The House (41 page)

There’s no one willing to pick up and start afresh and stand beside me. The saddest part is that I wouldn’t even know how to behave if someone wanted to, or did.”

Elise’s eyes glistened with tears. She offered a second confession “The reason I’ve been so angry with Edward all these years is that he took a place with you I could never fill. You and I were simply girl friends. But he became your husband. I can’t be that close to any one. All I know is work.
Competition. Accomplishment
. And
myself
.”

“That was Edward,” Anna said astonished.

“We weren’t that different. But he had you beside him. I envied him that.” Elise continued as if perplexed by her own self-discovery and revelation. “Despite everything he did—the women, the traveling—he never left you, and you stayed with him. The two of you remained with each other until the end. You should be proud of that, what you did, taking him in. It took strength.”

Let the dead bury the dead
. Of Marilyn’s death and being left with Dancia, Inman had said, “It showed me what Thelonius must have felt when he learned that I was Millicent’s father and not he.” Inman had rubbed his temple. And then of Millicent’s illness while pregnant that demanded the truth, “She needed to know. I’m glad I was here to help her and the babies. They’re my grandchildren.”

“You saved them,” Anna had said.

“Perhaps.” Inman had again pulled at his temple. “But I hope it wasn’t at the expense of losing Dancia.”

“She won’t judge you. She loves you,” Anna had urged.

“And how can you be so sure? You have.”

In the coffee shop Anna drank some water then said to Elise sitting across from her, “I don’t want to hurt Inman anymore than I already have.”

“Then let yourself love him. So he can love you.” With that Elise grasped Anna’s hand once more.?

Chapter 60

Less than a month beyond Anna’s breakfast with Elise, everyone returned to Oakland and gathered in St. Maria’s Chapel where Father Richard baptized Linda and Brad’s son, Edward Manning Oliver. Later that night and with everyone asleep, Anna and David sat on the patio by the pool and discussed plans for David, guided and supported by Bryce, as the leader of Manning Ventures.

Having addressed basic housekeeping issues, David once again thanked Anna for the gift of trust she had shown by making him CEO of what had been his father’s, now her, company.

“It means a lot, that after everything I’ve done you still have faith in me. Knowing that you still love me has given me the strength to be a better friend and husband to Heather.”

“Oh, David,” Anna reached out and hugged her eldest child, “I never stopped.”

“But there was a point where I thought I had stopped loving you. And Dad too.” David leaned back in his chair. “I never under stood why Dad was away all the time. I knew he was working. But why did he have to be gone so much? And why did you have to cry? Even when I was little I knew something wasn’t right. It hurt that I couldn’t make it better.”

He gave a slight sigh. Anna sensed her elder son coming to terms with his father’s death. David was surviving Edward’s passing.

David said, “When you told us you were divorcing him, I felt like I had during all the times he had been away.” David then said, “I knew Dad was sick and dying. He told me before he let Bryce know.

I wanted to tell you. Dad made me promise not to.”

“So that’s why you filed papers to have me declared insane.” It was all making sense.

“I wanted to get your attention.” David lowered his head then lifted it. Anna met his gaze. “I’m sorry, so sorry,” he said. Again she opened her arms and embraced him. “I’m going to miss you,” he said.

With her bags packed and downstairs, David would drive Anna to San Francisco Airport the next day. She was leaving for France.

Elise kept Emily and Josh the following afternoon while David and Heather drove Anna to SFO airport.

“I wish you would reconsider calling Inman,” Elise whispered into Anna’s ear when hugging her.

Anna simply thanked her for being such a good friend, then got into the back seat of David’s sedan. She had already kissed and hugged, said her good-byes to Emily and Josh. With Heather seated in the front passenger seat, and Anna behind her, David drove off.

At the airport and about to walk through security, Anna kissed David’s forehead. Again she wished him well at the helm of Manning Ventures. She turned to Heather, and as with David, she kissed her daughter-in-law’s forehead.

“Thank you for not giving up on my son.”

“How could I?” Heather said, “You’ve entrusted me with your house.” David and Heather had returned to Oakland and would be living in the house.

Anna smiled bittersweet. “I hope you and David create wonderful memories in it.”

“We will. I promise,” said Heather. “With Dad and Papa Edward looking down on us, I speak to them all the time,” she explained. “Everything will be fine.”

Anna touched Heather’s hand. Then, after grasping David’s palm and bringing it to Heather’s, she left to board her flight.?

Chapter 61

Anna experienced greater awe in her elder son when Bryce in formed her that David, three months into leading Manning Ventures, had retained Inman Hayes as a full-time consultant. She wanted so much for David to succeed at what she had no desire, and in her opinion little to no acumen, at accomplishing. Anna called from Paris to voice her approval of his decision to bring In man on board.

“Your father would be, no, he
is
proud of what you’re doing,” she said to David. “So am I.”

“The man knows his stuff,” David said of Inman. “I’m just an attorney who spent ten years doing wills, trusts, and estate planning.”

“You’re much more than that. Much more.”

“I’m glad you’re not bothered that I hired Inman.” David sounded relieved.

“Of course not. He’s good at what he does. Like your father.”

“Yes, he is.” David agreed. With sadness in his voice, he asked. “Is Dad still alive for you?”

“Like I said.
He’s
proud of you,” Anna said.

“Then why can’t I connect with, or feel him? Heather says she talks with her father all the time, even with Dad. She feels their presences. Why does Dad talk to Heather and not me?”

“Are you calling out, asking him to come?” In David’s silence, Anna suggested, “Perhaps you should.” ?

Chapter 62

October brought Anna from Paris to Chicago for the christening of Theo and Millicent’s twins. Minutes after she disembarked the plane, David greeted her inside the terminal of O’Hare Airport.

