East of the Sun: a 20th century inspirational romance.

by Hope Franke Strauss

  “No improvements. They say that can’t happen. It’s a big adjustment, but we’re starting to get used to each other. Sophie’s struggling a bit, but that’s to be expected, I guess. I put her in preschool hoping it will help her adjust to…”

  “More wine?”

  “Uh, no I’m okay.”

  “C’mon, live a little. There’s lots.” He filled Eden’s glass again. “Have I told you how lovely you are? Oh I have, that’s right, but let me say it again. You’re beautiful!”

  He spoke loudly, and Eden vacillated between being flattered and embarrassed. She noted that Justin had drank a lot since she arrived, and wondered how many glasses of wine he’d indulged in before she got there.

  “I guess I should ask what happened between you and lover boy.” He smiled seductively. “You two sure were a hot item in school. All the guys were envious. I know I sure was.”

  Suddenly Eden felt protective of Cade “Cade was good to me. It’s just I think we were too young. We don’t really have much in common.”

  “You mean when the hormonal activity died down. Gotcha.” Justin nodded and winked.

  Eden felt uncomfortable with his sudden change in demeanour and a little offended. “Maybe we should order coffee?”

  “Nah. We still have half a bottle.”

  “We either order coffee, or I’m leaving early.”

  “Okay, whoa, slow down. I’m sorry. I know I’ve had a bit too much to drink.” He was starting to slur his words. “We’ll order coffee. Eden, you’re so beautiful.”

  His compliment had lost its power. Eden stayed for two cups of coffee, but she still wasn’t sure that Justin was okay to drive.

  “I’m calling you a cab.”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Better to be safe than sorry.”

  She asked the waitress to call for her, and then waited in the lobby. Justin draped his arm over her shoulder and leaned heavily on her.

  “What about my car?” he asked sloppily.

  “You can get it in the morning.”

  The taxi arrived in good time. “Goodnight, gorgeous,” Justin said. He bent down to kiss her, but Eden turned her head so his lips landed on her cheek instead of her mouth. He gave her a surprised look, but she just smiled and opened the door to the back seat of the cab.

  “Goodnight,” she said, as Justin got in and closed the door.

  Eden wasn’t sleepy after she got home, but she didn’t feel like confiding in Marti about her date so soon after the fact. She had mixed emotions about what transpired.

  Marti was yawning heavily and left without asking too many questions. Eden curled up in her chair, thoughtful. Justin had been fun until he started in on Cade. She supposed she shouldn’t blame him for being curious though. He’d just had too much to drink. That was all. Next time would be better. Assuming there was a next time.

  Her fingers tapped her lips, and she wondered if she’d ever get used to kissing him.

  A creak on the stairs brought Eden to attention. Eleanor was coming down, her hand gripping the rail as she carefully navigated the steps. Her nocturnal wanderings had increased of late. She rarely slept through the night anymore. It was worse than having a baby. At least a baby stayed in the crib.

  “Mom. It’s not morning. Go back to bed.”

  Hearing Eden’s voice, Eleanor walked to the couch and sat down. Then she did something that made Eden’s hair stand on end. She spotted Sophie’s dolly tucked underneath a cushion, picked it up and stuffed it under her pyjama top as if to nurse it. Rocking back and forth, she patted the doll’s bottom.

  “There now, don’t cry. Mommy will feed you. Daddy will be home soon. He will make us both smile again. Hush, hush, sweet one.”

  14

  Eden

  Eleanor’s hip was troubling her and Eden thought she should be seen by the doctor, so she sent her upstairs to get dressed after breakfast. Eden should have known better than to expect Eleanor to dress normally. When she came down, she had her dress on over nightgown and her bra on top of that.

  “Mom, you can’t go to the doctor looking like that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because people can see your bra. It’s not socially acceptable.”

