Chapter Nine: Aliases

Saturday, June 25, 1910

The Bighorn Zephyr shook the rafters as it neared the Eagle Creek train station. Its arrival was always good for business. Folks would buy tickets for another city. They might have lunch at Casey's Café. No time for a meal? Then a donut or cinnamon roll from Clementine's Bakery would do nicely. Jeremiah's Dry Good's store sold postcards of River City and other sights in Sheridan County. When the ground rumbled and puffs of smoke danced across the sky, there was reunion, commerce and new adventure for everyone in the tiny town.

Sarah and Lynn could hardly wait to see Emily. They each had so much to tell. Jean Clementine was more anxious; her daughter and her husband were arriving.

Spewing white steam from the release valves of its huge pistons, the lumbering black behemoth finally ground to a halt. Emily and her father were in the last car. They disembarked and got their luggage. Lynn and Sarah were excited. Emily was subdued. She briefly hugged her friends. She hung on to her mother.

Will Clementine smiled and rubbed his daughters back. "Let's go home."

Sarah and Lynn delayed and then followed the family back to the bakery. As they got closer Emily could see their reflection in the glass.

When she opened the door for her parents she shook her head to her friends.

They stopped. Sarah was worried. Lynn was confused.

Emily gave her a look which meant, "We'll talk later."

Jean stopped and turned around. "Sarah Conrad go home."

Sarah was unsure what to do.

"Now!" Jean barked.

Sarah whispered, "Yes, ma'am."

Jean and Will walked upstairs to their bedroom and shut the door.

Emily went to her bedroom. Several minutes passed, Emily unpacked.

Jean barged into Emily's room.

"Don't you know how to knock?"

Jean slapped her. Emily froze. Jean barked, "Sit!"

"What'd I do?"

"Sit!"

Emily sat down on her bed.

Jean scooted a chair from Emily's desk and placed it near her; she was very angry. "Tell me about Helena."

Emily was afraid. "I, um, I had fun"

Jean was irate. "Emily, tell me where you've been! Where's the scrapbook?"

She got out of the bed and opened her suitcase.

"Bring it to me."

Emily couldn't decide what to do. She considered running away.

"Emily? Bring me the scrapbook!"

Emily handed her the book. Her mother placed it in her lap.

"Last Saturday, you arrived at the train station. Your friend Jan picked you up. You and your father rode in her car. He checked-in the Grandon Hotel. You asked him to take your bags to the room. 'I'll be up in a minute,' you casually remarked. Being a reasonable man, he agreed and handed you a key to room number 211. You and Jan continued talking in the lobby. He made two trips to bring the luggage, his and yours, to the room. You did not move a single bag."

"Jan's my friend, we missed each other and..."

Jean growled, "Do not interrupt me! You'll answer my questions! Other than that don't make a peep. Understand?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Jean placed her hands in her lap. "Going on a trip is exciting. I went to Helena three years ago with your father to attend the bakers' convention. I shopped at Last Chance Gulch and ate at a fancy French restaurant." She choked up.

"Mother? Mother?"

Jean inhaled. "That was three years ago. I would have liked to have gone back but, because I'm with child, that's not recommended."

Emily gave half of a smile. "Really? You're pregnant? That's amazing."

"Sarah told you first. I told no one except Paula Conrad. She, accidentally, spilled the beans. Sarah overheard her because she said she only told Michael and then realized that was a mistake. Sarah then told you and Crystal, the preacher's wife. The whole town knew I was expecting before my HUSBAND knew!" Jean exhaled and calmed herself down.

"Your father's convention began on Sunday at noon. It ended at noon on Thursday. His train left at 5:15, Friday afternoon. Your father thought you would enjoy yourself in Helena. He would attend the convention, see some old friends and consider buying new equipment. But those activities do not take all of his time. What he was really looking forward to the most was spending time with his daughter."

Emily asked wistfully, "He wanted to spend time with me?"

Jean nodded.

"Then shouldn't he have told me?"

Jean sighed. "In retrospect, he should've, but, he didn't. Three years ago, I went to Helena. You stayed with the Conrads which was all fine and dandy. You were thirteen-years-old so I confidently left you in their hands. I had a delightful time.

That trip, well, it rekindled a spark, so to speak, between Will and me. I was so used to seeing him as a business owner and a father. I'd forgotten what it was like to have him as… as my friend and my lover."

Emily cringed.

