Grandfather's Dance (3 page)

“Sing,” said Jack.

“I was waiting for that,” said Papa, grinning.

Grandfather sighed.

“Sing,” Jack said again.

“
Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . .
” began Grandfather. “
How I wonder . . .
”

Jack shook his head.

“No?” said Grandfather.

He began again.

“Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. Papa’s going to buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don’t sing . . .”

Jack put his hand over Grandfather’s mouth.

The aunts laughed.

“I know the one he wants,” I said.

Grandfather didn’t say anything for a moment. Papa looked up. He knew, too. Grandfather had sung the song to him when he was little. Then Grandfather began his song. Jack didn’t stop him. He lay back and closed his eyes as Grandfather’s soft voice filled the kitchen. The aunts were very quiet. Aunt Mattie put down her knitting and listened. The dogs looked up.

It was very quiet. And then there was a rustle at the door.

“You sang that song when you first came, Grandfather,” said Caleb. “When Cassie found you. A long time ago.”

We all turned.

“Caleb!” I cried.

Caleb put his finger to his lips so Jack wouldn’t wake. I hugged him. Mama did, too. And Papa.

“How did you get here?” asked Mama.

Caleb smiled as the door opened.

“Dr. Sam gave me a ride,” said Caleb.

“I had to come,” said Dr. Sam. “To have a look at the aunts.”

Grandfather laughed.

“Well, this is Harriet, and Mattie, and Lou,” said Caleb, touching each one on the shoulder.

“How do you do? Didn’t you have sheep by those names?” Dr. Sam asked Mama.

Mama smiled.

“Yes, I saw Mattie the sheep just yesterday,” said Aunt Lou. “She’s a bit fat.”

“Sam, could you have a look at Jack?” said Mama. “He’s got a fever.”

Dr. Sam put his hand on Jack’s forehead. Jack didn’t wake.

“He’s warm, for sure. Could be the beginnings of a cold. Make sure he has lots of water,” said Dr. Sam.

He took his stethoscope out of his pocket and listened to Jack’s chest.

“A little congested. Keep an eye on him. Call me if you need me.”

He smiled at Mama.

“Wedding is four days away. Are you ready?”

“I am. I’ve been ready for Anna to marry your son for a long time.”

“We’ll be family,” said Dr. Sam.

Papa said what we all knew.

“You’ve always been family,” he said.

It was quiet. Then, all of a sudden, there was Jack’s clear voice.

“Caleb’s home!” he said, making us all smile.

Dr. Sam felt Grandfather’s forehead before he left.

“And how are you?”

“Tired,” said Grandfather.

“You might catch what Jack has,” warned Dr. Sam.

“Maybe,” said Grandfather. “Maybe I’m too old.”

“That’s a nice car you have,” said Aunt Lou, looking out the window.

“Would you like a ride?” asked Dr. Sam.

“I would,” said Aunt Lou.

“Don’t, under any circumstances, let her drive,” Grandfather whispered to
Dr. Sam.

That night Aunt Mattie gave me a box wrapped in bright paper.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Open it,” she said. “I made it for you. There’s so much fuss for Anna that I was afraid you’d get lost.”

Caleb put his arm around me.

“Cassie? Cassie’s never lost. Except maybe in her head,” he said.

In the box was a blue dress made of silk, with a lace top. It had satin ribbons braided in the lace. They flowed down across the dress.

It was so beautiful I could only whisper.

“I’ve never had a dress so fine,” I said softly.

I threw my arms around Aunt Mattie.

“Thank you so much!”

“You will look beautiful,” said Aunt Mattie. “We will all look beautiful.”

“I plan to,” said Aunt Harriet.

“Me, too,” said Aunt Lou.

“I plan to attend the wedding in my underwear,” said Grandfather.

Jack raised his head.

“Boppa’s underwear,” he said.

When I wrote in my journal it was very late. Everyone had gone to bed except for Caleb and me.

My blue silk wedding dress flows out behind me as my dog husband and I ride Zeke across the prairie: past the sheep, Harriet and Mattie and Lou; past the slough; and past the stand of Russian olive. My ribbons fly out behind me so far that when I look back, I cannot see where they end. Like the prairie.

