Where the Wild Rose Blooms (41 page)

"I'll take your hat, Clay." Eddie spoke softy, bringing Clayton's eyes to hers just briefly. If he was here out of pity for her sister, she'd tell him to leave. Eddie herself didn't know where this fierce, protective attitude came from, but Clayton could see that his hostess was ill-at-ease.

"Robert is in the study. If you'll just—" Eddie stopped, and her head twisted around.

Slowly descending the stairs was Jackie. She was moving with deliberate care, her hand on the railing. Eddie shot a swift glance at Clayton, but he had eyes for Jackie alone. Eddie nearly panicked, thinking he would speak and ruin everything. They were both watching the blind girl when she missed the last step and fell into a heap.

Clayton moved so quickly to help her that Eddie had to step in front of him, arms outstretched. She spoke swiftly to cover the noise.

"Are you all right, Jackie?"

"Yes." She sounded more angry than hurt.

"Do you want some help?"

"No." Her answer was clipped.

A moment of silence passed, and Jackie turned her head slightly. "Are you alone, Eddie?"

"No." Again she tried to sound normal.

"Male or female?"

"Male."

"Are my legs covered?"

"Yes."

Jackie came to her feet then, feeling her way carefully. Eddie said, "I thought you were going to bed."

"I am, but I forgot my water glass."

"I'll get it for you."

Eddie moved off quickly, but not before she gave Clayton a look that told him he had better stay quiet. She was back very swiftly, an empty glass in her hand. Here you go.

"Thanks, Eddie."

"Good-night, Jackie."

"Good-night."

Once again they watched, only this time Jackie eventually moved from view. The look on Clayton's face broke Eddies heart. With nothing but compassion she took his arm and led him to the study.

Clayton was trembling so badly by the time he reached the spacious study that he could barely walk. Robert immediately offered him a chair.

He had thought it would help. He had thought if he could just see her he would feel better, but the sight of Jackie sitting in a heap was almost more than he could bear. If he'd been able to go to her, he might have been all right, but as it was, he felt as helpless as she must feel all the time.

Tears gathered in his eyes. He might have cried earlier in the day, but he'd been too shocked. Now he wanted to sob like a child, much the way he'd done when Jackie wrote and said she'd found someone new. At last he looked up to see his hosts watching him. Had only a few moments passed? They looked kind, and he felt free to speak.

"My mother commented to me several times that Addy had stopped writing her. It was the same for Danny's correspondence with Milly. I never once suspected that Jackie's letter might not be true. '

"She wrote to you?" Eddie asked. "You knew?"

"No, I don't think she did write. She must have had someone else."

"But you did know about the blindness?" Robert asked.

Clayton shook his head. He knew he was making very little sense. "A letter came to me saying she'd met someone else and that she never wanted to hear from me or see me again."

Robert and Eddie both nodded. It was sad that Jackie hadn't told him the truth, but neither one of them was surprised. Eddie thought about how closely Lexa's handwriting resembled Jackie's. It was not hard to figure out.

"How long has it been?" Clayton now asked.

"The date was late September, so that would be almost ten months," Eddie responded.

"How did it happen?"

"She fell from a ladder in the back room of the store. She landed flat on her back. The doctor said it was the blow to the back of the head that did the damage."

"And she'll never see again?"

"Never," Robert told him quietly. They both watched as Clayton was overcome. He put his face in his hands and cried.

"Is she in pain now?" Clayton managed, tears still streaming down his face.

"No," Robert assured him. "They said she might have headaches beyond the first few weeks, and that would have been a good sign because it might mean that things were only damaged and not ruptured, but her lack of pain means that its permanent."

Clayton nodded. He was feeling more in control now, and a thousand questions raced through his mind. Before he could utter one of them, however, Robert had some of his own.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Clay, but may I ask what brings you to Boulder?"

Clayton used his handkerchief and took a deep breath. "I've been hired to teach here at the school."

Robert nodded. "Congratulations. I know it's what you've wanted for a long time."

"Yes." Clayton agreed with him but did not sound overjoyed.

"You're here rather early for school, Clay. Is there a reason for that?"

"I just wanted to get settled in." He sounded almost apologetic.

"So you're not actually working until this fall?"

"That's correct."

Robert shot a glance at his wife, but she was looking at Clayton. He knew he was taking a chance and prayed that she would not be upset.

"Jackie didn't retire until right before you came, Clay, so Eddie and I haven't even had a chance to talk about this, but I wonder if I could hire you for the summer and even into the school year. '

Both other occupants of the room stared at him, and Robert tried to tell Eddie with his eyes to trust him.

"Hire me to do what?"

