“
Disappeared?”
Her face went serious with slight pain.
Characteristically, she was holding whatever she felt inside her,
not showing it, not letting it out. She was a strong
woman.
“
I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” I
said. “What do you mean I disappeared?” In the back of my mind I
thought about the letters she had written and knew Frank had never
mailed them. I had ceased writing, but it hadn’t made any
difference. What did she mean, now?
“
Yeah,” Frank said. “Sure, sure.
Reckon he was worried just sick. Let you believe all that stuff.”
He stood at the foot of the bed, leaning against a post, and
nervously bit the end off a slim cigar.
Her eyes blinked his way. Then she folded her
hands and stared at them. “You may not even know,” she said. Her
hands twitched and her mouth jerked up into a short sharp grimace
of pain. “We received a telegram from the government. It said you
were missing in action during the line of duty. We thought you were
dead, Eric.”
I stood there. I didn’t look at Frank and I
didn’t see anything for a red flashing moment. Missing in action.
She was out of her mind. Frank was right. I shouldn’t have come
into the room. It had jarred her badly.
“
Who knew about this telegram?” I
said quietly.
“
Why, everybody. I told everybody,
and they thought it was terrible, Eric. When you walked into the
room, just now, I felt like I— Well, I nearly screamed,
son.”
“
Well, it’s all right now,” Frank
said. He spoke rapidly. “He’s back. Was all a mistake. Those things
happen. Once I knew a man—”
I looked at him and he ceased. “Did you bring
her the telegram?” I asked Frank.
Mother said, “Sure he did, Eric. He’s taken
good care of me.” Her eyes shot toward Frank, alert, then back to
me. “Now everything’s all right. They tell me I can’t get excited,
Eric. If I do, I may die. I have to stay calm.”
I knew I had to break this off. She was
becoming plenty excited. Disturbed, too.
“
It was all a mistake, yes,” I
said. “They made a mistake. I’ve been in a hospital. But I’m all
right now.”
“
Certainly.” She chuckled. “Have
you done any work?”
“
None since before the war in
Chicago. Just before I went overseas. A bas-relief wall panorama in
a hotel in Chicago. Made quite a stir for a while.” I wasn’t
thinking about what I said. My mind was on other things.
“
Until the city fathers stepped in
and tore it down,” she said. “Right? They called it
obscene.”
“
Yes.”
“
You got paid?”
“
They had to pay. The contract was
filled. The hotel owner liked it. He had no choice. He has it at
home now.”
“
I read about it, Eric. Wish I
could have seen it.”
Frank snorted. “I’ve heard it doesn’t pay
much.”
Mother had seen a telegram saying I was
missing in action. From the government.
Her voice grew noticeably weaker.
“
What about you?” I said. “You look
fine.”
“
Don’t lie, Eric. I’m dying and you
know it. They’ve told you. Feel better now, though. Kind of a
shock, you coming home like this, but I feel better. We thought you
were dead, for sure. Missing in action usually means that. They put
your name on the honor roll in the park, Frank says. Doesn’t mean
anything. But it’s there, anyhow.” She chuckled. “Now you can take
it off, eh?” She tried to poke me in the ribs but it was a futile
gesture which fell short. There wasn’t much strength left in
her.
I began to feel a hate for Frank that was
incomparable to anything. I watched him light his cigar. Pale azure
smoke mingled with the saffron shade. The house was quiet save for
the loud shrieking of a jay outside the window.
Frank moved to the other side of the bed and
sat in an arm chair. He seemed preoccupied with a loose bit of leaf
on his cigar.
“
I do wish you could have let me
know how you were,” she said. “But, of course, that’s your
business.” She was speaking with an effort now. Her head moved
restlessly from side to side.
“
Maybe we’d better talk later. You
should rest.”
“
I’ve been resting too long
already.”
I sat on the edge of the bed. She stared at
her folded hands. The jay shrieked. Frank cleared his
throat.
