As Time Goes By (The Californians 2)

by Lori Wick

  "Is Kate all right?" Sean asked hesitantly over the lump in his throat.

  "She's fine. Just give them a few minutes and you can go in."

  It was less than two minutes before the door was thrown open and Rigg appeared, disheveled but beam-

  "Sean!

  Get in here and see your niece! Where's Marc?" "I'll go and find her," May said with more calm than she felt. It was an exhilarating experience to see your first grandchild enter the world, and she was feeling a bit light-headed about it.

  Rigg gave his mother an enormous hug before reaching for his brother-in-law. Sean noticed tears in the

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  big man's eyes and fought the return of his own as he stepped softly into the bedroom. He focused on his sister and she gave him a tired smile.

  Sean felt his own fatigue when he saw that smile. He hadn't realized how tense he had been, but Kate was all .right, he could see that. Everything was going to be fine because Kaitlin was all right.

  'Aren't you going to look at her?"

  "Oh, sorry, Kate," Sean nearly stuttered. He had been so worried about Kate that he forgot about the new little life his sister held in the curve of her arm.

  Sean couldn't stop the frown that crossed his face at the first sight of his niece, and Kate chuckled softly.

  "She's a funny-looking little thing, isn't she, Sean?" "Well-" Sean wanted to disagree, but couldn't. The baby was red and wrinkly and her face looked as if some fierce battle was going on inside of her. Her eyes opened as Sean watched, and she waved one tiny red fist in the air. Sean's heart melted.

  "What's her name?" he asked when he could find his voice again.

  "We thought we'd let Marcail decide," Rigg said from his place on the opposite side of the bed.

  "That's a good idea," Sean said with conviction. He hadn't seen much of his family over the summer, but he knew that Kate's pregnancy had been very hard on his little sister. Marcail's naming the baby was probably just what she needed to help her adjust to the changes that would certainly enter their home in the next few months.

  "There will be certain changes." "What kind of changes?"

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  "Good ones," Bobbie answered. "You can be a tremendous help to Kaitlin with the baby. In fact the baby will probably think of you as a second mother, since you live in the same house."

  Marcail was so pleased with Bobbie's words that she was actually able to eat some lunch. She was just finishing when May knocked on the door.

  "I thought I might find you here," May said as she entered the room. "You have a perfect little niece." May gave Marcail a hug after making her announcement, or she might have noticed the worried look that had suddenly captured the little girl's features.

  Why doesn't anyone say how Kate is doing? The question tormented Marcail all the way home, but she kept her thoughts to herself and tried not to vomit. Rigg greeted her at the door with a big smile and Marcail took heart. He wouldn't look like that if Kate was in heaven with Mother, would he?

  More chance for speculation was cut short when Rigg led her quietly into the bedroom. She told herself not to be sick when she saw Kate's closed eyes, but she didn't know how long she would be able to hold herself together. Marcail stood stock-still about two feet from what she was sure was Kate's dead body and wished she hadn't eaten lunch.

  Rigg watched his sister-in-law in silence. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white. Marcail's eyes were fixed on Kate's sleeping face and Rigg wondered if she might faint. She hadn't been anywhere near the basket that held his daughter, and he wished with all his heart he knew what she was thinking.

  A few more seconds passed and Kaitlin opened her eyes. Rigg nearly reached for Marcail, since she seemed to go very limp. Kaitlin smiled at her little sister and that

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  was Marcail's undoing. Rivers of silent tears poured down her cheeks and she choked when she tried to speak.

  "'I thought," Marcail coughed and then took a deep breath, "I thought you were dead."

  "Oh Marcail!" Kate was equally choked p as she leaned toward her sister. Marcail was too far from the bed for Kate to reach her, and blinded by her tears, she didn't notice her sister's outstretched arm, so Rigg propelled her forward with a gentle hand. He took a chair by the bed and wiped the tears from his own eyes over Marcail's reaction.

