An Inheritance

Chapter 19

“So, what types of things did she actually handle?” 

 “Well, normal things like snake bites, rashes, colic, and arthritis, but your grandmother also gave these people someone who would run defense with the doctors and hospitals.  Most of them have no insurance and just going through the motions of getting seen or admitted has always been very daunting.  In addition, she helped as a sounding board, an analyst, a marriage counselor; she offered shelter to battered women … whatever was needed, she did it.”

Lauren’s mind flickered back to her own childhood.  Why couldn’t she have helped us?  Or were we the reason why she helped women of abuse?  But I doubt if Mom would have run back to her own mother, no matter what.  It probably was safer to turn to the Judge.

“Honestly, I would have thought that as she grew older … “  Lauren was embarrassed but was confused at how such an old lady could be relied on in health issues.

“There really was no issue with that.  Believe me, she had all of her faculties, no one could believe she was over a hundred.”

“Really?  Well, maybe her age was catching up with her – evidently she wanted to hook me up with one of the local boys.  Someone with real character, or at least that’s how Sam described him.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lauren explained about her grandmother writing Wendell down in the bible family tree and the man down at the lumberyard who had helped her out sometimes.

Odilia erupted into laughter and had to brush the tears from her eyes while Lauren looked on in astonishment.  Oh, my god, was  this Wendell really that bad?   

When Odilia was somewhat composed she managed to squeak out, “I’m sorry, but are you sure she didn’t mean Wendell Samuel Deveaux?”

All of the blood ran out of Lauren’s face.  As she remembered the sparkle in Sam’s eyes she could feel the blood return with a vengeance, turning her neck and face beet red.

Seeing Lauren’s discomfort, Odilia stifled her laughter, but not her smile.  “Your grandmother loved Sam.  You can’t blame her for wanting her favorite young man to settle down with her granddaughter, can you?”

Lauren shook her head in dismay.  “I wish I had known that before talking to Sam about it.”

Odilia’s smile broadened as she stood up.  “Don’t worry about that, Sam’s a teaser, but he’s really a great guy.

“There are some friends of your grandmother that would like to get together to have a celebration of her life.  Would you mind terribly if we met here?  She often entertained and it would be very meaningful to us to remember her in the place that meant so much to her.”

“Um, of course not.  I can’t see why it couldn’t be done here.  What day and time?”

“We were thinking Monday at about 5:30.  And don’t go to any trouble.  We’ll treat it like any other get-together we’ve had where we’d all bring something to share for dinner.  It would be great if you’d make some lemonade, it really tastes just like your grandmother’s.”

“Sure, that could be my contribution.”

“I’d like it if you’d let me come by around 4:00.  I can bring some additional chairs and help set things up.  And there are a few things I’d like to go over with you before the rest arrive.”

Lauren raised her eyebrows.  “Sure, I have no problems with that.  Is there anything you’d like to talk to me now about?”

“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about.  I just have to get going, way too many things on my plate today.”  Odilia placed her hand on Lauren’s arm.  “Your grandmother meant the world to me.  She was really a very special lady.”

Lauren thanked her.  “Oh, just a minute”  she ran back to the kitchen and put half of the remaining cookies into a small brown bag, went back and handed them to Odilia.  “”I’d like to continue the tradition.”

They both walked out to the front porch.  Lauren watched her until she climbed into the jeep and headed out the driveway. 

She looked over at Abigail who had climbed up onto the porch bench as she too watched Odilia drive away.  “What do you think, Abby?  Add one more of grand-mere’s friends to the ‘nice but a little strange’ list?” 

Lauren’s feeling of embarrassment came back as she thought about her date with Sam the next day.  She previously had been looking forward to it, but now she looked at it with dread.  How was she to look him in the eye knowing her grandmother had wanted to ‘fix’ them up?  And then another thought struck her … what if he was just asking her out only because of what she had told him about the Wendell entry in the Bible? 

The remainder of the day was spent running errands and trying to think of a way to get out of her date the next day.  But nothing came to mind that didn’t sound like a complete cop-out.  Lauren finally resolved that she would make the best of it, after all it was just one day and she would be going home soon, she probably wouldn’t even see him after tomorrow.

It seemed to Lauren that she kept replacing one anxiety with another.  It was a vicious circle, either stress out about her mother’s letters, or stress about the date with Sam.  Neither one was giving her much of a chance to emotionally relax.

Finding herself exhausted from such little real sleep the past few nights and the thoughts going around in her mind, Lauren headed for bed early and was almost immediately asleep.  A sweet, dreamless sleep.