A Modern Day Persuasion (7 page)

“Where’s our space shuttle?” demanded Little Charlie.

Taken off guard and ill-prepared to answer, Anne paused for a mere second before inspiration hit. “Our bikes, of course!” When the boys looked unconvinced, Anne continued, “They’re like our space…ahhh…bike pods…”

Nicholas sighed, exasperated. “They’re called
speeder
bikes.”

Anne nodded, “Oh yes, that’s what I meant. Our bikes are speeder bikes.”

“That’s corny!” Nicholas snorted.

“Come on, guys!” Anne was nearing the end of her rope. “Use your imagination!”

The boys became somewhat mollified, but Little Charlie hadn’t fully bought in, asking Anne one question she had hoped to avoid, “Then who’s that with General Grievous?” he asked.

“How about Cad Bane?” Nicholas answered with a grin, finally getting into it.

“Can I be Anakin?” Little Charlie asked Anne, already knowing what his older brother’s answer would be.

“I’m Anakin,” Nicholas flatly stated.

“But you’re always Anakin,” Little Charlie complained.

Cutting off Nicholas’ reply, Anne decided to nip this argument in the bud before it got out of hand. “Boys!” she called their attention with a hushed whisper. “If you aren’t quiet, General Grievous is going to catch us!”

The boys immediately got into character, scoping the field for any sign of General Grievous’ robotic army.

With this momentary success, Anne continued, “Nicholas, you be Obi-Wan, the more
experienced
,
wise
one, I’ll be Ahoska, and Little Charlie will be Anakin, okay?” She dared to hope that Nicholas would be swayed by hearing the strong attributes of Obi-Wan, but she was unfortunately mistaken.

“But Obi-Wan wasn’t in that episode,” Nicholas contradicted.

“Well, we can make him be in the episode Nicholas, this is our make believe,” Anne reasoned.

It only took Nicholas a minute to accept. “Okay, we’ll make our own adventure then,” Nicholas announced with excited eyes. “I’ll be Obi-Wan, Little Charlie is Anakin, and Aunt Anne is Ahoska.”

Little Charlie was stunned at first, dumbfounded that he’d actually gotten his way. When the force of it hit him, he quickly started putting in his two-bits on how the show should be run, and Anne realized she was about to lose control of the game she had created.

“Is that a light-saber sound I hear?” Anne tried once again to distract them. “We’ve got to move out quickly!” she whispered, pretending to get into it. The boys, now being motivated to move swiftly, each crab-walked backwards towards the cloaking shelter of the woods where their bikes awaited them. All the while, Anne had to keep reminding her nephews to cease their incessant chatter or else it might ruin their escape.

Thankfully, the boys played out their roles wonderfully, and despite the bickering between “Obi-Wan” and his “young Padawan”, Anne, aka “Ahoska”, was able to assist them in making it back to their “speeder bikes” without mishap. So, minus a few scrapes and nicks each received on their hands, they completed their escape quite successfully, much to the pleasure of the boys.

Once safely back at her sister’s home, Anne immediately went to her room and closed the door behind her, pausing to regain her composure. Gathering up her courage, Anne walked with unsteady legs towards the bedroom dresser to open a drawer. Inside, she reached for a jewelry bag and dumped the contents out onto her bed. With trembling fingers, Anne quickly pawed through all the trinkets until at last she saw it. With hands that still shook, Anne singled out the specific item she had been looking for…a heart-shaped locket.

Grasping the necklace, Anne remembered the occasion when Rick had given it to her. It was summer, and Anne surprised Rick by taking him to the Oregon State Fair for his birthday. He had never been to a fair before. They spent the day enjoying some hair-raising rides, played a few games of chance, and finally found themselves taking in the evening’s featured musical performance. It was there that Rick surprised Anne. Under the stars, while listening to an unknown country singer on stage, he gave her this delicate gift. Anne had been so touched to think that on “his” day, Rick instead
thought of her. She treasured it then, and if truth be told, it was still one of her most precious items.

