Family Reunion (14 page)

"Forgotten what? Who talked to me? I haven't the faintest idea of what you are speaking Mrs. O'Brien?!" He returned a little bewildered.

"Oh Please don't tell me that, please!" Hope put her hand to her head at just the right moment adding to the panic in her voice, her eyes fluttered as though she would swoon, a couple of deep breaths seen by her audience of one, and a hand to her chest also helped.

S
ome men were so predictable
she thought as Mr. Kipher leapt from his chair to run to her aid, waving a handkerchief before her as he nervously inquired.

"Mrs. O'Brien…please, calm down. There is no need to upset yourself, I'm sure as soon as you tell me what this is all about, I can assist you to the best of my ability. Please, you must calm yourself."

Hope thought of something tragic and bit into her lip, which brought about effective tears.

"Oh Mr. Kipher, you must forgive me. I thought ...I thought I had gotten myself together, but I find my past tragedies still affect me. I have never been a fearful type of woman please understand Mr. Kipher." *
Sniff*
"I try so hard but at times like these, I find myself under such strain. Oh please forgive me!" Hope knew that a babbling woman in tears for some reason touched men in odd ways, no matter how it got on her nerves, she needed that job.

"You poor thing… just take a deep breath, calm yourself. Would you like a glass of water?"

"Oh yes please, how kind of you. I need only a moment to collect myself. I'm so sorry, I do apologize for putting you through this; I will be fine if given just a moment."

She went on weakly, making sure she sounded as frail as she worked to appear. He rushed to his desk to pour her a drink of water.

"Don't you think a thing of it, here you go...ah ah ah, drink slowly now, that's a girl ... any more?"

Hope shook her head and inhaled deeply to calm herself.

"There now, how about you fill me in from the top, after all, I can't possibly help you if I am unaware of what you speak." He gently coaxed, careful not to upset her again.

"Well, I'm not sure where to begin." She continued softly, keeping her face downward, staring at her wringing hands, a clear sign of her nervous reluctance, and thought distractedly.
'Now how did I do that?'
She wondered at the snag in her skirt.

"I understand, just take your time."

"Well, first of all, I guess it is silly of me, to - to continue on being called Mrs., since I've been widowed now for ... for ten months and Mr. Webster, since he came to my aid-…"

"Wait, are you saying you know Mr. Webster and that he sent you here for this job?" He asked incredulously, knowing for a certainty that he would not have been aware of the needed person since the other cleaning woman only quit after he was already gone.

"I find that a little hard to believe since he was out of town when
the position became vacant."

"Oh I know that but you see, this was promised to me long ago. He and my father were close friends and I've always looked up to him. His son Michael and I used to play when we were younger; well actually, he used to amuse me, why he used to bounce me on his knee. Our families were very close. Then Mr. Webster became a shipping merchant and therefore was not around as his business called him away to this great city. However, he often came home to visit ... but ... upon his last visit."

She closed her eyes willing forth tears, but to Mr. Kipher it looked as if she were fighting them back.

"Yes Mrs. O'Brien, his last visit?" He asked calmly, urging her on.

"Before his last visit, my father ... my husband, they - they'd been killed in an - an Indian attack!" She wailed covering her face as her shoulders shook.

"Oh my! Oh my! Mrs. O'Brien...Oh my! Please, Mrs. O'Brien, I'm so sorry to bring such a horrible experience back to mind. Mrs. O'Brien, please." Hope shook her head keeping her face buried in her hands speaking through them as she emitted broken sobs.

"Oh Mr. Kipher...I'm so... so sorry...I thought ...I thought I'd gotten ... gotten over that ... horrible nightmare!!"

"Please, weep no more, I hate to see tears marring such a lovely face, please take my handkerchief."

She took it, keeping her face down, dabbing at her tears and sniffling, then blew into it loudly for good measure.

"What an awful thing to have to go through, I can just imagine it, those awful heathens attacking poor innocent people like yourself. We hear such stories all the time. Come now, dry your eyes, and tell me what you need."

"Well for one, this job. You see ... when Mr. Webster returned to visit, it was to the scene I've just described. He helped me out a lot, with the deaths and burials of my husband and father; I was left with no one to turn to. He then told me, if I wanted, I could come here and he would help me to find work. At first I didn't want to come; I chose you see, to stay with my in laws but that did not work because...- (She cringed at this big lie, but went on)-...well, you see my husband's brother, he ... he well." The lie made her blush appropriately, which indicated some sexual attempts she was of course too much of a lady to mention aloud to a stranger.

"Say no more, I can just imagine, you being a widow at such a young age, why, any man would find himself battling temptations I assure you."

"Well, the little money my poor Joseph left me, I bought this really
nice suit and passage to New York. It has haunted me that my delay has caused me to miss Mr. Webster. You see I'd written before embarking upon this journey and right before I left I received a missive assuring me employment. Naturally when I arrived here today I assumed that this was arranged by him. I have no money left and to my good fortune I met a nice lady on the ship as I traveled, she is allowing me to stay with her, because I assured her I would have immediate work but if I don't get this job…I… don't know what I will do!? I asked the front reception for Mr. Webster’s residence, I even…even… lied to him, saying that I was his daughter so desperate you see to find means for myself…and now…now." Again her face went to her hands.

"Why, what you'll do is dry those pretty eyes of yours and worry no more. If you say Mr. Webster promised you work, well then work is what you shall get. I only fear the job we offer is much too strenuous for a lady such as you."

