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Cat's Cradle

By Brenda Carol Poulos

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Chapter One
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
~ Deuteronomy 31:6
Marcus sat motionless. The sound of Mary’s whimpers, like daggers, pierced his heart. His traitorous words had changed her life forever.
Nothing would ever be the same.
Tears cascading down her cheeks, Mary clung to Sally. She calmed as her mother—her lifeline—spoke tenderly and rocked her in her arms. As her sobs subsided, she left Sally’s embrace and walked toward Marcus. She opened her mouth, even moved her lips, but couldn’t make a sound.
He waited. Moisture formed in his own eyes when he saw the sorrow in hers. No one had ever looked at him like that before. An overwhelming sense of loss flooded him.
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“You’re my Daddy. You’ve always been. Wait. I’ll show you.” Mary disappeared down the hallway just long enough for Sally and Simon to connect their anxiety-ridden eyes with his. She returned with the picture that had been on her nightstand since she was a baby—taken at the hospital only minutes after her birth.
Her hands trembled as she held the photo in front of him. In it, Sally smiled as she cradled her newborn in her arms. Marcus bent over, kissing the baby’s forehead. “See? That’s me and Mama. And there you are, Daddy.”
He pulled her close and kissed her escaping tears. “Oh, my sweet girl. I was there for that picture and all the rest from that day on, but I’m not your-your real father.”
Her face turned red as she clenched her fists at her sides. “Yes, you are. I love you the most in all the world. You’re the smartest, bestest Daddy ever,” she shouted. She paused, looking from one adult to the next before her shoulders slumped. She drew in a shaky breath. “Please. Please,” she begged.
For the sake of this little family, Marcus needed to keep himself from falling apart. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Some things in life we just can’t change.”
She shook her head in utter confusion and turned to Sally. “Mama?”
Makeup streaked Sally’s cheeks. “He’s telling the truth.”
“No. No. Everybody has a daddy. Even Beverly—” She stopped mid-sentence and spun around to face Simon. “Why are you here?”
He straightened and released a ragged breath. “Because I-I...” 4

