Stranger Son

by Jim Nelson

  "How is it?"

  "This reminds me of my mother's good cooking."

  "I'm sure I'm not half the cook your mother was," Ruby said. "This came out of a can."

  Mutely, he nodded with a nondescript expression, a mild form of agreement. Ruby did not take offense. Looking into his innocent face, she could not manage to.

  She stroked his back, patted it once, and left him at the table. She entered the rear room with Benford close behind her.

  "How'd it go?" Kyle said to him.

  "I'll know the results in three or four days," Benford said. "Mr. Weymouth, it's time we said goodbye. I'm sorry I could not have met you and your son under less adversarial terms." He offered Kyle his hand. "You'll receive a copy of my report in a couple of weeks."

  "I appreciate you being straight with me through all this," Kyle said while shaking. "Are you staying in Angels Camp another night?"

  "We're leaving today, I'm afraid. I'd like to get going early to avoid another jam-up at the border." He half-said it to Ruby.

  "How's that?"

  "There was an accident yesterday at the border stop," Benford said.

  "You mean that CHP?" Kyle asked. "You saw that?"

  "The car was still on fire when we passed it," Benford said. "You heard about it?"

  Kyle pointed to a newspaper on the side table folded in half. Benford reluctantly opened the paper and let the bottom half flip downwards.

  "California thinks we're some kind of colony of theirs," Kyle said. "They think they can send their police here on a whim."

  Benford held the paper so Ruby could see. California Patrol Runs Border Stop ran the headline across the top of the right-hand column. Beneath it, in smaller lettering: Jefferson State Militia Respond with Force.

  "'State militia,'" Benford mocked. "They mean the wolf packs."

  "Those wolf packs are deputized," Kyle said. "They warned the California patrol to halt before they opened fire."

  "What reason would a California Highway Patrolman have to run a border crossing?" Benford instantly spoke with a sarcastic lilt, as though incapable of responding any other way.

  "Reasons don't give him the right to violate our sovereignty," Kyle said. Benford's tone was unappreciated in this household. "Not a shot was fired to separate from Sacramento. We are not aggressors. But we're not going to roll over for California every time they send one of their cops into our state."

  Benford began to raise his voice. Kyle interrupted him.

  "Imagine if one of our militia had charged across the state line," he said. "You think California would take that in stride?"

  Benford, agitated, hastily folded up the paper and tossed it to the side table. "We'll leave you then. Goodbye, Mr. Weymouth." He put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, indicating for her to follow.

  "Wait," she said. "I'd like to stay."

  "Absolutely not," Benford said. "It's time to leave."

  "You could use some extra help around here," she said to Kyle. "I can keep the house and make sure Henry gets a hot home-cooked meal every day. I'll get him off to school in the mornings and, and, and—I'll do whatever you both need done."

  Kyle, taken aback, required a moment to answer. "Ms. Cynthia, I appreciate your offer a great deal, but I can't afford to pay you a dime. Pretty soon I'll have to send Alice away."

  "I can be your nurse." It all came out at once. "I'm a nurse," she repeated, reminding herself of the story they'd arranged. "I can take care of you."

  "Cynthia—" Benford warned.

  "You don't have to pay me," she said to Kyle. "I'll work for—I'll work for room and board."

  "Mr. Weymouth," Benford said, "I think Cynthia is letting her emotions—"

  "Don't talk that way about me," Ruby said to him. "I know what I'm doing." To Kyle, she said, "I can sleep in the kitchen. I don't need much."

  "Jesus," Benford said.

  "I'll sleep in the other room," she said. "On the couch."

  "You could sleep in my room upstairs," Kyle said evenly. "The master bedroom's vacant." He put his hand on the hospital bed rail. "I'm confined down here for the next few months. But I honestly don't see this as equitable at all. How can you afford to abandon your employment with Dr. Benford?"

  Ruby was twisting her hands. She started to explain and found she had no voice. With a deep worried expression, mouth dry, she turned to Benford.

  Benford breathed out of his mouth, glaring at Ruby. His lips were puckered from the salt of distaste and disdain.

