than sense.”
“I’m proud of my crew,” Gee said, smiling at the kids. “I’ve never been in the Forest during snowfall. I’d like to see how the canopy affects the ground coverage. If you and Jessie are willing to teach us today, we’ll try not to throw snowballs at you.” The teens let out a disappointed groan.
“Snowballs are half the fun,” Jeanie said.
“Just remember who’s carrying the GPS and can get you out of the Wild Woods,” Jessie joked at her. “I think Gee’s got a great idea but you all need to gear up with essentials. Let’s get your equipment and check to make sure everyone is ready for wet and cold.”
As the kids got ready, Gee talked quietly to Gabe.
“I found something out there Thursday,” he said. “It’s so incredible to me, I’m still having trouble believing it was real.” Gabe brought all four feet of his chair to the floor and looked at Gee. His silence was all the encouragement Gee needed to continue. “Off in the southeast section where we’ve been pushing with small paths, there’s a stand of straight young hickory that grow four to seven feet apart. You can walk between them but you can’t see past the next tree. They open up on a clearing—a single tree with a canopy so dense that even without leaves, the sunlight barely makes it through. One Tree. It’s huge.” Gee’s eyes unfocused as he saw the old tree in his mind’s eye. Gabe stood and went to the map table.
“Where?” he demanded. Gee checked the coordinates he’d entered on his phone’s GPS and pointed at the map.
“We’ve been cutting paths all around it but never getting to it,” he said.
“I think I’ll take a walk in the snow with you all this morning,” Gabe said as he reached for his coat.
Without commenting on where they were headed, Gabe gently guided the nature walk into the Wild Woods. Jessie and Jonathan explained a bit about how the terrain affected the growth patterns of the trees and could also be used to estimate productivity of a region under cultivation. Gabe occasionally pointed at an invasive plant and had one of the kids cut it back. By noon, the snow had stopped falling and the sky was clearing. Sunlight on the snow was blinding, but the farther into the Wild Woods they went, the less snow was on the ground.
“Gosh. It didn’t snow as much back here,” Drake said. Jessie laughed.
“I think just as much snow fell here as in the Forest,” she said.
“Did it melt faster?”
“No, but if it’s not on the ground, where would it be?” Jonathan asked. Drake looked up into the branches just in time to catch a face full of snow sliding off the upper limbs.
“One of the dangers we have out here is that the canopy is so dense that snow and ice will stay on top. This is the first storm of the winter, so the amount of snow caught on the branches weighs considerably less than leaves and nuts would in the summer,” Gabe instructed. “Let’s stop at this cabin to warm up and have our lunch.” The foresters had hauled propane tanks and heaters to each of the cabins, preparing for continued work in cold weather. They no longer had any intention of stopping the exploration and mapping of the Wild Woods because of cold weather.
“I suppose that face full of snow I caught was just a warning,” Drake said. “If we get a lot of snow and if it freezes, that could have hurt.”
“One of the reasons we always wear hard hats when we’re working out here,” Jonathan said.
“Snow and ice are dangerous not only because it falls, but branches will break under the weight” Jessie added. “Even if they don’t make it to the ground during the winter, they create a hazard in the summer when a good wind could knock them out of the trees. That’s one of the reasons we patrol the Forest all winter, watching for danger signs.”
“Our purpose in the Forest is not only to guarantee the health and productivity of the trees but to assure a safe working environment for the volunteers. If we hadn’t felt such urgency to find the cabins and rescue any remaining children, we would not have risked so many volunteers in the Wild Woods,” Jonathan said.
“Do you think there are still people… children living out here, Gee?” Alyson asked. Gee shook his head.
“Why are we pushing so hard to investigate and cut paths?” Drake asked.
“Gee had a feeling it was important,” Gabe interrupted before Gee could respond. “In the Forest, we trust feelings.” They turned off the heater and packed their garbage. “Lead on, Gee,” Gabe said. Gee found the path he had followed two days before and set off. Soon it ended and Gee searched for signs of where he had worked his way between the saplings. The Tree was like a magnet to him. He heard the others gasp as he broke into the clearing under its canopy. Even Jonathan and Jessie clung to each other. Gee saw tears in Gabe’s eyes.
“I dreamed of this,” Karen whispered. “I thought it was a dream. I tried to tell you about it but we were working crazy hours and then we found the children. The vision started to fade and I couldn’t remember what I needed to tell you.”
“It’s the Patriarch,” Gabe whispered. “We all assumed it had been cut or died more than a century ago. Instead, it was hidden.”
“What’s a patriarch?” Shannon asked.