"Emily, this is 1910. This is no longer the Victorian Era. Like many girls, I learned about the birds and bees from a friend when I was in high school. That is how ridiculous it was in those days.

My mother never talked about intimacy. She never talked about relationships. It wasn't proper. I have foolishly followed her example in this regard. That will change in a few minutes. However, before we discuss Jeff, we will discuss Jan.

Last Saturday, your father came down to the lobby. You never went to the room, even though you said, 'I'll be up in a minute.' You continued talking to Jan. He had to interrupt your conversation.

He asked, 'Do you want to go get some lunch?'

You said to Jan, 'Excuse me, this will only take a moment.' You then said, 'I'm going to spend the night with Jan. Can you get my luggage?'

You should feel very fortunate that your father was there and not me. If you had addressed me so casually I would've slapped you, hard, in front of Jan and everyone else in that lobby.

The convention your father attended is held every year. We have not been since 1907 because we cannot afford to go every year. And now you are thinking, 'So what's the big deal, just go next year.'

Emily, next year I will have a one-year-old. I will be unable to attend. The year after that, your little brother or sister will be in their terrible twos and I am not about to drop off a two-year-old for someone else to watch for a week.

The year after that he will be three, and in a similar condition. When he is six, I might not be able to find anyone available to watch a six-year-old. When he is nine and twelve, there might be doctor's bills. When he is fifteen, your father will say 'We have to think about college.'

When he's eighteen, we'll have to buy text books and then there are dorm fees. Maybe, when he is twenty-one, I might get to go back and eat in that fancy French restaurant, if, by the grace of God, it is still open and your father and I are still alive.

Last Saturday, your father ate lunch… alone.

He got a magazine and ate a sandwich by himself. He then walked to the convention center, alone, hoping to find someone he knew. He was not allowed in so he then walked back to the hotel and sat in his room reading his magazine until 7 pm at which time he ate dinner, alone.

He paid for a suite, which costs extra, so you could have your privacy. On Sunday morning, he ate breakfast, alone. He then walked to church by himself. He explained to the preacher that you had made friends in Helena and were having a wonderful time. He did not complain because he did not want to spoil your fun.

By Tuesday afternoon, he was concerned because he didn't know where you were. He sent me a telegram.

"I found Sarah and then went back to the train station."

"I want you to place these telegrams in your scrapbook. They can remind you of the inconvenience and worry you put us through. I got another telegram."

"I went looking for Sarah again. She then told me that I'd have better luck reaching someone who would have no trouble being found: Simon Hastings, but, of course, to get to that I had to listen to a seemingly endless recitation of her woes associated with," Jean spoke in a silly lilted voice, "the only boy I'll ever love. Ugh."

Emily snickered. "She does go on a bit."

"For that alone I should ground you for a decade, but, I'll continue with Helena. I sent Will another telegram.

"So, during those missing days, did you stay with Jeff?"

Emily cocked her head; "Excuse me?"

"Did you spend the night with Jeff?"

"No!" Emily was aghast. "Of course not! Why would you think…?"

Jean riled up. "What… was… I… supposed… to… think?"

Emily teared up: "What kind of girl do you think I am?"

Jean took a moment to breathe. "The kind of girl who goes to a big city, disappears and then shows up at her father's hotel suite with a hangover."

"How'd he know I had a hangover?"

"Will's Uncle Roy was a drinker. That's why he let you sleep it off. Was that your first time being drunk?"

Emily nodded. "And my last. I've never felt so awful."

Jean sarcastically quipped. "That must've been some party."

"I can't really remember much of it. I have just flashes of memory. I danced on a table with Karen. I kissed seven boys."

"Did anything more happen than that?"

Emily swished her mouth. "I don’t think so. Daniel would've looked out for me. I know he wouldn't let anything bad happen. He's been Jan's butler since she was a baby. He's like a surrogate father to her."

"Wrong. Daniel is an employee of Horace Johnson who knows that his employer will be sued if a statutory rape occurs on the property. That's not love; that's covering the bases. He doesn't want to lose his job. If you and Jan were two-years-older… he would not be so considerate."

"Mother, how come… how come dad didn't say anything to me that night?"

Jean thought for a moment. "Men are not big on talking, especially your father."

"And there was nothing to be said?"

"And there was nothing to be said."

Emily whispered, "Fair enough. I don't even know how I got into this mess."

"Then let me fill in the blanks for you. You, Jan and Karen were swimming. Some college boys came over. Jan decides to raid daddy's booze cabinet. The boys are more than happy to get drunk on somebody else's dime in a pool with three young girls in bathing suits. You tried to run away."

