Blond, Black, and Blue

by Ruth Temple Taul

  “Oh, yes, I know lots of good puppy names, ”she said and crawled up into Daniel’s lap.

  “You know Sweetie, I’m glad I ran into you today. I did not know how I was going to get names for those puppies,” Daniel said worriedly.

  “I bet you are glad we came to stay with Aunt Betty so we could help you,” Sarah inquired eagerly.

  “I do not know how I ever got along without you and I sure could not get along without my first mate, ”he said as he tousled Logan’s hair.

  When he had finished his drink he said, ”Thank you for the refreshments ladies, I had better get my sailboat home and docked. I’ll see you for the fish dinner tomorrow afternoon at five.” He saluted and said, “Fair weather tomorrow, first mate.”

  Logan returned the salute and said, “Aye, aye, Captain, I’ll walk you back to you ship now.”

  “Logan seems to have found a friend,” Betty said.

  “No, Aunt Betty, Mr. Daniel said he’s found two friends. He likes me too,” Sarah exclaimed.

  “Of course he does. It is because of you he’s coming to dinner tomorrow,” Caitlyn answered, then asked her Aunt, “How well do you know your neighbor?”

  “Not very well. I’ve seen him a couple of times at Ben’s store, but that is all before today. He certainly has charmed the children, ”Betty answered.

  “Yes he has, they were glowing.” Caitlyn said, then lamented, “They have needed masculine attention. Jessie could never find time for them. The poor things had to be absent and invisible”

  “You got some sun today it looks good on you,” Betty said, changing the subject. “After a day like this, we will all sleep soundly tonight.”

  They did sleep sound. When Betty woke up after eight feeling rejuvenated, seeing Caitlyn out by the lake, she joined her.

  It was such a beautiful day, the lake was so inviting, with just a soft wind making little ripples across it.

  Caitlyn was breathing great gulps of fresh air. It seemed to cleanse her mind and refresh her very soul. As she stood with her eyes closed the soft wind was caressing her face. It was all so calm and peaceful. She had given a little prayer of thanks for their safety.

  When she and Betty returned to the house, Logan had gotten up.

  “Mom, would you please make us a chocolate cake for tonight? It has been so long since we have had one,” he asked.

  “Yes my boy, I’ll be glad to. Do you want chocolate frosting too?” Caitlyn asked.

  “Would you, please? It is my very most favorite,” Logan answered with a wide smile.

  A shadow seemed to cross Logan’s face when he spoke again. “Mom, let us not ever go back to our old house. It was so unhappy there,” he added.

  “We are not going back darling, it was not only an unhappy place, it was dangerous. We will be staying with Aunt Betty at least until this school year is over. I have to get a job before long and when we move, we may have to live in a much smaller house than the one we had,” Caitlyn explained.

  “Mom, I would rather live in a box in the woods than go back there. My stomach used to hurt all the time,” Logan said sadly.

  “Logan, we may still have some trouble from Jessie, but we will never live there again. We are starting a new life and it will not always be a holiday like this week, but we will be safe, and happy, we will always be kind to each other. For now, let us have some breakfast then I will make my favorite man a chocolate cake,” Caitlyn promised happily.

  Betty was making pancakes while Sarah watched, when Caitlyn and Logan entered the kitchen.

  The children’s appetites had improved in the few days they had been at Betty’s, they ate heartily and seemed spirited again.

  After breakfast the children went outside to play with the dog. Caitlyn could hear their happy laughter and she thanked God again for Aunt Betty for getting away from a life of abuse.

  “I will start cooking, and that will get my mind on happier things,” she said to herself.

  First, Caitlyn made a cole slaw of finely shredded cabbage, carrots and sweet onions. Then a potato salad with garlic, black olives, celery, dill pickles and mayonnaise. These needed to be made early so the flavors would blend. Then she made her famous chocolate cake. She had a few tricks she did that made it so moist it melted in the mouth. She prepared the baked beans that would sit covered until an hour before the guests arrived, then baked to come out of the oven when the fish were fried. Betty would cook the fish and hushpuppies while the guests had a drink.

