A Touch of Light

by Cilika Kunovic

  “Yes, that is Vera, all right.” Grandpa always melted at the sight of her. “Who would have known that she could bring us all to our senses when it comes to who is the boss around here?”

  “Yes, Grandpa, she is running all of our lives and will not stop unless you stop spoiling her.”

  “Don’t worry, Lucille. These things only last a while. She will grow out of it, you will see.”

  Lucille kept in touch with her friend Ljuba and the clinic as much as she could. They all had their hands full with family and work.

  “It was nice to see all of you at the christening,” Lucille greeted her friend. “We must resume our regular visits again. I miss the contact with you and your family. There was a time when I didn’t want to live anywhere else but at your house, and now we hardly see each other.”

  “If I remember correctly, you have been slightly preoccupied lately.”

  “How is business? I hear that you are in even bigger demand than when I was there. I am happy for you.”

  “Yes, that is true, but I am having trouble with my legs, as you know, and lately, my legs just don’t seem to co-operate. Between my weight and the arthritis, there are days when I don’t know if I will last much longer. Not that I am complaining. I just need a few spare parts.” Ljuba laughed.

  “Well, with the expansion, you now have more worries as well as more work. Lucky for you that young Stefan took to the business so well. He is a real sweetheart. No wonder I wanted to marry him in another life . . .” Lucille couldn’t help but add that little bit.

  Lucille’s sad home life had sort of glued her to the Dolancs when she was a teenager. Had it not been for Mark, she would have stayed working at the shelter. The Dolancs themselves always called it “The Shelter,” and so did the locals. It was only officially called “The Clinic.” They had facilities for any emergency: People could just pop in with their animals and get immediate help. The best advertising is always by word of mouth, and the Dolancs went way beyond what was required of them as professionals. There was always plenty of work, and Lucille enjoyed working there. The love of animals and those people would have kept her working there for a long time. Who knows, she might have married young Stefan after all?

  However, once Vera was born, many things changed. Suddenly the hours of the day became shorter, or so it seemed, and visiting had to take a back seat. There was no time to do everything at once, and she had to choose her priorities. The baby came first, then Mark, and only then did all the other chores come into the picture.

  “Mark, are you happy?” Lucille asked him gently.

  “I have never been happier in my life,” Mark responded. “You are not really asking, are you?”

  “No, I am simply thinking out loud. I know that you are happy. I can see it in your eyes.”

  They took their curly-haired little bundle of joy to church on Sundays to show her off. She sure was a pretty little girl. She wore nice-looking clothes, and Uncle Ivan saw to it that she had the nicest shoes. He was a very visible relative at the Zantons’ house.

  “I can’t help but wonder what my Ivana looks like, as I hold Vera. This is what I’ve missed when Ivana was as small as Vera is now. All those precious moments when babies do their unpredictable things as only babies do. You are so lucky, Lucille.”

  “Yes, I know, Ivan. I know how lucky I am.”

  “Remember what a hard time I gave you, way back then?” Ivan confessed.

  “Yes, I do. But all is forgiven, and I certainly understand it better now.”

  “I am sorry for all of my ignorance back then. I love you, kid.” He hugged her.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Mark Jr.

  LUCILLE WAS EXPERIENCING SOME NAUSEA in the morning. She knew what that was all about but she didn’t mention anything to Mark.

  “Just how long do you think you can keep this from me?” Mark teased her.

  “Oh, you know it all; do you have to know before I do?”

  “No, but it would be nice if this one was a boy,” he chuckled. “Don’t you think?”

  “I don’t mind, either, but I wish my mother was still alive to be able to share it with her. I just want her to know I am all right. I also want to tell her that I now understand her better. The more I think about her, the more it comes to me, how she must have felt about my illness. Ever since she passed on, I get this feeling that she is with me all of the time.”

  “And that is not a bad thing,” Mark said. “Look at it as a good sign, as well as a help to you. But try not to dwell too much on the past, Lucille. You owe it to us to look forward to the future. Pretty soon, you will have two little ones to occupy yourself with.” He snuggled up to her and said, “So how about that boy?”

  “Mark Zanton, you are a typical man. All men want a boy, above all!”

  “So how is my baby sister doing these days?” Ivan came by and was anxious about how she was doing. “Oops, I think I promised that I wouldn’t call you that. However, in my heart you will always be my baby sister . . . Like it or not.”

  “You are forgiven; and besides, there are times when I kind of like that — depending on my mood.”

  “Hello, Ivan. What brings you here today?” Grandpa asked him.

  “Oh, just keeping an eye on your daughter-in-law, here,” Ivan responded.

  “You need not worry about her; she is still able to keep us all in line.” Grandpa was happy, and it showed in more ways than one.

  Mark Zanton Jr. was born in January 1929. The same midwife who delivered Vera was now attending this birth. Her name was Jagica.

  “Now we have a perfect family!” Mark was beside himself.

  “Grandpa, it is time for cigars, don’t you think?” Lucille was delighted to bring an heir into the Zanton family. “I don’t mind if I don’t have one, but you guys are definitely allowed to do so.” She smiled. “Just bring Vera in so she can see her new brother.”

