In Sacramento
Pastor Jason was not very happy with the way that things had turned out. Aside from the fact that he had not wanted to go to Sacramento, he did not like the fact that Catherine and Trelawney were now separated. However, there was no way that they could have left the kids alone with Hal. Presently, the sisters were in his care as well as that of Rob, Ben, Bob, and Lewis Figalilly. If the five of them could not keep them safe, then he didn't see how anyone could.
The flight up was very quiet. Ben had paperwork to do; Trelawney was doing schoolwork; and Phoebe was knitting. He was thinking. One thing that he enjoyed about flying was being able to look out the window and regain his perspective on the world. The view from the ground was so limited. It was a clear day, so there was a large expanse of land to be seen from the desert to the mountains. At the very edge to the west was the Pacific.
The "white noise" made by the roar of the jet engines discouraged conversation, but none of them really wanted to talk anyway. There wasn't much to say that had not already been said, it was a time to contemplate. Aunt Henrietta's ramblings had given him a lot to contemplate.
He was not worried about the custody hearing. There was a lot of law on their side. The judge would take one look at Phoebe and Trelawney and have no desire to separate them. There were no compelling reasons. The only truly compelling reason was not something that could be stated in court without completely betraying the true nature of all the Figalillys and Trelawneys involved. Even the Trelawneys would not dare to throw that out onto the table.
He was bothered by all the ambiguities of Aunt Henrietta's prophecy. Which three lives hung in the balance? There were many people involved in their lives at this point. It was impossible to know if the three lives were separate or some collective group of three. Who were the guardian and his father? There were a number of people in the position of guarding others right now and some had living fathers. But perhaps even the father was dead. Who was the child? It was not obvious to him that it was Trelawney.
Who were the two sisters? Within the Figalilly and Trelawney clans there were many pairs of sisters, not just Phoebe and Trelawney. Then of course there was the cousin. Within the two clans they were legion. Not to mention the fact that there was the reference to the elder generation. The blinding light could be anything. And the innocent always suffered.
The only part of her "rantings" that he had a clue about was her fear of the angel. It was that unsolicited question that had really sent her into a tizzy. The forces that lent their power to her feared the angels of light and of course denied their existence. The angels of death were the only angels that they acknowledged, but he would not even consider those beings as angels. They did not come from God.
He suspected that there was a core of veracity to her words, but that the truth was meant to confound rather than enlighten. And he also believed that she was channeling some higher being. He knew that she probably almost always was. Whoever Rosalie was, and hints had been given that the family knew, she was probably at the mercy of the same dark forces. Trelawney had been very right to say that she should not be given the opportunity to utter those words. Rob should really have followed his own right instincts and stayed away.
Once heard, everyone would begin to speculate on the meaning of the words. In turn the various interpretations might affect choices and decisions. Pastor Jason had counseled Rob and Catherine to try and forget them, but he knew that they couldn't. It was only a matter of time before the Figalillys discerned them from their thoughts. Who knew what would happen then?
Pastor Jason believed that the darker forces were using Aunt Henrietta to taunt and toy with them, if she even knew what she had spewed forth (that was the only word for it). They knew that she would manipulate her own interpretations to suit her present agenda.
No doubt, soon enough she would begin to further spread it to her loyal followers in town and this would create ripples through the community around them. At some point, things might be stirred up enough to unintentionally bring disaster to the wrong people. A little bit of misinformation could be far more dangerous than a lot.
He was fairly certain that Phoebe and Trelawney, as children of light, had some role in her threats. They would most certainly be targets for the dark forces. The fact that Maisie was also a child of light, albeit an unusual one, meant that perhaps she was somehow referenced. But technically speaking, Maisie was only half Figalilly. That she had chosen Phoebe as her mother meant that she was destined for very special work. But even he could not fully know this.
The fact was that Trelawney probably knew more about Maisie than even she realized. However, solidifying her custody with Rob and Catherine would go a long ways towards protecting her, and thus also Phoebe and Maisie. Attempting further court action, should they lose, would attract far too much public attention to the Trelawneys. This was their one gambit. If it failed, the only way to bring Trelawney home was to convince her to go of her own free will. He knew that that was very nearly impossible.
Pastor Jason was also grateful that Rob and Catherine had kept Aunt Henrietta's premonitions secret from all but himself. It seemed odd that Trelawney at least had not discerned them. It was difficult to say why. It was completely understandable that Phoebe was so wrapped up in her child that she would not have thought to question them further about the fateful visit.
No doubt about it, the foreknowledge of the legal challenge was more information than she wanted to have discovered. It was no wonder that she had quickly shut her mind t anything else. Trelawney however had always been a curious little thing, poking her nose into all sorts of places that it didn't belong. Perhaps she too was wrapped up in her own concerns.
The Everetts had certainly joined together to present a formidable force. He was impressed with the way that Ben and Bob had dropped everything to come to the aid of their sister-in-law's sister. From what he could tell, one call from Rob and things had happened immediately.
He was also pleased that the Figalillys had also seen fit to throw their support behind the girls. He was sorry that he had not had the opportunity to meet David Figalilly when he had visited two months ago. He sounded like an incredibly kind and decent man.
He hoped that he would be able to maintain a low profile among the Cornish family who were present later at court, Lewis Figalilly and John Trelawney. He was soberly dressed as the humble Presbyterian minister that he was. He intended to say little and keep his emotions low key.
His aura was his biggest give-a-way, but he also knew that maintaining a reserve would help. He had managed to fool Phoebe, Trelawney and Emmeline when they had not been looking for him. Hopefully Lewis and John would be so concerned with the legal issues that Trelawney's guardian ad litem would be of little interest to them.