  "Cynthia is a member of an…order based in Santa Barbara." Benford spoke carefully, crafting the story on-the-fly. "She's devoted her life to a frugal existence. Her order is dedicated to helping the ill and caring for children in need." He added a final touch. "She's required to offer assistance wherever she finds need."

  "An order?" Kyle said. "Like a nun?"

  "No," Ruby said, cutting off Benford, unsure how he might answer. "My vows are…different."

  Kyle, surprised, thought it through for a moment. "Well, you drive a mean bargain, Cynthia. You're losing money on the razor and making it up by giving away the blades. Like I said, you can take my bedroom. When do you start?"

  "Today," she said, smiling and relieved.

  Twenty-seven

  She followed Benford to the car with the stooped neck of a misbehaving child. She'd let him down. He was patently disappointed with her. With a theatric lack of hesitation, he unlocked the Ford's trunk and dragged out the oversized backpack. It fell to the packed, dry dirt with a thud.

  "Don't you dare forget our agreement." He slammed the trunk shut. "You cannot tell the boy about you or your mother or the Abneys."

  "I understand."

  He removed his glasses. He wiped his hand from forehead to chin. His rubbery cheeks and untrimmed mustache elongated and retracted back into shape.

  "Make sure you work with Alice as soon as possible," he said. "She needs to train you on changing bandages, on his meds and their schedule," he began counting on fingers, "upcoming appointments, how to clean, how to sterilize, changing sheets and linens—all of it. Healthcare is a practice. You learn by doing."

  "I'll work with her," Ruby said. "I'll memorize everything she tells me."

  He was tearing up. "You keep your head down. You have to be careful. Don't let anyone know who you really are. Even if you think you can trust them—even if they flash you the Hagar's Jug sign—do not tell anyone."

  He was sniffling as he rummaged through a worn leather wallet fat with stubs and dog-eared Post-it notes and weathered business cards collected long-ago from forgotten persons. "This is my number and email." He pushed a business card of his own at her. "If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to call." He fished out a pack of limp green bills from the wallet's sleeve. "This'll keep your on your feet."

  Using a motion learned from years of accepting handouts from Hagar sympathizers, she wrapped a hand around his money and folded it in her palm and slipped it down her front jeans pocket with the ease of a parlor magician palming a card. "Thank you."

  "Don't spend it all on the boy either. You've got to take care of yourself. You can't throw all of yourself into helping them. Look up Caregiver Syndrome on the Internet. It's real. It happens. You're not helping them if you're not taking care of yourself."

  She hugged him. He patted her back. He was teary. "Don't forget yourself," he said wetly into her ear.

  He gathered himself and cleared his throat. When he was in the driver's seat, engine running, he peered up at her through the open side window. "Keep in touch."

  "Thank you for all the hotel rooms and meals you bought me," she said. "I hope it's not a problem." She laughed wistfully. "You are the most honest man I've ever met," she said. "I hope you know that."

  "Me? Are you kidding?"

  "I've only heard of people like you."

  "Come on, Ruby. I violated all kinds of medical ethics this week. Taking you into this house and letting you be a part of the examination. I lied at the borde
r. I fixed your chromosome test. I'm an ethical mess. I should lose my license. Even this job—" He spat out the words. "Taking Emeril's money so the Abney family can avoid writing a measly six-hundred-dollar check every month. The boy's their blood relative, for crissakes."

  "Well, all the better reason to fake your expense reports."

  "Oh, I wouldn't do that. I dislike the Abneys, but I'm not going to do that to them."

  "I thought—" She shifted her weight. "Aren't they going to be suspicious when they see the extra room and the restaurant receipts?"

  Benford quieted. He shook his head, looking away, a weak denial.

  Now she recalled eating at Shoney's the first morning, and the dinner at the Denny's in Pinole, and the saloon in town—idly, she stood by the front doors, bored, wondering why it was taking so long to settle the bill at the cashier counter. He'd split the checks. He was paying twice, one for her, one for him.

  "You paid for me out of your own pocket, didn't you?" It wasn't much, but it was more than she could afford.

