by Max Howell
He then took her into DiMaggio’s restaurant. “I do not know whether it is the best restaurant on ‘Fisherman’s Wharf’, but you can see the fishing boats from here, and they are world famous, like the street cars. We will ride them later, not that they are news to us. Remember our tram rides to school, and yours to the Baths?”
“How well I do.”
“The only difference with the street-cars here is that they go up and down hills that our trams probably could not cope with. They are a San Francisco institution. Anyhow, this is DiMaggio’s. The DiMaggio’s are a famous San Francisco Italian family. Two of the boys were famous baseball players, Joe and Dom. Joe was considered one of the greatest of all time, and had a fateful marriage to Marilyn Monroe.”
“I seem to remember all that.”
“They got divorced, but Joe never said a bad word about her. He was just that kind of man, quietly spoken, a gentleman.”
“Just like you.”
“Maybe, but he made more money. I have met Joe a number of times, and Dom occasionally at athletic banquets.”
“And Marilyn?”
“No, never did meet her. She was never big on athletic banquets.”
She studied the menu. “It is a little different from the country menus I generally see.”
“You know, I do not even know where you have been living, and even what your name has been.”
“Maybe I will tell you some of my story to-night. But not all of it. I do not want to spoil one second of our time together.”
“How can you do that?”
“I do not know, but I cannot risk losing you again. Over dinner, I will tell you some of my story. The rest I will try to tell you to-morrow.”
“You make it sound like a mystery.”
“Perhaps it is, or has been. It would make a good novel.”
“We always loved novels. Remember us discussing them? I can remember you asking me complicated questions about Shakespeare and early Australian novels.”
“I was just showing off. There were so few things that I could talk about with you. I just had no experiences then. I had to talk about something and I was trying desperately hard to impress you.”
“Well, you succeeded in that.”
The waitress interrupted them. “Hi, welcome to DiMaggio’s. My name’s Jane. Would you like a drink?”
They both shook their heads. Then Mark said, quickly, “Yes, we will. Do you have a small bottle of champagne? It is a night to remember.”
“We have a wide range. French or Californian?”
“Californian, you choose what you think is best … and we would like it chilled.”
“Certainly, sir. Are you ready to order?”
Mark looked at Faith. “Please order for me, Mark, you know what I like.”
“Well, it is an Italian restaurant, but I do not remember you being a great admirer of Italian food, and to-night we should celebrate. Do you like lobster? I do not think we could ever afford it in our early days.”
“Fish and chips were about our limit. Except at the Olympic Village. That was something. I would love lobster.”
“Two half lobsters, grilled.”
“And any starters?”
“Yes, two small bowls of clam chowder. You will love it, Faith. No one in the world can make clam chowder like the Americans. Is there anything else you want?”
“No, that sounds perfect.”
The waitress went off with the order, and Faith said to Mark, “I thought you did not drink?”
“I do not. Believe it or not, this will be my first. But I feel I have just been married, and they generally have champagne at weddings.”
“Oh, Mark, I love you,” she exclaimed, and leaned forward to kiss him.
“Careful, or I might make love to you right here and now.”
Faith laughed. “Now that would be something. I could see the headlines. Country girl from Australia and former Olympic gold medallist arrested making love in DiMaggio’s Restaurant.”
The thought tickled Mark, and for a while they engaged in silly exchanges, both happy in one another’s company.
The waitress brought the champagne and poured it, and they clinked glasses. “To us,” Mark said, looking in her eyes.
“To us,” replied Faith.
“Forever.”
“Forever.”
“Well,” said Mark, drawing in his breath “now, tell me about this big mystery.”
“There is a reason I will not tell you the full story tonight, Mark, you will understand why later on. Please trust me, and Mark, you must promise me something.”
“Anything, just ask it.”
“Whatever I say, please do not get angry. The one thing we must never do again is waste the time that we have together. So please, please do not get angry. What happened was a long time ago, and at the time I thought I was acting in everyone’s best interests. So promise me.”
“I promise.”
“My married name and where I lived are of no consequence at this moment in the story. You know how I felt about you when you left for the United States, and we pledged undying love?”
“I certainly do.”
“And you remember I wrote you, for some time, and stopped, and I would not allow you to contact me?”
“I can never forget it, Faith. They were the worst days in my life. The agony is still seared in my heart.”
“I was pregnant, Mark, pregnant, to you!” she blurted out, and the tears welled in her eyes.
Mark was so astonished that he could not say anything for a few minutes. He just stared at her in disbelief. “Pregnant?” he said incredulously. “You were pregnant?” He got up from the table and comforted her, then kissed her and sat down opposite her. “I … I’m just speechless. I do not know what to say. I always knew there had to be something else, something deeper. But why, Faith, why did you not tell me? You know I would have been with you in an instant.”
“Can’t you see? Maybe I was a silly child, but I knew that, I knew you loved me as much as I loved you. You had worked so hard, you had your opportunity for a higher education, it would have dashed all those hopes … if you had to come back.”