“The origin tree,” Gabe said. “It’s where the Rose Hickory started.”
“You mean the whole Forest started here?” JD asked. “Cool!”
After the initial awe passed, the kids wanted to explore and put what they’d learned to use. They hadn’t brought calipers and the equipment wouldn’t have been large enough to measure the DBH of the massive tree. Alyson and Drake stood on opposite sides of the trunk with arms outstretched. Jeanie and Shannon measured the distance between them. JD entered the measurement on the geocaching software. Five feet, seven inches. He captured the coordinates more precisely than Gee had been able to on his cellphone.
“We need to cut about two-thirds of these surrounding trees,” Jonathan said. “They’ll make great lumber as straight as they are but they’re too close together to ever bear nuts in any quantity.”
“No,” Gee said flatly. “None of them get cut.”
“Gee, good forest management requires that we not leave these so densely packed together. We’ll preserve as much as possible and harvest the rest,” Jessie said. Gabe was shaking his head but it was Gee who responded.
“No,” he repeated firmly. “This is not the Forest, managed for maximum output. This…” he touched one of the straight trees surrounding the Patriarch. It had no limbs les than ten feet from the ground. “…These trees are not Forest plantings. They are the direct children of the Patriarch. They are older than they look because to some extent their growth has been stunted. But they are not fourth or fifth generation trees. These are first generation.”
“Transplanting,” Gabe said. “I agree with Gee. These trees are far more valuable than the board feet of lumber they represent. I agree the area needs to be thinned, though probably not to the extent you estimate, Jonathan. But we can’t lose these trees. They could completely revitalize the Forest.”
“And expand it,” Alyson agreed. “We’ve been talking at school about how to expand the Forest. We even have a group that spends study hall with plat maps of the entire county to see where we can plant more trees.”
“Attempting to remove these trees could significantly damage the roots of others nearby,” Jonathan said. It was clear he was unconvinced. Usually the roots of cut trees were left in the ground to compost without disturbing the soil. With large trees cut in the Forest, they often hollowed out the stump and planted a seedling right in the same root ball.
“Air compressor,” Gabe said. “I read an article not long ago about a tree doctor in Minnesota who was concerned about damaging roots when attempting to vaccinate trees against invasive pests. The treatment had to be delivered deep in the root system but digging with shovels was prone to leave nicks in the epidermis and make the tree even more vulnerable to infection. He developed an air blade using a compressor. He moves the dirt with forced air. It has some problems to be worked out, but we could feasibly dig deep enough around a tree’s root ball to lift it out of the ground with little or no damage to surrounding trees.”
“It sounds like it’s going to take some time,” Karen said.
“Years,” Gabe responded.
“Wedding,” Karen said as she lay next to Gee in the aftermath of their loving late that night.
“I’m all for it,” Gee laughed. “Do you want to set the date?”
“We can work that out with the foresters and weathermen,” she said. “I want to set the location.”
“I suppose we need to reserve a space if the wedding has to accommodate all the Families, foresters, crews, and friends. Where is big enough? Do we have to get married in the football stadium?”
“Silly man,” Karen said, poking at his ribs. “I want to be married under the Patriarch’s canopy.”
Gee held her close and kissed her.
Dead End
“Sheriff, we found that boy y’all was a-huntin’,” drawled the deputy from Georgia over the phone. “Ain’t much left of him.”
“What’s the story?” Sheriff Johnson asked. Finding Dr. Jones had been their hope of untangling the drug and child trafficking cases.
“Once we found that flatbed full of stone you put us onto, we started canvasing outward from there. I know this took a while but we gotta be careful when we’re searching the hills out near the state line. ’Bama moonshiners get tetchy. Well, we heard ’bout a Yankee buying up a bunch of supplies in Centralhatchee and got on his trail. He was hid out in a shack up in the hills near Yellowdirt.”
“You were able to apprehend him?”
“Oh, no, sir. He was already apprehended. Dead for a few days according to Doc Wilson. Sittin’ in a chair with his computer open and his pants down with a plastic bag over his head. I heard of that stuff before. Googled it. Sexual asphyxiation. ’Fraid the weather down here’s been hotter’n hell this fall. Don’t remember anything like it. Oh. Anyways, Doc says decomposition is pretty bad. Wants to know what you want done with the body.”
“Thank you, Deputy. I hope I can do something for you one day. How about we send a couple guys down with a box to put him in and haul his ass back up here so you don’t have to deal with it? I can get a guy down there by tomorrow night.” Johnson relaxed into a friendly tone with the deputy, drawing on his own country upbringing. Inside he was seething. Jones was their only lead. “We’ve got a list of stolen property that the owners want back real bad. Mind if our guy goes through the shack to collect it? We’ve determined there are no other relatives.”
