I saw where she got her mettle. His brown eyes crinkled, his mouth twitched once, then chuckling softly, he cupped my shoulder with his left hand, extended his right hand, and shaking mine said, “Come in, son. I’m Henry Lawson, Lillian’s father. It’s nice to meet you, Sam Evanston. Please, come in and have a seat. Lillian will be out shortly.”
Mrs. Lawson had heard our exchange as she entered the living room from the kitchen. I saw where Lillian got her good looks. Placing her hand on his shoulder she scolded, “Henry, be nice.” Then she faced me, held out her hand and said, “Hello, Sam. I’m pleased to meet you. I’m Lillian’s mother, Ruth. She’s been so eager for us to meet you.”
“Mother!” Lillian screeched as she breezed into the room with her hands on her hips, her beautiful caramel eyes shooting golden sparks at her mother. She was a vision of elegance. She wore a short, slim-fitting, berry-colored wool dress that boasted a deep oval décolletage. It was topped with a burgundy wool box jacket. Her radiant auburn tresses were piled atop her head and secured with a sequined, black felt curvette that fastened at her nape. I literally had to tell myself to close my mouth, cross the room to greet her and take her lambskin gloved hand in mine.
“Lillian, you look like an angel,” I said breathlessly. Then I blushed as I remembered her parents were still in the room. I have to say though, her appearance never disappointed. She could have worn a gunny sack and looked like a goddess.
“Wow, you really were smitten, Sam. Ha! I bet the guys I’ve dated couldn’t recall, much less describe as eloquently as you, what I wore on our first dates. And that was over forty years ago, too!” Sadie exclaimed. “I’m so happy this is a love story. It’s just where I was hoping it would lead.”
Sam smiled and went on.
Well, I was definitely in love. I knew it the moment I first laid eyes on her in the schoolyard. I think it took Lillian a little longer to make up her mind about me, though. I wasn't exactly a knight in shining armor, you know. More like the horse he rode in on. I was your typical high school jock, “Big Man on Campus,” and pretty full of myself. My older brother Mike, now, he was a natural athlete. I, well, let’s just say, I had to work a little harder at it. So, when my hard work paid off and I was awarded several honors, I guess it kind of went to my head.
Which brings to mind our first big argument. It was a doozy. Of course, it was all my fault. My experience with the fairer sex had not been an extensive one, and I didn't understand how complex, or in this case, deceptive, women could be.
We’d been on about a half a dozen dates by then and had been corresponding regularly through letters and the occasional phone call. Our relationship was steadily growing stronger. Then I almost ruined everything.
*****
Another Time—Homecoming
I’d asked Lillian to come to our homecoming game and then accompany me to the dance afterward. Willie had also asked Ellen to be his date. Both girls had enthusiastically agreed and made arrangements to stay with their friend, Lisa, who lived in King’s Landing. It was going to be a great time. Homecoming week was always special, and with Lillian as my date, it was going to be even better. I was over the moon. That is, of course, until I blew it.
We handled the opposing team easily. It wasn’t much of a game, which promised to make the celebration afterward even more enjoyable.
Since Willie lived only two houses down the street from the school, he and I cleaned up there after the game. The Carters lived in a Mayberry-esque house, a pristine two-story clapboard with a gabled roof and a large front porch on which were several comfortable wicker chairs and an oversized porch swing that Willie’s dad had constructed.
Mrs. Carter had prepared us a postgame “snack” of Manhattan sandwiches—roast beef and mashed potatoes covered in gravy on a slice of soft white bread—which we chased with a tall glass of ice cold milk. After we’d visited with Willie’s parents about the game and the upcoming dance for a few minutes, we thanked his mom and headed back to the school gym to revel in the rest of the evening’s festivities.
Lillian, Ellen and Lisa had just pulled into the parking lot as we rounded the corner of the gym heading toward the entrance where the dance was already in progress. Lisa’s beau, John Whitfield, was waiting outside the door and Willie and I offered the girls our arms and they gleefully accepted our escort into the gym. Once inside, we mingled with classmates and enjoyed the pats on the back and the boisterous “Atta boys!” from our happy fans. After dancing for about twenty or so minutes, it was time to reveal the Homecoming King and Queen.
