The New
Automobile
“Are you and Hyacinth going to be staying around home
today?” Harold Hightower asked Dahlia as he scooped up his infant
son in one arm and his tiny daughter in the other. Harold still
found it difficult to believe that these tiny little human beings
were his children.
He thought he was happy as a carefree bachelor but from
the moment Dahlia Bloom came into his life, he had never been the
same. The day two months ago when she presented him with twins,
Harry and Violet, was the happiest day of his life.
“I'm not sure, dear. We may have found someone who is
interested in buying the quilt shop. Hyacinth and I just have too
many responsibilities at home to worry about the shop. We are
waiting to hear when the potential buyer may arrive in Camden
Corners. Why do you ask Harold?”
“Oh, no reason, I would just like to spend some time
with my little family. That's all.”
The nanny arrived to take the babies to the nursery for
their morning baths before they were ready for breakfast. Harold
followed along. He couldn't get enough of his children and was in
awe of every little movement they made.
Dahlia arrived in the kitchen only to find Hyacinth
already there. The sisters enjoyed preparing the morning meal
together. Hyacinth was just taking a pan of blueberry muffins out of
the oven.
“Good morning Dahlia. I thought I'd get an early
start. Howard is as nervous as a cat this morning. He was making me
so nervous myself I had to come down here just to calm down.”
“How odd, Harold is the same way. I wonder what those
boys are up to? Harold asked me if we were planning to stay home
today.”
“Howard wondered if we were going into town? Now I'm
getting nervous all over again.”
Dahlia was preparing the eggs and ham when the fellows
joined them taking dishes from the cupboard and setting the table.
The Hightower men had lived by themselves for such a long time they
didn't think twice about helping their wives in the kitchen.
“Hyacinth dear, Harold and I were hoping you and
Dahlia would be here today to accept a delivery. I hope you weren't
planning a trip into town this morning.”
“What in the world is up with the two of you. I have
never known either of you to act so strangely.”
The boys just looked at each other and grinned. “All
in good time, my love.”
The morning progressed, it was always a very busy time
in the Hightower household. The babies were freshly bathed, diapered
and fed. Each set of twins had their own nanny. The housekeeper was
busy cleaning up in the kitchen after breakfast although the sisters
had always been very neat while preparing meals. Dahlia and Hyacinth
were not accustomed to having chores done for them and were very
thoughtful employers. Domestic workers were always happy when their
services were required at the Hightower home.
Hyacinth tucked Daisy and Henry into their carriage and
waited while Dahlia did the same. They enjoyed their morning walks
and knew the snow would be falling very soon. Harold had already
built them two sleighs for the babies' walks when the snows arrived.
It was a beautiful morning. The leaves had turned to lovely yellows,
oranges and reds and the sun was beaming through the branches.
Nick Rossi was already at the vineyards overlooking the
grape plants. He waved to the sisters as they passed by. Lucinda
was there also having taken Cassandra to school. She caught up to
them and asked if she could join them on their stroll. Lucinda said
hello to the babies and she was sure Daisy smiled at her.
After hearing all about the peculiar behavior of the
sister's husbands, Lucinda didn't have much to say.
“You know what the big secret is, don't you?” said
Hyacinth
“Oh please, Hyacinth, don't ask me. You know what a
terrible liar I am. Can we talk about something else before I spoil
everything?”
It was difficult for Hyacinth not to push but Dahlia
calmed her sister down and repeated what Howard told her earlier.
“All in good time.”
“You know too! Am I the only one who doesn't know
what this secret is?”
“I'm not sure but I have my suspicions. I heard the
boys talking one day last week and now their conversation makes sense
to me. That is all I'm saying. Let's change the subject. Lucinda
what is going on in your life and how is our darling girl,
Cassandra?”
“Cassandra is doing just fine. She loves school and
can hardly make it through breakfast before she is dressed and
waiting for me to walk with her. I know she would be fine walking
alone with the other children but I feel as though I'm losing my
little girl to the big old world out there. It was just the two of
us for so long. Silly, isn't it?”
“Not silly at all Lucinda. Your life has changed so
much over the year or so. You are bound to have some qualms about
letting go.” said Hyacinth.
“What you need is a new baby to occupy your time.”
Dahlia whispered.
