IF WE MAKE IT TO JERICHO

Her lips were firm, her complexion clear and a tiny dimple graced each lightly rouged cheek when she smiled. At five foot seven and one hundred thirty pounds her proportions rivaled Venus de Milo. No goddess had hair so fine! Wavy brown worn shoulder length, free to be cuffed by the gentlest zephyr yet tamed by a delicate ribbon, never in a bun nor braided. He'd smile thinking of her as he reached a lever or shut a valve. His mind would see her elevate her beautifully arched dark eyebrows to enhance her pretty smile or to garner any surprise. But the next instant, he'd pause his hand in reach of a lever and it'd quiver seeing her eyebrows crimped and her lips curling to bare her pearly white teeth and he'd flinch, needing to recompose before reaching the lever. Pregnancy? Causing it? And her eyes, so soft and demure, as richly brown as the perfect muffin, could crimp small and speak daggers and he knew he'd get venom spit in his eye; and he did. What reason her change, or when, he knew not, but it hurt? Oh it did! And it hurt, too, when her eyes grew large and she'd look scared stiff yet a pummeling was his due. He couldn't understand when he should duck. He didn't want to duck. He wanted to hold her; as often he did. Gosh she was sooo wonderful to hold! And his heart pounded running coal to the furnace feeling her, feeling his arms around her and his eyes sparkled feeling her breath on his neck.

But less often now. Her hips and busts now bulged and her slender waist was a barrel of kicking expectation. He'd felt the kicking with his hand and it'd goose bumped him but the more the kicks, the worse the venom shot him down and he was thrown aback as though struck by lightening, wanting still to hold her. And sometimes she wished him to hold her. Would he never understand Clydis?

At home she awaited.

"Get. Get, Bunny."

Bunny wallowed in slush.

As she'd grown larger and the baby began to squirm inside her, Clarence also squirmed. They were living hand to mouth, in need of less rent to pay and more space. He and Pa stopped at the Morley Perkins farm on Jericho Road one day to collect old rags and paper and before they were loaded Clarence had in desperation become a part time farmer, working for the retiring Mr. Morley Perkins. "Whoa, Bunny." They'd crested a hill and seeing the slush less deep there, he'd halted Bunny for a brief rest. A cautious grin traveled his face as he recalled that Clydis hadn't been overjoyed in hearing they were to move from their cosy apartment over the Leadford mercantile.

"To a farm!" Clydis'd stamped her feet. Her eyes tore at him.

"No, it's more like to the country," he'd quickly assured her, his mind racing. "We won't be farming. I'll just be doing chores and helping with the planting and the harvest on shares. And I can keep Bunny, too. And we'll have free use of a sleigh in winter and a carriage in summer. There are fruits and vegetables, too. And grapes." He knew she liked grapes.

She'd spat her reply. "And feces tracked in by your sod buster friends and no conveniences whatsoever!" Her arms waved in dismissal. "I don't want to go there."

But a week later Clarence'd driven the carriage in from the farm, ostensibly to drive Clydis around the town. "For a look at the fall colors," he'd said. He cautioned her to dress warmly, which she did. She wore her prim starched brown bonnet with its beautifully ruffled lacy brim that demurely enhanced her deep brown eyes. And she wore a bright gingham green home sewn maternity dress and a tan shawl draped her shoulders and spread out over the scarlet carriage blanket which he'd tucked over her lap.

She'd planned to be like Bellona, Roman goddess of war, who'd prepared her hero for battle and then, armed with a whip and holding a torch, had stood guard during each and every conflict. Those thoughts had helped Clydis through her days with Clarence, but she'd not anticipated her mother. Since their arrival in England, her remaining privileges with Edith were limited to nursing her and to changing her, and those activities were closely supervised. Mrs. Klinert had limped the whip and extinguished the torch of Bellona long before Clydis had anticipated battle. Seeing flight as their only option, Clydis plotted their escape.

Travel for Clydis wasn't restricted. Travel solely in company with Edith, however, was impossible. By nursing Edith in the depot at Manchester and changing her in a restroom at the station, Clydis learned that a train departed Manchester each afternoon for Scotland and that a door to a baggage room near the restroom provided access to the passenger apron. Mrs. Klinert's vigilance, however, caught Clydis with Edith in her arms and with her hand on the door to the baggage room. Her heart leaped as a corner of her eye caught her mother's approach. In desperation, she'd opened the door and stepped into the baggage room.

"Clydis! Where are you going?"

"Oh, mother, how... utterly limp of me," she stammered, rushing from the room. "Mother, you must stay by me always."

Chuckling, seemingly at her daughter's mistake, Mrs. Klinert said, "You mustn't blunder so. It's a risk to my little lady." Clydis thought she'd fooled her mother.

Following their routine that evening, Clydis sat alone, and longing, in the study. Mrs. Klinert had command of Edith. Clydis still thought she'd fooled her mother. Her mind buzzed with escape plots as she in abject sadness watched Mrs. Klinert carry Edith up to her crib. She'd managed a sweet smile for her mother as they were leaving the room. Knowing the money she'd saved so far by not eating while out shopping or sight seeing was pittance, her mind swung reluctantly to Mademoiselle Rambouillet's solution. She found the idea repugnant even while realizing that mere pittance wouldn't save Edith. She must make her move, and soon. Already she'd lost so much of Edith.

Edith screamed! Sweat streamed from Clydis.

Terror stricken, her heart pounding, she rushed to Edith, bowling her mother aside. Mrs. Klinert dashed to the bedroom door and locked it. Turning then, she faced her daughter.

Shaking violently, her entire being in excruciate pain for her daughter, Clydis held Edith in her arms while tears flooded her beautiful face. Her mother stood by the locked door, glaring at her. "Mother, why?"

"You must do nothing to jeopardize the project," she snarled. Her teeth were bared and her eyes sparkled evil from beneath lowered eyebrows. "My little lady must be properly reared. No harm will come to her if no one intercedes in the normal progress of her training."

Mother's insane, Clydis concluded, and was shocked to be just then recognizing the fact. Having Edith in her arms felt wonderful and pressing her lips to Edith's hair, her heart spoke, "I will be here, my darling. Oh, my precious darling, I'll always be here for you." Edith clung tightly, as though listening, drawing strength.

She thought, I must cooperate with her fully to protect Edith! She spoke, her breath ruffling Edith’s hair. “Mother, please let me help in her training.”