Willie, Junior Hargrove and I were the three senior guys nominated to compete for the title of King. Really, it should have been a no-brainer that Willie win because he was the most popular guy in school, and where he was blessed with a natural charm and the ability to effortlessly engage others in conversation, I was sorely lacking in both domains. Of course, being guys, none of us actually cared about winning, other than it was just an honor to be chosen by our peers.
The girls vying for Homecoming Queen were Trudy Irwin, my former steady girlfriend, Marietta Brown and Anita Williams. Of course, they were battling for the honor to be forever memorialized as Spring Street High’s Football Homecoming Queen of 1943.
Since Trudy and I had dated steadily at the beginning of that school year, I guess the student body thought it would be keen to choose the two of us to be Homecoming Royalty. I humbly dipped my head and waved, accepting the honor whereas Trudy squealed gleefully then covered her mouth with both hands.
We made our way through the crowd to stand upon the dais for the coronation ceremony. I ducked so Trudy could place the clunky, ornate crown atop my head, and I reciprocated by arranging the satiny banner across her midsection. Next, I secured the dainty, glittery tiara upon her head and handed her the generous bouquet of red roses. At the urging of the rowdy, cheering crowd, I faced her and steadied myself to apply the obligatory peck on her cheek when she fluidly swung her body toward me, raised up on her toes, wrapped her free arm around my neck, swooned into me, and planted a lengthy, arduous kiss upon my startled, slightly parted lips. I promise, my lips were only parted in surprise!
Unfortunately, Lillian somehow misread my startled expression as one of pleasure. When I regained some semblance of dignity, I peeled Trudy off my body and scanned the crowd only to witness the hurt look in Lillian’s eyes before she spun around and darted for the exit. I don’t think I’d ever moved so fast in my life before that moment. I unceremoniously ramped the stage, nimbly maneuvered my way through the dense crowd and harshly forced the gym door open to reveal Lillian’s trembling back facing me. Twirling her around, I plied her hands away from her tear-stained face and wrapped my arms around her. She wrestled free from my embrace and shot daggers at me with those molten amber eyes of hers.
Where I never could find the right words to express myself, Lillian was never at a loss and she let me have it but good—
“How could you humiliate me like that! Who do you think you are! How dare you ask me to be your date and then carry on like that with your old girlfriend in front of the entire school! If you want to be with Trudy then I’ll save you the trouble and break up with you!” she seethed.
Then, she threw my class ring at me and nodded at Ellen, who’d silently run up behind me. Sniffing, Lillian drew the back of her fisted hand across her runny, reddened nose and dabbed at her tear-filled eyes with her fingers. Silently, she stiffened and turned then strode toward the parking lot. Oh, she was hot under the collar, but even worse than her ire, her eyes displayed how much I’d hurt her.
I was left standing there dumbfounded by the whole episode watching as she jumped into the waiting car which pulled out of the parking lot and without so much as a glance back at me, she left. Under my breath I mumbled, “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
And she was out of my life again.
Chapter 11
Another Time—Forgiveness
Sadie let out the breath she’d be
en holding and exclaimed, “Oh, Sam. That’s so tragic. I don’t think I want to hear any more if that’s how you and Lala’s relationship ended.”
“Oh no, dear girl,” Sam countered. “Strangely, it was really the beginning of our total devotion to each other.”
You see, I spent the better part of the next week begging Lillian to just hear me out. Starting with Sunday, the day after our disastrous break up, I started phoning her house every day. Every time the phone would ring four times, then her mother would answer and sadly whisper that Lillian didn’t wish to speak to me. Man, she was stubborn. Eventually, I think I just wore her down, because on Thursday, she finally answered the phone and grudgingly accepted my latest plea to see her. She said I could come by for a few minutes on Friday after my basketball game and she’d listen to my excuse, but she wouldn’t make any promises.