“
If you had money,” she said, “you
could go ahead with your sculpturing now without worry.
Right?”
“
It would help. It’s a long road to
recognition.”
“
You remember your father’s
business, how it was to be left to you and Frank?”
“
Certainly.”
“
You know how your father left it?
So you and Frank would have it together? It should have been done
long ago.”
“
Yes.”
“
Well, I couldn’t handle it. I was
too much like your father. But the business wasn’t to go to you and
Frank until I die. Your father left it in terrible shape. I needed
someone to help.”
“
Frank volunteered,” I
said.
“
Yes. He not only put it on its
feet, but you’ll both be rich. What with everything else,
too.”
I waited.
“
He made certain conditions and
that’s what I’ve wanted to see you about. Only I thought you were
dead, Eric!” Tears formed in her eyes and her lips trembled. I
could actually see her try to get hold of herself, fighting with
herself. Because the doctor had told her she mustn’t excite herself
and that’s just what she was doing. She glanced toward Frank. “I’ve
been too ill to pay any attention to the business. Frank took it
over under a condition.”
I looked at my brother. His head rested back
on the chair and he blew smoke into the shadows. He deliberately
avoided my eyes. My palms grew damp and I dried them on my
trousers. She apparently knew nothing of how Frank was operating.
But there was something else here. I could feel it, and I didn’t
like it, not even understanding completely what it was.
She said, “I want it all settled now.
Today.”
“
Reckon we can?” Frank
said.
She seemed not to hear him. “Frank had me sign
the entire business over to him. It was the only condition under
which he’d work. That was before we received the telegram about
you, of course. Then after that it was all right,
anyway.”
The jay ceased its wild shrieking.
“
Everything’s signed over to Frank,
now. I agreed. He said when he had it running smoothly, we’d tear
up his papers and the both of you could sign new ones—share and
share alike. But, of course, that was before. . . .”
“
I really don’t—” I didn’t know
what to say. My life was a grand mess.
She raised her hand. It trembled weakly, fell
back to the bed. “Isn’t that right, Frank?” she said.
“
Yes, that’s what I said then.” He
eyed his cigar. He was no longer nervous; he was almost
bold.
“
But now things are fine,” she
said. “You’re really alive, after all. I want everything in order
today. As your father wished.”
I said nothing.
“
Frank has gone through with his
promise to make the business good.” As she spoke I saw a faint film
of perspiration spring out across her forehead.
“
Mother,” I said, remembering what
the doctor had said. “We can put this off a while. Perhaps you
should rest.”
“
Yes,” Frank said. “I agree.” He
didn’t move.
“
No,” she said. “Now. It can’t be
put off. Frank,” she turned her head, “have you that paper? You can
tear it up now. I have all the other papers here.” She reached and
opened a drawer on the table, took out some papers folded neatly
and tied with a blue ribbon. The exertion tired her. “Lawyer
Algren. Phone him, Frank. Tell him to come immediately.”
Frank rose slowly, placed his cigar in an ash
tray. “No. I’ve been thinking. I’ve changed plans.”
“
Changed?”
“
Yes.”
I stood. Mother’s fingers twitched on the
papers in her hand. “What do you mean, Frank? I was going to have
half interest in the business signed over to Eric before we
received that telegram, whether I died or not. That doesn’t change
anything, because he’s alive now. And the other will has to be
altered again now.” Her head lifted from the pillow. I pressed it
back. She said, “Have you the paper you signed, Frank?”
“
It’s in my safe-deposit box at the
bank.” He smiled. “Now, take it easy,” he said. His eyes flicked
over to me brown and bright. “Let’s not rush into this.”
Mother’s head nodded up and down jerkily. What
color there was in her face drained away. “I want those papers
signed today,” she said. “Lawyer Algren will come right away if you
call. It has to be today, Frank.” She turned to me. “Eric, go phone
Algren.”