  It hadn't occurred to anyone that she might think her sister was dying. Of course it was blindness on their part, because they all knew how tense Marcail became whenever a doctor was called onto the scene. He realized now, as he took a moment to think, that she had almost been sick as she stood and watched Kate,

  'Am I hurting you, Katie?"

  Marcail had climbed right onto the bed with her sister and wrapped her arms around her neck. Kate held her protectively and her small body trembled from head to foot. Rigg had just placed a blanket over the top of her when she went very stiff. Marcail half-sat so she could

  look into her sister's face.

  "You had a baby."

  "That's right, I did." Kaitlin smiled. She had wonred

  when Marcail was going to ask.

  "Where is she?"

  "In the basket right over there."

  Marcail left the bed gently and fo ..und Rigg smiling at her. She put her hand to her mouth and whispered. "I forgot about the baby for a minute."

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  "That's all right," Rigg whispered back.

  Husband and wife watched as she made her way across the room. "Oh my," was all they heard for some moments.

  "What's her name?" Marcail asked without ever taking her eyes from the sleeping infant.

  "We were hoping you would tell us," Rigg answered softly.

  Marcail finally turned and looked at Rigg and then her sister. Kate nodded encouragingly and Marcail's little

  mouth dropped open in surprise.

  "You want me to name her?"

  No one answered Marcail, but Rigg motioned her to the chair he had just vacated and scooped his tiny daughter into his hands. As Kate looked on, Rigg placed her in Marcail's arms.

  "You did everything you could to make Kate's pregnancy easier," Rigg said as he helped Marcail hold the baby in the right position. "In fact I think you would have carried the baby yourself if you could have. So we want you to name your niece because we know how much you love her."

  Marcail looked with wonder at the'tiny person in her arms. She was just perfect. She held her a little closer in one arm and reached with her free hand to the silky thatch of black hair that covered the very top of the baby's head and hung in uneven wisps down her forehead. She fingered the hair for just a moment before turning a smiling face to the adults in the room.

  "Gretchen." Marcail said softly. "How do you like

  Gretchen Riggs after Rigg's grandmother?" "It's perfect." "I love it."

  "Why, we never would have thought of it!"

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  Rigg and Kate were so pleased over the name that their words stumbled over the top of one another. But the ten-year-old aunt holding the baby didn't notice. Her eyes were riveted on the tiny niece cuddled in her arms.

  Rigg and Kate beamed as they watched the two in the chair. Rigg leaned and kissed Kate softly on the mouth.

  "I believe she's feeling a little bit of what I felt when I

  first laid eyes on you," Rigg said softly to hig wife. 'a, nd what was that exactly?"

  "Nothing short of love at first sight." They kissed again and neither one heard Marcail whispering to the baby.

  "I love you, Gretchen Riggs. I love you like you were my very own."

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  Bobble was very pleased to be heading home for the day. She was emotionally and physically spent. It had seemed to take forever for Marcail to emerge from Rigg and Kaitlin's bedroom. Bobbie had stayed in the living room with May, Jeff, and Sean. She found the pretense of acting as though everything was fine more difficult every second.

  It
had been over a half-hour before she had been able to see the baby and excuse herself. May drove her back to the shipping office so she could tell Bill and Gilbert the news. Bobbie had worked the rest of the day as well as locked up that evening.

  She had missed out on seeing Paige and Wesley when they were infants, and Bobbie's throat had been so tight at her first view of Gretchen that she could barely swallow.

  Once home, she halfway hoped that Jeff would come by so she could apologize to him, but she ate her supper and went to bed without seeing him.

  Two hours after Bobble blew out her lamp she was still

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  awake. The moon was full, so after slipping her spectacles back onto her nose, she found her robe and went to the kitchen. She had lit the lamp and was preparing a

  snack when her mother joined her.

  "'Did I wake you?"

  "Yes, but that's all right."