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Mary’s eyes grew wide. She placed her hands over her ears. “Don’t say it,” she ordered.
Sally caught Mary’s hands and led her back to the rug where this discussion began only minutes earlier. “Honey, Simon is here because he is your father.”
Mary pulled free, whirled in Simon’s direction, and studied his face. Panic flashed in her eyes. Her tears flowed anew as she backed away. “That’s a lie. I don’t even like you.”
Compassion and sympathy welled up inside of Marcus.
Oh, Lord, help her understand. This has got to be terrifying for her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her there forever... to say what was in his heart. But he understood Simon’s pain. Her response had hurt him too.
Sadness swept over him. His worst nightmare had come true. God, give me strength.
As Sally dealt with Mary, he returned to his troubled thoughts. The emotions he’d tried so hard to keep in check took him by surprise. The very idea of losing Mary’s love made his gut churn. Agony slashed through him. They had to resolve things with her before it ripped them all apart.
He lowered his head into his shaking hands and sobbed.
k
Simon assumed he and Mary had formed a semi-friendship. Did she truly hate him? Perhaps it was the sudden news that he was her father, and not her neighbor, that had tipped the scales.
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The announcement had upset her—turned her world upside down. Marcus wasn’t who she thought he was. Could she already be wondering what this meant for her future?
He took a deep breath and looked to his left, where his mother clutched his father’s hand. He recognized the look of despair in her eyes. Simon had told her everything would be okay. That none of this would affect her solid relationship with Mary.
Now he wasn’t so sure.
Perhaps not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon, her granddaughter would ask Betty why she’d kept this crucial bit of information from her. Then she would experience what it feels like to lose the fragile trust of a child.
And there was Simon’s father, whose face was expressionless as he stared off into space. His sun rose and set in that little girl’s smile. Since he’d recently become a Christian, how might this affect him? Would he turn away from God again?
Simon berated himself under his breath. His parents had asked to be here. He had expected their support. But he could see they were almost as distraught as Marcus and Sally.
No, Simon was on his own.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Now, as he looked around the room at the destruction his actions had caused, the full meaning of the old adage came crashing down.
His initial inclination was to leave. Get as far away as possible. But that would be the easy way out. With a distraught
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daughter in front of him, there was no way he’d do that. God, my heart breaks for her. Please show me how to help her through this. He cleared his throat, trying to release the trapped words. “Mary, could you come over here so I can talk with you for
a minute?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to.”
“I promise to do all the talking. I’ve made some decisions
I’d like to tell you about. Your mother and Marcus haven’t even heard about them yet. While we’re all here together would be a good time for me to share them.”
Sally ran her fingers through Mary’s tousled curls and smiled down at her. “Sweetie, give Simon a chance to talk. Let’s hear what he has to say. We’ll move the cookie tray and you can sit on the coffee table and face him. I’ll be on the rug right beside you. Will you do that for Mama?”
She hesitated. “Don’t leave me, okay?”
“I promise.” Sally stood, took the platter into the kitchen, and gave Marcus a hug as she returned to the room. She situated herself next to Mary and reached across the space to give Grandma Betty’s hand a squeeze.
Simon forced a deep breath into his lungs and let it out slowly. “I’ve spoken to your grandparents about how I feel regarding Marcus and the job he’s been doing raising you—”
Marcus’s head jerked up. “What?” he squeaked. His eyes flashed with fury as he pulled himself to a standing position. “You wouldn’t—”
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“Hold on. Don’t jump to conclusions. I told them you are a caring and patient person. I said I can see that you love Mary very much.”
Marcus eased himself back into the recliner, a spark of hope in his eyes. “Sorry. I thought—”
Simon paused and swallowed. “I understand. Relax. This will be good news for you.”
Marcus shuddered visibly. He didn’t believe him. And that was understandable. Simon had better get on with it before they came to blows.
He turned his attention back to Mary. “You might doubt this, but I love you. And as much as I’d like to be a part of your life, there’s a lot I need to learn about being a father. I don’t intend to move you away from your mother or Marcus. You can continue living in this house with them raising you without any interference from me. But I hope as time goes by, you and I can be friends. And remember, Grandma and Grandpa live next door.”
Mary sniffed, her eyes drifting over to her grandparents and giving them a sheepish grin. “So, he can go on being my Daddy?”
“Yes.”
The corners of Mary’s mouth lifted into a slow smile that lit his heart.
k
Sally opened the bedroom door, padded across the floor, and slipped into bed. With Frannie having kept Noah for
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the evening, she’d enjoyed the luxury of a bubble bath while giving Marcus and Mary some time alone. They must have talked themselves to exhaustion, because both were asleep in the big four-poster which had once belonged to Marcus’s mother, Celia.
She pondered over their talk with Mary. Never in a million years would she have predicted the outcome of the night’s discussion. Simon had changed. He’d become more introspective and understanding than she’d ever thought possible. His willingness to allow Marcus to continue in his role as her father was a miracle.
She reached over to brush Mary’s bangs from her forehead. “I love you,” she whispered. She regretted the past choices that had caused her so much pain. She prayed that her daughter would someday forgive her. However, she realized that might not be possible until she became a teenager herself and faced those same temptations...
Sally hoped that being raised in a Christian home with wholesome values would make all the difference for Mary. We’ll give her a firm foundation. She’ll experience God’s love and guidance as she grows to adulthood.
The sting of her own parents’ rejection of her was something that still caused Sally angst. Now and again, when old wounds threatened to overwhelm her, she stuffed them down inside. She craved their forgiveness, but they had hardened their hearts against her. They’d withdrawn their love and turned her out on the street the day she’d told them about her pregnancy.
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No matter what, Marcus and Sally would never abandon their daughter.
k
“I can’t remember the last time we watched a television show together.”
Ed slid his arm over Betty’s shoulders, giving her an affectionate squeeze. “Me neither, but I admit I rather enjoy snuggling with you here on the sofa.”
His charming grin almost took her breath away. “Me, too.”
“Under other circumstances, I’d declare myself the luckiest man in the world.”
Betty pulled back to look him in the eye. “That was a left-handed compliment if I ever heard one.”
He planted a kiss on her forehead. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant was that my mind is on Mary. A little child having to deal with a deception that went on for much too long just isn’t right.”
Betty gave his hand a squeeze. “It was wrong of us to insist we all be there last night. Looking back on it, we should have listened to Sally when she suggested that Simon go by himself.”
Ed nodded. “I agree. We’re all twice her size. That alone would be enough to scare any child.”
“Couple that with unexpected and traumatic news to process and now, in retrospect, I can see their point.” Her heart sank at the prospect of a future without their granddaughter in their lives. She struggled to shake the possibility from her mind.
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Mary loved them. She had forgiven Ed for his own poor choices. Betty had prayed she would forgive the rest of them, too.
Concern etched on Ed’s face. “Something tells me they may be in for a rough time.”
His words pierced her heart like a dagger. “We’ve got to think positive. Be supportive. Mary had been warming up to Simon until—”
“Still, it shocked her to find out he is her father. She has loved and adored Marcus from day one. Once she realizes the complexities of their relationship going forward, I’m not sure how she’ll act. She was all set to run away last week. You don’t suppose she’d try to pull a stunt like that again, do you?” He arched his eyebrow before picking up the popcorn bowl and heading for the kitchen.
She clenched her teeth against the odds of that happening. “I hope not. Her world has turned topsy-turvy. It will take her a long time to process all this. We can help them most by praying.”
Ed appeared in the doorway, crossing the room to grasp her outstretched hand. He bowed his head. “Here. Let me.” He blew out a breath and closed his eyes. His voice quivered. “Lord, I’ve been a stranger to prayer for most of my life. But I figure if you saw fit to forgive my sins, you might also allow me a little leeway on this praying thing. We ask you to be our guide as we sort out these complicated relationships. Provide the right words to say and help us show love and forgiveness to each other, following your example. Grant Mary understanding
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beyond her years and encourage her to rely on the support and caring of her family. Amen.”
Betty appreciated the depth of her husband’s heartfelt prayer. She wanted to believe everything would work out for the best.
But instead of the peace she expected to experience after praying, she braced herself for the catastrophe she dreaded might be coming.
k
The noise of excited voices created a din of confusion at Roller DerBee. Dozens of Kindergarten and first grade students lined the benches as apprehensive parents laced and tied skates onto their eager feet. This was the biggest fundraiser of the school year. The one that always brought in the most money for the PTA.
“Thanks for coming with me, tonight, Bevvy. I’m afraid to skate all by myself.”
“It’s only ’cause this is your first time.”
Daddy gave Mary a reassuring nod. “You girls have fun. I’ll be sitting here waiting for you. Mama and Noah should be here in a few minutes. Your brother will be excited to see you, so please wave to him. All right?”
“Okay.” She straightened, pushed to her feet and cautiously rolled onto the floor of the rink.
Beverly skated around Mary and stopped in front of her. “How come you still call Marcus ‘Daddy’?”
“Because that’s what he is, silly.” 12