Emily sat up. "Yeah, I did. How'd you know?"

"I know you. No matter how wantonly foolish you are, in most cases, you're not reckless. You wanted to escape that situation. You probably tried to call Lynn. I found out… yesterday, that Peggy Watson had a phone put in her house because I heard Dixie bragging about it to Lucille. Her house is the first private residence to have a phone in all of Eagle Creek. Lucille said she ought to get one so she can talk to Julius all day. Why she would want to call someone who lives in the next building over is a mystery, but, anyway, that's her affair, or lack of it in her case."

"Speaking of Julius; why didn't the police look for me?"

"Your father asked, not happening. You are sixteen-years-old. You left with a known friend. No reason to believe a crime was taking place. They had a convention in town and they could not spare men to hunt for a flighty young lady."

"That makes sense."

"It’s the only thing that did these last few days."

Jean scratched her chin. "When you woke up Wednesday morning, your father had room service deliver your breakfast, which is a very expensive meal in a hotel, especially when there is a convention in town. Why did he tell you he wanted you to eat in your room?"

Emily cleared her throat. "Because he did not want me to leave my room the remainder of the trip."

Jean nodded. "And when he came back to check on you at noon you were gone."

Emily cringed. "I left a note."

Jean threw her hands on her face and screamed in frustration. "Fine. You left a note saying you were going to lunch with Audrey and then… once again, you vanished."

"I did go to lunch with Audrey. I had every intention of returning to the room."

"But… let me guess this time, you decided to run away and join the circus."

"I spent the day with Audrey. It was the most enriching day of my life."

Jean sat up. "How's that?"

"Audrey had a change of heart after I punched her in the eye a few weeks ago."

Jean was confused. "You punched a girl in the eye and now she's your friend?"

"I know it sounds insane, mother, but it’s the truth. Audrey's pseudonym in Helena… is Sarah Clementine."

"Sarah Conrad… plus… Emily Clementine?"

"That's how much she thinks of me. She also knows that… anything I do productive is the result of Sarah's influence. Do you remember me telling you about the bachelor auction?"

"No, I don't. I remember Paula mentioning it. Did you really donate $6 to some students' fund?"

"I kind of promised that I would."

"Very good. I am so proud that you keep your promise to sacrifice my hard earned money to a social club at a private university on the other side of Montana while breaking a promise to your father about leaving the room! Sarah tells Paula just about everything. You don't tell me anything."

"And why might that be?"

Jean slammed her hand on the bed. "Because you are a conniving, self centered, little brat who can't..." she stopped. "Good Lord in Heaven... I even sound like her."

"Like who?"

Jean's voice broke. "I... I promised myself that I would be different with my daughters..."

Jean wiped away a tear. "Before you say any more, let me beat you to the punch. Sarah talks to Paula; they're friends."

Emily nodded.

Jean asked carefully, "And we're and we're not friends?"

Emily shrugged. "Why would you assume that's even possible?"

Jean closed her eyes and reclined on the pillows. She bit her lip to keep from crying.

Emily leaned back next to her. She used a lone finger to fiddle with the hairs on Jean's forehead.

"After I punched Audrey, she reconsidered her entire life. She began studying the Bible with Simon, Sarah's boy… friend… or… acquaintance; anyway, he baptized her a few days later. She is a completely changed person.

Like Jan and Karen, Audrey comes from a wealthy family. She, Jan and Karen, used to run around in the same social circles. Cotillions, coming out parties, teas, all that snooty nonsense. She knew what was about to happen when she saw all of the boys coming to Jan's pool. That's why she left immediately."

"Did you tell her you stayed and got drunk?"

Emily sighed. "I couldn't. I told her that I left the party, which is true, because I went upstairs to call Sarah. She speaks so highly of me that I was just too ashamed to tell her that I had returned to the party."

Jean opened an eye. "If she thinks highly of you then she must not know you too well." She rolled her eyes. "Nevermind. That was an unnecessary thing to say."

"Paula Conrad would never say such a thing to Sarah."

Jean nodded. "You're right, she wouldn't. In all the years I've known her, I've hardly ever heard her say a cross word toward anyone, let alone her own daughter."

Emily kissed her mother's forehead. "We both have a lot of work to do."

Jean gave a faint smile. "You said something about Audrey's well spent afternoon?"

"Oh yeah, at lunch, Audrey and I talked about her new path in life. After her baptism, she became practically obsessed with getting rid of her old habits, chief among them were gossip and materialism.