  When the children came in from play, they were hungry again. After feeding them, Caitlyn looked at the clock and she was astonished. The morning had gone by so quickly as she worked.

  After a light lunch, the children took their naps while Betty and Caitlyn sat on the porch swing and talked the time away.

  When Ben arrived, he had a bouquet of flowers. When Betty saw him she said, “I ought to take these flowers and beat him over the head with them. I have told the old fool I’m not interested.”

  Ben got around Betty by presenting the flowers to Sarah. She was so thrilled over them that Betty had to smile.

  “Look Mommy, Uncle Ben brought me flowers, does that mean he is my date?” she asked

  “Well, it means you are his favorite girl here. Let you and I go find a vase for them,” Caitlyn said.

  When Daniel joined the party, he had three half gallons of ice cream with a large box of cones.

  “I want to add to this holiday. No summer holiday is complete without ice cream cones,” Daniel stated happily.

  While the men visited, Betty fried the fish and hushpuppies. Caitlyn had her baked beans cooling on the stove. She put the cold food and drinks on the dining room table. while her aunt finished cooking.

  When Betty brought a big platter of golden brown fish, they called the men and children to dinner.

  Ben said a prayer for them then everyone began to feast on the delicious food that had filled the house with such fabulous aromas.

  “I caught a lot of these fish and Mommy helped,” Sarah boasted.

  Logan told them about his catch and the big one that got away. They were so proud of the fish they caught and the men agreed, this was the best fish they had ever eaten.

  “It is a good thing we caught these fish Uncle Ben. Aunt Betty was going to cook you a pan of worms,” Sarah said giggling.

  Betty was embarrassed, but Ben only said, ”You can not keep me off your mind can you sweetheart?” he pretended to twirl a make believe mustache.

  When they had dessert, Daniel was excited over the cake. “It is my favorite and I have never tasted one like this,” he complimented.

  After dinner, Ben, Betty, and Caitlyn watched from the front porch as Daniel played with the children and the dog with a frisbee. Later, Betty suggested a game of cards before the men went home.

  The children watched a Disney movie while they played. When Caitlyn won the game, she laughed aloud. Betty looked up in amazement. The girl had laughed! Betty had not realized how long it had been since she had heard Caitlyn laugh aloud. Betty had almost resigned herself to utter helplessness as far as getting Caitlyn to safety.

  She and Millie had cried more than once over the situation with their girls. When the police came to tell Millie her daughter Louise had been beaten to death, Betty stayed at her side for a month. This agony was something they had both endured. Betty had lived in fear of seeing the police at her own door with a similar message regarding Caitlyn. Now, here she was laughing happy and at peace.

  Betty looked up and Ben was watching her with such a loving look. Betties’ first reaction was impatience with him.

  ‘Does the old fool never give up,’ she thought as she dealt the cards again, with just a little too much vigor.

  “Say, Ben,” Daniel said, “I’m having a cookout Saturday at my place. These folks are coming, I wish you would too, just
do not bring me any flowers.”

  “No flowers, then yes, I would love to come. I’ll bring the sodas,” Ben said.

  “Do not bother to drive around,” Daniel said. “I’ll sail over for you about three o’clock then bring you back before dark. That is if my first mate will help me sail her.”

  “Oh, yes, I will help. I’ll watch the clouds or anything,” Logan said excitedly.

  “And, Sarah, I’m counting on you for help with those puppies,” Dan said seriously.

  “I’ll think up the prettiest names a puppy ever had. I love puppies, we were never allowed to have a pet. ” Sarah answered.

  “What may we bring?” asked Betty in an attempt to change the subject before Sarah could say too much more.

  “Would it be too much to ask for another of those delicious chocolate cakes?” he asked. “I’ve never eaten anything as good as that in my life,” he added.

  “We’ll be glad to bring one and we’ll all be looking forward to Saturday and the cookout.” Betty assured him.

