Love Calling

by Janet Lee Barton

  “He’s been through a lot. He’s lost a wife and—”

  “And you think that’s going to make him become corrupt?” Esther asked.

  “No. I just. . .it might make him susceptible to people pretending to be his friend and convincing him to—”

  “Emma, that sounds like something out of a dime novel,” Grace, an avid reader, said. “You know he’s more sensible than that.”

  Emma hoped so. Still, she had such a bad feeling about policemen. She’d seen how they treated the people they were supposed to protect and had read too many stories about them being crooked. She just couldn’t stand the fact that Sam had become one of them now. But she knew none of that was going to change Grace’s and Esther’s minds about it all. “I hope he is.”

  “What we really need to do is pray for his safety,” Esther pointed out.

  Emma’s heart tightened in her chest at the truth in her cousin’s words. If he were the kind of policeman he claimed to be, then he could be in danger. There was no way that Commissioner Roosevelt could have gotten rid of all the corrupt cops in his department while he was there—he hadn’t had enough time.

  “You’re right, Esther. We do need to keep him in our prayers,” Emma said. For all kinds of reasons.

  And she sent up a silent prayer right then and there. Oh dear Lord, please forgive me for being so rude to Sam. I’m still so disturbed about his decision, even more now that I realize the risks for him either way. Please keep him safe. He is dear to our hearts, and we don’t want anything bad to happen to him. Please let him be the kind of man we’ve always thought him to be. Please keep him from harm. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

  Mrs. Holloway came back downstairs and joined them. “I asked Jones to bring us some tea. There are a few details I’d like to go over with you pertaining to the wedding, Esther, if you have time.”

  “Of course I have time. I can’t thank you enough for doing most of this for us. With Andrew’s mother in Boston and both of us working, I don’t know how we’d be ready for a December wedding without your help.”

  “You probably mean without my taking over,” Mrs. Holloway teased. “But I’m glad you don’t mind.”

  “I do have some studying to do,” Grace said. “I’ll excuse myself, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, dear, we’ll just miss your company. But we don’t want your grades to suffer because of us,” Mrs. Holloway said.

  “I’ll see you in the morning, then,” Grace said. But she turned back just as she reached the door. “Thank you for inviting Sam to dinner. I think he needs friends right now.”

  Emma didn’t miss the look her little sister shot her. He did need friends; there was no denying that. He’d lost a wife, after all. And he didn’t have Mrs. Holloway. At least, he hadn’t had her before now. But Emma was sure that now that she’d met him and knew he was a friend of theirs, she would always welcome him into her home.

  “He seems to be a very nice young man. I’m glad he found you all. And he is more than welcome here anytime. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of him.”

  “Perhaps. If Emma didn’t make him want to stay away by her attitude,” Grace said.

  “Oh, I think he’s man enough to overlook a temporary lapse in manners,” Mrs. Holloway said.

  Emma felt even worse. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Holloway. I truly didn’t mean to appear to be rude.”

  “I know that, dear. You’ve never been rude to anyone to my knowledge. And I prefer to put tonight’s episode down to worry about your friend. But I think he’ll be able to handle whatever comes his way. He’s already dealt with a lot in his lifetime. Losing his parents and then his wife.”

  Mrs. Holloway’s words pricked her heart. Sam had been through a terrible time, and he’d searched them out, and—there was no denying it—she’d been awful.

  Emma felt like crawling into a hole. And she would have, if one were near.

  ❧

  Sam went to church the next morning feeling a bit unsettled. He’d enjoyed the evening at Mrs. Holloway’s a great deal, but there was no denying that Emma was deeply unhappy with his decision to become a policeman.

  He couldn’t really blame her. For most of his life, he’d detested policemen, too. Had no respect for the ones he knew and really didn’t believe there was a good one in the lot of them.

  But when the opportunity to become one and try to change the department for the better came to him, he’d had to do some real soul-searching. Did he want to make a difference in the city or did he just want to complain?