He looked over at her and Phoebe with interest. Trelawney's aura projected the clear, delicate pink of innocence and confidence. Phoebe's demeanor projected calm blue, but anxiety clouded her aura. He knew however that she had still not lost that serenity that most expectant mothers acquire. Little Maisie was an enormous comfort to her. She was less than four months from her due date and there was no doubt that she could feel the child's movement. Even now, an occasional look of surprise and wonder crossed her face.
He was still very interested in the idea that the two sisters' auras would have merged. There was no way that David would have imagined or lied about such a thing. At this point in time, they were distinctly different, even though physically the girls were almost touching. While the idea fascinated him, he hoped that he would never have the opportunity to see the phenomenon for himself. The kind of crisis that might generate such an occurrence would surely be dreadful.
Once they landed, they were met at the airport by a limo that took them directly to the courthouse. Then things began to happen quite quickly, as first Trelawney and then Phoebe were hustled in and out of the judge's chambers. Trelawney looked every inch the proper English schoolgirl in her white blouse and dark green jumper. Her long blonde curls were neatly braided down her back in a single plait. Phoebe wore an attractive pale blue maternity dress, with her hair tied back with a matching blue ribbon.
Pastor Jason followed Trelawney into chambers where they were both introduced to the judge. Trelawney looked subdued, but self-assured. She might look younger than her age, but she projected an older maturity.
After they all shook hands, the judge invited them to sit down. Trelawney sat down very upright with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked at the judge expectantly.
"Trelawney Rose," began the judge. "Do you understand why you are here this morning?"
"Yes, sir," she replied politely. "My Mum's family wants me to return to England so that they can raise me."
"How do you feel about that?" he asked kindly.
"I would be quite bereft, your lordship, to leave my sister," she answered. "You see Mum and Papa left me to Phoebe in the will. I would like to stay with her."
The judge smiled a little at the use of the title "your lordship," but then caught himself and returned to his serious expression.
"Yes, well, that may be so," he began. "However, it appears that at this time you are not living with her."
"That is quite true, sir," she replied. "I am now living up the street with Mr. Everett and my Mama Kate. They are both most kind to me. And I see Phoebe everyday. She has quite a lot on her mind and now she does not have time to worry about me. If I must return to England it might be a terribly long time before I could see her again. That would be most upsetting for both of us, but especially her. You see she made a very sacred promise."
"What did she promise?"
"She promised my parents as she held me in her arms, when I was only minutes old, that she would care for me if anything happened to them," she explained. "Then Mum made her promise again when she was home for her last visit. Mum always wanted us to be close."
"How do you feel about this promise?" he asked. "Are you afraid that she only wants you near so that she can do as your parents had wished?"
"I have no fear of that," she said confidently. "Phoebe and I both love each other and want to be close."
"You refer to Mrs. Everett as your Mama Kate," he asked, changing the subject. "Why is that?"
Trelawney acquired a thoughtful expression on her face. Pastor Jason had always been curious about that. In the past it had been impossible to get a straight answer out of her. But she knew that she had to speak plainly here. She would also never lie. She seemed to be struggling to put her feelings into words.
"When I first moved to her house I didn't want to call her Mrs. Everett anymore," she finally answered. "In the beginning, it was suggested that I call her Grammy, like the Everett children do, but she is not my grandmother."
"But she isn't your mother either," commented the judge.
"Oh no," agreed Trelawney. "I could never call anyone Mum again, or Papa. But Mama Kate is different. You see her name is Catherine and she takes care of me like a mother. I wanted to have my own special name for her. No one else has ever called her Kate."
"I see," said the judge. "So then you must love her very much."
"Yes, I do, sir," replied Trelawney, nodding. "Very much indeed and all the other Everetts too. But my Mama Kate is special."
"Now let's talk about your sister," he said. "Why is she too busy for you?"
"I did not say that she was too busy," corrected Trelawney. "I said that she had a lot on her mind. You see, she is going to have a baby, so she is quite concerned with her baby. This is how it should be. She is also Mom to the other children and takes care of the Professor who is very, very busy. But now she can let Mama Kate worry about me. She doesn't have to worry about me because my Mama Kate does that for her. When she visits me, Mama Kate takes care of both of us."
"What about Mr. Everett?" the judge asked.
"Oh he is ever so kind," answered Trelawney. "But he takes care all of us. It is his proper role."
"How did you feel when you moved out of your sister's house?" he asked. "Did you ever wish to return to England?"
"No, your lordship, not when I moved out," she replied. "I wanted to stay near Phoebe."
"At any other time did you wish to return to England?" he asked.
"In the beginning I found America very confusing," she admitted. "But I never wanted to leave Phoebe. I love Phoebe more than anyone else in the whole world."
"But have you ever wished to return to England?" he pressed her.
"Only when I thought that I would return with Phoebe," she replied. "Before I came to America, I thought that she would return home with me."
"Do you ever feel jealous because she got married and has a new family?" he asked.
"I can never feel jealous about that," she replied. "She loves the Professor very much and I want her to be happy. But I am her only sister. We will never have any other sisters. Our love is special, but it is not jealous. We can both love many people."
The judge smiled. Pastor Jason could see that Trelawney was charming him with her generous spirit and open heart. But he also knew that he took his responsibility in his role in helping to place the child in the best situation very seriously. He was a good man and he could see that Trelawney's confidence was growing. The judge's aura was a clear green. He was a healer and harmonizer.
"Trelawney, your maternal grandfather feels that it would be best for you to return to the village where you were raised so that you can be among your own people, who know you best, again," explained the judge. "He is worried because going to school here was so difficult for you, that you now do your schoolwork at home. If he were here, how would you answer that?"