"Oh believe me, I care not what the job is, as long as I can take care of myself ...you wouldn't regret hiring me. Mr. Webster I'm sure will be very pleased that you took care of me in his absence."

Hope gushed in utter gratitude.

"Well, we have to stick together and take care of one another. Else we might as well label ourselves as savages along with the red skins. Now, enough of your depressing ordeal let me tell you what you will be doing. As for the job itself, it will be up to you to clean all the offices after the building closes, the desks should be polished like all other furnishings in the office, all waste must be taken out back and carefully burned. The windows and sills cleaned, the floors swept and mopped, and once a week waxed, down the halls and stairs as well. It's not easy work, I grant you this, much more suited for Negro women but Mr. Calvin won't have them in his building."

Twice now his comments made Hope's face burn; she had to bite down hard on her tongue to remain quiet. "Only reason he allows entry to that Negro Leon, is because Mr. Webster pays high rent to allow him in. Being that Mr. Calvin is more concerned with making money, he allows him, but he isn’t so keen on the idea of paying Negro’s out of his pocket. Reason he's offering the job to white women in need of work.”

“
It's a good thing; else you wouldn't be getting the job, you can be thankful. Your time starts at seven in the evening, the offices close at six, you have till one to complete your work, Mr. Calvin won't be paying a minute past. Now, you think you’re up for it?"

"Why sure Mr.
Kipher, I'm more suited for this job than you know. I consider myself just as labor able as any Negro woman. It would amaze you how much we have in common." Hope said stiffly, her tone laced with a touch of ironic sarcasm. Mr. Kipher’s look told her that he found that an odd thing to say, but her smile wiped away all thought and he smiled back.

"Well then, you start tonight. Just a minute and I will give you the keys to the building. You are responsible for these keys, you lose'em and Mr. Calvin won't be happy. I'm afraid you will have to pay for the next set yourself."

He left the room for a moment and Hope sat feeling uncomfortable, she had gotten the job, but now… she would have to tell her husband what she would be doing. Mr. Kipher returned with the keys, showing her the main one on the ring that would let her into the building. Red wax had been melted on its head for easy identification. Hope accepted them and stood, not forgetting to thank him heartily, asking suddenly.

"Um, you wouldn't happen to know when Mr. Webster will be back would you, I am most anxious to see him and his son again."

"Well that's hard to say but I suspect sometime next month, maybe."

Hope thought since he was so helpful and agreeable she would try a bit more. "His residence? Would you know where?"

"Fifth Avenue. Here, here's his address." Hope's heart leapt, she couldn't believe it.

"You - did - what?!" Joseph yelled incredulously.

"I've found a job." Hope repeated, nervously.

"Why? Where? How? You left to search out your father at his office and here you return with a job? You don't need a job!"

"The job is at his building. I'm a maid and I start at seven tonight and I’m to be done by one. So you'll have to escort me there and pick me up because I daren’t be about this city alone that time of night. Don't look at me that way, close your mouth."

"I want to know how
you
secured this job, a job you don't need."

"My father's office is there."

"How did you get that job…surely other women were there for it as well, why you?"

Hope swallowed as her face
reddened; she began biting into her lip, replaying all that she had said within her mind. "Yes, there were other women waiting to be interviewed for the job, I kind of made it seem, that the job was rightfully mine and that it should come to me."

"How?" He asked.

"How?" She repeated.

"Yes, how?"

"I kind'ah told a story that made him feel I should get the job."

"You mean you lied to get the job; a job that no doubt one of those other women really needed." Hope's eyes grew round as he brought that to her conscience. "You lied to get a job that more than likely has taken food from a child's mouth."

"Joseph…" She whined as her stomach tightened into knots.

"I want to know what you said to get that job."

Hope stared at him afraid to say what she said. "I had to get that job Joseph. My father's office is there. I've made up my mind. No one knows for sure when he will return, I have to be there when he does."

"Have you ever heard of, waiting? Checking back in a few weeks?"

"I can't, I'd go mad. I'd go crazy just…waiting."

"You haven't told me how you got this job over the other women."

With her heart pounding and her ears burning, she told him. Joseph stood staring in disbelief, growing angrier by the moment as Hope felt her humiliation increase, on finishing, he turned away from her walking to the other side of their room to stare out the window.

"How could you have said those things? Told such a story? Is it not enough that we are looked at as we are…and here, my own wife adds to our struggle!"

"Joseph, I know…I'm so sorry…but…this will give me something to do while I wait on my father's return. I can go into his office, where he has actually been, to sit at his desk, to clean his furniture. Oh Joseph…please, be understanding."

"Understanding!! I understand this! Anything goes when it comes to Maynard Ramsey Webster! When it comes to Princess…Ceś alena! I am nothing beside them…the reputation of my people is nothing to you when it comes to them!"

"That is not true!"

"It's never enough! Nothing is ever enough for you! We have completely relocated here so that you can find your … your damned cursed father!”

“
All you have to do…is
wait
…just wait - the way that a normal person would."

"Well I'm not a normal person! You don't understand, you had your real family with you all of your life!"

"Are you certain of that? My father…where is he? How long will I wait to see him?"

Hope stood with her eyes watering as she grew short of breath.
She hated arguing with her husband, especially when he was right. Yes it was true, he had no father. His father was dead and would never return for him. Yet, she knew if she could do what she had done to get the job again, she would. Her father was not dead. He was alive and well and she needed to be there in her father's office when he returned. The thought of going back over and over again, asking had he returned was unbearable. When he showed up…she would know, because she would be there.

"Will you leave me with no dignity at all? You say you love me, yet your father has forever clouded your judgment."