That was the longest game I ever played. I couldn’t wait to shower and get on the road. Thankfully, we won or Coach would’ve gone on and on in the locker room afterward. As it was, there was a lot of back-slapping and cheering, then Coach reminded us that our game next Tuesday was against Harding Prep, our biggest rival. Finally, he told us to enjoy our weekend, and I intended to do just that.
If I could convince Lillian to forgive me.
I pulled into the drive mentally scolding myself. I knew that I had one shot at fixing this and I’d better not screw it up.
She was sitting on the porch swing wrapped up in a blanket. I took a few deep breaths for fortitude, walked gingerly up the steps and stopped timidly in front of her. With her eyes still averted, she slid over to one side of the swing and patted the seat, indicating I could sit next to her. Her back was ramrod straight and she looked everywhere except at me as she listened to my explanation.
I shared with her that Trudy’s girlfriends had bet her a burger, fries and a malt from The Burger Joint that she wouldn’t have the nerve to pull off such a brazen act. Apparently, they thought it would be the perfect homecoming stunt. At least, that’s what Trudy claimed when she apologized to me.
I think what really justified my plea for forgiveness, though, was when I told her how the principal had scolded Trudy right there at the dance in front of everyone. Then on Monday morning, he hauled her into his office and assigned her three days of detention.
I just kept saying over and over how sorry I was, promising I would never be stupid enough to hurt her again. She finally gazed up into my face. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, but her pouty lips curved into a smile as she snaked her hand out of the blanket and reached for my hand. She leaned into me and kissed me with such tenderness and passion, I’m sure I moaned.
*****
Another Time—The Necklace Part I
“Oh, how romantic,” Sadie breathed dreamily. “But I know firsthand about Lala’s stubbornness,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I’ll never forget the crushed look in her eyes on one cold, rainy Saturday afternoon in March when I was eleven. I’d never seen her that hurt and upset.”
“I’d grown bored with the puzzle I’d been piecing together for the last week while it rained every day, so I wandered upstairs and ended up in Lala’s bedroom. Carefully picking up her cloisonné jewelry box, I kicked off my shoes and splayed my body across her bed, leisurely exploring each cherished trinket.
“Many times before, Lala had allowed me to inspect the pieces in it. After her evening bath, she’d sit at her oval dressing mirror brushing her hair. I’d scooch up next to her on the powdery pink, tufted bench, reach for the black, glossy jewelry box and pull it to the edge of her waterfall dressing table. Gently holding up one elegant piece at a time, I’d quiz her about each. After a while, I could practically recite the answers in concert with her. It became our nightly routine. So, I’d felt comfortable when I’d helped myself to the contents of the box that afternoon.
“Well, that day as I was delighting in the familiarity of the gems, I was pleasantly surprised when I spied a delicate necklace. It was in a gauzy pouch that’d been tucked into a satiny fold of the box. The stone was a bewitching, rich honey color. Unable to resist, I pried open the tiny bag and slipped the lovely bauble onto my upturned palm. I examined its fieriness for a few seconds, then I opened the clasp and latched it around my neck. As I was admiring how it complemented my eyes in the mirror, Lala walked into the room. Surprised to see her reflection in the mirror, I spun around to face her, and as I did, I grabbed at the stone too roughly and it was ripped from my neck. Lala turned ghostly pale then silently knelt to retrieve the broken necklace from the carpet. When she rose up onto her knees with the broken pendant dangling from her hand, she whispered for me to leave the room and sensing there was nothing I could say at the moment to make it better, I quietly stepped past her.
“Turning to look back at her as I closed the door, I saw that she looked as broken as the treasured, topaz necklace. I felt just awful. I’d never seen Lala like that. I even thought I heard her whisper, “Damn” which didn’t make sense because she never cussed. And just as I started to descend the stairs, I froze because she began sobbing inconsolably. It frightened me. I thought I’d broken more than just her necklace. I thought I’d broken her heart.