  That’s how his father-in-law, William Brisbane, had put it to him, and Sam was still grateful to the man for his plain talk and his love. When Sam had had to leave the orphanage, he’d felt adrift and alone, looking for a place to belong. He’d been working as a delivery boy at the grocery store William owned, and the man had invited him to church.

  Sam went, and Mr. Brisbane’s wife had asked him to come home to Sunday dinner with them. It was there he fell in love with their daughter, Ann. He’d been going to church with them ever since.

  They’d become the parents Sam needed, stepping in for those Sam couldn’t even remember, and were still a major part of his life even after Ann’s death. They’d all lost the woman they loved and had a bond that would stay with them forever.

  Now Mr. and Mrs. Brisbane smiled at him as he slid into the pew and took a seat beside William.

  “Good morning, son. We were about to think you weren’t going to make it. Thought maybe today was the first day on your new beat.”

  “No, I start tomorrow,” Sam whispered back.

  “Good. You can have Sunday dinner with us,” Margaret Brisbane leaned forward to say.

  Sam nodded just as the service got under way. He loved these two people and knew they were there for him, and always would be. But it wasn’t always easy to be around them. Sometimes it brought back too many memories of Ann, and there were times he made excuses and times he was actually glad he could say no because of work. But he didn’t want to hurt them, nor the relationship he had with them. So most times he went whenever he was invited. He supposed they all went through the same feelings. Being connected to each other because of Ann and yet saddened to the depth of their hearts that she wasn’t there.

  But things had become a bit easier once they’d gotten through with all the firsts. The first Thanksgiving and Christmas without her, and seeing the New Year in, were the loneliest holidays he’d ever spent. And then, there was Ann’s birthday, their wedding anniversary. . .and that of her death.

  Those had been such painful days. And Sam had decided that he never again wanted to go through that kind of hurt. He never intended to fall in love again. He couldn’t bear to lose anyone else he loved.

  Now he tried to concentrate on the sermon. It was from Isaiah and about forgetting the former things and not dwelling on the past. As the preacher put it, one should look to the future and not to the past, get on with one’s life instead of living in the past.

  But Sam didn’t want to forget Ann. And maybe that was what was bothering him now. Her face was beginning to dim, and if not for the photograph taken on their wedding day, he was afraid he’d forget what she’d looked like. And he hadn’t stopped thinking about Emma since last night. Not that he was attracted to her or anything like that—but that he’d disappointed her.

  Whatever it was, somehow he felt disloyal to his wife for spending so much time thinking about another woman. But how could he be? Ann wasn’t here anymore.

  “Son? Sam? Are you all right?”

  Sam was standing but didn’t remember doing it. Evidently he’d sung the last song and bowed for the prayer, but he couldn’t remember any of it. Oh dear Lord, please forgive me. For being distracted, for—

  “Sam!” Mr. Brisbane nudged his shoulder.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Will. I’m afraid I was distracted.”

  “It’s all right, son. I get that way, too, sometimes. I’m sure the good Lord will forgive us. L
ong as we don’t make a habit of it and don’t forget to ask Him to.”

  “Yes sir. I hope so.”

  Mr. Brisbane slapped him on the back. “Let’s go. Margaret put a nice roast on early this morning, and I’m sure it’s going to make our mouths water soon as we walk in the door.”

  “I made your favorite pie, too, Sam,” Mrs. Brisbane said.

  “You did? Cherry?”

  “Yes. And I’ve got some homemade ice cream to go with it.”

  Besides Mrs. Robertson, this woman was the closest thing to a mother he’d ever had. He couldn’t really remember the woman who’d given him birth—and he loved his mother-in-law. He certainly didn’t want to put a damper on her day or her effort to please him. “Let’s get going, then.”

  They were midway through one of the best meals Sam had ever eaten when William cleared his throat. “Sam, Margaret and I. . .well, we’ve been talking, and we feel it’s time we told you. . .”

