by Barbara Goss
“And without ramps, he can’t get from his room to the mill to take over the running of it.”
“But isn’t the house his family home, too?” Nora asked.
“Not anymore. “
Nora recalled him telling her that the house went to his mother and the mill to Alex.
“Did Alex’s father leave you anything?” she asked.
“Oh, yes. Mr. Vanderhorn left me a generous amount of money. He encouraged my going to college to become a lawyer, so he specifically left me what I needed to do that. He married my mother when I was thirteen, but he always treated me fairly, and I liked him.”
“How old was Alex when his father married your mother?” Nora asked.
“Fifteen.”
“How did the two of you get along?”
“Fine. We weren’t exactly the best of friends, but we got along okay. Once, a boy at school bullied me, and Alex came to my rescue. He beat the bully pretty bad. After that day, I’ve always loved and respected Alex."
“So,” Nora asked, “his not liking you began when you started courting Celeste?”
“Yes, but don’t think too badly of me, for she is quite persuasive, and my mother is as well. I just went with the flow. According to Celeste, she allowed Alex to court her, but only because her father forced her to. She claims that, while being courted by Alex, she was attracted to me, but couldn’t act on it because of her father’s orders, which I'm not sure I entirely believe.”
Nora pondered his words. “Then, you will break the engagement with Celeste?”
Nathan grimaced. “I’m thinking about it. There has been so much coercion going on here, I don’t know whom to believe anymore.”
“If you don’t grab the opportunity to become a lawyer, you’ll regret it someday,” Nora pointed out. “And you need to examine your feelings for Celeste and find out how she really feels.”
He took her hand and kissed it. “I love talking with you like this. I feel so comfortable with you.”
She slowly pulled her hand away. “I should be getting back—”
“So,” he said, “is there any chance of a relationship developing between you and me?”
Nora held her breath for several seconds. Why did he have to pin her down like that? Finally she said, “Yes, for friendship.” She smiled and stood. “It’s time for Alex’s backrub.”
As they strolled back to the house from the park, Nathan asked, “Is it Alex?”
Puzzled, Nora asked, “Is what Alex?”
“The reason you and I can’t be more than friends?” Nathan said.
“Absolutely not. Alex is my patient, and a friend, I hope. I’m really not looking for a romantic relationship with anyone, Nathan. I’ve only just turned twenty-one, and recently begun living independently. I’d like to enjoy it for a while.”
“Would it make a difference if I break my engagement with Celeste?” he asked.
“You should break your engagement because you aren’t in love with her, but no, it wouldn't make a difference for us,” she answered.
“I’m not sure I know what love is,” Nathan said.
Nora said, “As my mother once told me, when you fall in love, you’ll know it.”
7
Alex was surprised to see Nathan again so soon. He hardly ever visited him and now, since Nora started working there, he’d visited regularly. Alex shook his head, thinking he might know why, which made him quite angry.
“Alex,” he greeted. “May I sit down? I have news.”
"Sure, but all I have is that old chair with wheels and my bed.”
Nathan laughed. “I’ll take the bed.”
“What’s the news? You’ve married Celeste? You’ve screwed up my mill?”
Nathan settled on the edge of the bed. “Nora gave me the name of a man who makes real wheelchairs, one you can move around in, by yourself with your hands. I’ve contacted him and he is making you one. Nora and I—"
“Nora and I?” Alex said. “So, are you two a couple now?”
“No, but we’ve been working together to get you up and moving again. As I was saying, Nora and I have decided we need ramps built into the house for you to get around as you please, but Mother won’t allow it. She is even set on removing the one ramp we already have. That leaves us with a wheelchair that is almost useless.”
Cooled down somewhat, Alex thought about the dilemma. “Hmm, not much we can do about that,” he said. “Unless I move out.”
“Move out?” Nathan asked. “Where would you go?”
“Anywhere. I have money. I could buy a house,” Alex smiled. “I'd actually thought about doing it before my accident.”
“But this has always been your home,” Nathan said.
“Not since my father died.” Alex tapped his fingers on the table. “Would you help me find a suitable house if I told you the amount I wanted to spend?”
“I would gladly help you, but if you live alone, you can’t take Nora with you. It wouldn’t be proper.” Nathan stood.
“If I have the wheelchair and a house with ramps, maybe I will no longer need an aide-slash-companion,” Alex said.
“Right.” Nathan said.
“I’d really miss her backrubs, though,” Alex said, mostly to himself. “Here, before you go, let me write down the amount I'd like to spend on a house.” He tore a sheet from his pad and wrote down a figure. He handed the paper to Nathan, who took the sheet, looked at the figure he'd written on it, and whistled.
When Nora stopped in later, Alex asked her to sit down. She sat on the edge of his bed and looked at him with expectancy.
He asked, “Do you have a family here in Pittsburgh?”
Nora blinked. It was a question she hadn’t expected. “As a matter of fact, I do. I have a mother and an aunt. Mother and I lived together until I got this job, but now she’s living with my Aunt Frances.”
“Your father?” Alex asked.
“He was killed in a mining accident about six years ago,” she said.