“Sure ’nough. If you can empty the place, our volunteer fire department could burn it for practice. We don’t need no feds getting’ involved. Maybe you can load it all on that stone truck and haul it back.”
“I’ll send a tractor. You a coffee drinker, Deputy?”
“When I can’t get whiskey. Course, that’s whenever I’m on duty, Sheriff.”
“I’m gonna send along a few pounds of the best coffee you’ll ever taste. Just a little thank you.”
“Much obliged, Sheriff.”
Johnson stared at the phone in disgust. If Larry Syres wasn’t forbidden to leave the state while he was out on bail, he’d send the guy down to haul the load back. Just maybe there would be a clue in the containers or in the shack.
“Deputy Carlisle!”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
“I’ve got an assignment for you.”
Nanny
“Marian, I just want to thank you again for spending time with the children,” Gee said when she and Devon showed up on Thursday. “I’ve felt better about spending some time working in the woods and leaving them here. They’ve been playing with some of the toys after you and Devon leave instead of going into their waiting mode. It means a lot to all of us.”
“I wish we could spend more time here. I just… with a son and husband and one on the way… Well, I just wish,” his friend said.
“The time you spend is precious to all of us. I wanted to tell you we’ve run an ad here and in Palmyra searching for a nanny. None of us can spend all our time up here and we don’t have an option for where they can live and get the attention they need.”
“I wish I could apply,” Marian said. Devon bolted and went into the room to greet his playmates.
“I thought that I’d let you know that we’re searching in case you think of someone. It won’t lessen the need for volunteers but it will give the kids some stability if someone is here regularly, at least overnight. The nurses have been great but they have other patients on this floor.”
“I saw that poor girl, Rena, is just down the hall. We don’t have a separate long-term care facility here. It bothers me that most of the others on this floor are just waiting to die,” Marian said. “I’d better get in there before Devon teaches them about the call button. It’s his new favorite thing. He wants one in his room at home.”
“I won’t delay you any longer. I just… Thank you, again, Marian.”
“Gee!”
“Oh, hi, Laura. I don’t often see you about. How are you and Jude doing?” Gee tried to sit in Jitterz early at least one morning a week just to greet the high school kids who stopped on their way to school. It was the first time he’d seen Laura Lazorack in the morning.
“Great, thank you. Lots to do, getting ready for the wedding. It’s not like we’re heirs, but Family weddings tend to draw a crowd. I trust you plan to join us New Year’s Day.”
“Wouldn’t miss it. I’m very happy for you.”
“How are the children?” she asked.
“They’re doing better, I think,” he answered. He motioned Laura to a seat at his favorite table at Jitterz. “Bringing Marian and Devon in on a regular basis has helped with their socialization. They’re beginning to learn how a mother and child interact. We’ve advertised for a nanny or two. Interested?” he laughed.
“That’s actually why I’m here,” she said. “I hoped I’d catch you. “I have some experience with children. Not lately, but before I took over caring for the cemetery.”
“Isn’t that a full-time job?”
“Hardly anything to do in winter except plow the road unless someone dies. Someone who isn’t Jewish,” she amended. “I wondered if you would object to me applying for the job.”
“Laura, if you can do the job without disrupting your plans and time with Jude, I think you’d be great for it,” Gee said. “This might sound a little weird but spending time with them has been strangely peaceful for me and for Karen when she can join me. I sometimes wish I could just take them home.”
“I’m looking forward to that. I think I’ve spent too much time among the dead for the past few years. Children might be just what I need.”
Too Tidy
“Your Honor. District Attorney Mazzenga. This appears to wrap up the case,” Mead said. Sheriff Johnson sat next to him, facing the judge and DA Wednesday morning. He shook his head.
“Appears?” Judge Warren asked. “Brad? What’s your assessment?”
“It appears,” Johnson said. “I don’t like it but we don’t have any reason to keep the kidnapping or drug cases open other than continuing our search for parents. It’s as hard a task as searching for Gee’s identity and just as fruitless.”
“But…?” Mazzenga asked.
“I hate it when everything is wrapped up with all the suspects dead.”
“It saves the state time.” She looked over the packet presented by the policemen. “Did we have anyone in Georgia when Jones was found and examined?”
