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"Come on, Mom. Something's wrong. Your voice is tight and hard. What's up. Is
it
Taxi?"
Camilla sighed. "Does it always have to be Taxi?" "No, Mom, but it usually
is.
Isn't it?"
"Usually." "What now?"
"I'm not sure. When you drove back to New York with Taxi after that medal
affair, did you notice anything?"
"I'm not sure, either. He made a lot of nasty remarks about various people,
and
Thessaly tried to calm him down, but it wasn't all that unusual."
"But you noticed-"
"Mom. Yes. Can you tell me what's going on?"
Madeleine L Engle..140
"I don't know what's going on. He gave hints to Raffi that I'm not her-her
biological grandmother. He upset her." There was a long pause. Camilla looked
at
the dark windows of the French doors that led out onto a balcony where, in
element weather, she ate breakfast. She waited. Finally Frankie said, "Mom,
you
and Dad let Taxi live with a lie." "Was it a lie?"
"Yes, Mom, it was. Maybe it was a lie more than commission, but it was still
a
lie."
"Taxi was so passionate about it, about not talk-"
"And you was too late."
"But why now?" Camilla asked. "Why would he want to hurt Raffi?"
"To hurt you, Mom, even if he has to do it through Raffi." "Raffi wants to
know-"
"Are you going to tell her?" "Yes. I think I have to."
"Good. Oh, Mom, darling, I don't mean to to judge. But silence isn't always
golden." "No. I know. I know."
"Listen, Mom, I love you. You've been-you
rifle Mom, to both Taxi and me. Don't ever forget that." "But terrific Moms
make
mistakes-"
"All Moms make mistakes. It's easy for me to judge, because I'm not a mother
myself, I haven't had the experience of trying to do my best and having it
come
back and hit me in the teeth. I love you, Mom, and I'll call you in a few
days.
This, whatever it is, this, too, shall pass."
of omission wanting to and Dad let the silence go on and on. Until it
accuse
you, or
are-a
ter
Winter passed. Spring came to Corinth with the loveliness of flowering trees
and
bushes. The rectory was surrounded with the brilliance of azaleas. Camilla
enjoyed her work with
A Live Coal in the Sea»141
the youth group, many of whom had shed sweaters and jeans for bright cottons.
She did her best not to shock Mrs. Lee or the other women of the parish. Her
work at the university in Athens was challenging, and Dr. Edison became
Edith,
or Dr. Edith, as Mac frequently called her.
And then there were the plans for Art's consecration as bishop. Olivia drew
Camilla in, not only for the great service at the Cathedral, but into the
redecoration of the big house on the St. Johns River, sending her swatches of
wallpaper or curtain material, and colors of paint.
Art and Olivia were staying in the beach house while the house on the river
was
being fixed up, and two days before the consecration Camilla and Mac flew
down
to Florida to join them. Spring was warming, but not heating the air.
Camellias
were in bloom. New leaves were pushing off the old ones on the water oaks.
Mockingbirds were singing. Camilla was pregnant.
She spent the day in Jacksonville with Olivia, walking through the large old
house which was the bishop's residence, approving the wallpaper Olivia had
chosen, delighted with the big kitchen, which, like all the rooms at the
back,
looked across the lawn to the great river.
'Everything I need,' Olivia said happily. 'A big freezer. Two ovens. Let's go
upstairs. I love this staircase, the graceful way it curves. We'll put a love
seat on the landing.' Olivia showed her a large, light bedroom which faced
the
river. 'This, dearest daughter, will be for you and Mac. And there will be a
room for the baby.'
'Oh, Mama, thank you.'
'You can take a rest here after we've had lunch, before we drive back to the
beach. You're sure your doctor said it's all right to drive?'
'I'm fine, Mama. Everything is going beautifully this time.'
'We won't go up to the attic. It's not an easy house. Too
NV
Madeleine L'Engle»142
much of it. But the diocese insists that I have more help than I think I
need,
so we'll manage.'
'It's a big change for you,' Camilla said.
'When I married Art I knew it would mean periodic uprooting. You'll go
through
it, too. Mac won't stay in that cozy little parish in Corinth for too long,
and
it's not going to go on being cozy indefinitely. Corinth is a big name for a
little town, and big tempests brew in little teapots.'
'Are you speaking from experience?' Camilla asked. 'Naturally. When I left
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