Mrs. Howard Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Kit was working away in her garden harvesting the ripe tomatoes. The sun was shining brightly and the air was so thick with humidity. Kit sat back on her heels and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. She had been so much hotter than usual this summer as well as aching, crippled with back pain, and exhausted, but she did not have time to think about that because tomatoes had to be picked, dinner had to be made, and the house had to be kept. She huffed determinedly and diligently went back to work. Just then a high pitched girly voice called out behind her,

"Excuse me. I am looking for Kit Kittredge…" Kit seemed taken off guard and thought for a moment. She had not been called 'Kit Kittredge' in what seemed like a very long time. She turned around as best and quickly as she could, laughing heartily at herself.

"No one has called me that in a very long time…" she began to explain, but as she looked at the person behind her, she gasped and exclaimed with joy, "Oh Ruthie! What a surprise! It's so good to see you!"

"Oh, it's so good to see you too! I had such a time trying to find you once I got back from New York. I've been working as a nurse with the Red Cross there and…" Suddenly, Ruthie stopped and gasped in astonishment as if she had noticed something. "Kit…Kit…" she stammered quickly, "You're…you're…you're…"

"Filthy dirty from gardening? Sporting a new hair-do? Wearing a lovely dress?" She paused to laugh and then finally said, "Or perhaps you mean to say I'm married…" She held up her rather dirty left hand so Ruthie could see the small golden band. "And going to have a baby," she added placing her other hand on her stomach which was clearly swollen under her billowing floral print dress. Ruthie gasped again and suddenly burst into a wide smile.

"Oh Kit! I am so very very happy for you!" Ruthie exclaimed with glee. "When…?" she began to ask, but Kit cut her off.

"I got married in September after the war ended." She paused and patted her stomach chuckling as she added, "Finding out about this baby was our Christmas surprise."

Ruthie's face lit up with excitement and she laughed. "Oh what a wonderful surprise! I had no idea that you had even gotten married."

"I'm sorry, Ruthie," Kit replied a bit guiltily. "I tried to invite you, but I had simply lost track of you with the war on, and I had no idea where you were. It was a small and simple wedding, anyway. There were not a lot of guests or decorations or anything. You probably wouldn't have liked it."

"I wouldn't have liked my childhood best friend's wedding?!" repeated Ruthie incredulously. "Don't be silly! I'm so very sorry I missed it. I should have liked to see you get married." She sighed and smiled thinking optimistically, "Oh well, at least I can still go to Stirling's wedding if he gets married one day that is."

Kit tried to stifle a laugh. "Yes, well…" she began but she paused distracted by the baby kicking as if in amusement. She reclined a bit and laughed out loud as she placed her hands instinctively on her stomach.

"What?" asked Ruthie inquisitively watching Kit's hands rub across her rather wide middle.

"Nothing. It's just, the baby's kicking," replied Kit. Ruthie's mouth formed and 'o' shape and then she grinned from ear to ear.

"May I…?" she began to ask.

"Of course," said Kit taking her friend's hands and placing them to the spot where hers had been. Ruthie looked at Kit and smiled. Kit knew it was because Ruthie loved these kinds of things and had always wanted to be a wife and mother—when she did not want to be a princess that is.

"Your baby's quite the athlete," giggled Ruthie taking her hands away. Kit chuckled,

"Sometimes, I feel as though I'm carrying around the entire Cincinnati Reds baseball team…he moves around so much." Both girls laughed amongst themselves.

"Let me help you with those tomatoes," said Ruthie plucking off a particularly ripe one.

Kit smiled. "Thank you."

As they began picking the tomatoes, they talked more about their lives and what they had been doing. Ruthie shared about her misadventures in the hospital and about living in New York City, and Kit spoke about her job at The Register during the war and what her family had been doing since the war had ended. They laughed about their childhood memories, and after reminiscing about their tree house, Kit said, "It is still at my old house, and it still seems very sturdy although I haven't been up in it in years and I seriously doubt I could even fit in it in this condition."

Ruthie laughed. "I saw it today when I was over at your old house. I went there first because I was looking for you and thought you might be there." Her face changed into a very confused expression. "Charlie was there with his wife and children, and he answered the door and gave me such a hard time. Every time I asked him where you were he said 'Mrs. Howard doesn't live here anymore,' and I told him, 'I'm not asking about Mrs. Howard. I am asking about Kit' but he just kept saying it over and over. At first I thought maybe he just didn't hear me and then I thought he was just joking around—which I guess was alright but it started to get very frustrating. Finally, your mother came over and told Charlie off for teasing me, and she gave me your address. I am so glad that I finally found you after all of that and…" Ruthie stopped as she realized that Kit was laughing so hard she was wiping tears from her eyes. "What?" What's so funny? I don't understand."