  As the men left, Betty watched Ben leave and thought, ‘I’m starting to like the old fool, dammit!’

  Caitlyn did not feel comfortable around either of the men, but Daniel had made such a hit with the children she could not deny them the pleasure of his company. Especially so since he had Logan so happy and Sarah looking forward to puppies.

  Caitlyn asked Aunt Betty about the schools in the little town of Branford. She did not want Logan to have more difficulties.

  “Let us drive over there at lunch time tomorrow? We’ll go inside, meet the teachers, and find Logan’s room, maybe meet some of his schoolmates?” Betty said. “At least he will not be a complete stranger on Monday. After all that, we will let the children choose a restaurant for an early dinner. Who wants to choose?”

  Both children said, “I do, let me.”

  “Let us narrow it down. What is your favorite food?”

  “Spaghetti,” said Sarah.

  “Hamburgers,” said Logan.

  “The only solution I can come up with is for me to pick a restaurant that will have both of those,” Betty exclaimed. “I believe I know just the right one.”

  So they each had their favorite food, favorite drink, and favorite desert. They left the restaurant well pleased, a happy looking little group. The children were very excited and looking forward to tomorrow’s plans for sailing in Daniel’s boat and seeing the puppies.

  The next day at school, everything went better than they could have dreamed of. While Caitlyn was talking to the teachers, Logan made friends with three children who were playing together. Aunt Betty and Sarah were looking over the pre-kindergarten class. Sarah was so excited because she would come here next fall.

  When they left the school, Betty took them to a lovely park where there was a beautiful lake with swans floating majestically across the water as well as many different breeds of ducks.

  “Watch those happy children,” Betty said smiling, “I believe we’re getting enough happy time to fade their nightmare memories. They seem so carefree.”

  “Me too, Aunt Betty. Another week or two of living like this I will not even remember what Jessie looks like. I was such a wreck, as the bruises heal, so do my nerves. Why is it you know just what to do?” Caitlyn asked.

  “Remember me telling you Millie and I went to meetings together? It was a support group for families of abused women. The counselors had years of experiences, and we also learned from each other. I prayed a long time for the opportunity to use what I had learned and not waste it all on your funeral, as Millie had to do,” Betty explained.

  “Thank you for caring enough to do that Aunt Betty. I hope I can repay you somehow,” Caitlyn said humbly.

  “You repaid me everything when you left Jessie. When you’re in a marriage, the right thing to do is give it all you have to make it work. None of us like the stigma of a failed marriage. We all have hope of a situation getting better, that is life. There are some people like Jessie who take their frustrations out on their wife and have an urge to hurt someone that is so strong they will not fight it. There are hundreds of men in prison now who have crippled, or killed, their wives. Many wives have left their husbands and he would hunt them down when they wanted to beat someone again. It is a bad sickness and they need professional help. I do not think we’ve seen the last of Jessie. We will have to be cautious. Let us do everything possible to protect the children,” Aunt Betty said.

  “Speaking of children, here are ours running as though they’re frightened,” said Caitlyn.

  “Mommy! Mommy!” Sarah shouted. “Come see the baby ducks! They’re coming out of eggs!”

  “They really are Mom!” Logan said. “We want you and Aunt Betty to see them too!”

  For the next hour, they were absorbed in the wonder of hatching ducklings, with Mama Duck fussing, and quacking to let them know this was her territory and her babies, she was boss!

  Sarah screamed when one of the baby ducks followed Mama into the lake struggling and calling mama duck.

  “It will be drowned,” she shrieked, then got excited again when the baby began to swim. They watched until all the eggs were hatched and Mama duck had her babies following her all in a row.

  “Mommy, was not that the wonderfulest thing you ever saw?” exclaimed Sarah.

  “Yeah Mom, we would never see things like that in Boston,” Logan added.

  “Branford is just full of great surprises, now surprise me with some food,” Aunt Betty said jokingly. The restaurant Betty chose had something for everyone; each chose a delicious and hearty meal to their own liking.