  He stared up at her with cool dread. "Whatever you're going to do here, Ruby, do it fast and get out. This CHP thing is going to start a minor war." He motioned toward the house with his chin. "These Jefferson folk are itching for a fight and now they have an excuse for one." He put the car in gear. "You take care."

  He let the Ford roll backwards gently, then heaved the car forward in a tight circle and guided it down the hill toward the property gate. When the front wheels reached the asphalt of Highway 4, a hand emerged from the open window and waved. Tan dust settling around her, she called out, You take care too! and waved in return.

  Twenty-eight

  Alice arrived at lunchtime. She emptied Kyle's colostomy bag, scrubbed him down with two wet washcloths from neck to foot, and changed his bedding. Ruby remained on the other side of the room while Alice performed her duties. She made mental notes with each step, thinking it would be enough to take over. She knew it was not enough, though. She was going to have to get in beside Alice and watch every detail up close.

  For her part, Alice was incurious of Ruby's presence, all but ignoring her as she went through her routine. Alice chatted idly while performing her duties, sharing news of people in town.

  "Roger is closing the doors for good," she told Kyle.

  "Really. Why?"

  "Time to retire. He told May he's moving to Oregon to be closer to his grandchildren."

  "Good for him. How's Samantha doing?"

  "She emails every week with her love." Alice shook her head. "You know the Norrises up the way? Their son Bill was killed. It beat them up."

  "I'm sorry to hear that."

  Ruby couldn't help but ask. "Who killed him?"

  They looked at her blankly. "Bill was serving abroad," Kyle said. He nodded at Alice. "So is Samantha, Alice's daughter."

  "Oh," Ruby said, feeling flushed. She realized she didn't know a single person serving in the military. Or, for that matter, anyone with relatives serving either. Kyle mentioned the name of the country Bill was killed in. Ruby knew it was in the Middle East, but she couldn't have found it on a map. She wasn't even sure why the American military was there. Something to do with terrorism, she thought.

  After changing the bed sheets, Kyle asked Alice if she could drive Henry to school when she returned to Angels Camp. Kyle had excused Henry from classes that morning for the examination. Alice went to the foot of the stairs to call for Henry. Kyle asked to speak with her first.

  "Alice, you know I think the world of you," he said. "Unfortunately, things have changed with us financially. I have to give you a two-week notice."

  "I'm sorry to hear that." Alice glared at Ruby on the other side of the room. "I do hope you'll be able to find someone to provide the care you need."

  "It's been arranged," he said. "For the remainder of your time, I'd like for you to work with Cynthia here so she can pick up where you leave off."

  "Certainly," Alice said.

  "I wish it didn't have to come to this," he said. "I'm happy to be a reference for you." He added, slightly under his breath, "If my good name is still worth anything in this town."

  "You needn't worry about none of that."

  Alice cocked her head and yelled Henry's name with the force of a klaxon. She gathered her purse and nurse's bag from the side table.

  Ruby walked Alice and Henry out the front door with a gentle guiding hand on Henry's back. Alice drove a beat-up light-blue Chevrolet truck parked on the dirt away from the front stoop. She told Henry to wait in the cab. When he closed the door, she turned to Ruby.

  "I'll work with you, but I don't care for you," she said. "I know what happened today. You and your doctor friend took needed money out of the pocket of an honest, hardworking man who is in the worst bind a man could find himself in."

  Ruby wanted Alice to like her. It would make her first two weeks in the house that much easier if she could get along with Alice. But years of living within the cracks had taught Ruby how to deal with rude and bossy people. She'd learned that an offense is often the best defense.

  "So you have no problem eavesdropping, then."

  "When it comes to the well-being of Kyle and Henry Weymouth, you are correct."

  "I didn't take anything away from Kyle and Henry," Ruby said. "If we didn't examine him, the Abney family would have hired another doctor to do it. A doctor less ethical than Dr. Benford."

  "Ethics," Alice said crisply. "So that's how you think of yourself."

  Stung, Ruby needed a moment. "I volunteered to provide care for Henry and Kyle. I'm doing it free of charge. That counts for something."

