Exuberance Is Beauty (Book 1)

Chapter 5

Carmen and Harry came up for Christmas with their children. The oldest was eleven and the youngest three. Through Carmen's family, I got a chance to imagine Charlie at all ages. I was so excited to watch this person become. Of course he was only four months old and so it was very hard to tell who little Charlie was. Mary was holding him and showing him off to Carmen who was delighted to play with him. Susan, her three year old, sat shyly beside her watching with enormous curiosity.

"Want to touch Charlie's hand? Be gentle, Suzie."

The little girl shook her head and hid her face behind Carmen. Carmen smiled but rolled her eyes and mouthed to Mary and me, "my shy one."

"Unlike her mother," Mary teased.

"I've been known to be quiet" Carmen said.

"Not to me," Mary joked, "but Carmen darling, you are the most entertaining person I know. I love you to death."

Carmen sort of smirked and turned her attention back to Charlie who was smiling and showing off for Carmen. He reached for her hair and Carmen willingly let him put his wet baby fingers into the locks that were held up in her usual victory rolls. He loosed one side and it a long strand fell over her face. She made funny faces and said "Oh no!" and that turned Charlie into all smiles.

"He's very smart. To play like this at only four and a half months."

Mary interrupted, "All the excitement's got him sleepy. Why don't you girls go out for a walk or sit on the porch and catch up. I'm sure you miss each other. I'll put the baby down for a nap."

Carmen and I ventured out towards the orchard.

"Mary loves him." Carmen said.

"I know she does. Carmen, I wanted to thank you for helping me."

"There's nothing to thank me for. You look so happy Eve. And Charlie is skimpily perfect."

"Not just for helping me out of the situation with Jeff, but also for choosing Mary and Frank. I have grown to love Mary so much."

"Didn't I tell you? I can tell she loves you too and Charlie. Honestly I've never seen her like that."

"Its more. You know how much I loved your family. They were my family. But, still I was an outsider. Mary makes me feel like I belong. She's told me that she feels as though I'm the daughter she never had."

Carmen's eyes landed and stayed fixed on me. She stopped under one of the apple trees, its leaves gone and the gray sky visible through the crooked and bare branches.

She smiled then walked over and embraced me. "I'm so glad for you Eve."

"And, I want to stay here in Bend"

"Of course you do."

We walked on and didn't say anything for a few minutes. Once we arrived at the end of the orchard near the clearing, we stopped.

"They sure have a lot of land," Carmen said "I never realized how far back this went. And, you can see the mountain."

I walked out a bit further. "This area is mine. Mary and Frank would like me to design a garden. Flowers, and little garden rooms. Mary's marked the space, it's larger than my gardens in Sellwood."

"This is marvelous, Eve."

I took a deep breath and turned to Carmen, "It's cold, should we go back?"