2. Honey Is Surprised

When Honey arrived home from school the next day, she felt the change in atmosphere that meant her parents had returned. There was a bustle of activity in the formal rooms, and Tom Delanoy, the Wheelers' chauffeur, carried bag after bag upstairs or to the laundry room. Later Celia would unpack the bags and sort laundry. Honey caught a whiff of her mother's favorite perfume when she passed by the master bedroom, but the door was closed and Celia had told her that her mother was resting. She did not see either of her parents until they sat down to dinner. Matt Wheeler was in good spirits and talked a great deal about the business that had taken him to Italy, the beauty of the Italian countryside, and the insanity of Italian drivers. Honey's eyes sparkled as she carried on an animated conversation with her father, but when they turned to her mother, they were questioning and shuttered.

Her mother was very quiet. She toyed with the food on her plate, eating only a few bites, and excused herself as soon as coffee had been served.

As Madeleine Wheeler walked gracefully around to her daughter's chair, she leaned over to give her a cool kiss. "Good night, darling. I'm exhausted and I'm going back upstairs to lie down. Please come in and see me before you go to bed."

Honey stood and kissed her mother in return. "All right, Mother, I will come in. But I won't wake you if you are asleep."

"Oh, I won't be asleep," was her mother's reply.

***********************

Honey closed her book and glanced at her bedside clock, which read 9:30. I should probably say good night to Mother before it gets much later. Besides -- she tried to swallow the bubble of anticipation -- or was it fear? -- that filled her throat, I need to ask her about the baby book.

Softly she knocked at her mother's door.

"Come in, dear," her mother's voice replied.

Honey slipped quietly into her parents' luxurious bedroom. Madeleine was lying down with an ice pack to her forehead and a soft woven throw covering her slim form. Her eyes were closed. "Tell me what you and your friends have been doing while Dad and I were gone," she invited, patting the bed beside her.

"Oh, Mother, Trixie's and Diana's moms went to a scrapbooking workshop, and now they are both working on completing their baby books -- that is, their children's baby books. We looked at Trixie's, Brian's, Mart's, and Bobby's books yesterday. Only Brian's had much done. He was a cute little baby! Diana was telling us about hers. I can't wait to see it."

"I'm sure Helen Belden was much too busy raising her children to spend hours keeping up baby books, especially when they are so close together," Madeleine replied, removing the ice bag from her head.

"Um, Mother, I was wondering ... Did you keep a baby book for me? I've never seen one." There. The question was out. Now the ball was in her mother's court.

Madeleine sat up and stared at her daughter. Honey's face was averted, and she was looking intently at something on the opposite wall. Her chin trembled slightly, and Madeleine could see a glitter of tears welling up in the lovely hazel eyes that were so like her own. Her own gaze softened. She reached out and put an arm around Honey's shoulder.

"Yes, darling. I'll show it to you." She rose and walked to the elegant armoire which held her most precious keepsakes, and removed a box. Sitting back down on the edge of the bed, she held it out for Honey to see.

Honey took the box and opened it. Inside the box was a baby book - a beautiful cream-colored book with padded moiré-covered boards and an oval portrait opening containing a picture of a smiling baby with wispy honey-colored hair. A lovely gilt script read "Our Baby Girl - Madeleine Grace Wheeler" and Honey's birth date.

Honey stared at her mother. "But I've never seen this. How can it be that I've never seen my own baby book?"

Madeleine sighed. "It's a long story and one that is very painful for me to remember. However, I believe you have a right to know what happened. It's a little late to start on it tonight, though. If you don't have other plans, why don't we get together after supper tomorrow, and I will tell you about it. For tonight, you may take the book to your room and look at it, if you like."

"All right, Mother," Honey replied. "I'll take it tonight and I'll come straight home from school tomorrow, so I can have all of my homework done before supper."

 

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