Where the Wild Rose Blooms (37 page)

Jackie trembled from head to foot as she clung to Roberts arm, and her shakes were from far more than the cold. The journey to Boulder was ending, and she was so frightened that she could hardly breathe or move. How could they have done this? How could they have sent her away? She knew her home. She knew every inch of it. She had said this to her father, but he'd shocked her with his reply.

"You may know this house, Jack, but what's the point? You won't move an inch for fear of falling or bumping into something, and so you expect everyone to wait on you. Your mother shouldn't have to take it anymore, and I refuse to. You're going to go with Eddie and Robert, and you're going to do as you're told. We'll come to see how you're doing—maybe this summer or fall. But you are going."

She had screamed and cried, begged and pleaded, but it was no use. Four days later, on May 1, 1876, Jackie was packed up and taken to the stage office. Robert and Eddie were with her, but she was not comforted. She cried and trembled until Robert told her in no uncertain terms that the tears would stop. His voice was normal, kind even, but he made his feelings quite clear. Jackie told herself she didn't have to obey. After all, what could he do? But she didn't have the fortitude to cause a scene when the blackness around her seemed darker than ever. It might have helped if she'd realized that Eddie had been crying with pain for her, but so caught up was she in her own little world that she was not aware of this.

"Okay," Robert spoke from above her head. "Lets count."

"Count?" she asked breathlessly.

"That's right. These are the front steps to our home. You'll have to know how many there are, or you'll fall when you do them yourself."

Jackie would have denied him this, but he started forward, counting out loud at the same time. She had no choice but to follow.

"Ten,
eleven, and twelve. There! Were at the top. Now five more steps forward and we'll be at the front door. Here we go. Good. Now straight in front of you is the staircase. You're going to go up it. Count six steps and then the landing. I'll be right behind you."

Jackie was in a daze. The cold was receding, and a strange rug was beneath her feet. She grasped the wide banister and felt like she'd come into a huge cavern. She could smell a fire burning and even feel the warmth, but no light reached her eyes.

"Eddie!" Jackie cried so piteously that Robert had to hold his wife by the arm.

"I'm right here, Jackie," she managed through her tears. "You're doing just great."

"I'll fall," she whispered.

"No, you won't." Robert had let go of Eddie. "I'm right behind you. Are you counting?"

"No."

"Well, get at it. What did I tell you?"

"Six steps and then the landing."

"Excellent." Robert was very pleased because he wasn't certain she'd been listening. "And once on the landing you'll just circle it, keeping your left hand on the big ball, and then you'll have eight more steps to the top."

"All right. Is it hot in here?"

"Oh, here," Robert came forward. "Let me have your coat."

"Will I ever get it back?"

"Of course," he laughed. "It'll be in the closet, which we'll save for another day."

"Another day?"

"Certainly. Today you're just going to learn your room, the stairs, and the dining room."

"Eddie?"

"Yes, Jackie, I'm right here behind Robert."

"Please don't let me fall in a hole."

"There are no drops at all, Jackie. Upstairs is all one level and so is downstairs. Just keep sliding your foot along. Not even the stairs will surprise you if you slide your foot along."

Jackie had no idea of the planning that had gone on in the last three months which allowed Eddie to say this. They had cleared their home of all but the necessities and counted every path and stairway in order
to
teach Jackie to move around on her own. In Eddies and Roberts minds she was here to stay, and the sooner she learned her way around, the better.

Eddie had even gone so far as to remove all of her knickknacks and store them in boxes in the attic. When

Jackie learned where each piece of furniture was, she would put them back. She knew that if Jackie broke something, she wouldn't want to take another step.

"You made it," Robert cried and Eddie followed more slowly.

'Til fall backward," Jackie said, clutching at
the
 railing. Robert put a hand on her back.

"I've got you. Now straight ahead is your room. Put your hand out and start moving."

"Oh, Robert, I don't think I can."

He could hear the exhaustion in her voice and knew that this had to be the last trial for the day.

"Just do this, Jackie, and I'll help you with the rest. Hand out, and slide your feet." He watched her carefully. "Now move your hand two inches to the left. Do you feel that? That's the doorway to your room. '

Jackie felt her way all around, her hands smoothing the frame and wall and even walking a little bit inside. Robert came behind her and led her to the bed. She sat down hard when he backed her up to it and settled himself beside her. She promptly burst into tears, the first since they'd left Georgetown. Eddie sat on the other side of her and put her arms around her.

