Losses, Secrets, and Lies
The last warm days of summer in 1916 allowed life on the farm to be pleasant. Eliana and Anguy were a couple of curious little children who had great fun exploring around in Grandma's house. Anguy sometimes had too many questions and worried too much, according to Verity.
Van and Vivian were growing as well, and the two boys were restless about going to war to join their elder brother. Verity could tell that Vivian was the instigator of such talk, but since they were used to doing things together as twins, Van would always follow Vivian, and so both pestered her about giving them permission to enlist.
She tried to distract them with thought of the responsibilities they had to endure as the young men of the house while Virgil was away, but to no avail. Vivian was persistent.
Meanwhile, Vanessa was pondering her own life. She felt trapped. If only..., but no. Things were as they were and there was no point in wishing they were different. Her parents had given her a good life, she knew that, but it was not enough now.
She felt like the pigeons she had kept in a cage in her room: Caught in the same limited space. She had opened the cage for them to leave, but the little things did not seem to be in a hurry to do so.
Maybe that was a metaphor for what she was doing?
--------------------------------
By the beginning of fall, the family received bad news: Lucas had been killed in battle. His father received the news and sent a messenger over to tell Valerie in his name. The courier also had the task of asking Valerie to return to San Myshuno for the funeral.
Valerie was devastated. Lucas had been a good man, and they had loved each other. He would never see his children grow up, and little Eliana never even met her father.
Verity understood her daughter's sorrow, and tried to comfort her. She also advised Valerie to go to the funeral and leave the children at the farm. It would be easier for Valerie to cope with things, she said.
The evening after Valerie left for San Myshuno, Vanessa did some serious reflection. Her sister and brother in law's experience had helped her realize that life could not be taken for granted, and it was very easy to waste precious time.
Yes, it would probably hurt Mamma, but Vanessa had a right to move on with her life, and the man she loved. Besides she had to think of another...
A few days later, Valerie was still away, Van and Vivian were busy keeping the farm and doing whatever the twins liked to do. Mamma was taking care of the toddlers. Vanessa received Malcolm and quickly took him aside to tell him her big surprise.
To say that he was shocked was an understatement, but the girl understood. Women were supposed to take care of such things without fussing, but she was in a different position than most other women.
She was hoping that he would propose right away, but then, again, maybe that was too much to ask. After all, she had just told him life altering news. He was going to propose, right?
---------------------------
A couple of weeks passed. Valerie was still away sorting out business with Mr. Munch Sr. Verity was truly tired from taking care of the toddlers. She loved them tremendously, and she would not let others care for them, but she had to admit that maybe she was a little bit too old to run after extremely agile children.
Things had been strange with everyone. The boys disappeared into town whenever their chores let them. Valerie sent regular telegrams, but there was not much to say that was new. Verity had asked her to inquire about Virgil's post, and any news she managed to send back were priceless, but terribly scarce. Vanessa..., well, Vanessa was being childish. Mr. McPherson had had a soft spot for that girl, and maybe that had not been the best thing. Vanessa was willful and opinionated, but more than that, she was impulsive. Verity knew that impulses were never the best counsel.
Anyways. It was Vanessa's birthday and even with the sorrow of losing Lucas, Verity did not want it to pass without remark. Since she was not really the best baker, she ordered a nice vanilla cake from town. It was the first time they had done such fancy deal, but it was worth it. The cake looked beautiful, and Verity had specially set the table with her best silver. The children were bathed and ready to have a little slice of the sweet. Van and Vivian were told to put on their best frocks and sit down near the fireplace so that they would not get sweaty or muddy. The only thing left was for Vanessa to show up. Where on Goddess's earth was that girl?
Of course, Vanessa was not planning to go back home for a cake.
Malcolm had asked her to meet him by the edge of the forest to talk. He had a proposal, he said. "This is it!" She thought, "He's going to propose in this romantic place! How sweet!"
"Dear girl, I am so happy you are here. You look lovely, my love. I can't really tell..., but you are sure, right? Yes. I see. We-eell, ah, yes. A proposal. You see? Your Mother will never agree to our marriage, I can tell. But I want to do right by you, don't you worry about that. I will. I have this opportunity to start anew in a little town not too far, and no one knows me there. No one knows you either. We can travel tonight and get there in a couple of days. I will pay for the ferry and then we will take a train. Have you ever traveled by train? No? It is just what we need. A quick, err..., a rapid decision to make our lives the best that they can be. No one would have to know that we are not, ah..., that we are not husband and wife. We can start over. I will care for you. Then, later on, when things settle down, maybe your Mother will see things differently, if your brother suffers the same fate that your sister's husband had...no, no, no! I'm not saying that I am hoping this happens! No! What a terrible thing! Forget that, darling. Just..., will you leave with me?"
At home, Verity had almost despaired after waiting for hours for Vanessa when a telegram arrived. It was short and to the point: "Mother. Traveling with M. Do not follow. Vanessa." Verity had to read it a second time before its meaning fully dawned on her. She was speechless! Vivian saw his mother's distress and took the telegram from her hand. After reading it, he told Van what had happened. The boys were shocked. They believed Vanessa was capricious and easily swayed, but they really never expected her to be so infatuated with that man to dare disgrace herself so badly.
For them, their duty was clear: They had to go after their sister and force her to go back home. The telegram was posted in town, so she could have taken the ferry to the mainland, or the train. Van was the thinker of the two, and he quickly listed their options. He and Vivian would take a boat to the mainland and start searching for them there.
Verity was now devastated. How had she missed her girl's intentions? How devious Vanessa had been to keep such secrets and tell so many lies? It was just too much to take in!
Comments
Post a Comment