“Deputy Carlisle and Dr. Gaston went down to collect the body and empty the shack. Gaston completed an autopsy Monday night. Everything checks out with the coroner’s report from Georgia. We recovered the research notes for LaRue Labs, including nearly twenty years’ worth of personal notes on drug distillation from Rose Hickory nuts on his computer. Apparently, Lustre wasn’t his first try at creating a drug. We also found a bottle of the poison used to kill the Alexanders. We’ve recovered the flatbed of stone, in which the lab equipment and children were being shipped. Everything points to Jones.”
“Jones masterminded the whole project?” Warren said.
“Yes. It even seems likely that he was the assailant who kidnapped and attempted to poison Karen Weisman. He was six-two and we brought back a coat that matches the description Ms. Weisman and the kids gave,” Mead said. “Not a chance they could identify the body, though.”
“All tied up in a neat little package with a bow on top,” Johnson sighed. “That’s what has me upset. We’ve got the kids and drug paraphernalia shipped to him. We’ve got drugs in his apartment here. We’ve got research notes on his computer. We’ve got a poison match with the Alexanders. If we get a DNA match with specimens taken form the buried child, we’ll have tied that murder to him as well. It’s all so neat and tidy. That’s what I don’t like. Nothing gets wrapped up that neatly. We have everything except a clue about where children were sent after they were drugged and conditioned.”
“I don’t see a choice other than to close the open files and keep an ear out for anything that could lead to reopening it,” Judge Warren said. “Especially regarding the trafficking.”
“Officially, I agree,” Mazzenga said. “Unofficially, I think we have too many conveniently closed or uninvestigated oddities in this town lately. I know you don’t want to hear this, but that includes the mysterious George Evars. It takes serious money and influence to make a person disappear from all public records. Something on the level of a witness protection program. Since he arrived in town, we’ve had four unexplained deaths. The man known only as Reef, who also appears to have no known identity. The Alexanders. Dr. Jones. We have a woman still in a coma from an attack during the alleged kidnapping of Karen Weisman. Add to that, three unidentified children in the hospital. I like cases with concrete evidence that we can take to trial. Even Larry Syre is likely to plea bargain down to resisting arrest and his lawyer is arguing that was the fault of the arresting officers who had no evidence against him in the first place. I doubt the case will ever make it before Judge Warren. That’s too much, gentlemen. We need some real answers and as of now we don’t even have an open case.”
Johnson and Mead glared at the DA but didn’t contradict her.
“Anything else?” Warren asked.
“One thing,” Mead said. “The temporary restraining order keeping Lance Beck out of Rena Lynd’s room is about to expire. He’s been in the office every week demanding that we let him visit his parishioner.”
“I don’t see that we have any just cause to extend the restraining order. We haven’t been hearing much from him lately,” Warren said.
“Oh, he’s been active as ever but less direct about it,” Mead said. “His church is a seething cauldron of hatred focused on anyone who believes differently than they do. He’s started publishing a series of pamphlets that show up all over town on the evils of the seven Families, the Devil incarnate, and even a call to clear-cut the Forest, blaming it for a host of evils. He told us he hadn’t counseled a child or teen since summer. They’d closed the camp when the cook retired. He claimed the children he worked with had been housed in his home according to the lease agreement with SSG and they never had more than one or two at a time.”
“Lying piece of shit,” Johnson growled. “Sorry, your honor.”
“Nonetheless, I don’t see that we have just cause to extend the restraining order. Let him know he can visit miss Lynd during visiting hours and that he must, per hospital policy, check in at the nurses’ station before and after his visit,” Warren said.
End of Life
“Karen, it’s Leah.”
“Goodness, Leah. It’s five o’clock in the morning. What are you doing up?” Karen said into the phone, still trying the squeeze the sleep from her eyes. Gee stirred beside her. Since Thanksgiving, it seemed Karen and Gee had been trapped in an endless loop, repeating themselves daily. They cherished every moment they could stay in bed.
“It’s Dad,” Leah said simply. “Irma called in the middle of the night. Dr. Mueller is with him now but he’s unresponsive. They want to take him to the hospital but his living will specifically states that he’s not to be removed from his home. It’s about over. I don’t expect he’ll last the day.”
“We’ll be there shortly,” Karen said. “I’m so sorry, Leah.”
“We knew this was coming; just not when. Get your coffee before you come. No one is in the kitchen.”
“I don’t want to delay.”
“Karen, you’re his heir. There’s no special prize given for being here when he passes. I think you have time.”
Levi was the last to arrive. “How was the trip down?” Karen asked as she led him to Ben’s sitting room where the rest of the family had gathered.
“Aside from the snow, it was no problem. Five inches of new snow adds one or two hours to the drive time. Fortunately, Mother called just as I was getting off my shift. I need to be back in forty-eight hours. They frown on students interrupting the schedule for family matters.”
