“John, can you get us the horse and carriage? We are going to see Dr. Loncar. My big girl is taking me there . . .” And Silvia was quite proud. She also loved being so close to her mother while sitting on the wagon, since her mother was always torn into too many directions.
“Well,” Dr. Loncar teased, “you made it!” And after the examination, he told her she had fluid in both knees. “This will have to be drained, unless it works its way out with these tablets that I have prescribed. I will see you when I come to see Mark. And by the way, you are to stay in bed for the time being, if you plan on getting well.”
Not only was she going through her midlife crisis — now this. Everything was once more put on hold.
When Silvia went to the vineyard to get more of that special wine from the cellar that was used for Mark’s diet, she felt a double sadness. Both of her parents were now in bed, side by side, and things did not look good. “What it they both die?” For a child of twelve going on thirteen, this appeared to be a hopeless situation. On those trips, the sadness in her heart could not have been measured. The loneliness that can prevail on a child at that age can be overwhelming. Even Leni was now too busy to spend time with her. Leni, who was so good-natured and her best friend, was now needed elsewhere.
However, once the fluids had been drained and the infection had subsided, Lucille seemed to be all right and was once again everywhere at once.
“Marie, I hope you will meet and marry some great man, and when I am gone, he will help you run the farm. I know that you will do a good job,” Mark said to encourage her.
“One thing is for sure: This time around, I will fight for my rights, no matter what Vera wants. I should have done so before.
“Silvia, you will have to take over my chores, since I have to do a lot more outside.”
“What was that?” Their mother joined them on their conversation. “Am I interrupting something?”
“No, Mom, we are just talking about our chores and Marie’s love life,” Leni teased.
“What? Did you say love life? Come on, let’s have it. Marie never said anything to me.”
“Nothing to report, Mom — I was just trying to lighten things up a bit,” Leni confessed.
The fall seemed very long and sad that year. At this point, there was not much that anyone could do to make things better. Mark kept his dignity and acceptance for all of them. He was very tired all the time and never complained.
“Will you play for me?” Mark would ask Silvia, who would play some soft tunes on the grand piano located in the living room. She was only an amateur, since she had never had any proper training. She played what she could sing. But singing was not included, this time. Mark listened from the bedroom with tears in his eyes. That made two of them, since Silvia could barely see the piano keys through the tears running down her cheeks.
“This always brings me closer to you. I can still remember how blessed we felt when you were born and miraculously survived . . . not to mention your mother. Here you are now entertaining me in my last days. You will be all right, I promise you.”
Silvia was well aware that soon she would be losing her father.
“Aunt Monika! What are you doing here?” It was a surprise to see Monika just dropping in on her brother; after all, she was in no better shape than he was. But it was good to see her.
“Oh, I just came to give your father a hard time,” she chuckled.
The weather was good that year, but went unnoticed by the Zanton family.
“Helena, how are the girls next door doing?” Mark inquired. He knew that they’d had yet another surgery.
“Oh, they are fine, considering the circumstances. Those poor children don’t get to see much sun. I often compare myself with them. I had a good childhood and a happy home, but those girls have nothing but surgeries to brag about. Not that I think it funny. I have survived two World Wars, yet those girls may not live until they are twenty years of age,” Helena said, more or less to herself. She was trying to help her brother — who was no doubt suffering and not even complaining about it — pass the time.
Two weeks prior to Mark’s death, his condition seemed to improve. This is common; once they improve, the end comes. He kept asking for Vera, as he knew that his time was up. Coincidentally, Darko and Vera were renting an apartment in another town. Their landlady had a habit of coming to the door over the joined terrace, knocking on it, and asking Vera if she was all right. The lady knew about Darko’s shenanigans and Vera’s problems. This particular morning, as early as it was, they were leaving for home.
“Did you hear that?” Vera asked her husband.
“Yeah, what was it?” Darko replied.
“There was a knock on the window. I wonder what could be wrong with Dena. She must be the one knocking. I will go and see.” Vera went to the window and as she opened — or tried to open — the window, a sudden burst of wind slammed the window wide open and spooked her. Yet nobody was there.
“What was that all about?” Darko said.
“Darko, you won’t believe this, but I just heard Father’s voice. We had better hurry up. Something is badly wrong.” (Coincidentally, this was about the time when her father was asking for her.) She got the feeling that she might never see her father alive again.
But Mark waited for her. By the time they reached the house everyone else was there already. They were relieved that Vera had finally arrived as well. Soon after Vera’s arrival, Mark fell asleep and rested comfortably. Dr. Loncar told them there was nothing more that he could do and asked them to let him know when the time came. This was standard procedure.
“You might want to get Father Tomas to give him his final blessing,” Dr. Loncar added before he left.
The family and some friends stayed up all night.
Mark Zanton passed away in late November 1950, at the age of sixty-three.
“May he rest in peace,” Lucille said quietly. “Now, young Mark will have his father by his side. They were so close . . . and I know that Mark didn’t mind joining his son.”