"Most respectfully," she said automatically. "No one knows me better than Phoebe. Other than my Mum and Papa, she has always been closest to me. My Mum wanted her to be with me because no one else understands me as she does. And Mama Kate is looking for a new school for me. But it will be easier to start in September, so she is looking very carefully. It will be a church school and only girls. I think that I will like that very much."
"Do you go to church every Sunday?" he asked.
"Oh, yes," she replied. "I love going to church. We always go. I would miss church if I couldn't go."
"I see," he said. "So then you are telling me that you really want to stay here in America so that you can be close to your sister?"
"Yes, sir."
"And in order to do this, you wish that I uphold the agreement that transferred your custody to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everett?" he asked.
"Yes, your lordship."
"No one told you to say that?" he asked.
"No, sir."
"And you moved in with the senior Everetts three months ago of your own free will?" he asked.
"Most definitely, sir."
"And is this how you really feel. You are not simply repeating what you have been told to say?" he asked.
"Your lordship," she said firmly. "I never lie. I always tell the truth, no matter what anyone else tells me to say."
"So then nobody coached you before you came in here to speak to me?" he asked.
"What do you mean, your lordship?" she asked politely.
"No one told you how to answer," he replied.
"Yes sir, they did," she replied in return. "Phoebe and Pastor Jason told me to speak plainly and to speak the truth. They told me that if I told the truth then everything would be alright."
The judge smiled.
"Do you have anything else that you want to say?" he finally asked.
"Yes, sir," she replied. "Please let me stay here in America with Phoebe. I would be very, very sad if I had to go back to the village. This is my home now. My Uncle David could have taken me back to England when he was here in February. But he left me here because he knew that it would make me happy. My Uncle David loves me very much.
"He promised my Papa that he would take care of me if anything ever happened to him and Mum. Uncle David is a very wise man. I left me in the care of Mr. Everett and Mama Kate because he knew that by doing so he could keep that promise. All Figalillys take their promises most seriously."
"Is your Uncle David a wise man because he left you where you wanted to be?" asked the judge.
Trelawney looked puzzled, as if the question made no sense to her.
"My Uncle David is a wise man because he is a wise man," she replied slowly. "That's why I think that he is wise."
The judge looked into the child's clear blue eyes and open, honest face. This was a man who saw people who were lying or dissembling pass through his courtroom everyday. The girl had nothing to hide. Pastor Jason could see that he was moved by the child's sincerity. Trelawney was radiating sweetness and goodness. Her clear yellow aura bespoke her love for her sister.
"Trelawney Rose Figalilly, I wish to thank you for traveling all this way to talk to me," he said. "You are now free to go. Pastor, you may send Mrs. Everett in."
"Please sir," interrupted Trelawney. "May you make your decision quickly? Phoebe is most worried and it is not good for the baby."
"Of course," replied the judge. "We would not want to cause her any extra anxiety in her condition."
"But sir," she replied in bewilderment. "You already have."
"That will be enough, Trelawney," said Pastor Jason quickly.
But the judge just smiled and shook their hands. When they got outside, Trelawney gave Phoebe a big hug and told her that the judge had been most kind and understanding. But Phoebe looked at Pastor Jason uncertainly and went in. She was looking pale. The whole day was more strenuous for her than they had realized.
They didn't have to wait long for her to come out. Apparently the judge had taken Trelawney's chiding seriously and had not asked her any more questions than necessary. And there was no way that he could have missed the fact that Phoebe was very strained by the upset and anxiety. Bob had the limo waiting to take them to the suite at hotel where they could rest. He could call them when the judge's decision came out.
Once again, Ben shepherded them out, his eagle eyes on the lookout for trouble. They got to the limo with no problems. As soon as they reached the suite, Phoebe lay down and Trelawney settled down next to her. When Pastor Jason looked in an hour later, he noticed that they were both asleep, holding hands. It was very touching. He knew that if the judge could see them he would not be able to do anything other than grant custody to the Everetts.
At Home
When Hal got home that night from the university he was worn out. He had slept poorly the last two nights. He missed Phoebe terribly. He had become used to sleeping with her in his arms and falling asleep to the sound of her even breathing. He found himself distracted at work and on edge at home. He couldn't quite figure out what was happening to his life.
He knew that he should be happy. He was married to a beautiful, young woman who was due to give birth to their child in less than four months. His three other children were happy and successful. Hal was a star science student, Butch was an excellent baseball player, and Prudence was enjoying her Brownies and her dance classes. His parents were living close by to help them through the rough patches. His teaching had never been better and his research for NASA was an opportunity that he had always dreamed of.
But he still wasn't happy. He was always busy running from commitment to commitment. He was cranky at home, especially with the kids. He never had enough time for his wife. But once he would start working with Fisk and Pulski on their research project, before he knew it the time was passing. He knew that his family was proud of him. But they also missed him.
Then there was Trelawney. Every time some issue arose with her, it was one thing too many. The tension added to the already stressful circumstances of his life. And the issues seemed endless. Yesterday, he had finally needed to blow off some steam. He decided to visit his friend in the psych department, Phil Meyers, who had helped him out before.
Like all shrinks, Phil was a patient man and a good listener. After Hal finished ranting, he looked at him mildly and said,
"Do you feel better now?"
"Somewhat," he answered. "But not as good as I thought that I would."
"Before I say anything else," replied Phil. "Are you here to rant or do you want some perspective on your life?"
Hal though a minute and said, "I suppose that since ranting didn't do much good, perspective would be the next place to go."
"Good choice," said Phil. "And the perspective that I am going to give you is this. You need to start making choices."
"But I do make choices," he replied.
"Okay, I'll clarify that," he said. "You need to make choices about your priorities. From everything you have told me, you have all of this great and exciting stuff going on in your life. But you're still not happy. Now, I know that it is easy to blame Trelawney, but it seems to me that even when she is having no issues you are still unhappy. Therefore, you need to take her out of the equation. She is not making you unhappy."
