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"It was the request of a Grandma who didn't think she was going
to live out another year," replied Adam, solemnly.
Charlie sank down into a chair.
"Grandma did say something about not always going to be here," remembered
Charlie. "I thought she only meant she was going to take a trip. I don't understand.
Why would grandma think she's going to die?"
"Does Vera have any outstanding health problems?" asked Adam.
"I don't think so," replied Charlie, growing concerned. As Charlie was
wondering, Vera walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Pumpkin!" greeted Vera, sitting down at the table. "Thank
you for coming without any explanations, Adam," said Vera. "This is very
important. Charlie, I want you to hear this. Come, sit down." Charlie left off
washing the dishes from the party yesterday, and sat down at the table.
"First of all, Adam," said Vera, reaching out across the table and touching
his hand, "I want you to know how very sorry I am for being the one to burst
in on your incognito. I had absolutely no idea that you were who you were. That said,
I thought that there might be still some way of preserving your secrecy."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well, Adam," began Vera, "first thing this morning, I splurged and
called a taxi. I visited your sister Shirley and had a talk with her. I explained
to her my regret and asked her if there wasn't some way to still keep Wallace Shipley
a secret. (It's an almost impossible idea, especially considering the gossip-ready
place Twin Yucca is.) Shirley expressed her dislike of your 'hobby,' and said she
was more than willing not to tell a living soul, save her husband Thomas and
of course, Mike and Sandra. She and Chad both promised not to reveal your secret,
with the understanding that they would not tell a lie. There is a catch, however.
Shirley said it's your responsibility to tell your Mom."
"I was going to," replied Adam.
"Next," continued Vera, "I visited Jeff Erickson. I found out that
he never had any intentions of saying anything about last night. Jeff said he had
always respected you as an artist and as a citizen. He felt it was none of his business
to repeat information that had been intentionally withheld. Debbie, his little girl,
had also been instructed to keep quiet. So, there was no need for alarm concerning
Jeff.
"Maggie's house was my next stop. By the time I had gotten to her, Maggie had
already told her parents, both of whom, fortunately, did not believe her. Maggie
is willing to remain silent, also. She told me to tell you that she's sorry she talked,
but that her Mom wasn't really listening, and that her Dad was drunk and he never
remembers anything when he's that way." Vera sighed. "Poor thing! So Maggie
is taken care of.
"Charlie's friend from school, Sara, had also told her Mom, but was told not
to repeat confidential news. I don't think Sara's Mom really believed her, either.
Sara has also promised to keep silent.
"Scottie, I learned, is not aware of Adam's other identity. The only thing he
had to say about last night was that he had left before he had a chance to eat any
birthday cake!
"That brings me to Gloria Jacobs," said Vera. "Fortunately for you,
Adam, she was called away to Topeka. If she had stayed for the entire birthday party,
your secret would have been all over Twin Yucca by now!"
"I was wondering what was going to happen," said Adam, his voice betraying
how relieved he was feeling. "I was so shaken that I called in a friend to fill
in for me at the store, this morning."
"I've already asked Chuck not to say anything, but in his condition, who knows
if he'll remember," warned Vera. "But, there's nothing we can do about
that. As long as Charlie and I won't talk, then Adam, I think your secret still has
a good chance of being kept."
"What about Uncle Jerome?" asked Charlie, wondering if her Grandma would
be willing to keep a secret from her son.
"What he doesn't know, won't hurt him," replied Vera.
"Thank you, Vera," replied Adam. "I can't express how much I'm grateful
to you for doing this! Going public was a life change that I wasn't prepared for.
Last night, I just had to trust to God's Providence."
"It does appear God was looking out for you," admitted Vera.
"Grandma," asked Charlie, "when you made the birthday request, you
said you thought you only had a year to live. Is it true?"
The suddenness of the question caught Vera by surprise. She got up from the table
and poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Are you going to die, Grandma?" asked Charlie, her voice quivering. |
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