I know haven't been around for a while now. The only thing I have to say for myself is that school has been crazy.
Lynn watched with amusement and half-hearted pity as the older woman made her way towards her over the neatly cut grass. The actress's face held a perfect expression of contained fury. Lynn had rarely seen Blanche annoyed, even rarer were the occasions when she was actually angry.
"I can't believe those people," the actress fumed when she reached the small garden table, where they'd had breakfast. Lynn tried very hard to conceal her grin. "I was being as polite as possible… Did you hear them, too?"
Lynn nodded her head in a solemn attempt to appear supportive.
The new house had seemed too perfect to be real. Now at least the knew what the downside of this neighbourhood was. The constant beat of a rock and roll song from the next house muffled the early morning birdsong.
"Why can't they be civil, and turn it down just a little," Blanche said with anguish, shooting a withering glance towards the neighbouring house. Lynn simply nodded again, sensing that the older woman was not finished yet. "If it was good music, I wouldn't complain," Blanche continued, reaching out for her half-empty cup of tea. "But that's not music! That is an abomination. It can't even be compared to what we were listening to just last night."
Just to calm the actress and maybe change the subject, Lynn replied," Yes, that was lovely, wasn't it?" Lynn had never been to the theatre before; it had always been a bit too fancy for the Whites' family. But Lynn had enjoyed every minute of it. Apart from perhaps Blanche Hudson's voice and Patti Page's singing, the music she'd listened to last night at the theatre had been the most heavenly sound she'd ever heard.
"Yes," Blanche smiled; apparently Lynn had succeeded in averting her thoughts from the troublesome neighbours. "We must do that again sometimes." Her face took on a blissful expression of contentment. "I asked Bill and Margaret over for dinner next week. I hope we'll be able to cook up something delightful."
Blanche had no doubt Lynn would be happy to prepare an exceeding meal; she had certainly proven her skills during the time she'd lived with the actress. And she'd certainly try and do her best; if not for any other reason, then simply because she'd had such a good time at the theatre last night.
"Of course," Lynn beamed with excitement at the opportunity to thank the Carrolls by giving them a lavish meal in return for the marvellous evening.
The shrill sound of the telephone reached them from the house, and Lynn stood instinctively. She picked up the tray with the remaining evidence of their breakfast on it, and set off towards the house.
Blanche watched the younger woman retreat into the house, and leaned back in her chair, resting her head against the back of the chair. She took a calming breath, and tried very hard to focus on the distant birdsong rather than the disturbing drumming of the radio next door or the shrill of the telephone. Thankfully, the latter stopped a moment later.
Despite the heated feelings she harboured for the neighbours, Blanche smiled. Lynn was such a naturally kind and helpful girl. Blanche had wondered on many an occasion what she had done to deserve her. Her life now could not be compared to the one she'd led for all those years with Jane.
The neighbours' radio went silent, and Blanche sighed happily, enjoying the peace that overtook the garden. The pleasant sun caressed her skin, the distant fluffy clouds sailing past, as if in fear of casting a morose shadow over the beautiful morning.
After a few blissful minutes it suddenly hit Blanche that she hadn't heard back from Lynn, and presently she couldn't catch her voice speaking on the phone either.
Turning her head to the side, Blanche looked to the house. There, nearly hidden behind the door-frame, Lynn was standing in the doorway, her face shadowed. There was an unsettling quietness about her, so uncharacteristic to her, and also very meaningful.
Blanche straightened up, turning fully towards the younger woman. "Lynn?" she asked hesitantly, studying Lynn's expression with concern. "What's the matter?"
Stepping out into the garden slowly, Lynn breathed in shudderingly and focused her eyes with great effort on the actress's face. "That was my mother," she said. There was a pregnant pause until she continued. Blanche took in her shattered expression. "She told me my father had died."
Blanche let out a small gasp of shock.
Blanche wheeled her chair next to the young woman perched forlornly on the sofa. The actress had chosen a black dress for herself, respectfully, although she had not known the man. Lynn was wearing a smart knee-length and long-sleeved black dress with a matching pair of shoes and a plain black hat. Her face held a sorrowful yet blank expression.
"Are all your siblings going to be there?" Blanche asked before an uncomfortable silence could settle between them. Lynn gave a curt nod. Blanche was a little hesitant to proceed, realizing in what a fragile state the younger woman must be. "What are they like?"