Kit was laughing too much to catch her breath and explain anything to Ruthie. But she did not really mind because she was afraid that trying to explain the hilariousness of the situation would just make her laugh even more. Suddenly she had an idea. She caught her breath enough to yell as loud as she could,

"Stirling! Stirling, come here! Quickly!" The sounds of hurrying feet got closer and closer until Stirling ran up behind Kit quite out of breath.

"What? Is it the baby?" he asked anxiously. Kit chuckled and Stirling noticed Ruthie standing there her mouth agape in shock. "Oh, hello, Ruthie," he said in his low dulcet voice which he had certainly grown into considering he was now a tall and strong young man. Ruthie stared at Kit as if demanding some sort of explanation. Kit waited a few moments as if being mischievous and then smiled brightly as she said taking Stirling's hand and pulling herself to her feet.

"Ruthie, I would like you to meet my husband, Stirling Howard," she said motioning to Stirling. The tips of Stirling's ears turned red, and Ruthie cried out in astonishment and started jumping up and down with joy.

"I knew it!" she yelled. "I always knew you two were perfect for each other! AW!" She hugged them both as well as she could though it was much more difficult now than when they were children on account of Stirling's height and Kit's stomach. Stirling and Kit looked at each other and smiled chuckling quietly as if amongst themselves. "I am so stupid!" exclaimed Ruthie suddenly putting all the pieces together in her head. "When Charlie said, 'Mrs. Howard doesn't live here anymore' he was referring to you! Why didn't I think of that?!" Stirling started to laugh in his quiet way and Kit burst out into loud laughter right along with him. "Oh I am so happy for you! I really am! You must tell me all about your wedding! I so wish I could have been there!" She paused and then smiled optimistically as she continued, "At least I'll be here now when you have your baby!"

"You mean to say you're staying in town and not going back to New York?" asked Kit. This time Ruthie was the one who laughed.

"Oh course, I'm staying here," She replied as if the thought of her going away was completely ridiculous. "I completely forget to mention it given all the excitement, but I am engaged to be married!" She held out her hand triumphantly and a very large, very gaudy, and very Ruthie ring was sparkling in the light.

Kit gasped. "Oh congratulations!"

"Yes, congratulations, Ruthie," added Stirling.

"Who is he? Your 'Prince Charming'?" Kit asked with a teasing wink. Ruthie smiled and giggled as if she had a great secret.

"He's a soldier I cared for in the hospital in New York after he was badly injured. He's much better now, and he's from Cincinnati, too. That's why we are going to move back here."

"What's his name?" Kit inquired farther. "Maybe we know him."

Ruthie giggled more furiously than ever as she said, "Oh we know him alright…" She paused to build up suspense and to get enough of her giggles out so she could speak coherently. "It's Roger."

"You mean Roger 'Turkeypants' Roger?!" exclaimed Kit incredulously.

"Mhhmmm!" hummed Ruthie nodding her head perkily. "Now don't look like that," Ruthie went on seeing Kit's shocked and almost angry face. "We need to leave the past behind us. Roger is nice now."

"But he was so nasty to us when we were children," replied Kit. "He was always teasing Stirling and I about getting married."

Ruthie laughed. "Well, I suppose there was some truth and merit in that wasn't there? I mean look at you two now. He was completely right about you!"

Kit did not look very happy, but Stirling squeezed her hand she sighed conceding, "Alright. But can we still call him 'Turkeypants'?" Ruthie shot her a glare though it was more playful than offended, and Kit rolled her eyes. "I'm only joking." She smirked and jested, "Though could at least call him that one more time for old time's sake?"

"No!" protested Ruthie, but they all laughed. Ruthie looked at her watch and exclaimed,

"Oh no, that reminds me! I'm supposed to pick him up from the train station!" She paused and sighed. "I'm so sorry, but I really should be going. We will have to see each other again soon, though!"

"Of course. You'll have to come over for dinner sometime with Roger," answered Stirling with a smile.

"I can make turkey," added Kit dryly with a teasing smirk. "Just joking again. This is going to take some getting used to Ruthie."

Ruthie smiled. "Well luckily we'll have plenty of time for that." She hugged both of her friends and then waved back at them as she turned around to leave. Stirling gently wrapped his arm around Kit as they waved to Ruthie as she drove away.

After a few moments, Kit sighed with a shake of her head. "I never really thought about it like that but…Can you believe Roger was right about us even all the way back then?"

Stirling chuckled almost inaudibly as a bright smiled spread across his face. "I don't know…" Then he met her eyes and tenderly pressed his hand to her stomach. "But I am very glad he was…"

The End