Chapter 10 - Vikings and Actresses

The others stayed for dinner. Maggie thought how different the family was now.

Elizabeth seemed transformed, shining with happiness and laughing at everything Tom said. Adam, Joe and Leah had obviously become great friends with Tom, and they all laughed over their exploits.

At the other end of the table, the tableau was very similar, but with Han and Jed telling David and Caleb about playing in the creek. She was glad that Jed had a friend at last, but worried about the way the two groups had split themselves. She would have been happier if the older children had included Han and Jed in their circle.

She also felt a pang of worry when she saw how divided David and Elizabeth seemed. Elizabeth was giving all her attention to Tom, while David barely looked towards him; his attention was on Han, who Elizabeth barely spoke to. The two boys were meant to give them a family, not tear them apart.

She hoped she was just imagining things. It was early days yet.

After the others had gone, the house felt very strange. It was the first time the four of them had been alone in the house together, without any distractions.

David sat down in his favorite rocking chair and turned to Tom. "So, Tom, you're originally from Minnesota?"

"Yeah! My folks came west a few years ago."

"How old were you?"

Tom thought for a moment. "About nine, I guess."

"Did you miss Minnesota?"

"Not really. It got real cold there in the winter, didn't miss that!"

"And your parents, were they from Minnesota?"

"My pa was. My ma, she came over as a little girl. She was from Norway, like my pa's folks."

David and Han shared a grin. Definitely Vikings!

David turned to Han next and Han's grin died. David wondered why. He suddenly realized how little he knew about the boy. "What about you, Han? Were you always in New York?"

"Yes. Where are you from?"

David had the feeling that Han was trying to deflect attention away from himself. "We're from Ohio. Came west a few years back, along with everybody else."

Now Elizabeth was curious as well. "Can you tell us a little about your parents, Han?"

Han bit his lip as he tried to think of a way to avoid the question and found nothing. Straightening up a little defiantly, he said, "My mother came here from England. She was an actress."

Elizabeth's horrified eyes shot towards David and he inwardly groaned. He knew how the women in her social circle viewed actresses and it was not with admiration. Elizabeth's friends, like many people, thought that actresses were little better than prostitutes.

David ignored his wife and forced a smile on his face. "Well, that's …" he paused as he fished for a word he could use, "exciting."

He could tell from the expression on Han's face that the boy knew exactly what they were thinking. He tried to think of something to say that would show the boy that David, at least, wasn't going to judge him.

"Did you ever see her in anything?"

An expression of surprise flashed across Han's face. "I saw her play Lady Macbeth once."

"That's a great part. You must have been very proud."

"I guess. I was pretty little, don't remember it much. She used to talk about it all the time, though."

Elizabeth had recovered herself a little and felt she needed to know more. "How old were you when she died?"

Han flushed to the roots of his hair. He should have guessed that they'd ask; as he'd said to Jed, it was a natural question. But telling Jed had been easy compared to this. He was sure he would see the judgement in Elizabeth's eyes.

"She… she didn't die."

Now all three of them stared at him in surprise. David leaned forward and took the boy's cold hand in his own. "She had to give you up?"

"No. Yes. She…" He just needed to say it, and then it would be over with. He'd already said it once that day. He hoped they would accept it as easily as Jed had. "We lost our apartment, couldn't pay anymore. Ma packed a bag and we started walking. After a while, I got hungry. Ma said she'd wait outside with our things while I bought some bread. When I came out, she was gone."

"Oh, Han!" David leaned forward and gathered the boy in his arms. He hugged the boy as if it could make everything alright again, and he felt the hitch of the boy's chest as he tried to suppress a sob. David let him go and lifted his chin. "You've got us now, Han. We're not going to leave you."

He pulled the boy onto his lap and Han sighed with relief.

Then Tom spoke. "What about your pa?"

David silently cursed as he felt Han tense up again. He could see that Elizabeth was also wondering. He was curious too, but after hearing about Han's mother, he'd been hoping they could wait before they upset the boy any further.

"Never had one."

"Did he die?"

David wished Tom would just shut up and stop asking questions. He held Han a little tighter as the boy shrugged, "I don't know. My ma never said much about him."

Tom's mouth dropped open.

Elizabeth considered Han. She wondered if Han's parents had even been married. She was shocked and horrified to hear the truth about Han's parentage, but it wasn't the boy's fault. She felt angry that God would give a child to a woman like that and leave people like her and David childless, but her heart ached for the child.

She was surprised to see worry in David's eyes as he looked at her, waiting for her reaction. Did he really think so little of her? Yes, she had her beliefs and she knew right from wrong, but she wouldn't punish the boy for his parent's failings.

"Well, if your mother didn't feel that he was worth talking about, then we won't either. It's getting late and I'm sure you boys must be tired. Who would like some hot milk before bed?"

Han's mouth dropped open in surprise and David gave his wife such a look of love and gratitude that she felt warmed by it. They shared a smile.

She made hot milk for all of them and they sat quietly drinking, suddenly realizing how tired they were. She kissed Tom goodnight and went to help Han make up his bed on the sofa. David stepped outside to check the barn door was properly closed.

As she tucked the sheets around her new son, Elizabeth realized she had one more question. "Han, how old were you when your mother left?"

"Six."

So, he'd been on his own for two years. She wondered how a mother could do it, leave a child like that. She bent over and kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Han. Sleep well, it's going to be another busy day tomorrow!"