#708
The fat hit the fan when Wayne called to talk with Clora, telling Mark there must be something wrong with his sister's phone. "It goes right to voice mail, and she hasn't called back," he complained.
When Mark explained what had happened, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.
"She must trust you a lot," Wayne's voice was hard edged with suspicion. "You couldn't have let us know? That's pretty rotten politics Linderman."
Mark gave an inward sigh, so he was back to being Linderman the first minute events happened that the Hanson's didn't approve of. "It only happened about five hours ago. We have been preparing for attack, and I think you should also." Mark tried to be as reasonable as possible. "I've already called Toby and Meg and alerted them to take extreme precautions, and now I'm doing the same for you and Ben. There is no evidence; so prepare or don't, at your own risk."
"Ben's not here," Wayne said shortly, giving Mark the clue as to why the brother was calling Clora. "He has some big grandiose notion he's going to become a fishing guide and take parties out on the river for pay. I can't believe he would flake out on me that way."
"Jenny thinks it's good riddance," Wayne had found a sympathetic ear and he was working Mark for all he was worth.
'Bingo,' Mark thought, now the truth comes out. The Mrs. Hanson, was bound and determined to have her own way and it probably didn't include Ben. "Well Wayne, has Ben said he was going to pull out or made demands to have you pay him back the money he invested?"
"No."
"Then I wouldn't put the cart before the horse," Mark advised. "Ben still has to find his niche in this world, and if fishing gives him purpose and a reason to get up in the morning, more power to him."
"You sound just like Clora," Wayne grumbled. "Is she really all right? How about her heart?"
"The babies are good, Clora is some weaker. The prince is well aware of the situation, and he agreed to fly a neo natal specialist in to check her over. That's better care than I could give her here in the States. With the threat of an attack looming, I couldn't take a chance that she might be harmed. Clora has Olga with her and the children; and I expect to hear from them soon, that they've landed. The pressures taking off and landing are hard on pregnant ladies, so if she can work through those with out starting labor, there is a positive prognosis. Did I tell you we were sent another urn, and that's how the prince got involved?"
When he had information, Wayne calmed down and seemed more capable of rational conversation. Suddenly out of the blue, Wayne said, "Ben is pulling away because of Jenny, isn't he?"
Mark felt his throat tighten, and as much as he wanted to give Wayne a dose of the truth, he felt Clora's hand on his arm in gentle warning.
"Oh, possibly," Mark tried for casual. "Ben is still grieving for Lainey, and being in such close contact with you and Jenny has to be a source of pain for him."
"I suppose," Wayne spoke slowly. "I want only the best for him, and I don't know how to make it happen."
"You can't," Mark said bluntly. "That's between Ben and God. He has to take the responsibility for himself in his own hands and listen to what God intends for him to be doing."
"Humm, I wonder where I've heard those very words before?" Wayne said dryly; "are you sure Clora's not there?"
"I wish with all my heart that she were," Mark had to be forceful to cover up the small emotional quiver in his voice. "Sending her away was the most painful thing I have ever done."
"Well, as long as you think she will be safe," Wayne acquiesced, "I sure don't like the thought of her being gone in her condition. What happens if she begins labor? What are you going to do then?"
"I'll go to Saudi Arabia," Mark was at his most determined. "There is no other way to handle it."
Mark knew he was taking a chance in mentioning where Clora had gone, he was sure his conversations were listened too. Now, he didn't care, at least Clora was safe. "If you would pass on to Ben where Clora has gone, it might be interesting to see if they can mind communicate over such a distance."
"Huh, yeah sure, I'll tell him," Wayne assured his brother in law. "Talk to you later." and he hung up.
The late afternoon turned dark and rainy, the black out curtains creating a stifling atmosphere. Karl went to do the milking while Stephan did the other chores.
In order to work off his nervousness and frustration, Stephan had moved all the cut and split wood from the machine shed to the porches. It was an extra layer of protection for the clan members.
"I noes like Mizz Clora's goings to that place," Helga declared in no uncertain terms. "Vhat iffs sometings muches happens, she iss so far avays."
Karl came in the door just in time to hear Helga and he gave her a censuring look.
"The worst that can happen, will be, she has the babies without me there. The prince has a heart specialist on retainer, also excellent Doctors for his family. I have to trust someone Helga, he has always been fair and honest with me."
"Buts, vhat iffs they make her vorks; she iss in no condition to bes doing anytings." Helga refused to give up her concern.
"I think Clora's greatest problem will be boredom, she won't be allowed to do anything. It will all be done for her. She is a princess, you know." Mark had to tweak Helga a little bit.
It made Karl smile, but went racing over the top of Helga's head. "Buts still, I am nots there to helps her, iss not rights." Helga had to have the last word.
"You wouldn't gave gotten on that plane," Mark teased, "it's a small jet."
"Oh's, I had forgottens abouts that. Mercy, Mercy," she was muttering softly. "Buts I vould haff for Mizz Clora's."
"I know you would have, and I thank you for your love and concern for Clora." Mark praised their cook, and Helga had a glistening sheen in her eyes. She had to get very busy stirring the pot of stew for supper.
"Now I thoughts you told me that's you vould neffer fly agains after ve got home froms the throats Doctor," Karl took up where Mark left off.
"That iss muches differents," Helga insisted. "You vould noes understands. It iss Olgas frights also; she noes likes flying. Iffs God vould haff vanted us's to do that, he vould haff givens us vings. Ve no flys and noes stays undervatters for muches good reasons. The vorld vould bes muches betters if's ve all came to understand that." That was Helga's final word on the subject.
Mark was smiling behind his coffee cup, and was ready to say something when his phone rang. It was Warren. "May I come right out to the farm?" he asked without preamble, "there is a problem."