  The women worked on cups of tea and sandwiches in silence. When they did begin to speak it was about small thingsmdress material that Maryanne had seen, how nice the gifts at the reception had been, and how quickly the summer had gone. When Bobbie had finished her sandwich and half of her tea she confided to her mother about what happened in the dining room at the Walotts'.

  "I think I'm in love with him, Mom, but that doesn't give me the right to kiss him. I mean, he and Sylvia are seeing each other and I think they might get married. I told myself I would never run again, but I've got to tell Bill I'll be looking for work somewhere else in town."

  Maryanne was quiet. She was praying for words of

  comfort and Bobbie began to think she was upset. "You're disappointed in me, aren't you?"

  "Oh, Bob, no! I don't know where you got such an idea. I'm sitting here praying for you. I don't think you should have kissed Jeff, but everyone makes mistakes."

  Maryanne's voice lowered with intensity. "You do understand that, don't you, Bobbie? Just confess this and go on, even if you have to find work elsewhere. Apologize to Jeff and then to the Lord. Ask Him to take you on from here."

  Bobbie nodded in agreement. She was coming to the same conclusion, but she felt so badly about everything that she wasn't even sure how to pray most of the time.

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  "'It's too bad in some ways," Maryanne continued. "You couldn't ask for a nicer boss. After you'd gone upstairs this evening, he dropped by to tell you to take the morning off."

  "You're right; Mr. Taylor is wonderful. And I'm going to need the morning off after staying up all night."

  "My Bible is in the bedroom, Bobbie, and that's where I need to be. But tomorrow, before you go to work to talk to Jeff, read Romans eight, 26 and 27. Those are verses about prayer, and I suspect you need them right now."

  Maryanne hugged Bobbie and headed up the stairs. Bobble followed soon afterward, and this time, with a prayer in her heart for the coming events of the da3 she fell asleep quickly.

  "I'm glad you were here, Jeff, since my decision to leave was so sudden and I thought I would have to miss you."

  "I'm glad too, Sylvia, and I'll be praying that you have a safe trip."

  "Thanks, Jeff."

  "Well, I guess this is goodbye. I don't plan to be back in Santa Rosa anytime soon. You've been a true friend, Jeff, and I'll never forget you."

  left and Sylvia embraced in a final goodbye as Sandra came out of the stage office. Jeff stepped away to give the sisters some privacy. He stayed on the platform until the stage pulled away, waving when Sylvia's head appeared in the window.

  Jeff returned to the office intent on asking his father

  when Bobble would be in, but Bill sent him on an errand. 'It was just as well,' he thought as he left. The office was no place for the showdown he was planning.

  "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groan-ings which can not be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

  Bobbie prayed long and hard over the words she had just read. They were exactly what she needed. She felt with all her heart that God wanted her to trust Him.

  'Thank You for these verses, Father, and for Your mightiness and power and for Your faithfulness. You know my heart and how much I want to make things right. Please give me the words with Jeff and Mr. Taylor today. I want to run from this, God, but I know I can't. Help me to trust You. Please give me the needed strength and wisdom.'

  Bobble did not end the prayer but continued to petition God silently all the way to work. She found Bill in his office and he greeted her warmly. Talking proudly about his new granddaughter for several minutes, he finally noticed that his employee had something on her mind.

  "Did you need something, Bobble?"

  "Yes, actually I do. I've decided to take a few weeks off just as soon as you can spare me, and then I'm going to look for work someplace else in town." Bill opened his mouth to object, but Bobbie rushed on.

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  "It has nothing to do with you or the work here at the office, and I want to thank you for all you've done."

  "Bobbie," Bill finally cut in, looking a little thunder struck, "is there something I can do? I mean, your work here is excellent and if there's anything I can say to change your mind, just---"

  "No, but thank you." Bobbie stood, telling Bill that her mind was made up.

  "Is Jeff around?" Bobbie asked with her hand on the door handle.

  "No, I asked him to run uptown."

