Lost and Found in Lavender Bay (The Lavender Bay Chronicles #2)

20. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

E leanor Wainwright gripped the armrests of her chair, her mouth slightly open. Leo leaned back and sighed, closing his eyes.

More or less, Laura had expected this reaction.

Her mother spoke first. “When Lenore opened her home to transients, I didn’t think it could get any worse. But it appears I was wrong.”

Laura did not point out that her sister’s so-called transients weren’t that; they were boarders who were all employed. She held her tongue.

Mr. Wainwright was unusually quiet, which scared Laura even more. Her father always had something to say about everything. Why should this be any different?

“Have you lost your mind?” her mother pressed.

Laura lifted her head. Her mind was made up. She was going to do this.

“A boarding house is one thing,” Eleanor stammered. “But this . . . this . . . working in a factory? Making planes, of all things? This is something else. I’m flabbergasted. ”

Laura turned in her father’s direction, feeling the heat of his scrutiny.

“Is this an impulsive decision, Laura?” he asked, his thumbs hooked into the pockets of his vest.

“No,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. It was true that her nature had always tended toward impulsive. But as a mother of two young girls with a husband off fighting in the war, she could no longer afford that luxury.

Eleanor looked over at her husband. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Hmm,” was Leo’s response.

When they both went quiet, Laura spoke. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. I want to do this.” She had to do this. Her darling Edwin was off fighting somewhere in Europe, enduring God knew what conditions. Sometimes, she feared he’d be killed as a sort of retribution for Lenore losing her husband. That thought kept her awake at night.

“I forbid it!” her mother announced. “No daughter of mine is doing factory work.”

Laura protested. “But I want to do my part!”

“Then why don’t you roll bandages with me at the ladies’ auxiliary or sell war bonds or help out with the various drives?” her mother said. She looked to her husband for support.

Leo lowered his head and sighed. Finally, he spoke. “It’s no secret that they are actively recruiting women to work in the defense industry. All the men went off to war, and if we want to win it and bring the boys home, someone has to build the planes and guns.”

Eleanor stared at him, blinking several times. It was not the answer she’d wanted from her husband. “But it doesn’t have to be our daughter. ”

Leo replied, “It will have to be someone’s daughter.”

“What about Edna and Edith?” Eleanor asked.

Laura’s girls were now four and three, and that was the thought that worried her the most. Who would watch them while she was doing shiftwork? She couldn’t ask her parents to do it. Not every day. Their health was failing, which alarmed her. It was difficult to watch them struggling, her father with gout and emphysema and her mother with terrible arthritis. No, she couldn’t expect them to chase after a pair of lively girls. But she was not to be deterred. She was going to do this. She’d figure it out, and she had two weeks to do it.

As if on cue, Edna and Edith came running into the parlor, both crying and squealing. They landed at Laura’s legs, and Edna pointed to her younger sister. “She bit me!” She lifted up the sleeve of her dress to show a half-moon-shaped, purple-colored bite.

Laura chastised the younger girl. “No biting, Edith. And the two of you, please , stop fighting!”

“Come on, girls, let’s go to the kitchen and see what Joan has for us,” Eleanor said, slowly standing from her chair. She grimaced as she straightened up, then took each girl by the hand and carted them off to the kitchen.

Alone with her father, Laura thought of following her mother. As she went to stand, her father said, “You’re serious about this.”

Laura nodded, sitting back down. “I am.”

“Why? I understand that you want to do your part, like everyone else. That’s a given. But is there something else?”

It was a fair question, and she thought for a moment before answering. “I spend all my days worrying over Edwin.” She looked down at her lap. “I miss him. I pray for him constantly. And I’m lonely. The people of Lavender Bay have never completely forgiven me for John Hadley’s death.” She looked up but avoided her father’s gaze, choosing instead to look out the window. “It’s true that I want to do my part, and I’d also like to go somewhere where no one would know me.”

“I see. And do you think you would stick it out?” He regarded his youngest daughter solemnly.

She bristled at what he was suggesting and squared her shoulders. “I’ll stick it out.”

Her father lowered his head, his jowls expanding around the lower perimeter of his face. “Leave it with me, Laura. I’ll talk to your mother.”

Her posture relaxed and her shoulders sagged.

Two days later, Lenore arrived at the Wainwright house with Johnny. He was almost nine. With a smile, Laura ruffled his hair and kissed him on the forehead before he ran off to play with the girls.

Lenore looked well. It had taken a long time—John had been dead almost ten years—but she seemed to have gotten some of her pep back.

They sat in the kitchen, enjoying a cup of tea. Joan had gone to town to do the shopping.

“Dad tells me you’re going to work in the factory over in Cheever where they build the C-46s,” Lenore said.

Hesitant, as she didn’t know what kind of reaction Lenore would have, Laura said, “I’d like to. If I can manage to get someone to look after the girls. ”

Lenore reached over and patted her knee. “Look no further. I’ll take care of the girls while you’re at work. I think this is a great idea for you.”

Surprised, Laura said, “You do?”

Lenore nodded. “Yes. If I wasn’t running a boarding house, I’d go with you.”

“Thank you, Lenore, that means a lot to me.”

“I think watching the girls full time would be too much for Mother and Dad.”

“I agree.”

They both went quiet for a moment in the uncomfortable realization that their parents were getting older.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Laura asked. It was a big task to take on. The girls could be a handful on the best of days.

“Not at all. I’d love to have them.”