It is strange how we make excuses for our grief or hopes. Lucille had always been a realist and coped well with stress, but that didn’t mean she was not afraid to step into her husband’s shoes. Mark was loved by many people.
When the news of his passing spread, many people gathered to pay their respects. These people had seen the Zantons go through endless rough times and tragedies. It takes a lot of strength and determination to get through so many ups and downs and come out at the top with dignity. Mark’s reputation was obvious. The presence of all those people said it all.
Now it was time to start all over again.
“Girls, this is not going to be easy, as you all know. Your father’s memory is everywhere, as well as Grandpa’s. I feel it, don’t you?” Lucille was trying to make things as easy as possible. She knew how much the girls loved their father. “Uncle Drago has agreed to stay for a while to help us deal with letting your father go.
“Now, everybody, listen to me and have something to eat while you can still stand.” They all gathered in the kitchen as always. Anna prepared a snack for them. This was after the burial, and while other people lingered on, the family had no appetite. Everybody was exhausted from so much tension.
“Helena, you look like you’re going to drop any time now.” Uncle Drago stood up and went to her.
“No, Uncle Drago, I am fine. I would rather be here than alone right now.” She was shaking.
“Boris, I want to go home, if you don’t mind?” Monika was also having a hard time. Boris complied.
“Let me help, Aunt Monika. I can go with you if you don’t feel up to walking,” Marie offered.
“Uncle Drago, there are a few things that I would like to take care of with your help.”
“Yes, of course, Lucille. What is it? Is there something wrong?”
; “No, there is nothing wrong that I know of, but just to be fair, I would like everyone to hear what Mark had put in his will. So if you don’t mind, I would like for you to read the will.”
“I would be honoured.” So everything was set.
“I don’t really have time for this, so can we make it quick?” Magda announced.
“Yes, Magda, we can, since there is nothing to be divided at this time. So just listen.”
All the property went to Lucille. (In a way, it had always been this way since she married Mark. Grandpa educated his son to be cautious, knowing how the girls felt about Lucille and being as greedy as they were at one time.) Uncle Drago started and finished reading the will without any interruptions. He was surprised.
“I can’t believe it.” Lucille told Drago after the girls left. “I know now that going through so many difficulties in the past, some of my dreams have come true and some have been shattered in the process. Thank you, Uncle Drago.” She gave him a big hug.
“Yes, you do grow with your life’s experiences and you learn the hard way.”
“You make mistakes and learn from them. You teach some of the time and learn some of the time.”
“So now you will have your hands full even more than before. If you ever need me, just let me know,” Uncle Drago said.
“Well, I still have my daughters to live for and I have my brother and sister, as well as you, to lean on. I just hope we stay healthy.”
Mira stayed as devoted to her as ever. As for Ivan, Lucille always claimed that she couldn’t get rid of him even if she wanted to. So there was no problem there.
Ivan used to have big dreams and ended up with big responsibilities, but that didn’t bother him. “I wanted much more out of life. Had I been wiser, I could have made it. At this point in life, May and I are quite content. She gets what she wants, which is financial stability, and I still go skiing and climbing without her ever complaining. She is a good companion to me,” Ivan confided in Lucille. “We are both involved in politics; not that we always agree, but we manage to work it out.”
Ivan knew that there was a possibility that May was using him, but, while their love wasn’t passionate, they lived in total contentment. May was a good cook, and when they came to visit, she always brought some baked goods.
“I am married to Lucille Zanton’s brother,” she was known to say. She wanted to belong to the so-called “Zanton family,” who were well known and highly respected in the valley.
“You look good, kid,” Ivan kidded his baby sister. Lucille just laughed.
“Mira, if you need anything, you must let me know. I know that you don’t like to complain but you are your own worst enemy by keeping things to yourself. I know that Mat has his back problems so he can’t help you much, but you have Mike and the girls to lean on.”
“Yes, ‘Mother.’ You are a nag just like Mother used to be. You know that?”
“I am sure Mat misses Mark. They used to enjoy debating about farming and the families, and now he has lost his buddy. How is he?”
“The other day, I heard him say to Gregor next door how he misses his buddy and how they always exchanged plenty of good, solid recommendations regarding farming; and how other farmers often took their advice . . . I know he misses him a lot.”
Mat had a brother who lived at home. Luke was an absentminded professor and kept to himself. He was good at inventing things and often kept those to himself. He liked the children but he never married. His only love left him for another, and after that he just never bothered about it. He did not approve of Mat and his parents being so stingy but he never interfered.
Eventually, Mira and Mat’s son Mike had to take over the farm. This should have been the time for the girls to get a break; however, this never took place. It turned out that Mike cared more about the farm than anyone else. He insisted that he needed the girls to help him bring the farm to another level at any cost.
“Mike, you can’t expect us to die for you just because you are so competitive,” Tamara complained.