“But you were more important to me than anything else.”
“And you to me, Mark, you to me. Maybe it was the wrong decision, but it was done because I loved you so. I wanted you to achieve great heights, and you have.”
“My God, Faith, you mean you sacrificed yourself for me!”
“Yes, for right or wrong.”
“And the baby, did you have the baby?”
“Yes. It was the most beautiful baby ever born, as it should be born with such love, and now he is a wonderful young man. You are a father, Mark, and it was from that glorious night when you took me down to Centennial Park.”
“I will never forget it, Faith.”
“And neither will I.”
“Does the boy know who his father is?”
“No.”
“But you got married?”
“Yes. A man who was widowed, a wonderful man, knew of my plight. What I was frightened of was that you would fly back to plead with me, and then the story would come out. Marriage was the only way out. So I agreed to marry this very kind man on the condition that our marriage would not be consummated. Until the day he died he knew that you were my eternal love.”
“Well, I can scarcely believe all of this. You married because you were pregnant to me, to allow my own career to advance, and we have a son. It is a lot to take in for one evening.” He touched her hand, and leaned forward to kiss her. “You know, Faith, as the shock wears off, I feel strangely very relieved. Our love was so wonderful, I did not think anyone or anything could interfere with it. When I was told you had fallen in love and had married, I was thunder-struck.”
“I married, but not for love.”
“And so did I, later.”
“I know.”
“Scarcely a day passed when I did not re-analyse everything in my m
ind, and I always came to a dead end. I never guessed the real reason. Oh, my God, the time we have both wasted. I understand now, Faith. I do not agree with what you did, but I can see it was all done through a deep love of me.”
“You were and are more important to me than life itself. You are not angry with me?”
“No, only disappointed about the years we could have been together, but exhilarated that our love is as great as it ever was.”
They drank their champagne and ate their meal, enjoying one another’s company again, deliriously in love. “By the way,” Mark said, “what is the rest of the mystery? Something you have to tell me to-morrow.”
Faith drew in her breath. “Your son happens to be in the city.”
“In the city?”
“He does not know I am here yet, Mark, and of course he does not know anything about you. I would like you both to meet, to-morrow!”
“To-morrow! Whew, all this seems pretty rushed.”
“Trust me, Mark, he happens to be here, and you and I are here. It has to be done now, please trust me! I just want it all out in the open. It will be a big shock to him, I do not know how he will take it.”
“Well, it is a bit of a shock to me, too.”
“I know, Mark, and I am gambling that the boy is as strong as you, and can handle it. Remember, he loves the man he thinks was his father. He has never had a reason to think otherwise.”
“It will be a very tense meeting.”
“Perhaps, Mark, but you are both outstanding people. Somehow I think things will work out.”
“But how will he know?”
“I will try to reach him now. He has no idea I am in San Francisco. It is hard enough for him to accept that, let alone the fact that I had arrived in San Francisco without telling him. Where can we meet to-morrow morning, Mark, if I can get him?”
“I would say lunch, to-morrow. The Travelodge at the Wharf has a pretty good lunch. Why don’t we tell him to-morrow at 12.30, in the dining room. Though I do not think any of us will be overly concerned about the food.”
“Neither do I, somehow. How do I make a telephone call in the USA, Mark?”
He told her what she had to do, asked if she knew the number, gave her a dime for the call, and took her to the phone. She said: “I would like to be alone, Mark, for this call, sorry.”
“I understand, Faith. But if you need any help just call me.”
She stood there for a time, thinking through what she had to say. She could feel the rising tension in her body as she dialled the number. She could hear the dial tone, and there were six rings before the phone was taken off the hook.
“Hello,” a sleepy voice answered, “it is Murray speaking.”
“And I thought you were supposed to be studying in America, and here you are sleeping at this time of night.”
“Ah, come off it, Mum, it is ten o’clock. Got to keep in training, you know. How are you? Everything all right? Sounds like you are right next door.”
“I am, Murray. Well, almost.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, son, I am in San Francisco.”
“San Francisco? Ah, come off it, Mum, you are trying to pull my leg. I apologise, I will not sleep any more, Mum. Honest, no sleep in America.”
“I am not fooling, Murray, I am actually here.”
“Here? But why did you not tell me? I cannot believe it. I would have met you at the airport, you know that.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“No joke, Mum, you have done that for sure. But what in the heck are you doing in San Francisco?”
“I just decided to come here, son. Maybe I was tired of you getting all the trips, so I decided to come over here and have a look for myself.”
“Mum, you beauty, you little beauty! I did not know you had it in you. Mum, I am astonished, I really am. But all this is just so great. You always were my favourite girl, and there is nothing I would enjoy more than squiring you around. The fellas will think I have got a girl-friend. You look young enough, you know, the most beautiful mother I know. Look, Mum, I will come straight over. I do not have wheels, but I will get there somehow in about an hour.”
“Do not worry, Murray, I planned all this as a surprise and it has been a long journey. I am very tired, and I really need a rest. I think I would like to sleep in, and then we can have lunch.”