  Eden led her back up the stairs as she continued to lecture her. “The bra goes on underneath, Mom.” She helped her mother take off the outer bra, removed her dress and nightgown and discovered that Eleanor had a second bra on the appropriate way. Satisfied with that, she helped her get her dress back on. Eleanor insisted on applying her own make-up and Eden resigned. She’d just have to swallow her pride and ignore the fact that her mother looked like a clown.

  There was a large fish tank in Dr. Chan’s office, the occupants of which entertained Eleanor until her named was called. She didn’t want to leave the fish tank.

  “I want to watch them.”

  “Another, time,” Eden said with a low voice, conscious of the eyes of the other patients watching.

  “Joshua’s a fisherman.”

  “I know, Mom. Let’s go now. The doctor’s waiting.”

  One more tug on the arm, and Eleanor gave in. Eden didn’t know why they made you wait in the waiting room, and then again in the examination room. There was nothing in the small room to occupy her mother’s attention.

  “Where’s my purse?” Eleanor demanded.

  “You’re holding it.”

  “Oh.” She began to rummage through it. “Did you take my money?”

  “No.”

  Eleanor continued to rummage through her bag, throwing old Kleenex and candy wrappers on the floor.

  “Mom, there’s a garbage can right there,” Eden said, pointing to the can in the corner. She swooped down to pick up the mess.

  “I can do it,” Eleanor insisted, trying to stand and then buckling from the pain.

  “I’ll help.”

  “No,” Eleanor insisted, “It’s mine.”

  When Dr. Chan entered the room, she caught two grown adults fighting over who would pick up the garbage. It was only ten o’clock in the morning, and Eden was already spent.

  “So, who’s the patient today?” Dr. Chan smiled.

  “Is it that hard to tell?”

  “You know Eden, you can get help.”

  “Yeah, those numbers you gave me. I’ll call.”

  “Promise?”

  “Okay.”

  “What can I do for you today, Mrs. Emerson?”

  Eleanor leaned over to speak into the doctor’s ear. “She’s stealing from me.”.

  “That’s not true.”

  “It’s okay, Eden. Uncharacteristic paranoia is a typical symptom of Alzheimer disease.”

  “She’s limping.”

  “Let me help you onto the table, Mrs. Emerson.”

  “Okay, but I won’t take my clothes off. Lillian makes me take a bath all the time. She’s always harping on me to take my clothes off. ‘Take this off, put this on.’” Eden couldn’t believe her mother was mimicking her.

  “That’s okay, Mrs. Emerson. You can keep your clothes on. Now, does this hurt?”

  When Dr. Chan finished her examination, she turned to me. “Her joints are inflamed. We can take x-rays to determine the extent, but I’m certain it’s arthritis.”

  “What can be done?”

  “I’ll give her a prescription.”

  “She won’t take pills.”

  “Crush them up and put them in juice.”

  “Tried that. Doesn’t work.”

  “Try chocolate milk. And she should use a cane. You can buy one at the pharmacy on the first floor of this building.”

  They walked out of the building with the prescription and a cane in hand. Eden’s hand. Eleanor refused to use the cane and instead clung heavily to Eden’s arm.

  The phone rang just as Eden was unlocking the front door. She ran into the kitchen and answered with a breathy hello.

  It was the clerk from hospital administration, informing Eden that Lillian’s co
ndition had stabilised. “She’ll be discharged soon. She’s still fully paralysed on the left side and doesn’t speak. She needs to be moved into a high-care nursing facility.”

  “I see,” Eden said. It appeared that this would be her responsibility as well. Since Aunt Lillian had never married or had any children, Eden was her closest, cognitive, living relative. She asked for a recommendation and was given a name and number.

  “I’ll look into it,” Eden said. “When does she need to be out by?”

  “The end of the week.”

  Eden gulped. That gave her three days.

  She made chocolate milk in a blender and added the prescribed pills, blending until they had disappeared. She added a straw and handed the drink to her mother. Thankfully, she happily accepted it. Eden settled Eleanor down in front of the television to watch seventies re-runs. Then she called the manager of the apartment complex where Aunt Lillian had been living.

  A gruff, older voice answered after five rings.

