Sister Wife (26 page)

Then one day I arrive at the beach and see Craig balancing rocks. I'm so happy I just about burst. Now my dreams of escape can become a reality.

“Craig!” I holler across the rocky beach.

He looks up, drops the rock he was balancing and jogs across the beach. “Celeste! It is so good to see you!” He reaches for both of my hands.

We smile at each other. Peacefulness washes through me.

“And who is this?” he asks, looking down at the baby swaddled on my chest.

“This,” I tell him, “is Hope.”

I
stand on the beach in Springdale and watch Hope, who's wearing denim shorts and a bright red T-shirt, place a round stone onto the top of our inuksuk. It's the head. She turns and smiles up at me. “Beautiful,” I tell her.

Hope turned five a few months ago and will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

I, too, will be going to school in the fall, continuing my studies through correspondence. Abigail finally bought a computer, and I want to complete my high school diploma by the time Hope starts grade one. I'll be sharing the computer with Taviana, who is doing university courses. She's studying to become a librarian. My plan is to graduate from university before Hope enters high school. It's a struggle balancing work, caring for Hope and studying, but with a little help from my friends, I know I can do it.

I see a woman in a long dress coming toward us on the beach. It has to be someone from Unity. A little knot
of worry forms in my stomach. Even though Martin reluctantly allowed me to keep Hope after I left Unity, I still worry that someone will come and take her away from me.

I study the woman as she approaches and see that she's young and she's carrying a baby on her hip.

“Hello, Celeste,” she says.

I am so shocked when I recognize her that I'm literally speechless.

“Taviana told me I'd find you here.” She looks down at Hope, who is stepping closer to me. “I'm your Aunt Nanette,” she tells her. “And this is your half-sister, Clare.”

“Her half-sister?” I say, finally finding my voice. “You married Martin?”

“I did.” She grins proudly. “Turns out God hadn't turned His back on me after all.”

I pull Nanette into my arms and squeeze her and her daughter to me. “I've missed you!” I tell her when I let them go.

“I missed you too, and,” she says, looking sheepish, “I know now that I was foolish to be so angry. For a long time I've wanted to apologize.”

I look into the face of her baby and I'm startled. “Clare looks exactly like Hope did at that age.”

She studies Hope. “I guess she would. Same father, their mothers are sisters...”

“How did you get permission to come here?” I ask her.

“Martin's doing the shopping today,” she says. “He knew how badly I wanted to see you, so he let me come with him.
I found Taviana at the library, and she told me where you'd likely be.”

“He wasn't afraid I'd tempt you to leave him?”

“No.” She laughs. “He knows how much I love him. I would never leave!” She lowers her voice. “And he wanted me to say hello and find out how Hope is.”

I nod. I'm grateful to Martin for letting us go as easily as he did. “Tell him Hope is great, and hello from me.”

“I will.”

“Why isn't Daddy shopping?” I ask, suddenly worried.

“He suffered a stroke a while ago.”

“Oh no!”

“He's going to be okay. But he's taking it easy.”

“How's Mother?”

“She's fine. Liam was her last baby, so she's had time to get her strength back. They're all in school now, so Mother isn't quite as busy as she used to be.”

“And Rebecca?” The familiar ache returns as it always does when I think about my family.

“I think Rebecca takes after you. She asks too many questions for her own good.” She smiles. “What about you? Did you get back together with Jon?”

I shake my head. “No.” I remember the awkwardness between us when I first arrived at Abigail's with Hope. “We live in the same house, but I think it was too weird for him with Hope being his half-sister and me having been married to his father. We're good friends. More like brother and sister, and he's a really good big brother to Hope.”

She nods, though I can see that she doesn't understand at all.

I consider telling her about Craig and how our relationship has blossomed over the years, but then I decide not to bother. “Can I ask you a question, Nanette?”

She tilts her head, waiting.

“Are you happy?”

“I am very happy.”

She looks surprised that I asked, and I can see from the glow in her eyes that she really is happy.

“What about you?” she asks.

I think about it. It is hard being a single and very young mom. Taviana, Hunter, Abigail and the other guys all help out when they can, but the weight of the responsibility is mine. So no, I'm not always happy. Sometimes I'm stressed and worried, and I miss Craig terribly when he is away. I inhale. But do I regret my decision to leave Unity? I look down at Hope, who is back to balancing rocks on the beach. No. Not at all. I'm finally free to think for myself.

“I'm good,” I tell her. “Very good.”

Although Unity is a fictional community, there are people in numerous towns throughout North America who have beliefs similar to the ones described in this story. Polygamy has been illegal in Canada and the United States since 1890, but the fine line between the law and the right to religious freedom has allowed polygamy to flourish.

SHELLEY HRDLITSCHKA
is the best-selling author of
Dancing Naked
and, most recently,
Gotcha
! Shelley lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia.