Part 12 (2/2)

I opened the door and barely popped my head in, not quite sure what reaction awaited me.

He looked at me. ”Louisa...,” he started.

I interrupted him by holding up the car keys. ”Can I take you for a drive?”

Slowly, he stood up and walked over to me, taking the keys out of my hand. ”I'll go on a drive, but only if I'm the one who's driving. I'm not in the mood to have my life endangered.”

We walked over to his beloved Hudson. Robert held the door open for me, then went around to his side. ”Where are we headed?” he asked.

I wanted to go back to the place where that awful flight instructor took me. Despite such a disastrous date, the setting was lovely in the day, and I thought it might be even more beautiful in the evening, especially with a full moon overlooking the desert valley as there was tonight.

After I gave him directions, we drove along in silence, the awkwardness of unfinished business lingered between us. When we arrived up on the plateau, I showed him where to park. ”Look, isn't it pretty? Those rocks are piled up like tortillas. And look at the valley!” The pale moon cast eerie shadows over the nooks and crevices down below.

Robert craned his neck to look around the parking area. ”Is this where that fellow took you? This is where the high school kids come to neck. Look around.”

There were a number of cars with steamed up windows. ”Is necking the same thing as sparking?” I asked.

Once he finished laughing, he looked at me for a long moment, bemused. Then he said, ”Louisa, you are a strange combination of the most intelligent and most ingenuous person I have ever met.”

Again, a self-conscious silence filled the car, until we both spoke at once. ”Wait, Robert. Let me explain something. I wasn't trying to be difficult. I don't have an opinion to give you about sending William to boarding school because I really don't know what the right answer is.”

He s.h.i.+fted in his seat to turn toward me. ”Neither do I. That's why I wanted to hear what you thought about it. Don't you think I'm worried I could be making a huge mistake? Or that William might feel abandoned again just as he's finally getting over Ruth's desertion? But then again, what if he might be missing something by not being in a school that could help him communicate?”

I sighed and looked straight forward. ”I had hoped doing the correspondence cla.s.ses would be enough for now.”

”You started this whole thing.”

”I know.”

”You said it should be like immersing yourself in a foreign country.”

”I remember.” Why did I ever tell him that? What was I thinking? Probably that he didn't really listen to me.

”I can see how quickly he is learning. It makes me think it might be better for him to be at the school, being taught by professionals.”

”Oh,” I said, trying without much success to hide my disappointment that Robert didn't think I was qualified. I had been working hard to stay ahead of William's rapid progress. ”It's just that...I'm concerned you might be making this decision because of pressure from Herr Mueller.”

”Apparently, Mueller is trying to concoct misdemeanor charges against William.”

So that's what started this. ”What does that mean?”

”He's trying to build a case to prove William should be in a specialized school or a state inst.i.tution. Can you imagine anyone pressing charges against a five-year-old boy?” Robert shook his head in disgust. ”Still, I can't deny William is unreasonably belligerent with the man.”

”But only with Herr Mueller. No one else. Well, he pulls a few boyish pranks at the church, but everyone enjoys him. No one minds his antics. Just Herr Mueller.”

He was silent for a moment. Then he looked over at me. ”I want you to come with us on Friday.”

”Then I'll come.” We looked up at the stars for a few minutes, both alone with our thoughts.

Then, Robert surprised me. Shocked me, actually. ”Louisa, could we pray about this?” he asked.

Pleased, I smiled and held out my hand.

He took my hand in his and began to pray. ”Holy Father, I need your help. I am asking for your guidance over this important decision for William. I need to see the answer clearly.”

Then I added, ”And, Lord, we want the best for William, but only You know what the best could be for him. Please give us the wisdom to encourage, support him, and understand what he needs. Amen.”

Robert didn't release my hand for a moment. ”Louisa, I-”

Quickly, I interrupted him and pulled my hand back. ”It's all right, Robert. I forgive you for being so abominably rude to me earlier.”

He looked at me for a long minute without expression, then turned the keys in the ignition and backed up the Hudson, heading toward home.

It was not lost on me that when I interrupted him, he might have had something else on his mind besides apologizing for saying I could drive a body barmy.

Friday came too soon-cold and sunny. We left early to arrive in time for our ten o'clock appointment. Miss Gordon stood on the porch, Dog sitting dutifully beside her as sentry guard. She waved good-bye, a mournful look on her face. I felt sad, too, as the car backed out of the driveway.

”Stop looking so woebegone, Louisa. We're just going to check it out. That's all,” Robert gently chided.

As we drove along the two-lane highway towards Tucson, I stared at the scenery, lost in reflection about the car ride last February when Robert had picked me up at the train station. I remembered feeling so disappointed with the arid and bone-dry landscape.

On that first car ride, I looked at the harsh rocks and saw only a rusty red color. Now, scarcely ten months later, I could see hues of color and even identify the rock formations. It was as if I put on a pair of new gla.s.ses after seeing through an old, outdated pair. The colors were clear and vivid. s.h.i.+res, b.u.t.tes, and sheer rock walls s.h.i.+mmered with shades of beige, ocher, salmon and scarlet.

The Southwestern School for the Deaf was situated on a beautiful, expansive campus. We went up to the Administration building and found the princ.i.p.al's office. The receptionist greeted us warmly. ”Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, we've been expecting you. And this must be William?” she asked.

Robert and I both interrupted each other, trying to correct the receptionist's impression that we were married.

She didn't bother with us; her eyes were on William. ”I'm going to take William for a tour and have him meet a teacher who will do a little testing with him while you and your wife meet with the princ.i.p.al.” She spoke slowly and directly to William, asking him if he'd like to go with her. He watched her lips intently and then nodded enthusiastically. Then she led us into the princ.i.p.al's office.

”Mrs. Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon are here to meet you.” The receptionist turned and took William by the hand, leading him out the door.

We both watched him leave, feeling protective, but he never even turned back to wave good-bye.

A portly woman stood up to greet us. ”You must be Reverend Gordon. We spoke on the phone a few days ago.” She shook Robert's hand and then reached out to shake my hand. ”And you must be Mrs. Gordon.”

”No, no. I'm Louisa Schmetterling. I'm Reverend Gordon's houseguest.”

”Oh,” she said, flatly, and then asked us to sit down. ”Do you know much about this school?”

We shook our heads.

”Well, the school was founded in 1912 when Arizona became a state. Most of our students live close to Tucson and are able to attend the school as a day school. We do have residence halls available for children who don't live nearby.”

”Do children as young as William attend the boarding school? He just turned five,” I asked, hoping she would say ”no.”

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