She was afraid. I was afraid, too, because I
didn’t want to look at Frank.
“
That won’t be necessary,” Frank
said. He placed both hands on the foot of the bed and leaned toward
her. “Listen. Do you think for one minute I’m going to go into
partnership with a bum? A good-for-nothing? After I’ve worked like
hell to build this loan business into something, after I’ve given
everything I had to make it go? And the other—the will—why should
that be changed?” He paused.
“
Frank,” I said. “Save
it.”
“
It won’t save.” His voice was
filled with contempt. He faced me, then looked back at her. “It
won’t save at all. You may as well know that right now. I’m not
going to tear up that contract. The business is mine. I made it and
intend to keep it. It’s state-wide. And the rest of the money’s
going to be mine, too. Who’s taken care of you? Who’s sacrificed
his youth, his time and effort, just to keep you happy? Eric? No.
He’s been off to the wars.” He was talking levelly. It would have
been easier on her if he had shouted.
“
Frank . . .” Her voice was dry.
She strained forward and, with an effort, sat up in bed. I reached
to guide her back, but she knocked my hand away.
Frank said quietly, “You may as well know
this, too. When I made that proposition, had you sign the business
over to me, I had no intention of ever going through with our
bargain. I did it to save whatever heartbreak—”
She was trying to say something but it
wouldn’t come. Her face was gray, pale and tortured. “Your father—”
she managed. “Eric, call Algren!”
“
No,” Frank said. He remained cool,
leaning over the bed, but his eyes shone and the vein in his temple
pulsed bluely. “The contract can’t be broken. It’s solid. I made
sure of that.” He straightened. “Eric’s like father was. Lazy,
shiftless, good-for-nothing. Face it. In a year there’d be no
business, no money. And he’d run through the rest of the
inheritance buying whisky and women. I can smell the whisky on him
now. He reeks of the stuff. Look at him, a tramp, a
bum.”
Mother trembled and her breathing was
rapid.
“
Frank,” I said, “shut
up!”
“
I won’t. I won’t shut up. I won’t.
I don’t reckon you can make me shut up, either. Coming home high
and mighty to clean up, but I know and you know I know. Mother’s
too soft-hearted. You’re all the same. I’m the only one in this
family with any business sense. You know why? Not because I
inherited it from a strange member of the family who had some
pride, some intelligence, no, not that. Because there never was a
Garth in this damned country with enough brains to do anything
better than bait a fishhook, or swill corn whisky, or paw at the
maid’s leg. Yes. Because I’m a Garth in name only, thank God.” He
glanced at me. “You. The beloved, no-good son. You reckoned I was
proud of the name Garth? Well, I reckon I’ll take what I deserve.
Nobody’s done anything for mother but me. I’m the only one. I’ve
stuck by, and I don’t reckon anybody’ll take what’s due me, by
God.” He was breathing hard. “I worked for it,” he said. “Some
intelligence, by God.”
“
Eric,” mother said weakly. “Don’t
let any of this talk bother you. I never—Frank promised, he
promised so many things.” Her breathing was a rapid flutter. Her
chin quivered helplessly, the papers fell to the floor. She grabbed
for them, but missed. “You lied,” she gasped, pointing at Frank.
“You lied to me! No son, no son at all!”
“
Now, Mother, you must rest,” Frank
said. “You’ll see it’s all for the best. Think it over.”
“
Frank,” I whispered. “Get away.
Get out of here.”
She was shaking and could no longer speak. She
mouthed soundless words, her eyes voiding helpless
agony.
“
We’d lose everything,” Frank said.
“Father was wrong, that’s all. You’re wrong. I won’t do it.” He
spoke with a calmness that cut like a knife.
She reached for her breast, her fingers
clawing, and fell back in the bed. Her eyes closed, wrinkled with
pain.
Outside the jay screamed again and
again.
I whirled toward Frank. “Call the doctor,
hurry! Hurry up, you fool!”