Rabbi Schlesinger was also present and sat by Ben’s head as he quietly read a passage from the Torah. He and Ben’s nurse, Irma, were the only non-family members present. Gee and Laura had both been accepted as Family. Dr. Mueller, Ben’s physician for nearly fifty years, was sleeping in a guest room until he was needed. Celia and Jo Ransom sat to the side, barely in the room.
Levi went to the bed and took his grandfather’s hand. “We’re all here now, Grandfather. I’m sorry I made you wait so long. Thank you again for giving me your blessing. It’s precious to me.”
The rabbi took up reading again and Levi gave his mother and brothers a hug. If anyone had expected the old man to immediately release his spirit now that everyone was gathered, they were mistaken. Gee accompanied Laura to the kitchen a little after noon. Jo soon followed.
“There is always something ready to eat in the refrigerator,” Laura said. “Leah said to just find something that people can nosh on and not try to set a table.”
“Anything special for Hanukkah?” Jo asked.
“No. It doesn’t start until sundown. There are no dietary restrictions but a lot of fried foods and sweets. A lot like Christmas, I guess.”
“I see cold cuts and bread,” Gee said, sniffing at the package of meat. “Pastrami.”
“Get that and the spreads out,” Jo suggested. “I see fresh vegetables. Do we want cheese?”
“Jo,” Laura giggled. “You really aren’t much of a Jew, are you? Never mix meat and cheese.”
“Oh. I have so much to learn! I was raised Methodist.”
“I was raised Lutheran,” Laura confirmed. “How about you, Gee?”
“I… uh… have read a lot of Bible verses, I think. I don’t know anything about the Torah.”
“Well, only Jude tries to stay Kosher, though Ben stayed pretty close to it,” Laura said. “We should be able to feed people without breaking too many taboos.”
“Are there any pickles?” Levi asked from the door. “Grandfather always had the best pickles.” Laura bent to the refrigerator again. “Hi. I don’t think we’ve met,” Levi said to Jo. “I’m Levi.”
“I’m Jo. I guess we are some number cousins some times removed or something. I didn’t know about any of this until this fall.”
“I never did get the whole story. I spent the summer in Europe and only stopped here at Thanksgiving because mother wanted me to make nice with Karen.”
“And?”
“It was no problem for me. In fact, a big relief. I was staying out of town because I was afraid Grandfather would try to make me his heir. Too much Family business for me,” Levi said.
“It’s like that in every Family,” Laura said. “Between Jonathan and me, we’re intermarrying with two other Families. My father, David, sees that as both a blessing and a threat.”
“I’ve heard the same from the others I’ve talked to,” Gee said. “Even Jo is being courted by another Family.”
“Really?” Laura asked.
“Um… Thanks for outing me, Gee. I’ve been going out with Wayne Savage for a few weeks,” Jo said, rolling her eyes at Gee. “It’s not like we’re engaged or anything. We’re both Family outsiders and find it easy to talk about what we’ve observed since coming to Rosebud Falls.”
“Oh,” Levi said. He’d positioned himself nearer to Jo as he was making sandwiches. “I’m pretty out of touch with what goes on here, too.” He crunched some more of his pickle as he glanced toward Jo.
Gee went to visit the children in the afternoon at Karen’s insistence.
“I’ll call you if anything happens here, Love,” she said. “I think Ben would approve of you going to be with them.”
“I hope so,” Laura said from nearby. “It will only be my fourth night with them and I don’t intend to be late for their dinner, whether Ben is alive or not.” She’d begun Monday as the children’s night nanny and bracketed her time with them from dinner to breakfast.
Gee pulled on his coat. “Well, I may cross paths with you when I leave the hospital. My day just isn’t complete until I get a hug from them.”
The children were excited to show him the blocks Devon had brought them. They still weren’t talking but their interactions seemed almost normal. When Gee returned to the house, he lay down on a sofa and slept for half an hour.
“It’s time,” Karen whispered to Gee, waking him from his nap.
“How do you know?” he asked.
“Something just whispered to me,” she said. “I don’t know. Maybe it was a hallucination.” The others stirred and gathered around Ben’s bed. His eyes opened to look around but there was little sign of recognition in them.
Ben’s lips began to move and everyone leaned in to try to catch what he was saying. All Gee heard was “…halelu 'eth-shêmAdonay.” Ben took a shuddering breath and his muscles went slack. Rabbi Schlesinger reached over to close the old man’s eyes.
“What was that?” Gee whispered. “What did it mean?”
“It was the beginning of Psalm 113,” Jude responded. “It’s past sundown. Hanukkah has begun.”