“Oh, that’s right, I remember you telling me. No siblings?” he asked.
“No. My mother and father married late in life. My mother was close to fifty when I was born. Why?”
“I’m thinking of moving out. Nathan's helping me find a house to buy, and it wouldn’t be proper for you to come with me unless we had a chaperone.” He hesitated before blurting, “Would your mother consider coming to live with us in my new home?”
“As a guest or servant?” she asked.
“As a guest, of course." Alex looked at her expectantly.
Despite the irregularity of the situation, Nora liked the idea of leaving Mrs. Vanderhorn and her house, but still being given the opportunity to keep her job. “Would I still be able to keep my job and my current pay?”
“No! Absolutely not!”
Nora felt her disappointment show. “No?”
“No, I’m giving you a raise. You’ve become vital to my recuperation, which makes you more valuable, and therefore, deserving of more money. I don’t think I can do this without you, Nora.”
“More money and a place for my mother to live?” She smiled. When Alex nodded she said, “Pinch me, I must be dreaming.”
“I think I’m the one who’s dreaming. You’ve changed my whole outlook on life, Nora.”
“Oh, there is one other thing,” she said, worried.
“Anything,” he said.
“Nathan needs to come with us.”
“What?” Alex shouted. “Why?”
“He needs to get away from Sylvia, too. He’ll never get back to school or break off his engagement with Celeste as long as she's there to manipulate him.”
Alex sat quietly for so long, Nora didn’t think he’d ever give her an answer. Finally, he said, “I’ll think about it.” He frowned. “It isn’t a romantic thing with you two, is it?”
“Absolutely not. I feel the need to help him, the same way I’ve helped you. He dislikes the mill and wants to be an attorney. His mother's been
manipulating him all along. He isn’t strong like you, Alex. We need to get him away from her so he can stand on his own. You are the best one to help with that. Nathan needs to have a stronger backbone.”
Alex smirked, “He needs a backbone, period.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “All right, I agree. Nathan can move in with us.”
Nathan sat at the dining room table skimming the real estate pages of the newspaper when his mother peered over his shoulder.
“Looking for a house? I assumed you and Celeste would live here after you married.”
“No, Mother, I’m not buying a house.”
“Then why are you circling houses in the paper?”
“Because I am studying the market,” he said flipping the newspaper page.
“I can see your father now, rolling over in his grave because you are planning to buy a house and leave me here all alone,” she cried.
“It’s not for me. If you must know, it’s for Alex. You won’t allow ramps to be put in and that will hamper his recovery. I’m sure his father is turning over in his grave watching you ruin his son’s life.”
“Nathan! Of course I’m not ruining Alex’s life. I don’t think him wheeling about the house and knocking things over would work for either of us. I think the exercises may do him more harm than good. If it were up to me, I’d fire Nora too.”
Nathan shook his head, speechless. His mother usually had that effect on him. “Leave Nora out of this,” he said finally, between clenched teeth.
“So Alex is planning to buy a house and move out? That means I'll lose my rent money! I depend on that income each month since my husband didn’t see fit to leave me any money, just a house.” She sighed. “Whatever will I do now?”
“I suppose I could pay room and board until I go to law school,” he suggested.
“That won’t help me much, Nathan.”
Nathan stood. “If you had let Alex build a few ramps, he wouldn’t want to leave.”
“You make it sound so harsh,” Sylvia pouted.
“It is harsh, Mother. I'm disappointed in you. Do you really want Alex to move out?”
“No. I like Alex right where he is, in his room, in a chair, staring out the window.”
“Alex has put me in charge of finding a house for him.”
Sylvia smiled, “Has he now? “
Sylvia sat in the library sipping tea with Phillip Randolph, Celeste’s father.
“Your note said urgent,” Phillip said. “I can drink tea anytime, what was so pressing?”
“Alex is planning to move into his own home, a home with ramps for his new wheelchair,” Sylvia said, as she set her delicate teacup onto the saucer.
“What?” Phillip yelled. “Are you serious?” Sylvia put her finger to her lips as a signal for him to lower his voice. “I thought all he did was sit and look out his window!”
“That was before his new companion and aide came along,” Sylvia said. “She completely turned him around, and now I think she is influencing my Nathan, as well.”
“We can’t let that happen,” said Phillip. He looked off into space as if in thought. “We can’t let that happen.”
“How can we possibly stop it? I used to have control over Nathan, but I think Nora’s influencing him.”
“Fire her!” Phillip shouted.
Sylvia reminded him to hush. “I can’t. Alex is paying her salary. He's the only one who can fire her.”
“But it’s your house. We have to get rid of Nora, and then you must get control of Nathan again,” Phillip said.
“You could pay her off,” Sylvia suggested.
“No. That would be traceable.” Phillip rubbed his chin. “What does she do on Sunday when she is off for a few hours?”
“I think she visits her mother.”
“Maybe I can arrange another carriage …” Phillip stopped mid-sentence, realizing he’d said too much.
“Another? You?” Sylvia asked, wide-eyed.