Opening the locket with unsteady hands, Anne knew the memories which she had strived so hard to suppress could not be wrong. Despite all logic telling her it could not be so, her heart was telling her different. Although it had been over seven years, her inner being knew no one but Rick could ever evoke such strong emotions in her like she experienced today out in the meadow. Staring down at the picture of her beloved, she knew without a doubt that the stranger talking with Mr. Musgrove and the young man in the picture encased in her heart-shaped locket were one in the same.

“Anne, are you in there?” Mary asked through the door.

Anne jumped at hearing her sister’s voice. She quickly closed the locket and composed herself, concealing it tightly in her grasp. “Ahh…yes, come in.”

Mary entered. “Are you okay? The boys said you were acting a little weird.”

Anne peered outside her room into the hallway at the boys, looking at them as if to say,
Thanks for giving your aunt away
! “Yes, I was just feeling a little faint. Probably too much sun,” she said to Mary, who seemed satisfied with her answer.

“Good. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to cancel for tonight.”

“Tonight? What’s going on?”

“Oh, Charles’ mom called while you and the boys were out. Seems a renter from one of those huge vacation homes came over today and introduced himself. Apparently he’s single, so that was enough to secure him an invitation to dinner.” Mary laughed at her own comment.

Anne’s thoughts raced…
Was the renter Rick? He’s still single
?!?

Mary continued, “Clara is such a matchmaker! I swear, my mother-in-law won’t be happy until both of her daughters are married. Dinner’s at seven-thirty, but Clara wants us to arrive at seven. Heaven knows why we’re eating so late.”

Anne mustered up the courage to ask, “Did she happen to mention the man’s name?” Anne could barely hear herself speak over the beating of her own heart.

Mary spotted Anne’s card designs lying on her bedside table and started flipping through them as she replied, “Yes. It’s some guy named Rick Wentworth.” Anne’s head jerked up at hearing his name. “Must be a coincidence, huh?” Mary said, looking up at Anne. “Hey, these are really good, Sis. I’m impressed.”

Normally, Anne would have loved this unexpected and rare praise from her sister, but instead she was keen to return Mary to the previous subject. “Thank you, but, you were saying about this coincidence…”

Mary glanced Anne’s way. “Oh…when I first heard the name Wentworth, I thought it might be that guy you used to date but quickly dismissed that idea.” Mary chuckled. “There’s no way he could afford to rent one of those trendy vacation houses. I hear they’re at least $5,000 a week!”

Perplexed, Anne gazed down at the locket still clasped tightly in her hand.

Chapter 11

Anne was a wreck trying to prepare herself for that evening. Since Mary was convinced the man was not Anne’s former boyfriend, Anne did nothing to dissuade her sister differently. After all, the evening ahead would reveal the truth. Still, Anne was puzzled. Why was Rick spending time with the Musgroves, and how was it that he had that type of money to pay such an exorbitant rent? But Anne knew she needed to concentrate on more important things, like what she was going to wear!

After looking through every piece of clothing she had brought, Anne then invaded Mary’s closet, hoping to find the perfect outfit in which to greet an old flame. But she was out of luck. Even in her wildest dreams, Anne never expected to run into Rick this weekend, and therefore had not packed with this in mind. Instead, Anne brought mostly casual basics, and only threw in two dresses just in case they went out. Her first ensemble made her look like she’d put on a few pounds. She probably had, but she didn’t want to advertise it. Her only evening dress was too fancy, prompting Anne to wonder at the reaction if she showed up in that. No way did she want to look desperate! Anne finally settled on an outfit that would suffice, using a basic black skirt and a dressier top but made a mental note to go on an emergency shopping spree just in case another encounter with Rick occurred.

At five o’clock, Anne’s hair was done and she was putting on the final touches of lipstick when she heard Mary yelling hysterically. Anne rushed from the bathroom to see Mary standing at the front door crying frantically.

“What’s wrong!?!” Anne asked.

With terror in her eyes, Mary gasped, “Its Nicholas. He’s fallen from a tree! Oh, Anne!” Mary let out a sob, “He’s unconscious!”

Instantly, Anne took charge. “Did you move him?”

