Dad had two days’ leave left, so he called in and
got two more days’ extension. We all
went back to our house. I was in my
wedding gown, and went back to my bedroom, which was shared by more than
me. We had this huge vanity with a huge
mirror that was really tall and came down about knee-high. We were in front of the mirror, and Dad took
me in his arms and we were looking at each other in the big mirror, and he told
me how much he loves me. (slight
pauses from time to time, as she gets teary-eyed at the memory)
Then we went back to Aunt Bert’s house for the
night. I was so naïve then---still am, to a great percentage. Then there
was the humor of humors, but so real, so honest---Pammaw had a sister at that
time named Clara, so Aunt Clara and her husband, a Free-Will Baptist
Minister, had come by Aunt Bert’s to
visit with Pammaw and GrandDaddy.
Here’s this living room, just with the walls bulging with people in
it. All of Bert’s family, Aunt Clara
and her husband, Pammaw, GrandDaddy, and JoeBob and us. All but Alice
Dad introduced me to all of them---none of them
had been at the wedding, because nobody knew there WAS a wedding, and some of
them didn’t even know when Dad would be coming in on leave. We were seated and there was some small
talk. Arrangements had already been made
that Uncle Von and Aunt Bert would be giving us their room--
we knew where we were going to be sleeping.
we knew where we were going to be sleeping.
We sat there, with a lot of small talk---and with
all the week’s activities and planning, I was exhausted, too tired to hold my
head up, and my mind and body were just in a void---I was near to having the
jerks. I had just been spinning and
spinning, all that week, and after deciding somewhere close to four o’clock to get married, and by eight
o’clock, we’d had a church wedding---I looked around at all the people
gathered, all his family, and the preacher, and said to my new husband,
“I
can’t wait any longer. Let’s go to bed.”
I was so naïve, I had no idea how that came
across---but there WAS a dead silence in the room. Way later, when Dad told me
how it sounded, I
was horribly embarrassed, and
didn’t know how I’d face any of them again.
We left the next morning,
and stayed at his parent’s home those several days. We visited around, and then he had to go
back to base four days later, and I guess, again, that my Guardian Angel was
taking care of me. Aunt Bert immediately set in for me
to live with them, and was intent on built-in baby care, but the next best thing
I could think of to being with my new husband was to go to my Grandmother out
in the country.
And GrandDad went back to
sea:
July, 1945
Dad
came sailing home at Christmas, at the end of the eight months, and it’s been a
Cinderella story and a Cinderella life for 62 years.
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Oh Gosh, I so wanted to hear more. Tawa, is so darling with the telling of her story. Wow, 62 years of marriage is quite a legacy.
ReplyDeleteMy mom's only surviving sister has been married that long and they are both alive and kicking. She is the youngest of 10. I have spoken of Aunt Shirley many times. They have a precious story to tell as well. She too was a war bride. They did have a wedding in her parent's home and at the time we lived in Florida. My mother was supposed to be her bridesmaid but there wasn't enough money to go all the way to MI. My mom cried and cried because she adored her baby sister so much. Aunt Shirley is 86 years old and is still a very active antique dealer. She sells antique buttons. In her circle she in known as the button lady. This is high end buttons that she has purchased in a multitude of collections for as much as $10,000 or more. She traded buttons for a Cadillac car that she calls her buttonmobile. I didn't mean to go off on this but she is such an awesome and fun Aunt that we all adore. I have posted about her a few times.
I am wishing you happy days Rachel. Thank you for sharing this very happy story. Being happy is so much a choice isn't it? My mother always told us that we are responsible for our own happiness in life...not to expect others to make you happy. I believed her then and still do.
Love,
Jeanne
What a blessing to sit and hear this love story from the beginning! Thank you for sharing this precious lady's memories.
ReplyDeleteThis brought back so many memories of my childhood listening to my aunts and Mother
around the table.
Most families have a "gathering" story similar to this and I loved reading yours.
Carolyn
Oh, Rachel! What a wonderful story. How lucky you were to hear it and to know that it was important to record it. Such a gift she made to you and you have made to us!
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