Cracks in the Sidewalk(101)

“Yes,” Kimberly said with a chuckle. “A good bit. It drives Dave crazy, because I can remember things he doesn’t.”

“Do you remember your mother?”

“Not everything. But I remember how pretty Mama was. Her hands were soft as velvet. And the sound of her voice, I remember that. I remember her reading to us and the way she would make those stories seem so magical. I had a brown bunny book that was my favorite.”

Kimberly’s face took on the glow of childhood as she paused to gather the sweetness of her memories. “I loved that book and held on to it for the longest time. I carried it with me every time we moved, but when we left the house in Baltimore it just seemed to disappear.”

“Well if that isn’t something,” Claire said in amazement. “You remember all of that and you were just a tiny little thing, barely three years old, when Elizabeth bought you that book.”

“I remember a lot of things, even you, Grandma.” Kimberly smiled. “I remember you made cookies shaped like angels. Only back then you had brown hair.”

“And less wrinkles.” Before she could ask if Kimberly remembered the year they made paper Valentines, the doorbell chimed a second time.

“Stay there, I’ll get it.” Kimberly hurried to the door. “You were supposed to be here by eleven,” she scolded in a whispered voice. “Grandma was expecting you, and when she saw me it almost scared her to death!”

“I’m glad to see you too.” Christian grinned and gave his sister a hug.

He stood well over six feet tall and had the casual gait of a tennis player. Claire recognized the ocean blue of his eyes, the same color as Elizabeth’s. Although Kimberly’s hair had darkened over time, his was still the color of corn silk.

“Hi, Grandma,” he said, then bent and kissed her cheek as casually as if they’d seen one another just days ago. “Meredith,” he said, tugging the brown-eyed girl forward. “This is my grandma.”

Suddenly they all began talking at once, about what used to be, who remembered what, where they’d lived, and what they’d done for the past twenty years. A tear came to her eye when Claire told them that Charlie had passed away five years ago. “He surely did miss you kids, especially David, because he’s the one who used to follow your grandpa around all the time. Whatever Charlie was doing, David would tag along.”

Claire paused a moment then said, “By the way, where is David? Is he supposed to be my next surprise?”

Kimberly shrugged.

“It’s tough to say,” Christian answered, “I asked him, but…” He hesitated briefly then said, “Dave’s got issues.”

“Issues?”

“Yeah, but let’s not spoil today talking about him.” Christian flashed a mischievous smile. “I’d rather talk about how I almost became an elephant trainer.”

“You goof,” Kimberly said playfully.

For a while they continued talking about the years they’d lost and their plans for the future. Almost nothing was said about Jeffrey, and Claire didn’t ask. At two o’clock she caught sight of the time and recalled they’d come for lunch.

“Oh my goodness!” she said. “I’ve got to get some food on the table.” She lifted herself from the sofa when the doorbell rang.

Kimberly arched an eyebrow and gave Christian a nod. He stood and turned toward the door, but Claire had opened it.

If Claire had recognized Kimberly by the likeness to her mother, she could just as easily know this caller by the likeness to his father. He had Jeffrey’s square-cut chin, dark hair, and dark eyes in an emotionless face.

“Good afternoon,” he said stiffly. “I’m David. This is my wife, Claudia, and our daughter Christine.” He stood there waiting to be invited inside.

“Well, of course I know you’re David!” Claire exclaimed joyfully. “Don’t you recognize me? I’m your grandma.”

When he didn’t say anything for a few moments, her smile began to fade. Of all the children she and Charlie had known David, their first grandchild, the longest. Ideally he should have rushed in and thrown his arms around her. But Claire also remembered the way he’d begun to change just before Jeffrey had snatched David, Kimberly, and Christian from her. She remembered how David had become sullen and withdrawn during those last visits with Elizabeth. Claire held her breath and reached for him. He stood there, barely an arm’s length away, but didn’t respond to her gesture.

“It’s nice to see you again,” he said politely.

~

As they gathered around the table and ate, Christian and Kimberly talked non-stop. David said hardly a word. He barely touched the food on his plate, taking an occasional bite of one thing or another, then shoving the remainder to the side.

“If you don’t care for turkey, I can fix you something else,” Claire volunteered. Without even glancing in her direction, David shook his head and said there was no need.

Pushing past the awkwardness, Kimberly jumped into a colorful story about the school in Brownsville, Texas. “That teacher spoke with such a drawl I couldn’t understand a word she said! And she kept sending notes home saying I had a language problem. You remember old Missus Cooper, don’t you, Dave?”

He nodded, but his icy expression didn’t change.