“Do you like school?” I whispered to Caleb in the upstairs hallway.

“I love it,” he said. “But I miss you, Cassie.”

We heard Grandfather’s voice then, so soft in the dark, singing to Jack.

“Remember that?” asked Caleb.

I nodded, thinking about the time so long ago when I found Grandfather behind the barn. He had come to see his old farm. And he had sung that song.

“Some things don’t change,” Caleb said softly. “Some things.”

Angels watching ever round thee,

All through the night;

In my slumbers close surround thee,

All through the night.

7

T
he aunts began to cook for the wedding. The kitchen was filled with bowls and platters and pans. Anna came home to help, bringing more plates and silverware. Mama and Caleb and I weeded the gardens and clipped the grasses around the porch. Matthew and Maggie, Mama and Papa’s very best friends, brought chairs and tables. Their children, Rose and Violet, came too—Rose to help and Violet to see Caleb. They whispered to each other by the barn, Zeke coming over to nose them.

“Zinnias,” said Maggie. “You always loved zinnias.”

“You brought them to me when I first came here,” Mama said.

“Now it’s the first wedding of any of our children,” said Maggie happily. “Anna and Justin have known each other for a long time.”

“So have they,” said Mama with a smile, looking at Violet and Caleb.

“Ah, the young ones,” said Maggie.

“Too young,” said Matthew briskly.

Maggie and Mama laughed.

“We’ll see,” said Maggie. “We’ll see.”

Matthew shook his head. Then everyone straightened, shading their eyes as Papa’s car came up the road, sending up little dust clouds behind it.

I looked quickly at Mama. This was what she had been waiting for.

Mama started running as the car turned into the yard. Papa came to a stop and William bounded out of it, lifting Mama up in his arms. William was taller than Mama, but his hair was fair like hers. His face was brown from the sun. William was out at sea every day and fished all day long. His teeth looked very white as he grinned at Mama.

“I miss you!” cried Mama.

“I miss you, too!” said William, his arm around Mama as they walked to the house.

“I miss Meg, too,” said Mama.

“So do I!” said William, and they both laughed.

“How was the train?” asked Mama.

“On time! I am impressed.”

Mama introduced William to Matthew and Maggie and the girls. Caleb hugged William.

“You’re tall,” said William.

“I’ll catch up with you one day,” said Caleb.

Grandfather shook William’s hand. Jack hid behind Grandfather shyly.

“I see you, Jack,” said William, making Jack smile.

William stopped in front of me.

“Cassie,” he said softly.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“You must be Cassie. You look just like your mama did when she was your age.”

“Really?”

“Really. She even had braids like you.”

William reached out and touched my hair.

“Did you tease her?” I asked.

“Of course,” said William. “It was my job.”

The aunts came out of the house then, flour up to their elbows.

“Ah, the cooks!” said William.

“William’s here! Now we can have the wedding,” announced Aunt Harriet.

Jack was content to listen to Grandfather’s songs while he was sick. He was happy to sleep next to Grandfather at night. He loved to watch Grandfather eat. The evening William came, Jack asked for coffee with his dessert after supper.

Mama laughed.

“No coffee for you, Jack. That is for grown-ups.”

Jack frowned at Mama.

“Coffee?” Jack said to William.

William smiled.

“Coffee?” he asked Grandfather.

Grandfather shook his head.

“No coffee, pal,” he said.

Jack fell off his chair onto the floor, crying.

“I’d say Jack’s unhappy,” said Aunt Mattie with a half smile.

“Coffee won’t make him any happier,” said Grandfather.

That made Jack cry louder. He kicked his feet against the wood floor. Lottie and Nick came over to sniff him, then moved away to safety.

“Oh, Jack,” said Mama. “Come. I’ll read you a story.”

Jack cried.

“Let’s go paint a picture, Jack,” said Aunt Lou. “You can use my paint box.”

Jack cried louder.

Grandfather got up quickly, so quickly that his chair fell over backward.

“Jack!” he shouted, his voice louder than I had ever heard it. “Stop that right now.”

