Heavenstone 01 - The Heavenstone Secrets

“Now, I’m studying this recipe for clam cakes with lemon sauce. Daddy loves it. I remember Mother made it for him about six months ago but not since. I’ve already made a chocolate angel-food cake for dessert. He loves that, you know.”
    “But Cassie, isn’t this … I mean, what you said happened. Isn’t that very serious? How could she think she heard a baby’s cry?”

    “No. I’ve read a great deal about it during my spare time. Some women have phantom pregnancies and births, swearing they have a child when there is none, for example. I told you her problems are psychological now.”
    “But shouldn’t we call Dr. Moffet?”
    “If we call him for every little thing, he’ll think we can’t take care of her, Semantha and he’ll recommend putting her in the mental ward or something. Would you like that?”
    “Of course not.”
    “Then just relax. I’ve taken care of it, and I can handle it. Go do your homework or gossip on the phone or something. I’ll need you in about an hour to help with dinner. Oh, I think we should work on the living room tonight.”
    “Didn’t we just do that?”
    “No, we didn’t just do it. I think I know when we should concentrate on one of the rooms in the Heavenstone house and when we need not.” She looked past me and softened her lips. “It’s as if the house speaks to me sometimes.” Then she caught herself and returned to her firm look. “Go on. You’re going to be busy tonight. And you should leave her alone for a while. The more rest she gets, the faster she’ll make something of a recuperation.”
    She returned to her cookbook. I went upstairs to my room. I did have homework, and now that I knew I’d have to do housework, I thought I had better get right to the assignments. I wasn’t into them twenty minutes before I received my first phone call from one of the girls, Susie Cohen. She was veryexcited, because Eddie Morris had asked her to the movies.
    “Maybe you can double-date with us. You know, you and Kent,” she said.
    “Maybe.”
    I had no intention of ever telling any of my newfound best friends anything about Mother and what was happening now. Susie, like the others, was persistent, though.
    “Why maybe?”
    “My father is preparing the opening of a new store.”
    “Yes, I know. It’s big news.”
    “I might have to do things with him,” I said, making myself sound important. It worked.
    “Oh. Yes, I guess you would. Well, maybe you’ll have some time off to go on a date. Call me as soon as you know.”
    Not a half-hour later, Bobbi called to reinforce everything Susie had told me. “Noel and I will be going. We can all have a great time, Semantha. Break out.”
    I told her I would try. Just before Cassie called me down to help with dinner, Kent called. It felt like a small conspiracy.
    “Are you trying hard?” he asked.
    “Yes, but there’s a lot going on here with my father’s new store and all, Kent. I’m not trying to avoid you,” I promised.
    “That’s good news,” he said. I knew what his first question would be when I arrived at school the next day.

    I joined Cassie in the kitchen and began to set the table.
    “Maybe Daddy will want to eat with Mother again,” I suggested.
    “No. I’m going to feed her much earlier. He won’t eat well if he has to eat in that bedroom with her half in and half out of it. I won’t allow it,” she added, as if she had truly taken over our home. When I looked at her with surprise, she said, “I’m just trying to do what’s best for all of us.”
    I nodded. She projected such strength and authority, it did feel as if I was talking to my mother or father and not my two-years-older sister. I felt I had to get her permission for everything now.
    “I want to go to the movies Friday,” I blurted. “You think that will be all right?”
    She paused and studied me. “Don’t tell me that Kent Pearson asked you.”
    “All my friends are going, Cassie.”
    “All your friends? Oh, so now you are one of the gang?”
    “You said that would happen. You were right,” I added, hoping that by giving her a compliment, she would be nicer about it.
    “I suppose you should get out of here. Right now, this is Casa Depression. We’ll run it by Daddy.”
    “Thank you, Cassie.”
    “I know what I told you, but I didn’t mean that you should jump right in with them. Be careful. Remember all the things I told you and warned you about, Semantha. You are destined for bigger and better