Juggling Priorities
Ben’s burial, of course, had to be completed before sundown the next day. There was nothing Gee could do to help with that. Leah and her sons took care of most of the details but Karen was asked to accompany them. Gee took the opportunity to stop by the foresters’ office before he went to visit the children.
“We found—or were directed to—two access points to the Wild Woods that no one knew about,” Jonathan said. “Sheriff Johnson and Detective Oliver recognized the farm where the Alexanders died backed up to the Wild Woods on the southeast corner. They took us out there as part of their investigation. We found a re-tied break in the chain link fence on that side and two trails. One led to the lab and the other to one of the cleaned-out cabins. They were well-concealed but once we started looking for them, we spotted them quickly enough. We want to do a full inspection of the fence but there are problems.”
“Like what?” Gee asked.
“Technically, we only have access from inside the woods,” Jessie said. “Undergrowth and even trees grow right up to the fence. Some of the farmers on the other side have started demanding the trees hanging over the fence be removed so they don’t get nuts falling on their property any longer.”
“Why now? Haven’t they always had nuts on their property?” Gee asked.
“Apparently, SSG paid them to clean up the nuts that fell in their fields. With the annexation, the farmers see the foresters as the most likely source of continued income. They’re demanding cutting, knowing we’d rather pay them than lose a tree,” Jessie sighed. “It’s just greed.”
“So, inspecting the fence?” Gee prompted.
“Since the other side of the fence is private property, we need permission to cross the farmers’ land to inspect it. They seem to think if they play hardball, we’ll cave in to the demands for compensation or removal of the trees,” Jonathan said. “Plus, now that snow is falling, the fence is a natural drift line. We’ve got six inches of snow, officially, but the drifts are over three feet deep at the fence.”
“Doesn’t this south edge border a street?” Gee asked.
“Same but different,” Jessie said. “The street is the new City Limits but all the property on this side is developed. So, this time instead of six obstinate farmers, we have forty city lot owners. We’ll be able to do something eventually because they are in the City and we have the right to inspect our fences but we’ll have to go into each yard and that will require permission.”
“It looks like we have no option but to work our way along the fence inside the woods,” Gee ventured. “The snow isn’t as bad under the canopy, so I think I can take a crew in safely. “I’ll have kids out here to volunteer tomorrow.”
When Gee got to the hospital to visit the children, Laura had already left. Dr. Salinger, however, was waiting. Penny Tomczyk, the children’s librarian, had also been by to bring new books based on Gee’s and Dr. Salinger’s recommendations. An older woman stood quietly beside Dr. Salinger, observing the children.
“This is my mother,” Dr. Salinger said. “I invited her up to see if she might be interested in becoming one of our nannies.”
“I think Laura is doing well,” Gee said, perhaps a little defensively.
“Yes. We’ve talked. I understand she had some emotional difficulties relating to the death of her fiancé several years ago and might understand the children as well as you.”
“Possibly better,” Gee answered. “I spoke with her at length a couple of months ago. When her first fiancé was killed, she was pregnant. A botched abortion has left her unable to conceive. She will be married in just a few weeks and I know she and Jude regret that she can’t have children. It’s been one of the factors in their extremely long engagement.”
Gee went in to read to the children for a while before he had to leave for Ben’s funeral.
One Eye on Main
Troy was nearly finished with the Friday morning broadcast, which included the news of Ben’s death and the funeral that afternoon. Not that anyone would care. He certainly wasn’t going to the old man’s funeral. Nonetheless, he’d read the obituary, kindly provided by The Elmont Mirror.
He hadn’t felt well in three weeks. The lackluster broadcasts were ample evidence of that. Troy thrived on popularity and attention but it all seemed hollow here. He was simply a vain, easily manipulated pawn in the Family games. It’s time to find a job in a bigger city. Maybe Palmyra or New York or Boston. I don’t belong here.
A young woman pushing a stroller paused outside his window—his ‘One Eye on Main Street’—to read the program schedule and information on the sandwich board. She glanced up and Troy waved like he always did when people passed. She smiled and waved back. Beautiful! He jumped up from the console and removed his headset as Leslie Lake took over the seat for the afternoon show. Troy stepped out the door, pulling on his coat, and looked for the young woman he’d seen through the window. She was not far along and he hurried to catch up.
“I’m glad they keep the sidewalks clear,” he said by way of greeting. “I’d hate to imagine you trying to push your baby in deep snow.”
“I should get one of those jogger things that have big wheels,” she laughed. “It would make it easier slogging through this.”
