[Desert Roses 02] - Across the Years (17 page)

“I wasn’t,” Ashley quickly said. “We’re quite comfortable here, as I’ve already told you. I have preserves put up, and I know how to stretch a meal if need be. I came here hardly knowing how to boil water, but over the years I’ve learned to fend for myself quite nicely. We’ll be just fine.” A train whistle blew in the distance, and Ashley looked at her watch. “Natalie will be coming home from school soon.” She looked at the sweater and picked up her hook one more time. “Before she gets here, I wonder if you would mind my asking you something.”

Lavelle put down her cup and nodded. “Please do.”

Ashley met her aunt’s curious expression. “Why did Grandpa’s choice make Mother so mad?”

“Well, that’s an easy question. He threatened her comfort.”

“But my father was a wealthy man. He was from old New England money.”

“Yes,” Lavelle admitted, “but while the prestige was there, the pocketbook didn’t always match the expense ledger. Our father was a generous man who lavished us with large sums of money for no reason at all. He spoiled us terribly. As a young woman, I remember only having to ask for some bauble or trinket and Father would see to it that I had it. We wore Worth gowns and ate off of Crown Derby china. We had wonderful collections of jewels and our own carriages and teams of horses.

“Of course, we were his only family. And Father simply knew how to make money. He was quite gifted. After Mother died, he poured himself into his work even more than he had before. The only way he could feel our approval or love was to bestow his wealth upon us, and he did so with great flourish.” She paused and grew misty eyed. She twisted her hands together and sighed.

“One day Father wrote us a letter. He told us he’d been in an accident. A car accident.”

“Yes, I know about that—he told me. He’d broken his back and nearly died.”

Lavelle drew a deep breath. “It was during that time someone shared the Gospel with him. He didn’t know if he’d live or die at that point.”

“I remember he said the hospital chaplain came to see him. He asked Grandpa if he were to meet God that night, would it be a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Exactly,” Lavelle said and continued. “He tried hard to share with us how he felt about learning of God’s love, but your mother was focused on the other parts of that letter. Father told us he’d put an end to his business dealings with his partner, Jerreth Sanders. He’d sold out his holdings and
had used part of the money to try to make things right with people he’d swindled. Your mother went completely out of her mind. She said he was setting himself up to be sued or worse.”

“I can’t imagine her caring about that,” Ashley said without thinking.

“Oh, she didn’t care about Father’s well-being; she only cared that the funds would be completely drained in a legal battle. I feared it, too, for your mother and I discussed our own situations and knew we needed Father’s continued support. We were used to spending well beyond what our husbands gave us, and frankly, our husbands were used to the extra money as well.”

“What did you do?” Ashley questioned, knowing the ultimate outcome but not understanding how they arrived at it.

“Your mother and father came to Los Angeles. It would have been that trip they made the winter before you married.”

“I remember. All I knew was that they were very upset with Grandpa.”

Lavelle sighed. “Yes, well, upset hardly says it all. They arrived and your mother took me aside first and discussed the situation in detail. Then our husbands joined us and finally we went as a force to meet with Father. It was ugly. We were ugly.” Tears streamed down Lavelle’s cheeks. “We said things that should never have been spoken.”

Ashley felt sorry for the woman. She was so clearly contrite for what she’d done, and it made Ashley feel some small amount of hope that perhaps her mother had changed as well.

“Before the day was over, Father had agreed to divide his remaining estate and settle it upon Leticia and me. It was no small pittance, and he agreed he’d rather we have the benefit of his money than to see it go to some lawyer and settlement. But with that agreement, he tried to tell us of God and how much we needed to know the truth. I listened but saw the anger in Leticia and figured it couldn’t be something good for either of us. I rejected his thoughts and listened to her.
She said he was crazy—that he should be put away. She actually talked of locating a sanitarium where he could get help. My husband wanted no part of that. He had friends in Los Angeles who could very well make or break him. To have a crazy relative—especially a father-in-law—was hardly a glamorous calling card.

“Finally, your mother agreed we’d let it drop. Father was so hurt by us and how we acted. By then I think he was glad to see us go.”