Hal stopped to reflect. Phil was right. His feelings of unhappiness were persistent and had been there for a while. He thought of Helen and the time he had spent working to get tenure. He had never been home then either.
But that had been different time of his life. His future financial security had been tied up in getting ahead professionally. And if Clinton hadn't worked out, who knew where they might have ended up and what kind of a fuss Bernice would have put up if they had to move far away.
And they had both been young. It seemed as if there was all the time in the world to make up for the lost days and hours with her. But those assumptions had proven false. By the time he had accepted that her days with him were limited it was too late to regain the lost time.
Now he had a stable career. His home life had also settled down. He thought of the times now that he came home yelled at the kids for being kids or sent them away when they wanted to talk. He couldn't even count the number of times that Phoebe had gone to bed and fallen asleep without him.
"Hmm," said Phil. "That gave you pause to think. Why don't you put those thoughts into words?"
"I was thinking about my first wife and all the time together that we lost because of my job," he said. "I still have regrets about that. When we were on our honeymoon back in January I promised Phoebe that this time there would be no regrets."
"And how long did it take you to break that promise?" he asked.
"Not very long," Hal admitted. "I guess old habits die hard."
"Yes, my good friend," replied Phil. "They do. So, when you got back, what did you do to try to change things?"
Hal thought hard. He realized that although the intention had been present, he had never actually done anything consciously to mend his ways. Instead he had taken on the research project for NASA. But now he realized that he didn't even know where to start. He looked at Phil helplessly.
"I don't know where to start," he said weakly. "I have so many commitments and responsibilities. And they all seem equally important."
"Well that isn't any good either," said Phil. "But at least you have a starting point. You say that everything seems equal to you in importance. Keep the word 'seems' in mind. We'll come back to it later."
"Okay," he replied. "I'm listening."
"You are the only one who can take control of your life," he said. "At the moment your life is controlling you. From my point of view it seems that your major conflict can be simplified into two competing areas: work and family. The first thing that you have to decide which of the two is most important to you. They both may 'seem' equally important, but in reality they are not.
"Only you truly know which of the two is more important to you. Decide now. I think that deep down you know already. Then you can begin to strategize ways of setting your priorities so that you achieve the balance that you want, not what other people want. And you have to do more than promise to do better. You have to show both sides through your actions which is more important."
"That's going to be very difficult," said Hal.
"Yes it is," answered Phil. "Especially for those who are farther down the priority list. Others are very good at telling you to set priorities but generally very poor at accepting being second, third, or even fourth."
"I want my family to be my priority," said Hal.
"So are you telling me that they are not right now?" asked Phil.
Hal felt himself shifting uncomfortably, but Phil could see that he did not want to say the words out loud. This time he let him off the hook.
"Okay, you've made your choice" said Phil. "Now what are you going to tell your department head that you are going to do to create more time to be with them? It's not about the family, they will be happy to accept any time that you give them. That is all that they really want from you anyway, your time."
Hal was stumped. It was much easier to promise his family that he would be home more often, than talk with his chair about clearing the time in his calendar. But he also realized that this was the next step. It made him very uncomfortable.
"Well, think about it," said Phil. "I can't tell you what to do because I don't know all the nuances and ins and outs of your commitments to the math department. But with regard to the family start by changing your attitude when you are around them. You might be surprised at how less demanding they seem if you realize that their demands are based on the fact that they love you and want to spend time with you. They aren't trying to make you feel guilty. You are doing that very well all by yourself. They just love you and miss you. And there's nothing intrinsically wrong in that."
Hal was thoughtful, "No there isn't."
So that afternoon when Hal went home, he took Phoebe's news that she might have to accompany her sister up north to state court the next day in stride. He even joined in the Monopoly game as Trelawney's partner. She had no idea about how to acquire property and make money, but once she realized that the strategies and luck worked together they made a very good team. Butch and Ben were very unhappy when they lost again.
He was also reminded of how sweet and innocent the little girl was. When he left that night she apologized over and over for all the trouble she was causing. But he was no longer angry or annoyed with her. He was sorry that he had made her feel so bad. Once again, there were regrets that he could have avoided hurting her simply by paying more attention. So he gave her a hug goodbye and told her not to worry about it. If she had to go to Sacramento, then all she had to worry about was convincing the judge to let her stay with them.
He was rewarded with one of her glowing smiles. Phoebe looked at him with tears in her eyes. Even the other kids were happy. He had forgotten how much the whole family had come to love her. He actually felt good as they walked home together, even though he was leaving Phoebe behind at Mother's.
But then this morning, Phoebe had flown up to Sacramento. He was late for work as he waited for the news and had been running around all day trying to catch up. Any intentions of talking to his department head went out of his mind. By the end of the day he was exhausted and, as his final reward, he got a phone call from Ben telling him that they were spending the night there.
The judge would give his decision in the morning. Phoebe talked to him for a couple of minutes and he could hear the tension in her voice. Summoning what little energy he had left, he comforted her, told her that he loved her, and hoped that there would be good news tomorrow. By the end of the call she sounded a little better. But now he felt the stress.
When he returned home, Mother met him at the door. She had a look on her face that told him that once again she was disappointed in him.
"Don't start," he said shortly. "I've had a hell of a day."
She looked at him for a moment and responded, "It's after eight. You must be starving. I have dinner warming in the kitchen."
Gratefully he followed her in.
"I spoke with Ben and Phoebe this afternoon," he said.
"I know," she said. "I spoke with them after you did. You did make Phoebe feel better. She misses you very much."
"No more than I miss her," he replied with a sigh. "It's been a rough few nights."
