Blackwater - The War Part 14

Sometimes, during the week, Lucille left Tommy Lee with Luvadia, and she and Grace went into Babylon to eat a catfish supper and go to the picture show. This soon became a cherished habit with the cousins on Wednesday night, when the bill changed at the theater. People sitting on the front porches would point as the truck rattled by, and say, "There's Grace and Lucille on their way to the picture show. They probably don't even know what's playing."

182.

Winter came to Gavin Pond. A few leaves turned brown, but the mild weather couldn't persuade them to drop off. Late summer flowers continued to bloom, determinedly ignoring the calendar. Sometimes Lucille and Grace put sweaters on when they went into town on Wednesday nights.

The second Wednesday in January 1946 was a cool evening. Leaving Tommy Lee in the charge of Lu-vadia, Grace and Lucille put on their sweaters, climbed into the truck, and drove into Babylon. They ate supper at the catfish place on the Ponce de Leon Road, where they were known to everyone, and where their usual meal was served without their ordering. Afterward, at the picture show, they saw a double bill ofDillinger and Dangerous Partners. They were out of the theater by eleven o'clock. The night was now even colder with bright stars. The waning moon would not rise till after midnight.

The Babylon post office closed its windows at five o'clock, but the front door was left open, allowing access to the boxes. Grace pulled up in front of the tiny brick building, went in the front door, walked over to the wall that the boxes were on, and twirled the combination. She pulled out a small sheaf of letters, slammed the little door shut, and returned to the truck.

"What did we get?" asked Lucille excitedly.

"Cattle auction ads for me, seed catalog for you, and a letter from Danjo."

"Oh, read it here!" Lucille switched on the light in the cab of the truck. After glancing at the German Occupation stamps on the envelope, Grace tore open the envelope and read: Dear Grace, I'm writing to you because I don't want to write 183 directly to James because he might get upset. The reason he might get upset is that I have just gotten myself married. That is wonderful and I know he'll be happy for me. The problem is she's German and I can't get her out of the country yet. I wasn't even supposed to meet her, regulations against fraternization with the en^ emy and all that, but I did, and we fell in love. She is the graf s daughter who owns this castle, his oldest daughter. The graf died last month so we got married. Her name is Fredericka von h.o.e.ringmeister. I call her Fred, so now she is Fred Strickland. She doesn't have any money and it takes a lot of money to keep up a castle, so she will probably let her sister have it and we will come back to Alabama. That is, as soon as I can arrange to get her out. She wasn't a n.a.z.i or anything. The graf wasn't either. But he still didn't like Americans and that's why Fred and I waited until he was dead. Does Oscar know anybody in Congress? Congress could help me get Fred back to Alabama. I don't know what to do about James. Should I write to him? Will you talk to him? Fred doesn't mind living with him when we come back, if he doesn't mind having a German in the house. Fred made my bed every morning, that's how I met her. There were about fifteen of us occupying the castle. I'll be out of the Air Corps in six months, then I'll try to come back. But I won't come back unless I can bring Fred with me. I'm going to leave all this up to you, Grace. You tell everybody. I can't be writing ten letters all saying the same thing.

Sincerely yours, Danjo P.S. Fred says "hi."

184.

This letter was surprising, and the object of discussion between Grace and Lucille all the way back to Gavin Pond. Grace dreaded telling her father not only that his precious boy was married, but that because of that marriage, he might be delayed in his long-awaited return to Perdido.

"Cain't help it, though," argued Lucille. "James's got to find out. We cain't keep this thing secret from the whole family. And if one of them finds out, it's bound to get back to James, so you might as well tell him straight off. He'll get over it, especially if Danjo says he's coming back, and he and Fred will stay in the house with James. I wonder what she's like. I hope he's taught her to speak English."

"Well," said Grace, turning off the dark road into the even darker forest, "I'm not gone make any decisions in the middle of the night. Let's us decide in the morning."

Grace drove slowly. The truck jolted over the hard ground. Grace leaned over the steering wheel and peered into the night. Lucille bounced up and down and held her pocketbook over her head to keep from getting hurt when she bounced against the roof of the cab.

When they reached the gate to the farm, Lucille got out and pushed it open. Grace drove the truck through, and Lucille jumped on the running board for the short quarter mile to the house.

No lights shone inside the house. "Luvadia must have fallen asleep again," said Lucille, shaking her head as she jumped down from the running board.

Grace turned off the ignition, and cried, "No! Listen!"

From inside the house-through the open window of their own bedroom-they heard a faint, masculine voice, singing.

"Who in the world-" began Lucille.

"It's Daddy," whispered Grace in wonder. She opened the door of the truck quietly, and got out.

185.

"What in the world is James doing out here this time of night?" said Lucille. "And where is his car?"

Grace shook her head. She s.h.i.+vered. The evening was suddenly very cold.

"What's he doing up there?" said Lucille, and came around the truck, taking hold of Grace's hand. They stared up at the darkened bedroom window.

"He's singing to Tommy Lee," said Grace quietly. "Shhh! Lord! I had forgot that song, he used to sing it to me every night. It's a lullaby."

James Caskey's voice, tremulous and faint, floated out of the window.

"Fly, ladybird, fly Your daddy's hanging high Your mama's shut in Moscow town Moscow town is burning down Fly, ladybird, fly"

At the end of the song, his voice drifted off. All the world seemed silent. In the darkness Lucille and Grace looked at each other, and then they quietly went into the house through the kitchen. They found Luvadia sitting at the table, with her head on her crossed arms, sleeping.

Grace gently shook her awake.

"Miss Grace," said Luvadia groggily, even before she had opened her eyes.

"When did Daddy get out here?" Grace asked.

"Ma'am?"

"Daddy?" Grace repeated. "When did Daddy get here?"

"Ma'am? Mr. James not here..."

Lucille was already at the bottom of the stairs with her foot on the lowest step.

Grace hurried after her. "No," she cried, "don't go up!"

186.

"Tommy Lee..." said Lucille in explanation, and began to mount the stairs to the darkened bedroom.

Grace pushed past Lucille and hurried to the second floor. She flung open the door of the bedroom. A violent gust of wind blew through the room, and the curtains were flung with a whoosh out into the night air.

Grace ran to the ba.s.sinet, but even in the darkness she knew that Tommy Lee was no longer there.

She ran to the window, threw her head out, and shouted, "Daddy! Bring him back!"

The light came on in the room behind her.

Lucille said, "Grace! What in the world-"

Grace turned around with agony in her face.

Tommy Lee lay sleeping on the bed, cradled between two pillows. Beside the sleeping infant was a long indentation in the soft mattress, outlining a human form.

Wonderingly, Lucille ran her hand over that depression in the chenille spread. "It's still warm," she said.

Downstairs, the telephone rang. Grace s.n.a.t.c.hed Tommy Lee up from the bed and cradled him in her arms. "You go get it," said Grace.

Glancing back at the tears in Grace's eyes, Lucille ran down the stairs.

It was Queenie calling, to say that James had had a heart attack and was dead. "I came in just now," said Queenie, in a wandering, distracted voice, "and I found him lying right across the living room door. If I hadn't turned on the light first, I would have tripped right over him."

187.