Saturday's Child III

I don’t think any of us were very surprised when Jonathon finally collapsed about a year after he opened the store. He had simply put to much stress on himself. Worked without sleeping or eating sufficiently, none of us had seen him in months. When I rushed to his hospital bed he looked more dead then alive.

“They say you will be fine soon,” I told him. Trying to hide my shock at his appearance, he looked like a specter come to haunt me from beyond the grave.

“Elizabeth,” he said sheepishly. “I don’t ever want to see that store for as long as I live.” I looked at him in shock and he must have been able to tell that I was taken aback because he continued. “You have no idea what I have been through. I had no idea what I was getting into and I couldn’t stand the thought of asking for help. I think just walking into that store will make me ill.” I was shocked to see tears in his eyes. I quickly excused myself.

“He’s suffering from malnutrition and having a nervous breakdown to boot,” the nurse told me when she saw me. “He’ll get better but you should make sure he doesn’t push himself.” I nodded in agreement.

So it was that I became the proud owner of a clothing store I had no idea what do with, I even paid Jonathon for his share of it. I felt he deserved the money since he had nearly destroyed himself for the place. After all the work that the whole family had poured into it I couldn’t stand the thought of selling it, but I didn’t have the time to run it. I was just contemplating the issue when Helen peered around the door.

“Is Jonathon feeling better?” she asked.

“He’s going to be fine,” I assured her. “He’s just had his usual bad luck I guess.”

“I feel really bad,” Helen said, slipping into the room and having a seat. “I mean the store was originally my idea. I thought it would be good for him, I had no idea it would turn out like this.”

“No one is going to blame you Helen,” I told her. No one ever blamed her for anything, mostly because she never meant any harm. Besides no one would have ever predicted that things would turn out like this, it would be pointless to assign blame.

“I can run the store until Jonathon feels better, if you do the accounts for me. If the work is split between us then I think I will be fine. Even if no one blames me I should still take responsibility.”

“Jonathon says he doesn’t ever want to set foot in the store again. He won’t be taking over again,” I informed Helen. “I was thinking we might have to shut the store down.”

“No,” she said emphatically. “You can’t do that. That would just throw away Jonathon’s hard work. The store has to continue no matter what. If you do the accounts,” she trailed off, and then turned towards the door. “You guys better back me up here.”

The door opened and everyone but Jonathon stood in the doorway. Even Joseph was there, for the first time in two years. They all looked determined as they walked into the room.

“We were afraid you were thinking of something stupid like that. You always act like that. Doing what you think is best for us without asking us what we think,” George said. It was the harshest I had ever heard him. He was usually so kind.

“When did you get back Joseph,” I asked. Not willing to look George in the eye.

“I called and Helen told me that Jonathon was in the hospital so of course I flew straight here,” he said. “I’m glade I did. I agree with the others. We will not shut down the store. I have already been there, it’s beautiful,” he smiled. “Truly beautiful, you should never destroy something like that.”

“So what should you do?” I asked.

“Let us take care of something for once my dear sister,” he said. For the first time I think in my whole life I realized that my siblings were truly adults ready to share my burden. They weren’t my children who I needed to take care of; they wanted to take care of themselves. I smiled back at them, and if my smile was slightly sad, I don’t think any of them noticed.