Calyx Briars shut the door to her apartment as quietly as possible. Her
eyes were drawn again to the addressee on the letter in her hand. The past
month had been hard, first with her mother dying, then losing her job at
the seamstress, her only source of income, and finally her fiancée broke
off their engagement to marry her best friend. The letter was addressed to
her dead mother, Katherine Briars.
"To my dearest Katherine,
I know it has been a long time since I have written you, and my excuse is no where near adequate. Your father was a powerful man with a powerful grudge and unfortunately you were caught in the middle. When I first heard of your father's choice to disown you I was shocked, then when I heard why I am ashamed to admit that I actually believed your father was correct in disowning you. But as I have had the past years to think of this situation I do know that this wasn't your fault that your husband left you when you were with child.
Your father even admitted as much as he laid on his deathbed, that is right your parents have both passed on. Your mother, my sister, followed him only three months later. I believe she died of a broken heart. Your father was a harsh man, but he still loved her more than life itself. But his pride could not allow him to even extend the hand of apology.
Child I am writing this to ask you to come to visit me. I am on my own deathbed, the town doctor has given me less than a month to live. Please use the enclosed money to bring you and your child to come out. I want to make peace between us before my death. Please come soon.
Your Aunt Martha Williams."
The handwriting was thin and spidery, at times it was barely legible, but Calyx got the gist of the letter. Her mother had been disowned by her family over eighteen years ago, in the months following her husband's abandonment. This she had known, her mother had explained it all when Calyx had asked after her father when she was a child. Katherine had moved to New Orleans in an effort to leave behind her past. But it had just followed her to the city, and work had been tough, even with her claim of being a widow.
After Calyx's birth Katherine had begun to take in laundry. The meager pay had barely gotten them through the early years. When Calyx was around five, Katherine began to work at a upscale hotel as a maid. The pay was better than either could imagine and they had been able to move out of the French Quarter. Their lives had been good, but it had ended abruptly. Katherine had been fine just the morning before her death. But by nightfall she was dead. Doctor Lebeaux had no answers to why Katherine had died he was only able to be there to comfort Calyx in the final moments as she had held her mother's hand as she slipped into the other realm.
The good doctor had kept the death from the authorities, after all Calyx was barely eighteen and a few would think that a girl on her own at such a young age would be bad. A few of the neighbors had been suspicious and their suspicious natures had become rumors, which lead to the crashing of Calyx's comfortable life.
This letter had arrived at the perfect time, there was no doubt that it was perfect timing. Maybe this Aunt would be her way out. She could leave behind the shame of being left at the alter, the pain of her mother's death and a new job. Calyx tapped the letter on her hand, she would send a telegram to this woman and tell her that "Katherine" would be coming out with in the next couple of days. She could play the part of a grieving niece for a couple of days, the letter made it seem that the lady was a bit senile, she thought that Katherine was still quite young, and the child she had given birth to was even younger.
Katherine would come back from the dead for the rest of this Aunt Martha's life. Then Calyx would be back in to life, so she would go on with her life. She could even look to finding a husband too.
The rickety train pulled into the station with a defeated whine as the breaks engaged. Calyx stood up shakily, quite happy that she was able to maintain her balance as the train shuddered to a halt. Her only thought was to get off of the death trap that the railway called a train and get some warm food and something cool to drink. Her traveling outfit was hopelessly wrinkled and she just knew that her face was smudged beyond anything she could imagine. She must look a fright.
As she disembarked she was relieved to notice that she was the only passenger who had decided to make this tiny station the end of their trip. The platform was deserted except for a man standing near the ticket/telegraph window. She debated going to the window to ask the porter for directions to her Aunt Martha's but decided against it as the man at the window finished his conversation and began to approach her.
"Miss Briars?" He asked as he approached, Calyx nodded. "How do you do ma'am, I'm Ben Conlon. Your aunt asked that I meet you at the station to bring you to her house."
"How do I know you are who you say you are?" Calyx asked a bit suspicious of this bold young man.
He seemed to think about this for a moment before answering, "Well actually you don't. But seeing as Jenkins has already closed the window for lunch and the train is leaving now I would say you don't have much of a choice."
Calyx looked around the platform and was a bit horrified to realize that he was right, the train had begun to start up again. Her only luggage was her hatbox, and a large carpet bag. Both of which she had kept with her for the entirety of the trip. The porter's window was now closed securely with a sign that read "Out to lunch Next train at 4."