“I’m Troy Cavanaugh. That’s my day job,” he said, pointing with his thumb at the window. “Other than that, I’m pretty much a bum.”
“Hmm. I don’t usually hang out with bums. This is new. I’m Taryn Taft. I just rented a place on the other side of the railroad and landlord told me there was a nice sweetshop over here on Main,” she said. “I thought we’d go exploring.” Troy fell in step with her as they walked south.
“I stop by Jitterz nearly every day after I get off work. Please let me show you.” Troy turned on all his charm, thinking a little time spent with Taryn might be what he needed to change his attitude. “What brings you to Rosebud Falls?”
“A friend down in Georgia recommended it,” Taryn said. “A single mom starting over needs a new place.” Troy stuttered in his walk, feigning slipping on ice. The thought of Georgia brought bile to his throat. He held the door for her as she maneuvered the stroller into Jitterz.
“Single? That’s a tough life when you have a little one,” he managed. Taryn seemed all too happy to share life’s most intimate details.
“Richard and I divorced just before he shipped out overseas from Fort Benning. It had been rocky for a while and I got tired of all the other soldiers thinking it was their duty to comfort me. I had to move out of base housing anyway, so when Jolene, my friend, suggested here, I just packed up Ricky and headed north. And here we are.”
“A delightful addition to our town you are,” Troy smiled. “Birdie has the best coffee known in the area.”
“Oh, I don’t drink coffee,” she said. “Never acquired the taste. I hope she has tea. And look at these pastries!”
“If Birdie is here, she’ll probably want to read your tealeaves. Let me order for you while you get settled with Ricky.” Troy approached the counter and ordered coffee for himself and tea for Taryn along with a chocolate croissant. Violet took his money in cool silence with a small shake of her head. “It’s not like that,” Troy whispered. “She’s new in town.” Violet made a little shrug and handed him his order. Troy regretted ever having taken her out.
But this was different. This Taryn. Few women had such an instant effect on him. And he was owed a good woman. He’d been told to be patient and she would come to him. He didn’t expect such mystic gobbledygook from Deacon Stewart. But here was a charming young woman who had waited outside his window.
When Troy sat at the little table opposite Taryn, she was lifting the child from the stroller. “Come up here, Ricky,” she cooed at the child. “Come and meet Mr. Cavanaugh. That’s a big boy. Sit right up here.” She turned the child toward Troy.
His heart stopped as he took in the features of the child and then looked into Taryn’s blue eyes as she smiled at him. He tried to ignore the child’s flat round face and tight slanted eyes as he focused on Taryn and tried to put his thoughts in order.
“They have all kinds of politically correct terms, like slow learner and differently abled,” Taryn scoffed. “Ricky has Down syndrome. But he’s the sweetest little boy you’ll ever meet.”
Troy nodded mutely.
Accompanying the Journey
Ben’s funeral was at two o’clock. It seemed as if the rest of the world took a break as Gee and Karen sat in the chapel. Leah decided to hold the service in the funeral home rather than the synagogue to avoid confusion about where people should sit as most gathered were not Jewish.
Few people attended the service. Ben had not been to the synagogue in several years and was not personally known to the congregation. Most of his friends had died years ago. Family representatives seated themselves as Leah and her sons were ushered in to sit in the front row. Each wore a black ribbon. They were the official mourners and approached the simple wooden casket at the start of the service. The four tore the ribbons they wore.
“We are physical beings on this earth,” Rabbi Schlesinger said. “The tearing of clothing is an ancient ritual showing an outward and physical sign of deep internal sorrow. It is a symbol of the rending of the fabric of the family. Prior to this moment the mourners have had the responsibility of preparing the body and themselves for this parting. Now the responsibility shifts to the community to take care of them. Baruch atah Adonai, Dayan Ha-Emet—Blessed are You, Adonai, Truthful Judge.”
Leah and her sons returned to their seats as those few who understood the ritual and language responded to the rabbi, “Adonai natan, Adonai lakach, yehi shem Adonai m'vorach—God has given, God has taken away, blessed be the name of God.”
The cantor from the synagogue sang a Psalm and Rabbi Schlesinger returned to the lectern for the eulogy. It was simple and to the point. It cited Ben’s care and support for both the synagogue and the Roth Family. Then Levi was asked to join the rabbi and say a few words.