“It is not like you, Tamara, to complain about work. You don’t go anywhere anyway, so what is the difference?” Mike was angry.
“Mike, you enjoy working with the theatre group. You and Vera used to be so good at it; why don’t you get back into it and have some fun, instead of killing yourself working?”
“I don’t even have time to get married, with the farm being at the stage that it is.”
But Nada needed no encouragement. She got around on her own, starting with her school friends and she had a good deal of fun. She took after her Uncle Luke and became very creative.
It was a long time before things went back to normal at the Zantons’ place.
Ivan was reminiscing. “Remember how we used to gather on Sunday afternoons at your place? From the youngest to the oldest, everyone was welcome. Age did not matter. The singing, led by you, and Grandpa enjoying himself, is still very vivid to me. Your children are all good singers and Grandpa proved himself to be the same. He loved it.”
“Yes, but we had a lot to sing about in those days.” Lucille looked down, tears coming down her face as well. “I used to think that I could do anything when I put my mind to it.”
“If anyone can do it, you can. Lucille, you are a born optimist. I remember how Grandpa looked bewildered from the beginning when you first joined the Zantons and the famous Sunday singing started.” Ivan enjoyed even talking about it.
“I was a bit uncomfortable at first. I was afraid of hurting Grandpa’s feelings, but he backed me up and joined the rest of us in singing. I am sure that at times he thought I was insane, but he never let me down.” Grandpa had adored her and, needless to say, so did Mark.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Uncle Drago Says Goodbye
EVERY ONE OF UNCLE DRAGO’S VISITS was definitely a welcome affair, especially for the children, regardless of age. To Uncle Drago, the visits to his home, as he called it, were of different significance every time.
“Uncle Drago, you married quite late. How come?”
“I had a few relationships before I met and married Ann, but none for real, I guess. Ann was a widow and had a three-year-old daughter named Heidi. I think the three of us fell in love at the same time. Ann was beautiful, good-natured, and at the time quite lost. As for the little one, I am still crazy about her. She is a good girl.”
“I understand she was ill for quite a long time,” Lucille continued.
“Yes; and Heidi was always very protective of her mother. Then, once she became a teenager, she had a hard time dealing with her mother’s ups and downs. Those were the years when I didn’t come here very often to visit.”
“You had your own problems, and yet you never failed to come and stand by us — such as when Martin Jr. died during the war, when Helena was going through her ordeal, Mother Zanton’s funeral . . .”
“I was never fond of her, but my brother and I always stood by each other’s side.”
“But you were there to welcome me into the family, and I will always be grateful to you for that. You were there to welcome every one of our children into the world. I knew that you wouldn’t miss it for the world. Later you came to be with us when young Mark died. You came to say goodbye to your beloved brother Martin and Grandpa. And sadly, you had to say goodbye to Mark, who loved you like his father.”
By now, Heidi was married. Ann wanted to live long enough to see her daughter get married and she succeeded. Heidi was engaged for a short time. They brought the wedding date forward to have her mother present at the wedding. She passed on shortly after the wedding.
“I am glad Mom was able to join us for our wedding. May she rest in peace,” Heidi said.
Heidi and Drago remained close. To Heidi, Drago was the father she never had.
“My father is very fond of you,” Heidi told Lucille on one o
f her visits to the house with her new husband, Karel.
“Your father is a replica of Grandpa Zanton, and we are all very fond of him,” Lucille replied.
Nevertheless, Drago was getting even lonelier for his birthplace. The stories that he told the children were sometimes real, and other times he made them up just to please them. There was something about this old man that brought out the best in a person. He had a calm and self-assured nature. One felt relaxed talking with him. Little Silvia would look up at him as if he were God. She could not get enough of Uncle Drago. He was her grandpa. You never had to explain to him what you were thinking or how you felt. Everything just seemed all right. They all welcomed him and missed him every time he left. Uncle Drago knew this and missed them even more.
Then, one day when he and Lucille were alone in the kitchen, he asked her, “How would you feel if I were to come home for good? I would like to be at home when my time comes.” He sighed. “I was born here and I would like to die here.”
Lucille was overwhelmed by his statement. “We would love to have you. Mark and I have discussed this a few times but we were afraid to ask you about it. We didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I can’t believe it . . . This is wonderful, Uncle Drago!”
She kept hugging him and was at a loss for words.
“Mom, what is going on?” Leni walked in and was a bit puzzled by her mother’s excitement.
“Nothing is going on. You girls hug Uncle Drago all the time — what makes you think I shouldn’t?”
Drago said happily, “I have to go back to take care of some legal matters and tell Heidi all about it. We have discussed this, and she is fine with it. I will be back as soon as I get everything worked out.”
But the children were not to know until he came back for good; it would be a surprise.
His journey back to Samic was pleasant, but at the same time, it was sad. On the one hand, he was leaving a place full of memories and regrets. On the other, he was to go back home to die, something he had wanted for a long time. However, it was not to be.
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