Jack stopped and stared at Grandfather. We all stared. I had never heard Grandfather lose his temper. I had seen Jack lose his temper many times. He was a little boy. But not Grandfather.

Silence filled the room. Grandfather walked out the kitchen door, slamming it behind him. Jack got up and walked to the window to look out. Caleb and I looked out, too. Outside, moonlight touched the grass and spilled over the flowers in Mama’s garden. Grandfather walked toward the barn. Then, suddenly, he stopped, lifted his shoulders, and turned around as if he knew Jack was at the window. And there, in the moonlight, Grandfather did a little dance, turning around and around, his hands in the air.

Jack smiled. Grandfather smiled back at him.

“That’s the best apology I’ve ever seen,” said Caleb softly.

“I’ll say,” said Mama. “Grandfather’s sorry, Jack.”

“Dance,” said Jack. He put his thumb in his mouth, then took it out. “Sorry,” he said, so softly that it was almost a whisper.

8

T
he day before the wedding was sunny and warm. Matthew and Papa put up tents. William and Grandfather built a wooden arch for Justin and Anna to stand under when they married. Tomorrow morning Mama and the aunts would wind in flowers—roses from the bushes by the paddock, zinnias and feverfew. Tomorrow Caleb and I would toss rose petals on the path between the gardens where Anna would walk.

Aunt Lou sat on the porch, rocking Jack. Grandfather walked off a bit and turned to look at the gardens and arch and tents. He put his hands in his pockets. Then he walked slowly to the barn. I followed him.

Inside the barn was cool and dark with the sweet smell of hay and animals. Some chickens had found their way out of the sun into the shade, and pecked here and there.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Grandfather smiled.

“Thinking,” he said. “Thinking about weddings.”

“
All
weddings? Or
the
wedding?” I asked.

Grandfather cocked his head to one side, like Nick and Lottie did when they were listening.

“Actually,” he said softly, “I was thinking about
your
wedding.”

I nodded.

“I may not be able to be at your wedding, Cassie,” said Grandfather.

My heart raced. I knew what Grandfather meant.

“You will, Grandfather. Yes, you will!” I could feel my voice rising.

“Maybe,” said Grandfather.

He shrugged.

“But just in case I can’t be there, I think we should have a wedding.”

“You mean tomorrow?”

Grandfather shook his head.

“Now,” he whispered. “Get Nick. Go put on your blue dress.”

“My dress?”

“Run. Do it now!” said Grandfather.

I grinned. I ran out of the barn and into the sunlight.

“I’m coming to your wedding!” called Grandfather behind me.

It is a fine wedding, my dog husband’s and mine.

I wear my blue silk dress with the trailing ribbons. And a veil.

I carry a rose surrounded by feverfew.

My dog husband, Nick (whose full name is Nicholas Wheaton Witting), wears a zinnia in his collar. He stands under the arch, looking beautiful and bored.

When I walk the path between the gardens everyone is there, Mama and Papa, the aunts, Caleb and Jack. Aunt Harriet plays the flute—

But the best thing of all is that Grandfather is there waiting for me, smiling.

He gives my dog husband a bone.

“Be good to Cassie,” he says.

“Oui,” says Nick.

I am astonished. I have never heard Nick speak French words.

“You speak French!” I cry.

“I retrieve, too,” says my dog husband.

“Thank you,” I said to Grandfather at dinner.

“Thank
you
,” said Grandfather.

“I feel better,” I said.

“I do, too,” said Grandfather. He took my hand. “I do, too.”

“Well, I am waiting for Nick to speak French,” said Mama.

“That
is
impressive,” said William.

“He can only speak French in my journal,” I said.

“I suppose that’s what writing is for,” said Grandfather. “To change life and make it come out the way you want it to.”

“Speak, Nick. Speak!” said Papa.

Nick cocked his head from one side to the other. He was silent.

“Woof,” said Jack finally.

9

A
nna and Justin’s wedding was almost as fine as my wedding. The sun was overhead when they married. Anna looked like a cloud of silk and tulle. Papa cried.

Grandfather and Jack wore red bow ties and blue shirts, and the aunts were beautiful in flowered dresses and hats. Later they danced.