Page 77 of The Women of Oak Ridge
I didn’t reply. While I liked Georgeanne, she was a bit too opinionated and nosey.
I bid her goodnight and moved to the steps. “Peggy, come.”
The little dog had just joined me on the porch when a vehicle turned into the driveway, its headlights blinding me when I looked to see who it was. Everything went dark again when the engine cut off, and Jonas stepped out of his Bronco.
“Hi,” he said as he approached. Peggy let out a friendly yap before entering the house. “I stopped by the hospital after my shift. The nurse told me you’d gone home.”
Even though I was bone weary, I needed to tell Jonas about Aunt Mae’s outburst. “Do you want to come in for a cup of coffee or something? There’s a new development in the mystery.”
He followed me into the house to the tiny kitchen. We both opted for lemonade instead of coffee. Once we were settled at the table with some cookies, I told him what happened at the hospital.
“She was terrified,” I said, recalling the fright that filled Aunt Mae’s face when the doctor arrived. “It was as though she expected the doctor to attack the nurse right there in her room. Except she didn’t see a nurse. She saw Sissy.”
Jonas’s brow tugged into a frown. “That’s not a good sign. Evenin a delirious state, I wouldn’t think Mae would fear for Sissy’s well-being unless somewhere in her subconscious she knew Sissy had been in danger at some point.”
I met his gaze, impressed. “You’re exactly right. It didn’t seem as though she was experiencing a dream or an imaginary event. I think she was reliving something.”
We sat in the stillness of the house, ticking from the clock on the wall the only sound.
“You said your aunt has Sissy’s security badge. Would you mind if I looked at it?”
“Not at all.”
I retrieved the badge from the box in my bedroom, then returned to the kitchen and handed it to him. “She was a pretty girl. The nurse at the hospital has the same coloring and fresh look.”
Jonas studied the front, then the back of the badge for a long moment. “My parents still have their security badges. Everyone in Oak Ridge had to have one. Even children. You couldn’t come or go without it.” He handed it back to me. “It would’ve been unusual for Sissy to give her badge to Mae, even if she left Oak Ridge for good. She would’ve needed it to exit the Reservation.”
Apprehension knotted my belly. “I believe Aunt Mae is hiding something. At first I assumed she didn’t want to talk about the past because of the secrecy involved with the Manhattan Project. She’s always been a very private person from what my dad has said. But then you discovered the complaint against her, followed by the trailer fire. Now she’s out of her mind with fear and calling out for Sissy. I can’t bring myself to believe she was involved in criminal behavior, but... what if she was?”
“I admit things look suspicious. Of what, I don’t know.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I don’t want to mistrust her, Jonas. Besides, everything we’re discussing happened over thirty years ago. Does it really matter now? Should I just drop it? Maybe AuntMae is right. Maybe things in the past should stay there. Bringing all of this up has upset her, possibly even to the point of causing her to have a car accident.”
He reached across the table and grasped my hand. “I know you want what’s best for your aunt. Uncovering long-buried secrets can bring out a lot of pain, but it can also be healing. My instincts tell me that whatever happened all those years ago still has a negative influence on Mae today. I think her outburst at the hospital is linked to it.”
I squeezed his hand, then stood to get a tissue. As I dabbed my eyes, I exhaled. “Everything you said is exactly what I would tell someone who came to me with the same kind of dilemma involving a loved one. Dealing with the past is often the key to letting go of feelings of fear and unforgiveness.” I gave a slight shrug. “The thing is, when it’s your own family member, it’s hard to make the choice to hurt them further.”
He stood and came to me. “When your dad gets here tomorrow, he may have a better understanding of what’s going on. Did you tell him about the MP’s report and the fire?”
I shook my head. “Everything happened so quickly following the accident. I’ll show him the newspaper articles and MP report before we go to the hospital.”
We walked to the front door where he offered a sympathetic smile. “Try to get some rest, Laurel. I’ll come by the hospital tomorrow, okay?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
After he drove away, I locked the door and readied for bed. I’d just turned out the lamp when I heard Peggy’s toenails on the wood floor in the hallway. A moment later, I knew she stood next to the bed. I clicked on the lamp and found her staring up at me.
“I know you don’t understand why Aunt Mae isn’t here.” I reached to pet her. “Hopefully she’ll be home in a couple days.”
The little animal whined.
I didn’t know if Peggy usually slept in Aunt Mae’s bed or not, but her big, sad eyes seemed to plead to be let up into mine.
“Just this once.”
After the dog was snuggled on the blanket at the foot of the bed, I turned out the light again.
“Help Aunt Mae rest, Lord,” I whispered. “If there’s anything I can do to bring her peace, please give me wisdom.”