“I had no idea. He’s never spoken out against either of you, even once,” Ashley said, saddened by the scene she envisioned.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” Lavelle said, dabbing a handkerchief at her eyes. “Years later, when Father had vanished and no one seemed to know where he’d gone, I found out that Bryce had lost most of my inheritance. He suffered a heart attack and lingered for days, then finally died. Like I said, I sold off most everything and now have enough to live on until I die. Perhaps if I’d had children as your mother did, I wouldn’t have done things that way. But I’m not sorry for it. I don’t miss the house and the trappings. I don’t miss the servants whispering behind my back. And I certainly don’t miss the worry that accompanied owning more than I could ever hope to use.”

The ringing of a bell brought Ashley’s attention. “Grandpa’s awake.” She smiled. “He’ll be so happy to see you.”

“I hope so,” Lavelle replied. “I want very much for this to be a good reunion.”

Ashley got to her feet. “This is a dream come true for him, Aunt Lavelle. To find that you share his faith and have come to see him again are the only things he’s longed for.”

Her aunt sniffed back tears. “Thank you so much for sending me the telegram.”

Ashley shook her head. “Come to think of it, I’m not even sure how it found its way to you, given the fact I sent it to the last address Grandpa had for you. That must have been the house you sold.”

Lavelle smiled. “God always finds a way, even when there seems to be no chance at finding one. This is His doing, Ashley. Pure and simple.”

The idea bothered Ashley in a way she couldn’t understand. Trembling at the thought of God’s divine intervention in matters of her life, Ashley pushed the idea aside. God didn’t care about the details. He didn’t care about her.

Or did He?

CHAPTER TWELVE

Russell looked up to see the face of his younger daughter. Oh, how much she favored her mother. For a moment, all he wanted to do was memorize the way she looked. It was almost like having Peg with him again.

“Papa?”

His heart swelled with pride. “Come here, child. I’ve so looked forward to this moment.”

Lavelle left Ashley at the door and took the chair beside the bed. She reached out to grasp Russell’s hands. “I can’t believe it’s been so long.”

“I need to pick up more medicine from the doctor, so I’ll leave you two to talk,” Ashley said, closing the door quietly.

Lavelle looked to her father, as if awaiting some instruction on how she should comport herself. Russell felt sorry for her and immediately set out to soothe her conscience. “I’ve asked you here to seek your forgiveness.”

“What?” Lavelle questioned, shaking her head. “You can’t be serious. I’m the one who’s come seeking forgiveness. You’ve done nothing wrong.” She began to weep softly, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve. “Oh, Papa, I can’t believe it’s come to this.”

Russell squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad you came. I was worried that you wouldn’t.”

“And you had good reason, given our last encounter. Oh, I can’t tell you how ashamed I am of the way I acted. I was so influenced by Leticia and Bryce, but even then, I cannot blame them for the path I chose. I could have taken a stand and told them I didn’t agree with the way they wanted things to be. But I was weak and silly. Bryce had me convinced that this was the only way to ensure our survival—and he had a good reason to feel that way.”

She dabbed at her eyes before continuing. “Oh, there aren’t
even words for all the things I want to say. That day . . . that day when you divided the money, I thought I understood life so well. I thought money was the way to be happy. Bryce certainly thought so—Leticia too. I figured if I just went along with everything, I would find that same happiness.”

Russell saw the weariness in his daughter’s face. She’d aged so much since he’d seen her last. Perhaps that was why she reminded him so much of her mother. “Lavelle, my sweet Lavelle. You always were such a gentle soul.”

“But I wasn’t then,” she said, pulling back as if her presence might pain him.

“But the past is in the past. That’s why I wanted you here today.” Pain tore through Russell as he struggled to sit up.

“Here, let me help,” Lavelle said, getting to her feet.

She gently supported his shoulders as Russell pushed up with his feet. The movement cost him all pretense of strength. He fell back against the pillows and closed his eyes, willing the pain to diminish. He knew he needed another dose of morphine, but he had no desire to spend his last days on earth in such a drugged stupor.