  “What is it, William? Is something wrong?”

  “Oh no, Sam. It’s nothing like that. Just something we want you to know so that you don’t ever have to worry about it,” Margaret said.

  Relief surged through Sam. He loved these two people and never wanted to hurt them.

  “We just want you to know that, if you should ever become interested in another woman, want to remarry—”

  “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, William. I don’t see myself ever remarrying. I can’t even. . .” Sam began to shake his head.

  “Son, we aren’t worried about it. We just want you to know that should you find someone who can change your mind and you decide to remarry, we’ll be happy for you. Ann wouldn’t want you to live the rest of your life alone. We know that and deep down, so do you. We’d just love to still be part of your life if that happens, and we’ll welcome anyone you fall in love with to this home.”

  Sam closed his eyes against the sudden sting behind them. “Thank you. I can’t imagine it ever happening, but if it ever does, she’ll have to accept the two of you as my family. You’re the only parents I have.”

  William nodded. “And you’re the only child we have left.”

  Margaret jumped up from the table. “I’ll go get that pie now.”

  But Sam could tell she was wiping her eyes as she headed for the kitchen. He truly was blessed to be loved by these two people.

  four

  “Operator? Operator, are you there?”

  “Yes ma’am, what may I do for you?” Emma recognized the voice on the other end of the line and cringed. Mrs. Alma Vaughn always had a complaint of some kind.

  “What took you so long?”

  “I’m sorry, I was connecting another line.”

  “Humph! Well, connect me with the Harry Cannon home, please. I need to speak to Mrs. Cannon.”

  “Yes ma’am. Right away,” Emma said, plugging Mrs. Vaughn’s line into that of Mrs. Cannon. She waited only until the connection had been made to turn her attention to the next caller. There were conversations she wouldn’t mind listening in on, some she couldn’t help but hear, but she went to great lengths not to stay on the line any longer than necessary when it was Mrs. Vaughn. She’d heard tales about her reporting an operator for eavesdropping, and Emma wasn’t about to let it happen to her. Not if she could help it.

  As always, the day seemed to fly by, and Emma was happy when quitting time came around. Her relief was a young man named Harold, and Emma handed him her headset and quickly vacated the seat so that he could answer an incoming call.

  They’d never really talked and only nodded to each other most days. Several other operators left the same time she did but went their separate ways as soon as they left the building. Emma and one other girl, Mary White, caught the same trolley for part of the way home.

  “It was really busy today, wasn’t it?” Mary asked.

  “It was. I had a lot of requests to connect to the Waldorf.”

  “I believe the Astors are having a ball there this weekend,” Mary said.

  “Yes, some kind of charity event, I believe. At least I thought I saw something in Sunday’s paper about it.” Emma usually checked the society page every day. Their callers all seemed to think they should know everything that went on in this city.

  “Judging from all the comments I heard today, it’s big, and everyone who is someone in this city is expected to show up.”

  Emma laughed. “That certainly doesn’t include us, does it?”

  “No, I don’t believe it does. But I will certainly be reading Sunday’s paper to hear all about it.”

  “Yes, so will I,” Emma said. She was already living a life she never dreamed of having. She truly had no desire to be any wealthier than she felt right now.

  Their trolley came to a stop, and Mary got up to catch the next one that would take her home. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a nice evening.”

  “You, too, Mary,” Emma said.

  Another person took Mary’s seat on the trolley, and Emma was glad to have the window seat. All day Sunday she’d wondered if Sam would show up again after her rudeness on Saturday. But if he didn’t, then surely she’d run into him sooner or later. He did patrol their neighborhood, after all.

  She looked out both sides of the trolley as it came closer to her stop, wondering if she might catch a glimpse of him. But she wasn’t prepared for it when she actually did see him.

  Sam was standing at the trolley stop, talking to some young men. But as the trolley came to a stop, he said a few words to them and then turned just as she stepped off the trolley. His smile reached into the depths of her heart and eased the tightness she’d felt since being so rude to him on Saturday.