“Sure, Mum, I will pick you up.”
“No, son, just come here. We’ll have lunch at the Travelodge at the Wharf. It is the one motel right by ‘Fisherman’s Wharf’. Let us say 12.30, Murray.”
“12.30 it is, Mum. I can hardly wait to see you. Mark is out to-night, which is pretty rare for him, but I am sure it will be all right for you to come and stay here. You can have my room, and I will sleep on the sofa.”
“That is fine, son, but let us talk about it to-morrow. It is wonderful to hear your voice.”
“And yours, Mum, I cannot believe it. You beaut! See you to-morrow -12.30.”
“12.30 it is, Murray.”
Faith returned to the table. “I got hold of our son, and he is meeting me at the motel dining room at 12.30. He does not suspect anything.”
“Well, to-morrow will be some day. I will see a son I never knew I had.”
There was still champagne left. He lifted his glass.
“To our son.”
“Our son.”
“And to us.”
“To us.”
He kissed her, and they walked out in the crisp evening air. They watched the fishing boats, surveyed the tourists, and looked out over the Bay. They walked arm in arm, recapturing the feelings of so many years ago. Tired from an emotional day, they went back to the hotel, made love and fell to sleep in one another’s arms, beautifully and deliriously happy.
CHAPTER 17.
THE FATHER, THE MOTHER AND THE SON
Mark and Faith were in the dining room by 12.15, both nervous over what might happen. Almost at the stroke of 12.30, Murray walked in, saw his mother and rushed to her arms.
“Oh Mum, it is so great to see you, I just could not believe it when you called.” He then looked beyond her to the table, and saw Mark. “Mark, what are you doing here?”
Mark was completely taken aback. “This is your mother?” he asked incredulously.
“Of course it is. But why are you here?”
Faith took command. She took them both by the hand. “Sit down, you two,” she said gently. “There is something I have to say, and it is long overdue.”
They both sat stunned. They had never seen her so serious. “I probably should have done this many years ago, but the time never seemed right. All this is going to take a little explaining, but you are two strong people and I figure you both can handle it. Murray, this is your real father. Mark, this is your son.”
Murray spoke first, a sense of panic in his face. “Mum, what are you talking about? Are you crazy?”
“No, I am not crazy. You know the story. You know Mark was in love with an Australian girl, I am that girl, Murray, I am that girl. We loved one another like no two people ever loved one another. I am the one who broke his heart. It is me, Murray. Isn’t that so, Mark, tell him!”
Mark nodded his head and turned to Murray. “I had no idea, Murray, that you were my son. I simply had no idea. This is as much news to me as to you.”
Murray tried to clear his head. “But what about my Dad, the man you married?”
“He was a fine man, Murray, as you know only too well. But he was not your father. You can check the records if you want, but you were born about five months after we were married. Mark was the father, and the person you thought was your father married me and knew all about it.”
“But why, Mum, why? How could this possibly have happened?” He cried out pathetically.
“It is easy to see errors in reflection. I have made my share of mistakes, to be certain. I did not tell Mark I was pregnant, because his career would have ended. Maybe it was fooli
sh. Mark never knew why I would not have anything to do with him. I did it because I loved him. In hindsight, maybe I should have told him. But I did not, and the man who brought you up and I talked many times about telling you, but we never did. Maybe that was wrong too.” She burst out crying, and they both moved towards her, to stop her sobbing.
“It is okay, Mum, calm down. I just cannot believe what I am hearing, and I need a little time to take it all in. It is a big shock. But it is funny, Mum, I cannot describe it, but I always sensed that something was different about me. It was how you and Dad handled me, and when I came to Mark, and he swam like me, even his body build was like mine. I just thought it was all a coincidence, but I can see it all now, how planned everything was, the swimming, the choice of Terry as coach, the scholarship with Mark.”
“I just put off telling you, Murray, but I wanted you to meet Mark, and so did Toch.”
“It is all right, Mum, but it is all such a surprise. It will take a little time to completely sink in. Nothing against you, Mark.” He extended his hand. “I feel a bit foolish, but I am proud to have you as my father.”
Mark embraced him, “And I am proud to have you as my son.” Faith moved forward also, and they embraced one another, tears in their eyes.
“Now sit down. You two I love more than life itself, and I knew I could depend on you both. You will need one another, you will draw strength from one another in the future.”
“We will draw strength from one another, Mum?”
“Only for a time, my loved ones. The reason I am here, the haste of all this, is, that I am dying, of cancer. I have been given only three to four months to live. That is all! That is why I hurried here.”
“Dying?” they both cried out simultaneously. Mark took her in his arms, and Murray followed. “It cannot be true, Faith, surely it cannot be true.”
“It is, Mark. I have just found out, and I had to tell you, and bring my boys together.”
“Now I understand,” said Mark, tears in his eyes. “So that is why you are here?”
“I am a little tired. Let us forget about lunch. It has been an exhausting time. I would like to go for a walk with my boys.”