“It’s good to see you.” He kissed her, and then explained on the way to the baggage carousel, “Linda, Brad, little Edward Jr., along with Serine, Heather, Josh, and Emily are back at the hotel. Even Aunt Elise came.”

“Is that what we’re calling him now, Linda and Brad’s son?”

“Seems so,” David smiled. Or maybe it’s just me.”

Anna smiled too. She loved the name little Edward Jr. She was also comforted that her move to France had not signaled, nor had Elise translated it as an abandonment of their friendship. Anna hoped to one day convince Elise to stop working so hard and live a little, maybe even visit Paris.

During the drive from the airport to their hotel in Chicago, David provided an update. “Dad’s contacts in Beijing and Rio have given us a solid base in China and Brazil. They’ve also been eager to help with the transition of my taking over the leadership of the company. After the holidays we’ll be moving into Indonesia.”

“Indonesia,” Anna mused. “That sounds exciting.”

“There’re some great start-ups in Jakarta that Inman wants me to look at. He and I are flying over in January after the new year.” Anna stared at David. “We’re only going to be there for four days,” he said.

“Can’t you get someone else?” Memories of Edward being away from the family flooded her with worry.

“I tried to get Heather to come with me,” David said, “—let Aunt Elise keep the kids. She’s made herself their adoptive grandmother while you’re away.”

“She probably doesn’t want to upset the children’s schedules,” Anna said of Heather. “Unlike Inman, you have a wife to attend.” After a momentary silence, she offered, “Perhaps I should come and stay with Heather while you’re there.”

“Ma. It’s only four days,” David assured. He had returned to ad dressing her as
Ma,
his term of endearment and familiarity during childhood and adolescence. Only after returning home from college had he resorted to calling her
Mama
, and then
Mother
when anxious or perturbed about a matter. David had consistently called her Mother during the fifteen months she had fought to divorce Edward and sell the house. Early adulthood had been a time when David had battled to assert himself beyond the effects of Edward’s clandestine relationships with women other than Anna. This period in David’s life, she now realized, had extended into his mid-thirties, most specifically until Anna had handed him control of Manning Ventures.

“Things must be better,” Anna, now calmer, said.

“Why do you say that?” David lifted his eyebrows.

“You’re back to calling me
Ma
.”

David smiled.

“But don’t get too comfortable,” Anna said. “I can always fire you if I find you’re not spending enough time with your family. Re member, you have Bryce. Don’t try doing too much. Your family needs and loves you.”

“Well, I don’t know how much longer I’ll have Bryce,” David said. Anna knitted her brows. “He’s not leaving, is he?”

“Only for weekends to visit Serine in L.A.” David continued driving.

“She resists him, says she’s not good for him. But he won’t have any of it,” Anna said. “She’s still thinking about what happened with Grant and Matt.

“I told her to forget it. Thank God she hadn’t married either one of them.”

“They were nice young men.”

“Not very bright,” David said, his eye focused on the freeway ahead.

“They were desperate like us all.”

“Desperation’s not a good way to start a marriage.”

Anna turned to David.

He said, “I told Serine she should treat Bryce well, that he was Dad’s right hand man and that he only deserves the best from us.” Anna smiled feeling proud.

“Serine already knew that. I think the only way she can hurt him is by not marrying him.”

“Does she love him?” Anna grew serious.

“I told her love would come as long as there’s respect and mutual desire for a common goal.”

“And what goal might that be?” Anna frowned. David’s words sounded sage like. They also bore deep questions.

“They both loved Dad, I mean the real man that he was. I know you’ve been worried about her, felt like you failed her. I’ll see to Serine. Between me and Bryce she’ll be fine.”

Anna’s heart settled. And despite her concerns of Serine not loving Bryce who clearly cared for her, she warmed to the possibility of having Bryce as a son-in-law.

David then said, “As for traveling in the service of the company, after Bryce, there’s only Inman.” He turned to Anna for a split moment then back at the freeway. “But thanks for reminding me to keep it under control.”

On a lighter note, David gave a smooth smile as he drove. “And how are things for you in Paris?”

“They’re fine,” Anna said.

“And you don’t mind being there alone?”

“Well, if you and Heather would come to visit or let me have the kids for a couple of weeks so that the two of you could travel, then I wouldn’t be—”

“Don’t they call it the City of Love?” David said. Again he smiled. “You sound like Elise.” Anna said in the face of David’s smile that remained bright. “I’m enjoying being there.” She then fell somber. “I especially love wandering the museums with no constraints on time.”

“Were we so bad that you feel the need to live like a pauper?” David turned serious. Anna had taken a tiny flat near Montmartre, despite his urgings that she get something more spacious for when one of the kids came to visit. “Aren’t you lonely?” he asked.

“What’s this with the twenty questions?”

David chuckled. “I don’t know.

“Always the attorney.” She smiled.

David continued driving. His smile returned, lit his face, and soothed Anna’s heart.?

Chapter 63

The next afternoon, Anna entered the narthex of Trueblood African Baptist Church of Chicago. Others stood talking as she continued to the front of the empty sanctuary. Anna sat on the pew she had occupied six years earlier during Theo and Millicent’s wedding. A fleeting passage of time swept her face. Memories of Edward, his life, their hurts, and his death drew near and hung as close as her breath.
Moments in time ... An eternity.

Anna then heard laughter. Serine and Bryce had entered the sanctuary. Smiles lit both their faces as Bryce, with Serine looking on, held Linda and Brad’s son, Edward Oliver Manning. Enraptured with the soon to be, nine-month-old, the two of them remained unaware of Anna’s presence at the front of the sanctuary. Guided by hope, Anna said a prayer.
Help Serine to forgive herself. I do.