"Oh, Eddie, Eddie. How will I ever make it?"

"You did wonderfully, dear," she consoled her. "I'm so proud of you. In no time at all you'll be all over the house and yard."

"Why, Eddie? Why must I do this?"

"Because you need to take your life back, Jackie. You've become an invalid, and Mother is too close to you to change it. Robert and I are going to help you, but you're going to have to do the work. You're going to have to be willing to get bruised and spill things, because I won't allow you to sit around and neither will Robert. Trust me, Jackie, you will thank us someday."

Jackie didn't comment, and husband and wife exchanged a look over her head. They were both smiling and believed that it wouldn't be long before Jackie was smiling too. They would see to that. They would do everything in their power to help her reclaim some independence, if only she would make the effort. If they succeeded, they believed she would see far more in her world than she ever had with perfect vision.

"You did not tell me she was a beauty."

Eddie smiled at Lena, their housekeeper and cook. "She is pretty, isn't she?"

Lena put a hand over her heart. "Carl will faint."

Eddie laughed. Lena was always so dramatic, and her son, Carl, had an eye for a pretty face. Lena thought Robert was the salt of the earth and had begged to work for him even when he could barely afford her. Roberts bank had given Lena's husband, Raymond, a loan, and as far as she was concerned, Robert could do no wrong. His taking in of his blind sister-in-law only added to this adoration.

"I must take her food now."

"No, Lena," Eddie spoke, eyeing her sternly. "You will not wait on her or feel sorry for her. I was just up there. She had a great nights sleep, and she's coming down as soon as she brushes her hair."

"But she may have forgotten from yesterday. She may not know the way. This house is so big."

Eddie shook her head, and Lena relented. Robert had already left for the bank, and Eddie wanted to report to him at the end of the day that everything had gone well. If she started by babying Jackie, the day was going to be a disaster.

"Eddie?"

The young wife heard her name from the other room, and her heart leapt with joy. She moved to the bottom of the stairs and found Jackie standing uncertainly.

"Hi. You made it."

"Yes," she agreed, but she looked sad. "I can't remember how many steps it is to the dining room table."

"Nineteen," Eddie told her immediately.

"Eddie, how do you know that so fast?"

Eddie slipped her arm in Jackie's, not a comfortable position for the blind girl since she felt like she was in the lead. Eddie had done some reading and knew that the most comfortable position would be to have Jackie's arm in hers, with her walking half a step ahead of Jackie. But right now her mind wasn't on that.

"We did a lot of planning before you arrived," Eddie told her easily as they moved.

"Oh." Jackie's voice was still flat, and she had no other questions.

They walked in silence until Jackie was at her chair.

"Have a seat, Jackie," Eddie began. "To your right is Lena. She works for Robert and me."

"Oh!" Jackie was startled. She'd heard movement but assumed it was her sister.

"Hello, Miss Jackie."

"Hello," Jackie answered, but her mind was moving. She had heard rustling upstairs after Eddie had left her and now knew that must have been Lena as well.

"Can you find everything there?" Eddie wished to know after Lena had put a plate before her. Jackie nodded. In truth, she wasn't too certain, but she was going to try.

"Where is my fork?" she finally had to ask.

"I think—" Eddie stayed in her place, but was helping her look. "Oh, yes. You pushed it under the plate."

"Oh, okay. I've got it now."

Eddie looked up to see Lena watching from the doorway, tears in the older woman's
eyts.
She swiftly averted her own so as not to join her.

"What's this?"

"Scrambled eggs, and to the other side are potatoes. Sausages are on the small plate to the left, and a cup of coffee is on your right."

Jackie started to eat, and for a time they were quiet. The new Boulder resident was the one to break the silence with a question that Eddie would have said was the furthest thing from her mind.

"Are you still as pretty as you were, Eddie?"

"Oh, my." Eddies voice was exaggerated. "Much more so," she told her sister and was rewarded by the first small smile since they had arrived in Boulder.

It's going to be all right, Jackie. You'll see.

After Eddie had silently said these words, she asked God to enable her to do all she could with this sister of hers, and to have a heart that was glad for the privilege.

"Church?" Jackie's voice was horrified. "I can't go to church."

"I don't know why not," Eddie replied reasonably. "Lena has pressed your best dress, and I'll get you up in plenty of time. I'll even help with your hair."