"She's due home tomorrow and then the custody issue will be settled," she answered. "Regardless of the outcome, she can come back home here. Bob and Lewis think that the judge will find in our favor. Trelawney made a good impression and Phoebe was only in there for a few minutes. Pastor Jason said that Trelawney told him that the worry he was causing was not good for the baby. The judge only asked her if she had willingly signed over custody. She slept for most of the afternoon."
"I'm glad," replied Hal. "She needs the rest. I could use a little rest myself."
"No, Hal," she said sharply. "You need a lot of rest. You can't keep this pace up. If you're not careful you're going to work yourself into an early grave. Take the weekend off. Spend time with Phoebe and the kids. Hit the links with Rob. When was the last time you played golf?"
"I don't know," he replied. "But what about the NASA project?"
"Hal, you just didn't hear a word I said," she replied, with a distinct edge in her voice. "To hell with the project! Spend some time at home. You have looked miserable ever since you started that project. What is more important to you, son? A feather in your professional cap or a relationship with your family?"
Hal looked at her. "Have you been talking to Phil Meyers?"
"Who the hell is that?" Mother was on a roll. "I'm just looking at what your life has turned into. Your son is afraid that you won't have time to go to the science fair and that you won't be proud of how hard he's worked on his project. He's been trying to talk to you about it for the past two weeks.
"You haven't been to a single one of Butch's baseball games. His pitching just keeps getting better and better. In a week Prudence has a big Brownie father-daughter event and she asked Rob to come with her. And I won't even start talking about Phoebe and how she has needed you.
"This is the second time in six months that we have been in this exact same spot. You are overworked and have no time for your wife and children. They are upset and miss you. You make promises that you can't or won't keep. Stop talking and start acting."
Hal opened his mouth, but he couldn't get a word out. Everything that Mother had just said was true. He hadn't even realized that all those things were going on with the boys. And he didn't blame Prudence for inviting Dad to go in his place to the Brownie event. Not knowing what else to do he buried his face in hands. It was as if all the balls that he had been juggling for the past few months were falling down around his head and all he could do was let them drop.
He could feel Mother's hands on his shoulders. She sat down beside him and with one arm around him said,
"Let it go."
So he did. He wept as he had on the beach in Kauai. Then he had been weeping for what was lost in the past. He was weeping for what could never be regained. Now he was weeping for the present. He felt helpless to control the responsibilities in his life that were tearing him apart. He was losing it all again. When he was done he looked at Mother.
Her eyes were filled with love and concern. She spoke with the wisdom of her years.
"Hal, do you know what you were crying for just now?" she said gently. "It was your family. Tell me. Have you ever felt so deeply about anything that you have ever done in your professional life?"
Once again she had caught him. She was looking at him with great sympathy. She knew his weaknesses and still loved him. He then realized that the rest of his family, his wife and children did too, even Trelawney. This love was precious and irreplaceable. He took a deep breath before he spoke.
"There is nothing in my life that means more to me than my family," he said. "I realize now that have been neglecting them for my job. I am going to tell Fisk and Pulski that they're on their own this weekend so that I can spend time with the family. If Butch has a baseball on Saturday, I'll be there. I'll be there for the opening of the science fair. And I'll be sure to clear my calendar for Prudence. And I'll be there to support Phoebe. She won't have to go through any more of this without me."
"I'm going to hold you to this," she said sternly.
"That's why I told you," he said with a weak smile. "I never could put one over on you."
She smiled back. "I'm proud of you, Hal. And I'll be there to help. Even if it's just to yell at you when you start to fall back into your old ways again."
"I'm counting on it," he replied.
He ate his half-cold dinner and went to bed. Once again he missed his wife. But then he realized that this was how she must have felt every time that she went alone to bed while he was working downstairs. It wasn't a very good feeling. He was sorry that he had made her feel that way.
Choices and Decisions
Just as Lewis had expected, the judge found the custody arrangement in their favor. As per David and Annabel's request under the terms of the will, full custody of the minor child Trelawney Rose Figalilly was granted to Robert and Catherine Everett until such time as she would return to the custody of her sister Phoebe Figalilly Everett.
Looking across the courtroom, Phoebe could see that her cousin John was very disappointed. And he should be, as well as fearful. Grandfather Trelawney was going to be very angry with him when he returned home. Lewis insisted that they leave immediately. No one else had any desire to stick around. Trelawney wanted to thank the judge but Lewis impatiently told her that she could write a thank you letter to him.
During a brief stop at the hotel to retrieve their things, Rob called Catherine and Hal back at home. Catherine promised to have a celebratory dinner ready and Hal promised to be waiting at the house when they got there. Lewis was coming with them for a short visit, but he didn't have much time before he had to return to Europe to argue his case in Geneva.
On the flight back, Trelawney curled up under her arm and they both fell asleep. They were both grateful that after more than a year the uncertainty was finally over. Lewis had assured them that the British courts would uphold the decision of the American court and Trelawney could not be returned to the village against her will.
When they opened the door to Catherine's house, they discovered a huge handmade banner that said "Welcome home, Trelawney, forever!" Phoebe could once more feel the tears forming in her eyes at the words, while Trelawney grasped her hand more tightly. But before she knew it, Trelawney was in Catherine's arms and she was in Hal's. Then they switched. Hal picked up her sister and kissed her cheek. Then Trelawney rested her head on his shoulder.
The entry way had gotten very crowded, so they moved into the living room. In addition to Rob and Pastor Jason, Ben, Bob, and Lewis had entered with them. And of course there were the three children and two dogs. Elspeth could barely contain herself. She was so relieved to see Trelawney. When they had finally sorted themselves out and everyone had a seat, Phoebe was finally able to introduce Lewis.
"You look like your father," commented Butch.