  “Good afternoon, Emma.”

  “How are you today, Sam? This is your first day in the neighborhood, isn’t it?” He looked tall and handsome in his police uniform.

  “It is. I wondered if you might be on this trolley. Since this is part of the area I patrol, I’m trying to get familiar with the people that get on and off at different times of the day.”

  “Oh.” Any thought that he might have only been waiting for her dissipated as quickly as it’d come.

  He shrugged and began walking along with her. “It makes it easier to get to know the people who actually live in the neighborhood.”

  “So, you’ll visit each stop?”

  “At some point, yes.”

  “It’s not just you patrolling this area, is it?”

  Sam chuckled. “Of course not. One man couldn’t cover it all. But we all have to get to know the whole area over time. The men I’m working with already know it pretty well, and they’ve been helping me a lot today.”

  “I hope they—”

  “Emma, they’re good men. They really are. Things are going to change. You’ll see.”

  “I hope so. And, Sam?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t more supportive the other night.”

  “It’s all right, Emma. I understand why you feel the way you do. I just pray that over time you’ll be able to trust the department.”

  Emma wasn’t sure that would ever happen, but she would pray that it would.

  “Mrs. Holloway said you are welcome anytime, so don’t make a stranger of yourself,” Emma said. The best way to keep an eye on Sam would be to have him around often.

  “I won’t. I want an invitation to Esther’s wedding.” He grinned.

  “I’ll be sure to tell her.”

  “It’s easy to see that Dr. Radcliff is very much in love with her.”

  “Oh, he is. And the same can be said about Esther toward him. They are a good match for each other.”

  “They seem to be.” Sam turned quiet, and Emma wondered if she’d brought up sad memories for him. “I’m happy for all of you that Mrs. Holloway stepped into your lives.”

  “Oh, so are we. We do know how fortunate we are and never want to take her or what she’s given us for granted. If not for her, I’d probably be living at th
e YWCA and Grace would still be at the orphanage. Oh, we know she would have been all right with Mrs. Robertson, but leaving her would have torn my heart out.”

  Sam nodded. “I can understand that, and I’m thankful that you didn’t have to.”

  “Grace is thriving. She loves Mrs. Holloway, and the school she goes to, and has made some new friends. But she still likes to visit her friends at the orphanage, and I think that’s a good idea.”

  “It is, for all kinds of reasons. It will give the others hope that they can have a good life, too. It will let them know that you haven’t forgotten them and that you still care about them. And it will keep you all—”

  Sam broke off, but Emma thought she knew what he’d been about to say. “Keep us humble? If so, you’re right, it will. We promised each other when Mrs. Holloway first took us in that we wouldn’t let ourselves get so used to the new lifestyle that we would forget where we came from.”

  “I really wasn’t worried that you would, but I’m glad you are as down to earth as always.” Sam grinned. “I did miss you all, and now I wish that I’d been better about visiting the orphanage after I left. I think I might check with Mrs. Robertson and see if there are any boys that need some extra attention and guidance from a man. It would have been nice to have one to turn to when I was there. Oh, we did have men teachers at school, but they didn’t really put forth much of an effort with us. I’d like to take at least a day or two a week to spend some time with the boys at the orphanage.”

  “That is a good idea, Sam. I’m sure most of the boys there would benefit from having you to talk to. I’d never really thought about it, but it must have been very difficult growing up without a man to turn to at times.” It had to be more than difficult. . .there had to be questions a boy would want to ask someone besides a woman. “How—whom did you talk to when you needed to talk to a man?”

  Sam shrugged. “We mostly talked to each other and put what little knowledge we had together. And some of the older boys did try to be there for the ones coming up. But they’d never been out on their own, never had to find a job or make a living yet. And I guess by the time they did, they were too busy to realize we still needed to talk. I can’t really blame them. I did the very same thing.”