“Grandfather summoned me just two weeks ago when I was home for Thanksgiving. He gave me his blessing on the path I have chosen. But it was not simply to me that he wished to express his words. He asked me to convey his blessing on my mother and father and brothers, on the new head of the Family, Karen Weisman, on the new members of our Family, Jo and Celia Ransom, and on our spouses and loved ones. Yes, Judith, he even expressed his blessing on you and his sorrow at having been harsh with you. Grandfather had utmost respect for Karen’s fiancé, Gee, and the difficult path he has followed since arriving in Rosebud Falls. He gave his blessing in advance to the coming marriage of Laura and Jude and his sorrow that he would not be here to celebrate with them. But most of all, Grandfather expressed his love for Rosebud Falls, the Forest, and the Families that have guided her and protected her for the past centuries. He gives you his blessing as we move forward and care for our community. Thank you for being here with us today as we celebrate his life and part with his spirit.”
The cantor sang another prayer. Leah and her sons were escorted from the room by Don, Judith, and Laura. The four men assigned to carry the casket were flanked by the seven Family heads and their heirs as it was moved to the waiting hearse. Gee joined the exodus and was shown to a car where Karen awaited him.
“What now?” he asked.
“We call this part the Levayah,” Karen said. “The accompanying of the deceased to his burial so he does not make the trip alone. There will be a short graveside service and we will all cast a handful of dirt on the casket.”
“In this weather?” Gee asked. “Will they even be able to dig the grave?”
“They’re equipped,” Karen laughed. Jo and Celia joined them in the car that trailed the two with the closest family members.
Shiva
As designated heir and official new resident of the Roth Estate, Karen hosted the shiva in the mansion. Unlike the service itself, many more people attended the gathering after and since most were not Jewish, it went long after sundown. Gee felt many had come not to comfort the mourners, but simply to see the inside of the ancestral home. Ben had left the house rarely in the past five years and only had occasional guests. Many people the Family didn’t even know came by just to get a glimpse of how the Families lived.
Karen had arranged to have a light buffet catered at the mansion and people circulated through the lower level rooms, many gravitating toward the veranda with its view over the river. On the bluffs opposite, the Cavanaugh estate commanded an equally impressive view. Gee stayed with Karen and tried hard not to be drawn into inevitable discussions about the children and the Wild Woods.
“Lynda, I didn’t realize you knew my great uncle,” Karen said when the waitress Gee knew as Raven from the Pub & Grub paused to greet her. Next to her was a lanky young man Gee recognized as Karen’s longtime friend, Timmy. Lynda chuckled softly.
“Oh, the secrets,” she said. “Not that they were intentional. Twenty-eight years, Karen. The first five of those I spent in the apartment above the garage. This room is where Timmy took his first steps.”
“I had no idea,” Karen said. “You were…?”
“When I was a pregnant teenager and had been thrown out of my parents’ home, Ben took me in. There was a soft side to him that I don’t think many people saw. I’ve worked as a part time housekeeper for him,” Lynda said.
“Really? Would you like to stay on? I’m already overwhelmed with the thought of cleaning this place—even with Gee’s help.”
“If you are sure. I don’t mean to talk business at a wake. But I would miss the extra income. I usually come in on Monday when the pub is closed.”
“That is such a relief. You might think it’s business, but you’ve just been a huge comfort to me.”
“How are you doing at the grocery store, Timmy?” Gee asked.
“Good. Mr. Panza is nice. I can move the soup all by myself.”
“That’s great. He really depends on you.” The young man grinned.
“Well, we’d better get to work. Even in this weather, Friday night at the bar will be busy and Sherry gets impatient if we aren’t there before the crowd,” Raven said. “I’ll really miss Ben.” She and her son left.
“When do you plan to move?” Leah asked.
“Do I have to?” Karen whined. Leah rolled her eyes. “I know. What am I complaining about? I’m thinking after the first of the year. I know you’ll want to clear out some of his things. I’ll leave that to you.”
“Just a few personal items,” Leah said. “The mansion belongs to the Family. The head resides here. I do hope you’ll move all your great-grandmother’s papers back here, though. Aaron was very sneaky giving Ben the house but removing all the Family history.”
“We may never understand the politics of that generation or why Aaron refused to acknowledge Celia. I think it’s time, though. Even if we decide not to ‘reveal’ everything, I think we should stop concealing it. I’ll move all the papers over here into the library and you can have access any time you want,” Karen agreed.
“Thank you. I’ve hired Jo to learn the business aspects of the Family, by the way,” Leah said. She sipped from her glass of wine and leaned her head back against the doorframe. “I’m sixty-seven. I expect I’ll be around for a while but you need an advisor and business manager who can last as long as you do. Jo’s a smart girl.”
“I’m glad you think so. And Leah, I’m truly sad about Ben’s passing and your loss. Even though we weren’t close, he’s been head of the Family my entire life. I don’t think we even realize yet how much we’ve lost.”
Comments
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