"Yes, I do," he replied. "My Dad is a handsome devil, isn't he?"
Prudence giggled.
"Everyone says that I look like my angel Mommy when she was a little girl," she said proudly.
"Then I'm sure she was a lovely lady," he replied gallantly. "It does seem that good looks run in the family."
"Other than the fact that they passed by Hal," answered Ben. "I can agree with that."
"Now, Ben . . ." began Hal laughing.
"Boys! Let's not start that already," said Catherine. "So I'm guessing that the judge was sympathetic."
"Oh, yes," replied Trelawney. "He is a most kindly man really. He understood quite well why I wanted to stay near Phoebe. Although I did have to scold him about worrying Phoebe."
"You did?" asked Hal raising his eyebrows.
"Yes, Professor," she declared. "He said that he didn't want to cause her any more worry and I told him that he already had."
Everyone laughed.
"So you really told him, didn't you Trelawney?" asked Uncle Bob.
She looked puzzled. "All I did was tell him the truth."
"Of course you did," said Catherine soothingly. "What you said was very logical. That's why it's so funny. The judge should have thought of him itself. Now tell me, dear. Were you nervous?"
"Not really," she said. "I had Pastor Jason beside me and I knew that all I had to do was to tell the truth."
"And of course you did," replied Hal. "Did you see your cousin John?"
"Only in the distance," she said. "And only this morning when the judge gave his decision. He looked most disappointed."
"I should say so," added Lewis. "I wouldn't want to have to return to James Trelawney with that news. He'll be stewing on it for some time, but there's nothing he can do about it now. This is the final decision."
"So does that mean that Trelawney gets to stay with us forever?" asked Prudence.
"Well, forever is a long time," said Rob. "At some point Trelawney will no doubt go to college and go out into the world herself. But for now she will live with Grammy and I so that she can be near your Mommy. She may even move back in with you again."
Phoebe could see Prudence looking over at her. She had a feeling that Prudence was not so sure of how she felt about that. Butch made the next remark.
"Well just as long as we don't have to worry about her going far away, I don't care where she lives," he said. "All that worrying makes everyone upset. And it makes me hungry."
"I agree," said Hal. "Now I want to let you all know that I have come to a decision myself. I've been spending too much time at work recently, so this weekend I'm going to stay home. I'll be able to go to your baseball game, Butch and hopefully get in a round of golf."
"That doesn't sound like staying home," commented Butch.
"I think that your father means that he won't be going into work," said Catherine.
"Well," admitted Hal. "I admit that I have missed you all, especially my lovely wife."
"And we've missed you," said Phoebe. She really couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her husband was actually setting a whole weekend aside for them. Perhaps he would even be able to go to Prudence's father-daughter Brownie brunch next weekend. As if on cue, Prudence spoke up.
"What about next weekend, Daddy?" she asked pouting. "I want you to come to Brownies with me."
"I wouldn't miss it!" he said with a smile. "And Hal, I can't wait to see what this super-secret science project is that you've prepared for the science fair."
"I hope that you're not expecting too much," answered Hal. "It's not anything like a project for NASA."
"Well, I should hope not," he answered. "One of those in the family is enough."
"Now you have me curious, nephew," said Bob. "I think that I might just stick around until Monday to see the big project. It would be great to get in some golf. How long has it been since I beat you, Hal?"
But before Hal could say anything, Ben jumped in.
"I think I'll stick around too," he added. "You know this will be the third time in the space of seven months that the whole family will be together. That has got to be a record for us."
"I believe that it is," said Catherine, clearly pleased with the surprise family reunion. "But Ben I suppose that you are going to try to win at Monopoly again?"
"What do you mean try to win?" asked Bob. "As I recall, you've always been the Monopoly ace in the family."
"Well not any more," complained Butch. "I got stuck with him as my partner and first we lost to Grampie and Prudence and then to Dad and Trelawney."
"You can be my partner, Butch," said Bob. "Then Ben can lose to us too."
Ben looked like he wanted to retort, but a look from Catherine silenced him. As usual, the three Everett brothers could not get together without the old sibling rivalries emerging. But Phoebe was quietly joyful. She was going to get to go home and sleep with her husband tonight and not share him with the university all weekend. She did not mind sharing him with the rest of the family at all. She was only too pleased to see him in the roles of father, son, and brother once more.
And when she looked at him, he appeared to be more relaxed than he had been in a long time. Butch was telling him about the opposing team for tomorrow's game, Prudence was anxiously waiting to tell him something about her day. Hal was engaged in conversation with Lewis, who was asking him about his science courses and project. When Catherine got up to tend to dinner, Trelawney followed her, as a good daughter of the house would.
Pastor Jason came over to say goodbye before he unobtrusively left.
"You should feel much better about things now, Phoebe," he said.
"I do, Pastor Jason," she replied sincerely. "And I am so grateful that you essentially stopped your life to come and help us."
"Phoebe," he replied with equal sincerity. "That is why I am here. It is still important to keep Trelawney near Catherine and away from Aunt Henrietta, but I don't feel the same urgency as I did before about it. You really should focus on yourself for a while and let your husband take care of you. The last few days have been very nerve-wracking and I am not sure that you realize how much it has taken out of you."
"Of course I will," she said with a smile. "This week has been very trying, but I have also found out how much I could count on the Everetts and the Figalillys to take care of us."
"There is no doubt about that," replied Pastor Jason. "But you must remember that all of the Everetts owe you a very large debt of gratitude. They have never spent this much time together in their adult lives. I think that they are finally starting to realize what they have been missing. That's because of you dear lady."
Phoebe blushed as he gave her a kiss on the cheek and left. Then she turned back to her family where they were all arguing over teams for the Monopoly game that they would be playing after dinner. Hal left the fray and walked over to put his arm around her. Kissing her on the cheek, he whispered in her ear, "Later."