  Bobbie nodded. "I guess I better get to work." Bobbie left the inner office still praying, and she con gratulated herself over not bursting into tears. She had only been at her desk a few minutes when Bill came out and asked her to take something to Rigg.

  Bobbie complied, but she was disappointed since she wanted to see Jeff right away. The Lord reminded her then to trust Him, and Bobbie stopped herself from scanning the street in hopes of spotting him.

  then walking away. What she doesn't know is that I'm not about to let her do that."

  Bill and Gilbert were left staring at each other in confu sion as Jeff walked out of the room.

  "I'm telling you, Dad, she won't be quitting."

  "Jeff," Bill said with extreme patience, "she was just in here and told me herself."

  "You're repeating yourself, Dad. I'm telling you that as soon as she comes back, I'll talk with her and get this whole thing worked out."

  "So you're the reason she wants to quit?" Gilbert commented softly.

  "Not exactly, but my presence is making her uncom fortable. I'm sure she plans on apologizing to me and

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  forty-two

  Jeff was next door when Bobbie came back. She went straight to her desk to work, wondering yet again when she would see him. Jeff returned to the shipping office knowing that his father was in his office and that Gilbert was in the back room. Praying that no customers would

  come in, Jeff approached Bobbie's desk.

  "My dad tells me you're quitting."

  Bobbie had of course seen him come in, and had waited quietly for him to take a seat. Jeff's plans to be completely alone with Bobbie for this confrontation went up in smoke. Discovering that she was quitting had sent him into something of a panic.

  "I had to, Jeff. I know you understand."

  "I understand a lot of things, but I'm not sure you do."

  Jeff spoke softly from the chair in front of the desk. "I don't know what you're talking about."

  "Then it's time you did. I think we have a lot to say to each other--things we should have discussed a long time ago."

  Thinking he wanted her to continue working, Bobbie

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  gave him a negative shake of her head. "There's nothing to discuss, Jeff. Please just let me say what I need to say."

 
; Jeff could see that she was not going to listen to reason until she could relate her feelings, so he folded his arms over his chest and waited.

  "I know how upset you must be," Bobbie began, see ing she finally had his attention. "It was inexcusable of me to avoid you after what I did. I'm sorry, Jeff, for my behavior at the Walcotts', and I hope you'll forgive me. If you want, I can also apologize to Sylvia. If you'd rather I not mention it to her, I'll understand."

  Something squeezed around Jeff's heart at the vulner able way Bobbie sat across from him and bared her soul; her face and voice told of her misery. She was so precious to him, and she had done exactly what he fearedw mentally chastised herself for days over a kiss he had thoroughly enjoyed.

  Jeff was suddenly desperate to hold her hand and be near her, certain that if he did, his touch and words would put everything right. They had always touched in a special kind of way, and it never occurred to Jeff that such an action would not be welcome at the moment.

  "Do you forgive me, Jeff?" His silence had brought Bobbie perilously close to tears. Jeff rose from his chair to circle the desk.

  Bobbie, fearful that he would do just as he intended, and that his touch would be devastating to her emotions, sprang out of her own chair and moved around the desk to avoid him. "Jeff, please answer me."

  "Just as soon as I get close enough, I'll answer you." "Why when you're close?" "Because I need to touch you, Bobbie," he answered as he followed her around the desk 'nd will you please hold still!"

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  The couple came to a stop where they had started, since they had completely circled the desk. Jeff thought this could go on all day, so before Bobbie could react he reached across the desktop and plucked the glasses from her nose.

  "Jeff." The name was said fearfully, a sound that tugged at Jeff's heart, but he had to get this settled.

  "It's all right, Bobbie," he said tenderly as he took her arm. "We're just going to head into the back room here so I can talk to you."

  Bobbie was unaware of Gilbert leaving the room and closing the door behind him. She was led to the back of the room, where a small window cast a patch of sunlight on the wood floor.