“You didn’t hear that,” he growled. “You take care of Nathan and I’ll take care of Alex’s companion.”
“Phillip, listen to me, I won’t be a part of anyone getting hurt…”
“I’ll find a way, and no one will be hurt. Leave it to me. I want that merger to happen. Get Nathan back under your control.”
Sylvia frowned. “I don’t want any more violence. Let me handle this situation. I promise you I will find a way to get the merger signed. I just need some time to work out the details.”
Phillip reached up and patted her hand. “If you can get Alex to sign the merger, your name will change to Randolph.”
“Meanwhile,” Sylvia said, “I think you should strongly encourage Celeste to keep trying to get Alex back under her control in case I can't come up with something better.”
“I’ll talk to her,” said Phillip. “But the poor girl was humiliated by Alex the other night, and she came home in tears. She claims to love Nathan.”
“Keep after her and I’ll give her a push in that direction, too. She can have Nathan after we get what we want.”
8
Alex and Nathan sat poring over a newspaper spread out on Alex’s table. “Have you seen any of the homes you've circled yet?” Alex asked.
“I drove by three of them.” Nathan pointed to the properties in the paper. “This one, and these two. The first one is in need of a new roof and a good painting, which is too much work for the price they're asking. These two,” he pointed again, “were beautiful. From the outside they looked move-in-ready. This one had a large carriage house, and the other had a carriage port. I’ve made an appointment to see both of them tomorrow.”
“I appreciate this Nathan,” Alex said with sincerity.
“I know you do, but my reasons are somewhat selfish, I’m afraid.”
Alex nodded with a knowing smile.
“Now, what are you looking for inside the house?”
“I’ve invited Nora and her mother to live with us, and you of course—”
“Me?” Nathan said in surprise.
“Yes, I think getting away from your mother is an excellent idea, especially if you’re truly planning on going to school. She’ll talk you out of it otherwise.” Alex purposely didn’t mention that his living with them had been a requisite of Nora’s.
Nathan thought about what he'd just said. “You may be right. In fact, I know you’re right. Count me in!”
“Good. Now then, we’ll need at least five bedrooms, a library, a sitting room, a formal living and dining room and a good-sized kitchen. I would like a carriage house—I don’t think my horses would like standing out in the cold,” Alex said. “I'd prefer a house in this area of town.”
“I’ll cross off the one without a carriage house and try to see the other one,” Nathan scratched off the house with the carriage port.
“Once we buy a house we’ll need to hire servants,” Alex smiled. “I’m actually eagerly awaiting this move. This place just hasn’t felt the same since it became her house.”
“And your chair will be ready soon," Nathan said, "but I’ll ask him to hold it until we're ready for it. I’m also ordering a second chair to be kept at the mill.”
“Good thinking. I’m eager to get out of this room. Do you realize, except for the bathroom and one walk, I’ve not left this room in over six months?”
“Have you noticed any feeling return to your legs at all?” Nathan asked.
“I’m not sure. Yesterday, I spilled hot tea on my thigh and I felt the warmth. I’m not sure if that’s significant or not, but I think it may be a good sign.”
“Where’s Nora?” Nathan asked. “She usually pops in about this time, doesn't she?”
“She visits her mother on Sunday.”
There was a tapping on the door, and Sylvia Vanderhorn walked in.
“I understand you want ramps installed,” she announced. “I’ve thought it over and if you’ll tell me where you’d like them, I’ll allow it. As long as they are removable.”
Nathan and Alex exchanged surprised glances.
“Well? No comment?” she asked, hands on hips.
Nathan opened his mouth to speak, but Alex spoke first. “Thank you. That’s very considerate of you. Let me think about where they should be placed and I’ll let you know.”
She gave him a swift nod and left the room.
“I don’t believe it!” Nathan said. “She was against them yesterday.”
Alex smiled slyly. “She doesn’t want to lose the large rent that I pay her.”
“Probably so.”
Alex shrugged. “At any rate, I still prefer my own house.”
“So I should keep looking?”
“Yes.”
Alex didn’t see Nora until she brought him his dinner.
“Not meatloaf again,” he groaned.
Nora simply smiled.
“I have surprising news,” he said before she turned to leave.
“Let me guess,” Nora said. “Nathan found a house for you.”
“No. Sylvia agreed to the ramps.”
Nora gasped. “No! That is a surprise. I wonder what changed her mind?”
“I have no idea, but I don’t trust her.”
“Does that put the plans for a new house on a hold?” she asked.
“No. This is, unfortunately, no longer my home.”
“What about the ramps she installs?”
Alex shrugged. “I’m to let her know where I want them. I’ll delay telling her until I know for sure what we we’ll do and when.”
“My mother has agreed to come with us,” Nora added.
“Perfect. Now, all we have to do is find the house and continue with these blasted exercises, though I have to admit I really don’t mind them, now that the soreness from starting them has subsided.” He rubbed his biceps.
Nora noted the twinkle in his eyes. He looked like a different man from the one she’d first met. When he smiled, he looked as handsome as she first thought he’d be. He and Celeste must have made a dashing couple.