She looked at him skeptically.
"I promise," he said and smiled.
Sunday Evening
By Sunday evening when the kids were in their beds and he and Phoebe were lying in their own bed side-by-side reading, Hal felt completely relaxed. The weekend had worked out very well for him. He had neither gone into his study nor anywhere near the university. They had all gone to Butch's baseball game yesterday, which had been very exciting.
The first relief pitcher called in to save the game that the team was winning by one run, allowed two runs to score before Butch came in to retire the next three batters. Then Butch's team scored two runs. Butch struck out the side in the bottom of the tenth inning to win the game for the team. For Butch however, the sweetest part of the victory was having the whole family there, including his two uncles.
His team was undefeated, which made him a hero twice over. Hal, he supposed because he had his own big night of triumph coming up in two days, was just as enthusiastic in his congratulations as anyone else. For once there was no sibling rivalry. To celebrate, Bob took them all out to a local hamburger joint and told them all to order whatever they wanted, "sky's the limit."
Not to be outdone, Ben took all the kids out to a local kiddie park with rides and games. Phoebe was tired, so he had brought her home where they spent some "quality time" together of their own before falling asleep for a nap. They woke up in time to go up to Dad's house where he was planning to grill up some chicken and ribs. Trelawney and Mother whipped up a batch of fish and chips because they knew that Phoebe was not crazy about grilled foods these days.
After dinner, Ben, Bob and his parents went into the house with the children to play team Monopoly. After a third game the night before, Ben had still not won and the only person willing to play with him was Trelawney. He grimaced, but Trelawney gave Phoebe a mischievous smile as they went in. Phoebe shook her head.
"Well," she said. "No doubt Ben will win this time."
Lewis laughed.
"She's always been a clever little imp, hasn't she?" he commented.
"That's a description that no one has used for her yet," remarked Hal. "It's been a while since she's really gotten into any mischief."
"Hmm," replied Lewis thoughtfully. "She really has been worried about things. Now that the custody is settled, I think that you can expect to see more of her foolishness. But I would say that she has grown up some, in maturity that is, not height. But don't take that as criticism, Phoebe. She's still got time. Not even twelve yet, is she? And you and your parents aren't exactly what I would call giants."
It was Phoebe's turn to laugh. It was music to Hal's ears after all of the recent worry.
"No, none of the Figalillys or Trelawneys are tall," she agreed. "But as you can see, the Everetts are. My own children may tower over me."
"And the rest of the family at family reunions," he said. "But it's good for the whole family now that this is settled, especially Mum."
"Was Auntie Anna really that afraid that she would have to raise Trelawney?" asked Phoebe.
"Oh, Phoebe, she really had you all fooled proper, didn't she?" he said with a smile.
"Fooled?"
"You see this is how it is," he explained. "Just as Dad had promised Uncle Owen that he would make sure that Trelawney was safe, Mum made a promise of her own to Auntie Meg. She promised that she would do everything possible to keep Trelawney with you. I'm afraid that it caused Mum and Dad a few big rows, but it was all a part of her scheming."
"I never viewed Auntie Anna as a schemer," replied Phoebe, puzzled.
"You are forgetting that Mum is a Trelawney, and all Trelawney are schemers," he answered. "Even your own dear Mum, God rest her soul. It wasn't that she didn't want to raise her. It was that she had made that promise to your Mum."
"So then it was all a lot of play acting," commented Hal.
"Yes, indeed," replied Lewis. "Especially in front of Elspeth. That dog is a right little tattletale if there ever was one. But she knew that it would keep Trelawney in balance if she thought that she didn't want her any more that she wanted to come home. She also had to play along with Grandfather."
"Play along?" asked Phoebe.
"Aye," he said nodding. "Grandfather Trelawney was demanding that she support him in his own bid for custody. Now she knew that such action would have broken Auntie Meg's heart, so she made a fine fury about not wanting the child in her home. Said that she was done with her six and wouldn't clean up Auntie Meg's messes, God rest her soul."
"But how did this help to keep Trelawney with me?" asked Phoebe, clearly puzzled. Even Hal was having trouble following his, or rather his mother's, line of reasoning.
"Ah, and that was where Auntie Meg was scheming," he said. "The promise was to keep her with you. A bit more vague than the will that used the word 'raising.' Just as Dad's promise to Uncle Owen was to keep her safe. Nor did the will specify that you raise her in the village. As a lawyer I can tell you that the legal loopholes and vague promises were what made my case possible. Without anything more specific to go on, the judge was able to take the child's desires into account."
Now Hal was really confused. He was glad that Mother and Dad were granted custody of Trelawney, but all this talk of loopholes and promises befuddled him. Phoebe seemed to be equally dazed by his explanation.
"Okay," said Lewis. "I'll try to say it more plain. Mum wanted Trelawney to stay here with you, even if it meant that she were living up the street with Hal's parents. As you know, in the village we all live in our own houses but are all one family. She told Grandfather that she was refusing to take in Trelawney so that the way would be clear for him to take her into his home, or Auntie Alma's."
"I'm still not following you," said Hal.
"Let me finish," he continued. "Two months ago, Dad really did want to bring her home to keep his own promise to Uncle Owen. But Mum trusted you and your new family more than he did to keep her safe. He always thought that he couldn't bring Trelawney home or Mum would move out. But he also thought that the girl wasn't as happy here as she could be. Dad's a shrewd man. He knows how to get what he wants."
"But then why did he change his mind about giving Mother and Dad custody?" asked Hal.