  “Hello, my name is Eden Kelley. I’m calling about my Aunt, Lillian Emerson? She’s been in the hospital.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Is she okay?” His voice softened.

  “Well, she’s still alive, but she won’t be able to move back into her apartment.”

  “Ah, that’s too bad. She’s a really good tenant. You know, we get some real losers, eh? She’s been here longer than I have and I’ve been here twenty-five years.”

  “Wow. Well, does she happen to be up on the rent?” Eden crossed her fingers.

  “She owns her unit,” the man replied. “Most of the owners rent their units out and give me a cut to manage them. She was the only one who lived in her own unit. She and my wife were good friends, eh, before my wife died, that is.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. That was nine years ago.”

  “Do you mind if I come over and go through her things?”

  “Not at all. The name’s Harry, by the way.”

  Eden made plans to go over during Sophie’s next preschool session. Then she called the number of the nursing home. They said she should come right away. They had only one bed available and they went fast. She told them she’d be there in an hour.

  Eden hated the thought of bringing Eleanor along, but Marti was working, and there was no one else who could watch her. She called Tina Holsom. She had a son in the same class as Sophie, and Eden arranged for her to pick Sophie up and to watch her for the afternoon. She made a quick call to the school, notifying them of the change.

  “Mom, we have to go out again.” The TV was flashing images, but Eleanor was gone.

  “Mom!” Eden ran upstairs to Eleanor’s room. She was there, changing her clothes again. This time she wore a different dress, her slip on top, a skirt, her nightgown and a bra strung around her waist like a belt. She was bent over putting her nylons on over her slippers. Looked like the painkillers worked.

  “Mom, what are you doing? I told them we’d be there in an hour. You have to change!”

  “I’m ready.”

  “You can’t go like that! You have to change.”

  “No.”

  Eden didn’t have time to argue. She started to strip Eleanor down forcibly and Eleanor resisted with just as much determination. They wrestled on the bed, a shared moment of insanity, until Eden came to her senses. She picked herself up and left giving the door a good slam as she went. She felt as if there was a cord attached to her nervous system and that someone was tugging on it hard. Pretty soon she was going to snap.

  15

  Eleanor

  “HOW WAS work today, Pa?”

  John Williams cut off another piece of pork and forked it into his mouth. “The same,” he said without looking up.

  “Ma seems better today. Well, sort of,” Ellie said stiffly. It was too quiet in the kitchen. The scraping noise of knives scratching the plates made her edgy.

  John grunted in reply. Ellie played with her food, trying to draw the nerve to say what was on her mind.

  “I saw Joshua Emerson today.” She wanted it to sound like it was a chance meeting, but the truth was she’d been seeing Joshua everyday at school, hanging out during lunch. They’d become a couple in the eyes of their peers, and yesterday, they’d made it official. She blushed as she recalled their first kiss behind the gymnasium. The thrill of his lips on hers, the warmth of his flesh as his fingers stroked her chin. An electric current coursed through her as if it were happening now. She would relive it over and over, she was sure, and never tire of the memory.

  Her pa’s eyes darted up from his plate, and she worked at keeping a staid expression. “He asked me to go with him to our graduation.”

  “What for?” John asked. “I’ll take you.”

  “Of course you will be there, Pa. But Joshua wants me to go with him as his date.”

  John dropped his fork onto his plate with a clang. “No.”

  Ellie winced.“But, Pa?”

  Her pa growled, “You’re too young.”

  “I’m almost eighteen.”

  “Ellie, you are very naïve. Boys are only after one thing. Next thing you know, you’re a girl in trouble.”

  “Pa! It’s my graduation! I’ll be the only girl without a date.”

  “You don’t need a date to shake the principal’s hand.” John stood up, pushing his chair away from the table. “The answer is no. End of discussion.” He walked out of the house and let the door slam.

  Ellie lowered her head, wiping tears off her cheeks. She couldn’t believe how unreasonable her father was. And after all she’d done for him, caring for Ma, doing all the chores around the house, cooking his meals. He just didn’t want to lose his maid service. That was all she was to him. Not a daughter, a maid!

