Rembrandt Street - Chapter 3

Coming Together

Cathy bounced down the stairs knowing that Sarah would have waited for her. Sarah was pretty, wore her hair cropped short and was timid with strangers. Cathy met Sarah the year before when they were 3rd graders and through scouting. They became inseparable and were often referred to as the Bobsey Twins. They cared for each other a great deal and most often thought alike. Sarah spent most of her at home life avoiding her brother, doing homework, making up stories, and wishing she was again with Cathy. Cathy and Sarah shared their time talking about school, home, scouts, and secret girl stuff.

Cathy saw Sarah through the big thick oval window with the beveled glass. She opened the heavy door and embraced Sarah. Sarah was immediately concerned that Megan was alright. She was eager to hear the details and awed at the right moments. The girls shared a common interest in taking care of others. For one of their girl scout badges they took a babysitting class. They learned first aid, how to care for younger kids, and how to be safe when you are in charge. The girls often discussed how Megan was "coming along." Through scouting the girls also volunteered to work as candy stripers at the local hospital. They split up where Cathy would help at one of the nurses stations and Sarah would help in the soda shop. Sarah’s mother was an adult volunteer on Saturdays along side the girls. She would work at the information desk and eat lunch with the girls at the soda shop.

Sarah was ready to see Cathy when she came out the door. She had said goodby to their common friends and was watching over Cathy’s jump rope and Megan’s Dolly and carriage. She also was ready to report that she’d seen the new girl, Silver looking out the window at her and that a couple of the other girls had seen Silver say something to Megan. She said that the other girls and her had discussed Silver and they hadn’t made up their mind to like her. She seemed to be a trouble-maker and she always looked crabby. Sarah had told them that they had to be more fair and help to figure out what was making her so crabby.

Cathy listened carefully to all the news. She had on her mind how upset Megan had become. She didn’t know for sure yet that Silver had affected her sister directly, but she usually sided with whatever Sarah had decided. She agreed that the other girls were hasty and that something may be affecting Silver. She thought that she and Sarah could come up with a plan to make Silver feel more comfortable, introduce her more positively to the other girls, and help Megan get to know her better since they were almost the same age.

Just then a car pulled up and Cathy’s mom got out of the car. "Hello, hello!" she said to the two girls sitting on the steps. "Come on and help!" There was two bags of groceries in the rear seat of the car. The girls each picked up a bag and said hello to the driver, Mrs. Morgan from across the street. They asked what Mrs. Willobee had brought home for groceries. And, they asked Cathy’s mother if she had had a good day. Mrs. Willobee was very happy to be home. She referred all questions to after they’d gotten upstairs and thought to comment on how busy the two girls had looked with their heads together.

Mrs. Willobee was an exuberant woman. She was fairly short, but very beautiful. The girls liked to say she was beautiful "inside and out!" She moved tirelessly and efficiently and was a person looked up to in the community as a leader. She spent most of her daytime volunteering at various organizations in town. Her woman’s church group was interested in helping people who had a hard time helping themselves and in supporting the schools. She was on the elementary school PTO, she spent time at the nursing home and with people who were mentally retarded. She also helped out at the library collecting used books. Mrs. Willobee was thought to be one of the best mothers and friends on the block. She was known for having the greatest girl slumber parties, would often volunteer to make baked goods for school and church events, and was someone that quite a few women had come to trust when talking over family problems

Mrs. Willobee noticed that Megan’s carriage and Dolly were still outside yet and it would soon be dinner time and that Megan wasn’t with the girls. She picked up the buggy and put it in the back corner next to the inside stairs. She retrieved Dolly from the carriage and joined the two girls at the top of the stairs. Opening the door caused a great amount of bustle. The air was filled with electricity. The bags were crackling in the girls arms. They were giggling because they’d raced up the steps and were in general happy. Megan could be heard crossing the room saying, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!"  She wrapped around her mother like a shell to a snail or a turtle.

The girls mother shouted, "Hurray, I’m home! How’s my girls?" As soon as Mrs. Willobee had finished snuggling Megan, Megan noticed that she was holding Dolly. She exclaimed, "I missed you Dolly. Are you ok?" She took the doll in her arms and squeezed her tight. "I love you baby girl!" Megan was the last to join the group in the kitchen.

Theresa had made a roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions. It was smelling delicious. The places were set at the table for six people. Mrs. Willobee exclaimed how wonderful it was to come home to Theresa’s cooking. She asked if there was anything she should hear about. Theresa took the grocery bags and said that the girls had been busy playing outside, Megan had gotten hurt feelings, Mr. Willobee and E’beth were due home any moment and Margret called to say she would be a few moments late.

Mrs. Willobee rested her purse on the table, hung her coat in the mud room and sat down to gather her daughter Megan. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, "What has happened to my love bug?" Megan’s face displayed sudden sadness and she reported that Silver wasn’t very nice to her. Cathy and Sarah also sat down at the table. At once they both tried to explain the jump rope game and that Megan had sat down at the steps and that Silver had come out and might have said something mean to her. Theresa stood still at the counter ready to say something, but she was waiting for Megan to tell her story.

Megan said, "Mommy, Theresa and me talked and we decided that we were going to give Silver another chance. The girl’s mother said, "Oh? This sounds like a good idea!" "I want her to be my best friend Mama!" That might take a lot of hard work. "I know, but she’s gotta be nice, I just know it! Cathy announced that she and Sarah we’re making plans to make sure Silver would be included when outside again and that they would supervise the games and invite her to play. Megan looked very happy. The girls watched her face as they needed to remind her that they would have to wait until Monday. Tomorrow would be their candy striper day and the following day was a church day. Megan was sitting in her mothers lap and resting her head on her shoulder. She smiled and said it would be a super plan!

Mrs. Willobee reminded Sarah that it was time to be going home. Both girls sighed loudly as they did every night. They stood up together and embraced each other in a tight hug. Proclamations of love and adoration were given before Sarah slid out the door with Cathy and Megan waving to her by the window. Cathy rejoined her mother and collapsed in her arms.

Mrs. Willobee encouraged Cathy with a another tight squeeze and reminded her to hang up her coat and get washed up for dinner. She asked Megan to pour the water for dinner and stated she would wash up herself, because sure as not ... E’beth and Daddy were going to need the washrooms in a few moments. Megan exclaimed, "Yay, a surprise!"