  But Jagica did not share her feelings. “Now, Lucille, you have to be looked after first, and only then will I bring your daughter in. I know what Vera is like, and you are going to end up getting hurt. I am in charge here for the time being, and Dr. Loncar will not approve of me if I don’t look after you first.”

  “All right, boss, if you must,” Lucille teased.

  Mark and Grandpa decided to go to the vineyard to carve another Zanton name into the tall tree. They were so excited they forgot to tell Lucille about going. This was a guy thing, and those trees just waited to have another Zanton engraved into the bark, or so the men thought.

  Later that day, Mira, who had assisted Jagica, came back to the house. She promptly reprimanded the two gentlemen for taking off to their pleasure instead of hanging around in case Lucille needed them.

  “Oh, Mira, I am delighted regarding this togetherness the two of them have. Grandpa knows that I would forgive him for taking his son away for the celebration. It is symbolic in this family to do that. These two men are important to me, and as you can see, soon they will have company when they go to the vineyard. Let them have some fun,” Lucille explained.

  Mark Jr. was a big, healthy baby who appeared to be very content — except, of course, when it was time to eat. However, when he cried, it was too loud for Vera’s ears. She kept an eye on her mother, in case she paid more attention to the baby than to her.

  “I think we’d better keep an eye on little Vera. She seems to be a bit envious of her brother at times,” Lucille warned.

  According to Vera, she was there first and, to her dismay, this little creature — called her “brother” — who has invaded her house was receiving more attention than she.

  “The staff are simply useless these days,” Anna complained. “They are bumping into one another in order to see the baby. As for work, well, it is being neglected. If I were you, I would fire the lot.” She was quite comical at times. Her loyalty to t
he Zantons surpassed her common sense. She was a good woman.

  “I have noticed how Anna protects you above all,” Mark said to Lucille. “Or is it the baby that she is protecting? She is a treasure as far as I am concerned. Just watch how little Mark responds to her, now that he sees what is going on around him. He loves it.”

  “Keep quiet, I tell you! Stop crying!” Vera was too young herself to know that the baby might be wet or hungry. She figured if she stopped him from crying, then nobody would have to pay attention to him. She tried to smack him, but that usually caused even more trouble, as her brother would first freeze out of fright and then cry even louder, unable to understand what was happening.

  “Oh my goodness, I don’t believe what I just saw,” Milena ran out of the kitchen calling to Lucille. “Vera is slapping the baby for crying. She is trying to stop him from crying.”

  Needless to say, Vera was first of all reprimanded, and, from then on, she was constantly being watched.

  Mark said to Grandpa, “I can’t wait until he is old enough for the two of us to take a private walk and I can show him around. I know how much I enjoyed those walks with you, Father.”

  “And you still do, as far as I can tell. As for little Mark, can’t you see that he is your double? But do go easy on Lucille and let the girls help her. They love her and they will help. Anna is well aware of what is needed. Even Helena is being very understanding, even though she can’t physically help. As for Vera, she will entertain them all with her singing and dancing as expected.”

  “Father, give me a hand with the baby, will you?” Helena knew that her father was always right there for her. The two of them often spent time in the kitchen reminiscing about good old times while Helena was a young girl and oblivious of danger and/or the unknown.

  Grandpa said, with a fond smile, “I remember you picking flowers and bringing them to your mother while she busied herself with endless preparations for the parties.”

  “Yes, and she had no time to appreciate the thought behind it and how I picked them with love.”

  “She didn’t mean it that way.”

  “You taught me something that will never leave me as long as I live.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “It does not matter who you pick flowers for or who you are. You don’t have to pick them for a reason. The work itself is relaxing and soothing. As they say, it brings you closer to earth. A simple thing like that changes the prospect of life. Some people think that they are better than others; that is not so. We are as big as our hearts and minds, not our wallets or social standing. Furthermore, you said that we can all learn from our experiences or even from our children while they are toddlers and therefore still honest and pure. How real they are, compared to some grownups.”

  Helena was also quite relieved by Magda’s fewer visits. Magda never quite found any place suitable to her. Nothing ever pleased her.

  “Helena, I don’t understand how you can live in this house! I get bored as soon as I get here.”

  “Magda, this house has nothing to do with your boredom.”

  “And since when are you an expert on boredom?”

  “Nothing satisfies you because you don’t have the inner peace that is needed for contentment.”

  Ivan always said that if he didn’t know better, he could be convinced that the “Sun Valley” was sprinkled with magic. He, too, lived in the valley, only at the other end of it.

  “Grandpa, I envy you.” Ivan always called him “Grandpa,” just like the children did.

  “And why, may I ask, do you feel that way?”

  “Because you have successfully completed your life’s obligations and you are now able to sit here under this special tree and enjoy your pipe. By the way, do you miss running the mill?”

  “Not really. As much as I have enjoyed it, I am perfectly content right here. Helena joins me here at times, and in the winter, the two of us enjoy spending time in the kitchen, where she prepares some delicious snacks for both of us. Helena is quite knowledgeable about cooking, you know. She always enjoyed helping out in the kitchen when she was a little girl.”