Mary shook her head, now overcome with grief and unable to speak. Anne looked beyond Mary to the yard outside to see Little Charlie kneeling next to his motionless brother under a large tree.

“Okay,” Anne said calmly, “You need to stay with Nicholas while I call an ambulance.”

Mary nodded and turned to head back to her sons.

“Mary!” Anne yelled, catching her sister. “Do you know where Charles is?”

Mary shook her head while wiping away spilling tears. Anne immediately headed for the phone. As she dialed 9-1-1, Anne prayed for Nicholas, hoping to still the anxiety she was feeling. “Dear God. Please, please let him be alright.”

The operator picked up, “Black Butte 9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

Bracing herself to stay calm Anne began, “There’s been an accident…”

Chapter 12

A few hours later, after safely arriving at the hospital, Nicholas was sitting in bed eating his dinner while sipping some apple juice and watching cartoons. Little Charlie sat silently on the empty bed next to him, enjoying the crayons and coloring book the nurse had brought in earlier. Now that Nicholas was alert and conscious, Mary was back to herself again, looking tired and bored. Her comments mostly consisted of complaints surrounding how she abhorred the way hospitals smelled or how bad the food tasted. Anne watched the boys from the end of Nicholas’ bed, glad that Nick was okay. She offered up a silent praise to God for Nicholas’ stable condition. It had been a miracle her nephew hadn’t been seriously injured.

Hurried footsteps echoed in the hall outside. In a panicked state Charles rushed in, and with a strained voice croaked, “What happened?” He was greeted with smiles from all, and the tension in his face evaporated at the sight of Nicholas sitting cheerfully in bed.

“Charles!” “Daddy!” chimed Mary and Little Charlie respectively as they ran into his open arms.

Charles looked to Anne for an explanation, which she readily supplied. “Nicholas knocked himself unconscious falling from a tree. As you can see, he’s much better.” Anne glanced over at Nicholas with a smile. Her young nephew had moved onto dessert, savoring the ice cream bar that followed the completion of his dinner. Anne continued, “The
nurse said all of his vitals look good and the doctor should be here shortly.” Charles nodded in relief.

Ten minutes later, the doctor arrived. He and Charles stepped into the hall to speak privately. Moments later, Charles came back into the room with a reassuring smile on his face. “Good news! The doctor said Nicholas only incurred a mild concussion, but to be safe, he’ll need to stay the night as an extra precaution.”

“Oh, that’s a relief,” Mary said, standing.

Charles looked at his watch. “Well, since Nicholas is going to be okay, I hope you all don’t mind if I hit the road? I’m starving. If I head out now, I can still make it to my parent’s place in time for dinner.”

“What!” Mary said with astonishment, “You can’t leave!”

“Why not?” Charles asked. “The doctor said Nick’s fine… nothing a good night’s rest won’t cure.” Mary roughly pulled Charles into the hallway as he continued to plead his case. “…and your sister’s with you, Mary,” Charles said, stating the obvious. “I’d ask you to come too, but I figured you wouldn’t want to leave Nicholas. I mean, after all, what use am I here? Besides, I really want to meet this Rick Wentworth.”

Mary exploded. “Rick Wentworth! What’s Rick Wentworth compared to your own son?”

“Come now, Mary, you know the answer to that! I wouldn’t even consider going if the doctor thought Nicholas’ condition was serious,” Charles said defensively.

“Fine, go!” Mary replied tersely, stomping back into the hospital room, leaving Charles alone in the hallway.

Anne tried to act as if she hadn’t been listening, but it would have been impossible to not overhear with how loud their voices were raised. Mary looked quite unhappy as she sat down in her chair with a big ‘thump’. Charles appeared a moment later, slightly embarrassed. He kissed Nicholas goodbye, ruffled Little Charlie’s hair lovingly and then turned to Anne.

“If you need anything, please give me a call,” asserted Charles as he left.

The atmosphere in the room following the departure of Charles was subdued, but Anne knew it was the lull before the storm.

Nicholas’ pain medication by now had kicked in, so Anne busied herself with tucking in the sleeping boy before tidying up the room.