The women all laughed and Lucinda was tempted to mention
that she thought that time might not be too far off but she wanted to
wait a bit to make sure. She hadn't told Nick about her suspicions
yet because she didn't want him to be disappointed if it wasn't true.
“I almost forgot. Rosa received a wire from Mama and
Papa Rossi. They are sailing from Italy as we speak. The wire was
delayed and they will be here by the end of the week. Nick is so
excited to see his parents again. It has been so many years. Rosa
has the whole family cleaning their house from top to bottom. She
says she doesn't want her mama to find a speck of dirt anywhere. I
think it's nervous energy. Rosa hasn't seen her folks since she and
Eduardo were married and came to the United States.”
They were headed back to the house when they heard the
strangest noise.
“Sounds like a sick cow.” said Hyacinth.
They looked up and saw a sleek white automobile with red
trim and red wheels. The man driving it was still honking it's horn.
Howard and Harold came running out of the house and waved to the
girls as they stood with their mouths open.
“It's beautiful” shouted Dahlia “I thought it
would be a motor car but I never imagined it would look like this.
There is room in it for all of us if we hold the babies on our laps.”
“That terrible racket will frighten the babies”
cried Hyacinth.
But she couldn't hide the smile that was beginning to
form on her face.
Nick came running from the fields along with everyone
else in the area.
Elmer Griffin was driving the automobile. He and Harold
exchanged paperwork. Elmer handed him the keys.
“Now, you know how to drive this thing, don't you
Harold?”
“Oh sure. No problem. Howard and I can handle it.”
Elmer's assistant came after him in a horse and buggy.
Dahlia couldn't help but wonder why they didn't drive their own
automobile from Greensboro. She wondered if that was a warning sign
that the horse and carriage were more reliable than this new fangled
contraption.
“Harold and I flipped a coin to see who would drive it
first and he won” said Howard as he and Hyacinth got in the back
seat. Harold opened the passenger door for Dahlia as she sat down on
the leather seat. Harold turned the key and was clueless as to how
to start the car moving. He saw two pedals on the floorboard and was
embarrassed that he had no idea what to do with them. He stepped on
one pedal and the car lurched forward and stalled. He turned the key
again, stepped on the other pedal and it made a terrible noise but
didn't move.
“Harold” Dahlia whispered “This is just like our
sewing machines with the two pedals one has to go down while the
other is coming back up.”
Harold was so embarrassed with everyone looking on he
opened the door and said to the crowd.
“I'm going to let my dear wife be the first to drive
the new automobile since she seems to be an expert.”
“I'm sorry, Harold dear. It was just an observation,
but I will give it a try.”
Hyacinth was giggling in the back seat. She had never
heard Harold say a harsh word to Dahlia before and knew Dahlia was
keeping her temper in check too.
Dahlia slowly pressed on the left pedal then the right
as she slowly lifted her left foot. The auto purred quietly. She
was as surprised as anyone when the vehicle began to move forward.
It didn't take long before she was traveling down the road at close
to 25 miles an hour. She had no idea how she was going to turn this
contraption around and get back home.
The housekeeper, Mrs. Harper was watching with the rest
of the crowd as the automobile was traveling farther and farther
away.
“Oh dear! Oh dear!” she cried “What will those
babies do without their mothers. I've heard those horseless
carriages are not safe, not safe at all.”
Lucinda tried to calm Mrs. Harper. “They will be just
fine. You saw how easily Miss Dahlia drove the auto. She has it
under control. I'm sure of that.”
Just then she heard Dahlia's normally quiet voice shout
“How do you stop this thing?”
“Step on the brake!” came Hyacinth's voice as she
herself pictured her babies motherless.
Dahlia found the third pedal and pushed on it with her
foot.
“Gently” shouted Hyacinth a little too late.
The automobile stopped short and all three passengers
lunged forward. Dahlia was pushing back on the steering wheel as she
put all her might into stepping on the brake pedal.
Dahlia was shaking as she looked around to see everyone
practically sitting on the floor. She began to cry and Harold, who
had bumped his head but was otherwise none the worse for wear, hugged
his wife. His earlier anger had disappeared.
“Harold, I don't care how you do it but turn this
thing around, I want to go home.”
Everyone was happy to see the automobile head back to
the house. It was something special to look at but they decided
maybe they should all have a few lessons before they drove the
motorcar too far from home.