"Teach Jackie."

Eddie came to her feet, and Robert stood as well.

"It's all right, Eddie," he said gently.

"No, it's not, Robert," Eddie told him, completely forgetting Clayton's presence. "We can't do this to her. She was in love with him, and she won't be able to stand it. She'll be humiliated, having him here but not having his love anymore."

Clayton interrupted with a statement that completely snagged Eddie's attention. She stared at him in wonder, but saw the truth in his eyes.

She had to ask him, "What do you intend to do about it?"

"For starters," he replied, "I'll take up Robert's offer to teach your sister."

He turned back to Robert.

"When do you want me to start?"

"As soon as you can come."

Clayton's eyes searched the room but didn't really focus. "They don't teach you this at school," he nearly murmured to himself. "I mean, they assume all your students will have vision, but I think I can work this out. Can you give me a week?"

"Yes. In fact, just do what you can and get back to me. I see now that I shouldn't have surprised Eddie. In a week, you'll know if you can do it, and Eddie and I will either be in one accord on this or we'll forget the whole thing."

"All right."

"I hope you know that it's not you, Tag," Eddie said, finding her voice.

"I know, Eddie," he replied kindly.

"She's just been through so much and I know how upset she'll be if Robert suggests this."

"It won't be any party for me, either," he said quietly.

Eddie had to admit that she hadn't thought of his feelings.

"We'll all pray about this," Robert said, "and see if we can come to an agreement."

"What if Jackie says no," Clayton wanted to know.

Robert shook his head. "If Eddie and I decide this is the best for her, she won't be given a choice."

Clayton stared at him. "The Jackie I know wouldn't put up with that."

Robert shook his head a bit sadly. "She's not the same girl, Clay—that might be the first thing you should know. And I'm not promising this will be easy. More than likely she'll fight you every step of the way."

"But you would want me to maintain control, just like in a classroom."

"Yes."

"No." Husband and wife said the words in unison and then looked at each other.

"If he isn't firm enough with her, Eddie, she'll never respond."

"I can't see her crushed, Robert. No matter what, I can't see her crushed." Tears had come to her eyes, and Robert reached for her hand. He knew it upset her to have Clayton see them.

"I wouldn't do that, Eddie," Clayton said without heat. "I'm not that kind of teacher. I mean, there's going to be an adjustment time, that's a given, but I have no plans to humiliate any of my students, and that includes Jackie. However, I know very well what she's capable of and how intelligent she is, so my standard will be high."

Eddie suddenly felt more tired than she'd ever been in her life, and it must have shown on her face because Clayton made a move to leave. He bade Eddie goodbye, and Robert saw him to the door. Robert returned to put the lights out in the study and found Eddie sitting trancelike in a chair. He assumed shed have gone up the back stairway to their room. She looked utterly drained.

"Eddie, if its going to upset you this much, we'll drop the whole idea."

"I'm just so tired." She began to cry. "I can't even think straight right now."

Robert lifted her to her feet and then into his arms. He forgot about the lights and simply carried her up the stairs. Eddie cried the whole time he was getting her ready for bed and even after her head lay on the pillow.

"Just go to sleep."

"But you'll be gone in the morning, and I won't be
able
to talk to you.

"I'll
make some time," he promised her, really worried at how this had upset her. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you first," he told her, but she was already gone. Her breathing was a bit shuddery, but she was asleep. He told himself he would make things right in the morning.

But in the morning, Eddie was of an entirely different mind. She woke early and prayed for almost an hour. She then woke Robert and told him her heart.

"I think Tag should come."

"What changed your mind?"

"I wasn't really against it, Robert. I just couldn't put any more thought to it last night."

"But what of your fears? They might
have
some validity."

"No, they don't; I know that now. Clay would not hurt her, and if he wasn't firm with her, she'd have him waiting on her hand and foot. We've been asking God for weeks to show us a new direction, and I can't help but believe this is His answer." Eddie lay in the crook of her husband's arm. "When should I tell her?"

"I'll
tell her," Robert said. "You can be there if you like.
I'll
probably wait until early next week, after I've talked to Clay."

"All right. Is there some reason?" Eddie rose to look into his face.

"To wait?"

"Yes."

"Only to make sure that Clay understands what she's going to be like, and to make sure he still wants the job."

"Maybe she'll surprise us," Eddie offered, but Robert looked skeptical. His face made Eddie doubt as well, and unfortunately, Robert was correct.

"I know I missed a year!" Jackie argued for
the fifth time, "but
it can't be all
that
important. What does it matter now if I know my '12 times' table or the capital of Rhode Island?" There was a bitter tone to her voice that Robert chose to ignore.