The Reincarnation of Clara. Kevin J Todeschi

reached across the front seat and took her son, helping him to his feet. “We’re going to get you some new shoes today, Harold.” She adjusted her glasses and made certain that any cigarette ash was brushed from her chest before walking toward the store. Finally, she took Harold by the hand and headed toward the Woolworth’s entrance. Just before reaching the door, however, she saw Clara coming from the other direction.

      “Emily!” thirty-four-year-old Clara Cabot said with surprise after getting over her momentary shock.

      Stopping in mid-step, Emily appeared horrified and said nothing.

      Clara tried again, “Emily, I know I’m not your favorite person, but don’t you think we should try to make amends?

      “I have nothing to say to you, Mrs. Cabot.” Emily coughed with a smoker’s hack. Clara reached out to touch her shoulder but Emily brushed the hand aside.

      “Emily, it’s been five years! It doesn’t make any sense. You have a darling little boy and a husband with more money than Joe Cabot ever dreamed of. You can’t still be mad at me?”

      Emily simply walked around her sister and headed toward the store’s entrance, dragging her son by the hand.

       HUNTSVILLE, UTAH—CLARA’S VICTORIAN PORCH, LATER THAT DAY

      Clara stood at the railing of her porch, watching all of the activity occurring at the base. With the sound of a massive plane flying overhead, Clara shook her head in disgust. Just then a late 1940s Ford Coupe pulled in the driveway. After a moment, thirty-eight-year-old Joe Cabot got out of the car dressed in his business attire. He walked up the porch, only lightly using his cane, approached his wife, grasped her head between his hands and kissed her first on the forehead and then on the lips.