“It has to be this way for a while,” she said, and reached for the cookbook again.
“But … the nursery,” I blurted.
“What about it?”
“The door was open. It was unlocked.”
She sighed and nodded and then sat at the kitchenette table.
“Why?” I pursued. “I thought you wanted to keep it locked so—”
“There was a bad situation earlier,” she began. “Now, don’t get all soapy and stupid on me, Semantha,” she warned, “or I won’t tell you things.”
“I won’t.”
“I heard her screaming and practically flew up those stairs a few hours ago. When I got to her and Daddy’s bedroom, I found her out of bed. She was actually crawling on the floor.”
“Oh, no.”
“Yes. She wouldn’t get back into bed. She believed she heard Asa crying in the nursery. Can you imagine? No matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. The only way I could prove to her that it was just a dream was to take her to the nursery and show her there was no baby. It was so disturbing that I must have neglected to relock the door. It was not very pleasant, but once I got her back in bed, she calmed down and fell asleep again. She had a decent lunch, however,” Cassie added. “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 very excited, 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.