  Alice stood nearly a foot shorter than Ruby, a wide woman with robust hips and a voluminous chest and a no-nonsense scrunched face.

  "I'll tell you what counts," Alice said. "A Hagar thinking she can tra-la-la into town like she's one of us." From deep in her throat came a nuh-uh-uh. "I don't know what you're up to here, missy, but this is a Christian home and a respectable family, and don't you forget it."

  She stared at Ruby, waiting for an answer.

  "I won't make a phone call," Alice said to her softly. "Not as long as you're taking care of Kyle and Henry here. They need someone to lend a hand through this trying time. But when your work here is done, you head back to California, missy. Hagars have no place here."

  She marched to the truck with keys jangling in hand. Henry stared back from the passenger's seat with a blank, gaunt expression. Ruby could only pray he'd heard none of their conversation through the windows.

  Twenty-nine

  She returned to find Kyle dozing. The morning's events had taken something out of Ruby as well. From the kitchen's meager supplies, she produced a bowl of corn flakes, which she consumed ravenously with a soup spoon. She sliced up a bruised Red Delicious apple, salted the quarters, and ate them not quite as ravenously.

  At some point after Dr. Benford left, Kyle had reiterated to Ruby she was to use the master bedroom upstairs. She hauled her army surplus backpack up the stairs. The second floor consisted of three rooms, the two bedrooms, and a narrow hallway bathroom between them. It warmed her to know she would be sleeping just a few feet from Henry. He's grown into a fine young man, she thought. He resembled his bridge mother, although in her memories, Cynthia was taller than Henry. He looked so much like her grandfather Barry, his namesake before the Weymouths adopted him.

  The house was shoddily built. Ruby could see and feel the cheapjack construction. The stair railing did not feel firmly attached to the plasterboard wall. It rocked in its mounts every time she put any weight on it. The carpeting was balding in trafficked spots. A thin stripe of wear ran down the center of the stairs, revealing the foam underlayment. The door handle to the master bedroom was loose. It felt like she could push the knob through its hole and reach her hand inside.

  A waft of pent-up stuffy air escaped when she opened the door, as though the master bedroom was heaving a sigh of relief. Her eyes needed a moment to adjust
to the dim light inside. A king-sized bed filled most of the room. She crossed to a set of full-length curtains on the far wall. They covered a sliding glass door leading to a patio balcony and a humbling view of the Sierra Nevada. The towering mountains practically sprouted from just beyond the rear of the property line and accelerated toward the heavens. A tight weave of royal green and golden-red trees covered the mountains to the white caps of year-round snow high above.

  She gingerly set her backpack on the bed's thick, downy comforter, which she imagined was entirely unnecessary in the heat they were now experiencing. Over the bed's headboard was a framed panoramic photograph blown up to four feet wide. She could not be certain, but it looked like it was taken at a summit of one of those mountains dwarfing the house. She could not get close to it without standing on the bed, so she leaned across the pillows to study it. She imagined she might find in the photograph the house she was standing in now, a pinpoint of white stucco and brown shingle among a tan bed of packed dirt.

  Out of nowhere, she realized why Cynthia looked taller than Henry. The last time she'd seen Cynthia, she was thirteen years old. Cynthia was erect and muscular, wide-necked and deep-voiced. In her last years, she held herself like a football quarterback. She developed an Adam's apple in the last few months of her pregnancy, as most bridge daughters did when carrying a male child. The two lived in symbiosis, sharing their genes and so much more.

  But Ruby grew into adulthood while her sister died, forever thirteen. Now the adult Ruby looked down to Henry rather than up to Cynthia. Every memory of Cynthia was looking up to her.

  Ruby crossed to the bedroom's attached bathroom. His and her sinks were installed in the vanity before a wall mirror. Toiletries and toothbrushes and shaving gear surrounded one of the vanities. Everything was neatly in its place. The second sink was clear and clean. She unstoppered one of the bottles of aftershave and waved it beneath her nose. A rich scent of oak and nutty spices greeted her.