  “Hello, Ivan,” greeted Lucille. “I heard you out here as I was putting Mark to bed. What brings you here today?”

  “Oh, I am just admiring Grandpa and his pipe. I can’t imagine ever seeing him without it.” Ivan turned to him, “We better make sure when you decide to leave us that the pipe goes with you.”

  “Ivan!” Lucille was appalled.

  “Now, now, my dear, he is right, and I intend to hold him to his word.”

  “You asked me why I came,” Ivan was now serious. “I had to deliver some shoes to Mira and I was taken by the way she is limping. I didn’t want to pry, but it is disturbing. After all, she is not that old. I guess she takes after Mother?” Ivan sounded quite disturbed.

  “Yes, unfortunately she does. At times she is fine, but other times she can hardly get off a chair.”

  “This is exactly why I stopped running the mill,” Grandpa interrupted. “I have been thinking how lucky I am. I want to take it one day at a time and recall the past. I certainly have a few regrets but I have been blessed with a productive life, a good family, and the wisdom to appreciate good things and forgive those who have hurt me in the past. After all, nothing is ever perfect and nothing is all bad. I was born in this house and I will be happy to die here.”

  “Grandpa, I wish you wouldn’t talk like that.” Lucille had to stop this conversation.

  Mira’s and Lucille’s children played well together. Regardless of their ages, Vera was always in charge. The household staff got quite a kick out of it. Vera was a born leader, and, with her determination being so obvious, the others seldom contradicted her. A black lab always graced the front of the house. The children were able to tell if somebody came, and if the person was safe or dangerous, by the way the dog barked. Overall, it was safe to play, whether at the front or the back of the house.

  Then, there was Grandpa’s brother Drago, who had recently been widowed and would come to visit Grandpa and keep him company.

  “Guess what, Aunt Lucille?” Little Katya came running all the way from home to tell them. “Uncle Drago is coming to visit. Grandpa told me so.”

  “Yes, Katya, Grandpa has mentioned that to me as well.”

  “Really? I thought you didn’t know.” Katya was disappointed.

  Helena often joined them when Uncle Drago visited.

  Lucille was by now expecting her third child. This pregnancy meant more of an effort on her part, for with two children and the farm that also demanded attention, there was a lot to deal with. The Zantons were never short of people, such as visitors and business acquaintances. So when they gathered under the big tree in the summer, some of those people joined them as well. This, however, was hard on Lucille.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Talk of War”

  IN JULY 1931, LITTLE MARIE ZANTON WAS BORN.

  Ljuba Dolanc commented to her husband: “If the farm is as prosperous as their childbearing, then they are going to be all right. I am a bit worried about Lucille. This pregnancy has had some setbacks.”

  “Lucille, I feel terrible. Here I am, having health problems, while you are in no position to do it all by yourself.”

  “Mark, you know well that the men will pitch in and help more than ever, now that we both need them.” Lucille was trying to reason with him. Mark’s ribs had been bothering him since he was hurt shortly after they were married. It was true that she felt overwhelmed with the farm, the children, the staff, Grandpa, and now Uncle Drago.

  Little Marie was another “Zanton.” “Just look at your daughter and you tell me if she isn’t just like you?” Lucille snuggled up to her husband and while she herself felt protected, she also wanted to encourage him. Little Marie had her father’s curly hair and his eyes. She was also conten
t, just like her father.

  “Mom, look, Mom, look!” little Mark was trying to get his mother’s attention.

  “Mom, I don’t want Mark to touch the baby’s eyes,” Vera protested. “Mark is hurting her.” The little tyke was mesmerized by this little creature in the house.

  Vera was by now four and was quite a mother to Marie. “No touching. You must not touch the baby’s eyes. She will cry if you do.” Vera was explaining to her little brother in her own way as well as a child possibly could. Lucille, listening to all this, just rolled her eyes. Helena helped a lot in her own way. She knew that Lucille was having a hard time. She loved her brother and felt that she, along with her sisters and their mother, had done enough damage over Mark’s love for Lucille. She was willing to compromise for her brother’s sake. After all, he was her best friend. Watching those children was quite entertaining and having them around all the time could be challenging as well.

  “Grandpa, we have to do something about Mark’s poor health,” Lucille pleaded.

  “You know how stubborn he is. You are the only one he might listen to,” Grandpa responded.

  Lucille took the initiative. “Mark, you will have to go and see Dr. Loncar about your leg as well as your ribs. We can’t go on this way. It is your responsibility to look after yourself if you care at all about us.” It was a tough call. However, she figured that just might trigger at least some resistance and at the same time determination to prove to them that he could do it. He was a Zanton, after all, so prove it.

  Other family members were concerned about the couple, especially Mira. And Mat was concerned about Mira. “Mira, you are worried about Lucille, and, I must say, so am I; but you are in no position to do so. You are expecting — if you ask me, you need more help than your sister right now.”

  “I am not asking you; however, you are right, and I promise to do better.” She knew that Mat loved her and was worried about her more than about Lucille just then. Mira was expecting her third child.