“No. He’s not, Mary.”
“Yes, he is. You think you know everything.”
“He’s your stepdad, just like Jim is mine. I live with my
mom and stepfather. And you live with yours.”
“No. I still live in the same house and sleep in my same
room. Simon’s not my father. Daddy is.”
“Once you get a father, he stays your father. Nothing can
change that, no matter where you live.”
“Shut up, Miss Smarty-pants. Maybe it’s that way with
your family, but things are different with us.”
Beverly rolled her eyes. “We’ll see...”
“We’re wasting skating time. They’ll blow the whistle soon
and let the first graders have their turn. Let’s talk about this stuff later.” Mary held onto the side rail and inched herself along the perimeter of the rink. Was Bevvy right about all this? Could Simon really be her father? Were the grown-ups lying? What if—? Pain stung her heart.
“You’re such a baby, Mary. Let go.”
“I don’t want to skate anymore. I shouldn’t have come tonight.”
“That’s not what’s wrong. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. We can still have some fun, can’t we?” Beverly made a silly face and stuck out a pouty lip.
“Oh, okay.”
“Good. I’ll hold your hand and go slow. It will be fine. You’ll never learn to skate by hanging onto the side.”
Mary shot her a wary look but gave in to Bevvy’s incessant begging. “All right.”
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Beverly led her through the crowd of kindergarteners. Some were skating in circles. Others glided straight to the sides of the rink and back to the center like the spokes on a wheel. Several had taken a spill and were being carried off by anxious parents.
Mary chewed at her lower lip. The barrage of children, coupled with the escalating noise, made her nervous. She panicked when Beverly wrenched her fingers free and skated off, leaving her standing in the center of the rink with nothing to hold on to. Her eyes searched the enormous space, looking for Mama and Daddy, but she’d lost her bearings and couldn’t locate them in the group of spectators. She blew out a sigh of relief when Beverly returned. “Don’t leave me again. You promised.”
“Okay. Don’t whine. Get behind me and hold onto my waist. I’ll pull you along.”
“That’s a good idea.” Mary placed her arms around her friend. “Ready.” She enjoyed the exhilaration of moving through space. But as Beverly increased her speed, she wasn’t able to keep up any longer. The room spun, causing her to lose her balance. She fell onto the hard concrete with a thump, screaming as other children skated past her.
She heaved a sigh of relief when Daddy’s muscular arms scooped her up. His slow grin filled her heart. And peace, like a warm blanket, settled around her.

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