  Ellie collapsed on the sofa and cried into a pillow, muffling her sobs, so she wouldn’t wake Ma. Her mother slept a lot these days. She may not even be strong enough to make it to her graduation ceremonies. Wasn’t that bad enough, without Pa having to rob her of any joy she might have during the occasion?

  Well, he could suffer. She’d play the part of his maid, but she wouldn’t let him steal all her fun. She would see Joshua. Pa needn’t know. That was right. Pa worked all day and went to bed early at night. She could sneak in and out. Pa would never know the difference.

  Ellie pulled herself together. She made a pot of tea like she did every night, taking a cup up to her mother and leaving the rest for Pa. Sitting by Ma’s bed she heard her pa enter the house. She could hear him go through his nightly routine. Ma didn’t awaken to drink her tea, so Ellie took it back down to the kitchen, and said a stiff goodnight to her father. Instead of changing into her night clothes, she climbed under the covers in her blouse and skirt, pulling the sheets up under her chin. Finally, the house lights were extinguished and all was quiet.

  Ellie slipped out of bed, inched up the bedroom window and shimmied out onto the gable. She descended the tree outside her room with little effort—she’d climbed the tree hundreds of times as a child—although it was awkward in a skirt. Her pulse shot like a rocket, blasting a warm crimson flush across her face. She’d never done anything so defiant before in her life. She half expected her father to stick his head out her window any minute and catch her in the act of escaping.

  She waited a moment before running off down the road toward the Emerson place.

  Joshua was out back in the garage, a wooden structure set behind the house that could use a coat of paint. A bare light bulb hung from an electric cord in the middle of the dark, grease-ridden room. He was polishing the family car.

  “Josh?”

  He pulled back, startled. “Ellie? What’ya doing here?”

  “I needed to see you.”

  “What’s wrong?” Joshua wiped his hands on a rag, searching her eyes for an answer. He gently wiped away a stray tear.

  “It’s Pa. He says I can’t see you. Ever.”

  He frowned. “But why?”

  “He says I’m too young
, but I know the real reason. He doesn’t want to lose his maid! I do everything for him, you know, and care for Ma, too. He’s using me. He doesn’t care about my happiness!”

  “Oh, Ellie.” Josh pulled her close and held her tight. Ellie felt so safe and loved in his strong arms. The warmth of his body stirred her. She knew that Josh loved her. Pa didn’t love her at all.

  “But Joshua, I decided I’m gonna see you anyway. I’m almost eighteen. I’m old enough to make my own decisions about my life. I don’t need Pa’s permission.”

  Josh ducked to peer into her eyes. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to get into trouble with your pa over me.”

  “He won’t know, so he’ll be happy and I’ll be happy. I can’t be happy without you, Joshua.”

  She shuddered when Josh whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Ellie closed her eyes, shutting out the pain, and let her lips meet his. Their kisses were more urgent than ever before. No one and nothing could stop them from loving each other. Ellie’s breath caught in her throat as Josh’s hands moved lower down her back, onto her waist and a little beyond. She traced her fingers along his spine and a groan escaped his lips.

  “Ellie,” his voice sounded pained. “I need to take you home now.”

  She swallowed and pulled herself free. A simple kiss was like a spark that could set off a keg of dynamite. They had to be careful. They walked hand in hand, lovers in the moonlight, discussing their situation and what to do. When they reached her house, they stood under the tree near her bedroom window for one last kiss. “Goodnight, Ellie,” he whispered.

  “Goodnight.”

  When he turned to go, Ellie scooted back up the tree and through the window. She stood still in the darkness of her room listening for footsteps down the hall. All was silent. Breath escaped her with a sudden giddy joy as she plopped onto her soft mattress. Surely she would never fall asleep. Josh had declared his love! And she loved him, she did! With all her might.

  And they now had a secret! They would meet in the grove between their properties every other night.