After lunch we went over to her house. She changed into clothes which looked more like Eagle Creek than Helena. We got aboard a wagon which was filled with crates and set out for our first stop.

She went to a girls' house a few blocks from her house. Her name was Becky. The house was average looking for a big city. I got the impression that they got by alright but overall, Becky's family was none too prosperous. It was her uncle who had the money to send her to St. Albans High School, that's the name of the private school she and Jan and Karen went to in Helena. Becky always dressed plainly and was subject to constant ridicule, torment from Audrey.

Audrey apologized. Becky was surprised, happy, they hugged. I thought that was the end of it until she said… 'Can I give you a new dress?'"

Jean raised an eye brow. "'Can I give you a new dress?'"

"Those crates contained Audrey's wardrobe. She gave Becky, a mauve ball gown from Satine Lautrec's of Paris."

"My goodness! Paula tried one on as lark in River City last month. She said there was no way Michael would buy it for her because he could not afford it."

"Becky was overwhelmed but only as half as much as when Audrey gave her two sets of matching Poiret shoes, stockings, gloves, and two hats. She then gave her a fur coat, a silk scarf and an embroidered shaw. Mother, I watched in awe as Audrey gave this ordinary, lower class girl hundreds of dollars of clothes… because she did not want them anymore."

"That's amazing."

"That's the beginning. We then went to see a boy named Wendell. He had asked Audrey to dance with him at the Christmas Ball. She publicly rebuffed him. Everyone got a good laugh. New life. She couldn't live with herself.

She apologizes to Wendell and then says she would be honored to not only dance with him at the next ball but also go on a date with him provided that she is the one who pays for their dinner and entertainment.

Our third stop was to see another girl named Estelle. Audrey had made up a nasty rumor about her for no reason other than to be mean. She apologized. Estelle was suspicious, but eventually hugged her. Audrey said there was no way she could stop the rumor and Estelle did not need any clothes. Audrey said she would confess the truth to all of her classmates when she has occasion to see them during the summer or when they go back to school.

We spent the rest of the day going around to various charities so Audrey could finish giving away her wardrobe. When we were all finished we went to a Sear's in the Last Chance Gulch District. She had to ask me, how many dresses can I buy for $28."

Jean chuckled, "I like Sear's."

"So do I." Emily asked hopefully, "Can I borrow $28?"

Jean pouted and slowly shook her head.

"I'll take that as a no."

"Not even if I had the funds to do it."

"Audrey and I finished up right when the store was closing at eight. We got a bite to eat and talked awhile. I went back to the hotel. I could hear dad was snoring. Audrey said I should just spend the night with her."

Jean nodded. "He got your note."

"I knew I was going to be in trouble anyway. At least I could have one more night with friends."

"With the only true friend you have in Helena. Emily, Jan is not your friend."

Emily shrugged. "I know that now. You can forgo that lecture."

"Thanks."

"Am I grounded for a decade?"

"That wouldn't serve much purpose except to make you resentful. And, of course, you'd find a way to sneak out of the house."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Which is what you used to do?"

"Sixteen-year-old girls never change, dear Emily. That being said, I cannot let you get away with this."

"I know."

"But at the same time, I need to make it meaningful. I don't want to just… erect another wall between us, because, as my friend Joyce Grayson says, 'this is bigger than we thought.' Emily, you and I need to work on… us because I'm about to lose you. In the fall you'll be a senior. Seventeen. Eighteen. College. Some man sweeps you off your feet. I can't afford to lose another daughter. I thought I was doing everything right with your sister Janice and then… she just disappears. We've never been the same since that terrible night. I, we, need to change how we see each other because in my womb I've got another one on the way and there's a fifty-fifty chance it’s a girl. I hope it’s a boy, your father will attest that they're a lot less complicated."

Emily shrugged.

"But, if it is a girl. I want her to be a little more open with the woman who gave her life."

Emily smiled. They hugged.

"Unpack. Clean your room. Go apologize to your father. Mop the store front. Cheryl Cobblestone can barely make change and she burnt the loaf bread. For all the headaches you put me through, as a business woman, I missed you something fierce."

Emily giggled. "Yes, ma'am. I'll get right on it."

They both sat up and stretched in an unplanned yet perfectly synchronized maneuver.

Jean walked to the door.

"Mom?"

She turned around.

"Thanks for not giving up on me."

Jean smiled. "Me too dear, me too."