"Well Mr. Conlon I believe I will have to trust you to take me to my aunt." Calyx said resignedly.
Conlon smiled widely, "Then Miss Briars I'll be happy to escort you to your aunt."
"To my dearest Katherine,
I know it has been a long time since I have written you, and my excuse is no where near adequate. Your father was a powerful man with a powerful grudge and unfortunately you were caught in the middle. When I first heard of your father's choice to disown you I was shocked, then when I heard why I am ashamed to admit that I actually believed your father was correct in disowning you. But as I have had the past years to think of this situation I do know that this wasn't your fault that your husband left you when you were with child.
Your father even admitted as much as he laid on his deathbed, that is right your parents have both passed on. Your mother, my sister, followed him only three months later. I believe she died of a broken heart. Your father was a harsh man, but he still loved her more than life itself. But his pride could not allow him to even extend the hand of apology.
Child I am writing this to ask you to come to visit me. I am on my own deathbed, the town doctor has given me less than a month to live. Please use the enclosed money to bring you and your child to come out. I want to make peace between us before my death. Please come soon.
Your Aunt Martha Williams."
The handwriting was thin and spidery, at times it was barely legible, but Calyx got the gist of the letter. Her mother had been disowned by her family over eighteen years ago, in the months following her husband's abandonment. This she had known, her mother had explained it all when Calyx had asked after her father when she was a child. Katherine had moved to New Orleans in an effort to leave behind her past. But it had just followed her to the city, and work had been tough, even with her claim of being a widow.
After Calyx's birth Katherine had begun to take in laundry. The meager pay had barely gotten them through the early years. When Calyx was around five, Katherine began to work at a upscale hotel as a maid. The pay was better than either could imagine and they had been able to move out of the French Quarter. Their lives had been good, but it had ended abruptly. Katherine had been fine just the morning before her death. But by nightfall she was dead. Doctor Lebeaux had no answers to why Katherine had died he was only able to be there to comfort Calyx in the final moments as she had held her mother's hand as she slipped into the other realm.
The good doctor had kept the death from the authorities, after all Calyx was barely eighteen and a few would think that a girl on her own at such a young age would be bad. A few of the neighbors had been suspicious and their suspicious natures had become rumors, which lead to the crashing of Calyx's comfortable life.
This letter had arrived at the perfect time, there was no doubt that it was perfect timing. Maybe this Aunt would be her way out. She could leave behind the shame of being left at the alter, the pain of her mother's death and a new job. Calyx tapped the letter on her hand, she would send a telegram to this woman and tell her that "Katherine" would be coming out with in the next couple of days. She could play the part of a grieving niece for a couple of days, the letter made it seem that the lady was a bit senile, she thought that Katherine was still quite young, and the child she had given birth to was even younger.
Katherine would come back from the dead for the rest of this Aunt Martha's life. Then Calyx would be back in to life, so she would go on with her life. She could even look to finding a husband too.
The rickety train pulled into the station with a defeated whine as the breaks engaged. Calyx stood up shakily, quite happy that she was able to maintain her balance as the train shuddered to a halt. Her only thought was to get off of the death trap that the railway called a train and get some warm food and something cool to drink. Her traveling outfit was hopelessly wrinkled and she just knew that her face was smudged beyond anything she could imagine. She must look a fright.
As she disembarked she was relieved to notice that she was the only passenger who had decided to make this tiny station the end of their trip. The platform was deserted except for a man standing near the ticket/telegraph window. She debated going to the window to ask the porter for directions to her Aunt Martha's but decided against it as the man at the window finished his conversation and began to approach her.
"Miss Briars?" He asked as he approached, Calyx nodded. "How do you do ma'am, I'm Ben Conlon. Your aunt asked that I meet you at the station to bring you to her house."
"How do I know you are who you say you are?" Calyx asked a bit suspicious of this bold young man.
He seemed to think about this for a moment before answering, "Well actually you don't. But seeing as Jenkins has already closed the window for lunch and the train is leaving now I would say you don't have much of a choice."
Calyx looked around the platform and was a bit horrified to realize that he was right, the train had begun to start up again. Her only luggage was her hatbox, and a large carpet bag. Both of which she had kept with her for the entirety of the trip. The porter's window was now closed securely with a sign that read "Out to lunch Next train at 4."
"Well Mr. Conlon I believe I will have to trust you to take me to my aunt." Calyx said resignedly.
Conlon smiled widely, "Then Miss Briars I'll be happy to escort you to your aunt."
