Michael Vincent had been taken into the company right away and seemed to be doing well. Everybody, including Little Miss Davenport, had been pleased that Hanna Marie had found someone so nice. Her new husband was so loving and so good to his young wife, at least in public. But after a while, some people started seeing right through him. His father-in-law for one. He and Little Miss Davenport had begun to figure out that he was pilfering money out of the business account. And it was so unnecessary. All he had to do was ask, and he would have been given anything he needed. Ander hadn’t said anything to his wife or Hanna Marie. As long as she was happy with him, and he treated her well, whatever else he did didn’t really matter.
Then, when Mr. Swensen died, he left his entire company, the house, and the land to Hanna Marie. Pretty soon, people at the dairy began noticing a change in her husband’s behavior. Michael Vincent had started barking orders at employees and telling them to forget how Albert Olsen, the dairy manager, wanted it done. He was in charge. Everyone was confused. After the head of the packaging department had a run-in with him, he went into Little Miss Davenport’s office. “Dottie, are you sure there was no mention of Vincent in the will?”
Little Miss Davenport said, “Absolutely. Mr. Swensen put everything in Hanna Marie’s name. So he may be strutting around acting like he owns the place. But on paper, he’s still just another employee working under Albert.”
“Well, he’s causing a lot of trouble, going behind Albert’s back, threatening to fire people. Three guys in my department have quit already.”
“I know,” she said.
“Excuse my French, but it’s too bad Hanna Marie don’t fire his ass. But I guess it would be hard to fire your own husband.”
She sighed. “I guess. I’ve got a good mind to tell her what’s going on. I’d hate to be the one to burst her bubble. But down the line, if he keeps it up, I just might.”
1994
Late Saturday afternoon, the neighbors were all sitting in Elner Shimfissle’s backyard, looking at the sunset, discussing life, wondering why some people acted the way they did. Tot said, “Hell, I don’t know what it’s all about. One day Darlene says she hates life, then she meets another deadbeat to marry and loves it again.”
“I think most people are confused about life, because it’s not just one thing going on,” said Elner. “It’s many things going on at the same time. Life is both sad and happy, simple and complex, all at the same time. Take my sister Ida. She was always looking for things to make her feel better…the rich husband, the big house, the perfect child, the right garden club, you name it. And by and large, she got them all, but she was never happy. No matter how much she got, it was never enough. She just kept buying more things and putting them in storage. I sat down and figured it out, and I said, ‘Ida, did you know that in twenty-five years, you have spent over thirty-two thousand dollars to store things that you don’t have room for?’ But it didn’t stop her. She just kept buying in case she wanted to use something in the future. I tell you that girl had the energy of a chipmunk, always running here, running there. She never gave herself time to feel sad. Even when Herbert died. The day after the funeral, she was already out shopping at the Sit and Sleep store. Ida was a piece of work all right, but with all her faults, I miss her, and I miss my sister Gerta, too.”
“Oh, so do I, Elner,” said Ruby. “Since the bakery closed, you can’t find a good pie anymore. The stuff they sell at the supermarket is terrible. I bought one of their pies, and it was so bad I threw it out to the crows.”
Elner said, “I’ll tell you who makes the best pie in town is Edna Childress. And she makes it right from scratch. You know me. I love a good apple pie, and you can’t beat Edna’s apple pie.”
“No, you can’t,” said Verbena. “That’s why Ralph’s got such a big belly now. Edna said he comes home from the police station every day and has his pie and coffee for lunch.”
Tot said, “Can you blame him? If I was married to Edna, I would, too.”
“She spoils that man something awful,” said Verbena.
Verbena’s husband, Merle, looked at her. “Why don’t you spoil me a little?”
“Hey, listen, bub. I cook you three hot meals a day, that’s enough.”
Tot Whooten took a drag off her cigarette and said, “Hey, speaking of missing people, has anybody seen Hanna Marie lately?”
Elner shook her head. “No, not much, not since her daddy passed away, and I worry about her. I hope she’s all right.”
“Me, too,” said Verbena. “Little Miss Davenport told me she used to come down to the office, but now she mostly just stays alone all day in that big old house. But, of course, I see that husband driving around town in Ander’s big car all puffed up with himself. I feel sorry for Hanna Marie is all I can say.”
Elner said, “You know, it isn’t like Hanna Marie to not come and see me or at least drop me a note.”
“She’s probably just busy with all her charity work,” Ruby said. “I’m sure she’ll contact you soon.”
“I hope so. I’m a little worried about her,” Elner said.
“Me, too,” said Tot. “And it’s not like you can call her on the phone.”
“No, you can’t,” said Ruby.
—
THE TRUTH WAS THAT Hanna Marie had not been busy, as Ruby had thought. She had been devastated. Almost immediately after her father had died, her husband had told her he didn’t want her to come to the dairy anymore, and he hardly ever came home, except to change clothes and go out again. She didn’t know what she had done. When she tried to ask him, he told her she was imagining things.
On the rare occasion when someone spotted her in town, she looked so sad. Then in November, the housekeeper happened to mention to Verbena that she had heard Hanna Marie crying up in her room. When Elner heard this, she decided not to stand on ceremony and went over to see her. The maid answered the front door, and Elner went in and walked straight up the grand staircase to Hanna Marie’s bedroom, where she found her sitting at her desk. Hanna Marie looked up and was surprised to see her and came around and hugged her.
“I haven’t heard from you for a while. How are you?”
Hanna Marie smiled and jotted down on her pad, “Just fine, and you?”
“Oh, you know me. Same as ever.”
Elner noticed for the first time that Hanna Marie had aged. Her brown hair that she wore pulled back from her face was now peppered with gray, and the youthful sparkle in her eyes had begun to fade. Elner said, “Are you sure you are all right?”
Hanna nodded that she was.
Elner then looked around the room. “Hey…where’s your kitty?”
Hanna made a sad face and wrote, “He ran away.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Well, honey, I know you are a grown woman. But just the same, I promised your mother I would look out for you, and if you ever need anything, you send somebody to get me. I’ll be mad if you don’t.”
Hanna Marie smiled and nodded and hugged her goodbye.
Just as Elner was leaving, Michael Vincent was coming in the door. When he saw her, he was taken aback. “What are you doing here?”
“Just visiting a friend,” Elner said, and walked down the stairs.
He called after her, “You better not have brought another damn cat.”