Lynn didn't answer for a long moment. It seemed to Blanche that she was pondering something very hard. "Nice," Lynn finally uttered, and a small smile appeared on her face. Reminiscing about her family seemed to somehow lighten her mood.
"Thomas is going to be a doctor," she said with a proud note to her voice. "Susan's entering law school this year. Father always told us he'd enable us to have a good education, even if we had to starve for it."
Blanche returned her smile instantly. "He sounds like a very kind person."
Lynn laughed softly. "He was the kindest and most cheerful man I know. He was very disappointed when I said I wasn't going to university. He said it was fine, but I knew he was disappointed. So when I started working for you, I took him the autographed photo I asked you for. Father had seen you in a couple of your pictures in his youth, so he recognized you." She smiled fondly at the memory. "He laughed and hugged me, telling me he was happy for me. I know he was. I felt so proud whenever he looked at me afterwards, like I'd made him proud as well."
Blanche studied her blissful expression of fond reminiscence, and couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of envy. "I'm sure you did," she said with earnest kindness. "You know, you are very lucky to have known a loving father like him," she added, inwardly fighting against the memories of her own childhood and father. He was not worth stressing over.
Lynn sighed thinly and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. The older woman was immediately distracted from her own thoughts, and leaned closer to the girl.
"I feel a little guilty for dragging you away from him these last weeks," she said, eyeing Lynn with careful consideration of the girl's feelings. "You should have spent them with him."
Lynn's head shot up with alarm. "No, Miss Blanche!" she exclaimed with urgent conviction. "He was happy that I'd come to you, that I'd finally grown up and left the nest." Suddenly overcome with emotion, she stopped to swallow her tears. Blanche reached over and clasped her hand in hers. "I wanted nothing more than for him to be happy." Her voice broke into short, desperate sobs.
"Oh, Lynn..." Blanche pulled the younger woman to her and hugged her close. With her arms wrapped tightly around the girl's shaking body, Blanche felt an odd and unfamiliar warmth spreading through her chest. Her heart seemed to miss a beat when two hands clutched at her sides, unable to reach farther around her body from her position. Lynn buried her face in the older woman's shoulder and the aching sounds of her crying started to gradually become quieter and less frequent. Blanche felt a slight dampness in her dress where Lynn's eyes were pressed against the fabric, but she couldn't have minded less.
It was a warm and pleasant feeling that overtook her as she caressed the younger woman's head. This new closeness, however, was also so foreign, so frightening that Blanche was suddenly completely overwhelmed by the realization that she had rarely ever, and most definitely not in quite a while, felt like this—like someone actually needed and wanted her support, her love.
Love. It was such a powerful word. But cradling the young broken girl in her arms, Blanche realized this was exactly what she'd come to feel for her. There had been so few people to love in Blanche's life, and every one of them had eventually drifted away.
Looking down at the now silent girl with motherly affection, Blanche dared herself to speak. "You know, it won't be like this forever." Her soft tone made Lynn shift and fix her eyes upon the actress's face. "One day I will ask you to leave me, and you will do so gladly."
"No…" Lynn breathed in a tone of firm conviction, her eyes widening in nervous fright. "No, never, Miss Blanche!" she promised passionately.
Blanche shook her head to silence the young woman. "Lynn, listen to me," she spoke gently, reassuring the girl with a faint smile. "I don't want you to waste away your life, tending to me." She raised her hand to hush the response she saw coming from Lynn. "You are young, and that means you should be out, looking for love, and in a few years maybe even thinking of a family of your own..." Her voice trailed off at the sight of Lynn's amused expression.
"I think there's quite enough time until then..." she claimed in a voice full of mirth.
But Blanche was persistent. "One day you'll want to leave, and I won't be holding you back. Well, at least I hope so. If I do, you must remind me of what I said today. Will you promise me that you will?"
Lynn stared at her for a long moment, completely aghast at the other woman's words. Blanche could read the desperate plea and confusion in her eyes, but she would not back down, not until she got an answer. She couldn't bear it if Lynn would somehow miss out on her own life because of her. Blanche had learned her lesson with Jane.
Finally, and with her expression betraying that she was still quite unsure of the meaning behind the actress's words, Lynn nodded.