  The restaurant also had strolling musicians. Betty and Logan urged Caitlyn to sing with them. She was reluctant at first, but when she started singing, Betty realized she still had the lovely voice she had as a teenager.

  Caitlyn got a good round of applause and even stood up to take a bow! She could not believe how wonderful it felt to hear the applause.

  It was easy to see how much using her talent meant to her. She was glowing and it made Betty happy to see Caitlyn smiling confidently.

  When they left the restaurant, Betty asked the children to come along with her to the drugstore. There she let them choose the type of game book they preferred.

  Sarah chose coloring books of Disney characters Logan chose two books on sailing and sailboats.

  Betty’s mind searched for everything she could find to make them forget the nightmares they had left behind.

  Betty had Millie coming over to give Caitlyn another massage this evening. She wanted her to feel at peace tomorrow when they went to the barbecue at Daniels’ house.

  When they arrived home, Millie was there and everyone was busy except Betty, so she decided to go sit on the pier and just meditate for awhile. The lake always soothed her when she was upset or tired, it was always a pleasure to just sit and watch. There was always a cool breeze. Often a bird was gliding overhead looking for some hapless fish. She could count on seeing fish jump, whether for food or just being playful, she never knew.

  She was watching an eagle floating around effortlessly and quietly, about a mile high when someone behind her said, “Hello beautiful!”

  She jumped, because she had not heard anyone come up, it was a man’s deep voice.

  “I did not mean to scare you Sugar, I was just bringing the children a wagon I found in storage. Where are they anyway?” Ben asked, looking around.

  “They were engrossed in some new books when I came out here. Let us go show them your wagon. They will love it! Thank you Ben, for thinking of them,” Betty said.

  “Why not,? I’ve been thinking of their Auntie for years,” Ben said wriggling his eyebrows.

  “How well do you know Daniel?” Betty asked.

  “As well as I know any of my customers, I suppose. His job takes him away a lot. When he’s home
, he keeps to himself and sails his boat. I could not help noticing he was taken by the children. They do seem to be great kids. I think I know why they’re not with their father,” Ben said knowingly.

  “Logan is so starved for male attention. He talks of little else than being Daniel’s first mate. I refuse to interfere even though he may be hurt later,” Betty said sadly.

  “Well, I’ve never seen Daniel so enthused over anything else,” exclaimed Ben.

  “He got Sarah’s attention with naming the puppies. It is so good to see them enjoy their life instead of being withdrawn and frightened to death. Did you notice Caitlyn laughed last night?” Betty asked, shaking her head in wonder.

  When Ben went home, Betty felt better than she had in years. She was beginning to actually believe Caitlyn might be safe.

  The next day, promptly at 3:00 pm, the sailboat was at anchor at Betty’s pier. When the children saw the boat in the distance, they ran to the lake to greet Daniel. He had waved to Betty and asked if he might show the children the boats interior.

  He was showing Logan the instrument panel that could be used to motor in if the wind failed, the bathroom, or head, the small galley. There were four bunks and a folding table. The children were entranced, especially Logan, since he felt a first mate should be.

  Ben drove up and he and the ladies joined the crew aboard the sailboat, admiring the inside of the craft. Sailing was such a magical experience for Caitlyn and the children. It had a floating, flying sensation, there was almost complete silence as they crossed the big lake. Is was extremely ethereal and Caitlyn could feel her cares drift away as they sailed for the far shore and Daniel’s home.

  Logan never left Daniel’s side as he kept a sharp lookout for storm clouds, rain or lightening at Daniel’s request.

  When they docked at Daniel’s pier, they could hear the puppies yelping a greeting to them. Sarah ran to them the minute her little feet touched the ground with both arms outstretched .

  As soon as everyone was ashore, Daniel opened the pen and six little balls of fur were running and jumping around the children. Sarah sat on the ground and shrieked with joy when the puppies licked her with their tiny pink tongues.