“I want the past to be behind us,” he finally whispered. “I want your forgiveness for anything you might believe me guilty of. I know I was given over to making money—any way I could. I know I was often away from the family, and I know you probably suffered for it.”

“Papa, I forgive you if it sets your mind at ease, but believe me, I feel there’s nothing you need to be forgiven of. I’m the one who wronged you. I need your forgiveness. I’ve prayed over these last few years that if I ever had the opportunity to see you again, I wouldn’t rest until I set this right between us.”

Russell opened his eyes. “So you’ve made your peace with God?” He smiled and closed his eyes. “That’s what I’ve always prayed for.”

He breathed just a little easier, knowing that his hopes had been realized. His child had come to God. He thought of his long-departed wife and how she had pushed for the
family to attend church. It was the acceptable thing to do, to be sure, but at the same time, Russell found no purpose in going other than the possible financial benefits. Many had been the time he’d made a good deal in the vestibule of the church. Never mind that he’d joined the den of thieves who robbed the focus from God and put it on money.

“I kept remembering things that you said to us that day,” Lavelle began. “Things about how we wouldn’t find our stability in money or possessions. Then one day Bryce took sick and died. It wasn’t long after our fight.”

Russell opened his eyes and looked at her sad expression. “I’m sorry, child. I had no idea.”

“But of course you didn’t.” She shook her head. “Bryce was no good with money or numbers. He had a weakness for gambling and his gambles never paid off. When he died and I finally knew exactly where we stood, I was shocked. Most of my inheritance was gone. I had a palatial estate to show for it and a handful of other properties, but nothing like I thought I had.”

“What did you do?” Russell asked.

“I sold off most everything—the house, the jewelry, the businesses, even some of the furniture. It was then that I came to realize who my true friends were. Good friends—or at least those I thought were good friends—turned away from me when my social and financial status began to drop. The more I rid myself of the trappings of wealth, the less interest I held for those in my old circle.

“Little by little I dismissed all of the servants except one. I kept my maid Eva. I don’t know if you remember her or not; she was an older woman with a sweetness about her that made my days brighter. She was also a godly woman. She began sharing her Bible readings with me and eventually we started going to church together. I came to realize that the things I valued in life were not the things that would matter in death—nor in the afterlife.”

Russell nodded. He could almost hear his sweet wife say
the same thing. If only Leticia and Ashley would speak likewise, he could die a happy man. He bolstered his hope. He’d thought Lavelle lost too, and God obviously took care of that matter. God was big enough to see to Leticia and Ashley. But as usual, it would have to come in His timing and not Russell’s.

****

Ashley hurried from the doctor’s office, hoping to get home before Lavelle or Grandpa should need her. She knew Grandpa would be overjoyed to learn that Lavelle’s heart had been softened over the years. He would rest easier and that made Ashley happy. She knew the morphine powder now secure in her purse would also make him rest easier. The doctor had increased the dosage, suggesting that Ashley not pay attention to her grandfather’s request to keep the doses light.

“He needs this medicine,” the doctor had told her. “He’s a stubborn man, and oftentimes that means the rest of us must intercede to make choices for his good.”

Ashley had agreed, but even now she wondered if she could go forward with the plan to give Grandpa a stronger dosage.

“Mama!” Natalie called, running up the street at a rapid pace. With school out, she appeared to have one purpose and goal.

“Natalie, people must think you run positively wild,” Ashley said, laughing. Her daughter’s wool skirt flew up in an unladylike fashion, revealing her bare knees, but Natalie didn’t care. She barreled into Ashley, using her mother’s body weight as a stopping block for her momentum.

“Mama, can we invite Mr. Carson to dinner again? I want to go see what they’re doing with the building today, and I thought it would be fun to have him come to dinner.”

“Natalie, your aunt Lavelle is here from Los Angeles. We already have one dinner guest.”

“So it wouldn’t be any trouble to have two—right?”

Ashley shook her head. “Natalie, you need to have some
consideration for your great-aunt. She’s probably not interested in meeting anyone new tonight. The train ride was very long and no doubt tiring.”