"He knew that it was the only way," answered Lewis. "He and Mum called me home and told me the whole story from front to back and in between. Grandfather was going to do everything he could to bring her back. So Mum play-acted like she thought that he should get her, but signed the deposition because Dad ordered her too. She had to obey her husband in this. A bit more play-acting, but it was to save her from Grandfather's wrath, which is no doubt considerable at this time."
"Okay," said Hal. "This is all starting to make sense. But I have one question that no one has brought up yet. Why was Grandfather Trelawney so determined to bring her back to the village? Is there anything to his concern about her safety in the outside world that we need to know about? To keep her safe that is."
"No," replied Lewis. "You're all doing as much as you can to keep the girl safe. I think that you're all ignoring the sentimental aspect of this whole thing. Phoebe, you need to remember how much Grandfather always loved the little sprite, especially since she was born so soon after Grandmum died."
"Of course I do," said Phoebe. "Yes, in fact he had always said that she was his favorite grandchild. And because she was a little fey, he was always protective of her."
"You're forgetting something Phoebe," he said in reply. "The child is the picture of her Mum. In fact, the older she grows, the more she looks like her. And Auntie Meg was the picture of Grandmum. The little one was even named for her. When Dad brought home the wedding picture of you two and he saw it, that's what made up his mind. Said that the child was his own Rosie, come back to life."
Phoebe was silent. Hal watched her face. He saw the flicker of emotion pass over it that always did when she felt the baby move. Lewis noticed it as well.
"Yes, Phoebe dear," he said gently. "Even your little Margaret knows. Dad told me it was a girl that you're carrying and there's only one name that you'd give to your first daughter."
Phoebe looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Hal put his arm around her as he always did when she was upset or sad. Instinctively she put her head on his shoulder. Lewis nodded.
"It's right for you to care for her like this, Hal," he said. "It's almost harder to know the truth, that Grandfather's motivation for bringing the little one home was one of pure love. He didn't want to hurt either of you, but he really does believe that Trelawney is his darling Rosie come back to life. She died barely ten months before she was born."
Hal had learned a long time ago not to question these things when it came to Phoebe's family. Sitting before him was an internationally renown lawyer who was speaking quite matter-of-factly about reincarnation and his perfectly down-to-earth wife was nodding in agreement. His only question was whether or not Grandmother Rose herself had been a little fey.
Lewis, of course, discerned his question and nodded.
"A wee bit," he said. "But not such as Trelawney. Grandmum was a more practical woman and she could not play the piano as our Trelawney. She was a very good woman, like the child. And she never left the village. But then, in that generation, if you were one who stayed at home, you stayed at home."
"But you and Uncle David are convinced that Trelawney is safe out here with us?" he asked.
"Yes, Hal," he replied. "And Emmeline as well. Dad and I believe that whoever the angel is, who was sent to watch over her, is doing a fine job. And your parents were clearly sent to protect her as well. Nothing in life is accidental. Our Trelawney will be safe in their hands. If I had any doubts, she would be returning with me to England on Tuesday."
"I thought that you were returning on Monday," said Phoebe.
"And miss the Science Fair?" replied Lewis. "Your son won't tell me what that project is, but from what little he has told me it sounds fascinating. No I'm not due in court in Geneva until Thursday. I have my files and can work on my case here on Monday."
"Thank you, Lewis," said Phoebe. "I know that it will make him very happy."
Lewis smiled and suggested that they go in and see how the Monopoly game was going. As Phoebe had predicted, Ben and Trelawney were winning. Between her intuitions and his business instincts, they were very far ahead. But everyone was laughing and having fun.
Hal had looked around at his family. It seemed to him that they were all winning now.
But now, he looked over at Phoebe and noticed that she had dropped her book in her lap and was sound asleep. Gently, he removed the book and closed it. He reached over to turn off her reading lamp and then put his own book away. After he turned off his own lamp, he settled himself down and cradled her in his arms. She softly murmured in her sleep and smiled. He kissed her and drew her closer.
After a weekend with his family, he realized that he had not missed his work or his research one bit. He knew that if he had spent the weekend working, then he would have missed his family. He thought of all the choices and sacrifices that the others in his family had made up to this point.
His parents had moved their entire lives, here to be closer to them and help them out. His two brothers and Phoebe's cousin had dropped their lives to help Trelawney stay where she would be happy. Phoebe herself had been willing to give up everything to fulfill her promise to her parents and then Trelawney had willingly left the house because it was best for her sister. All of their choices were guided by their love for their family. Then, from deep in his memory, he recovered the advice of the mentor of his doctoral thesis.
At the time, Hal had been struggling to finish it up and find time for his new bride. Helen had always been very accommodating where his career was concerned, but he was missing her. One night when they were burning the midnight oil as he prepared for his defense the next day, he expressed his concern to Dr. Haywood. A scholar of many years standing and a bachelor, he had said,
"Hal, I have seen many colleagues come and go in my career. I have attended many retirement parties. I have something to share with you that I hope that you will never forget. I have never heard a single retiree complain that he wished that he had spent more time at his job. However, many the man has expressed the regret that he had not spent more time with his family.
"You are young enough to avoid those regrets. Fame and fortune, but in our line of work mostly fame, are transient. Family is forever. The days of your life are limited. The children grow up too quickly. If you're going to be a family man, then be a family man. There are plenty of others who will take up the research.
"I've seen you through your graduate fellowship, and, man, you're a born teacher. There's more need for that in the university than researchers. But know when it's time to pack up your brief case each night and return to the family. You'll never regret it."
Old Dr. Haywood had passed away about fifteen years ago, shortly after Hal had received his PhD with honors. He wished that he could tell him that he was right, and that after all these years he was finally going to take his advice. But then he thought Trelawney and her belief in reincarnation and the afterlife. Wherever old Dr. Haywood was, he suspected that he knew.
To be continued . . .