“For weeks, she was polite, but withdrawn. I pleaded with her to forgive me. She’d nod, pat my arm, smile softly, and say that it was okay, but her eyes betrayed her. Not knowing any other way to fix it, I saved my allowance for weeks, before trotting downtown to buy a chintzy, amber colored rhinestone necklace at the drugstore. I clumsily wrapped it in a piece of Christmas wrapping that I’d flattened and saved from the year before.
“That evening I hid it behind my back, slipped in next to her on the vanity bench and proudly presented it to her. She made a big to-do of carefully unwrapping the paper and nudging open the tiny box. She smiled, hugged me to her and kissed the top of my head. Then she clasped my childish offering around her neck, ogling her reflection in the mirror and said how much she loved it. That’s when I knew that I’d been forgiven, when the light came back into her eyes.”
Sadie saw Sam’s bright blue eyes had grown hazy at the mention of the topaz necklace, and his wounded look was not missed by her.
She whispered, “You gave her the necklace, didn’t you? She didn’t say, ‘damn.’ She said, ‘Sam.’”
He nodded, took a sip of water, quietly cleared his throat, and croaked out the words, “Yes, I did.”
*****
Another Time—The Necklace Part II
“Her eyes outshone its sparkle when I surprised her with it. It’s one of my most cherished memories.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, one of my most hated memories occurred on that same night. I can still see the anguish in her eyes when I told her I’d be leaving in a few days. I hurt her and I’d promised us both that I’d never do that again,” he said weakly. With downcast eyes, he recalled one of the last times he saw Lillian. “Youe, I gave Lillian that necklace on her birthday just three days before I left for Las Vegas, Nevada. I’d been drafted into the United States Army Air Force.”
My draft notice came in the mail two days before Lillian’s eighteenth birthday. The conscription letter began:
Greetings:
You are hereby ordered to report for induction into the
ARMED FORCES of the UNITED STATES…
“Oh Sam. No. You two had been together for such a short time.” Sadie gasped then put her hand over her mouth.
Shaking his head sadly, he went on.
Leaving Lillian was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I didn’t know how I was going to live without her. Then life double-crossed me and I lost her for good.
The weekend before I’d gotten the dreaded letter in the mail, I’d gone to Moore’s Jewelry in King’s Landing to buy an emerald birthstone necklace for her. But the smoky topaz drew me in, enchanted me. It was a dazzling imitation of her lovely amber eyes.
Two days later the letter came in the mail. I agonized over how to tell her. I didn’t want to ruin her birthday,
but I had to tell her. I’d be leaving in a few days and I wanted to spend every minute I could with her until I left.
As I drove to Harmony Glen to pick her up for our date, the urgency of our situation weighed heavy on me. The knot in my stomach grew tighter with every mile I got closer to her house. Knowing I had to tell her about my imminent departure, I searched for the right words. I wanted to put on a brave face and be confident and reassuring, but I felt so miserable, agonizing over the reality of leaving her and the possibility that I wouldn’t make it back to her alive. I knew there was a good chance that I’d be sent somewhere to fight in the war and I felt completely devastated. I didn’t know if I could tell her and keep myself together, but I owed it to her, to us, to be brave. She deserved some time to wrap her head around it, time to accept it. It felt so unfair. We’d had so little time together, and I loved her. She was my life. My heart. My everything.
*****
Another Time—Lillian’s Birthday
So, I picked Lillian up at six as I’d promised. As soon as I saw her, my fears subsided. My stomach clenched for an entirely different reason. She was stunning. The new aubergine sweater she wore perfectly complemented her hair and eyes.
We chose to dine at an intimate little Italian place called Venturo’s that had just recently opened over on Poplar Lane.
Sadie’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She smacked the table with her hand and said, “Oh my gosh! It’s still there! They make the best Italian food outside New York City hands down.”
Sam nodded in agreement and continued.
The owner greeted us warmly. He personally escorted us to an intimate candlelit booth in the back behind the gurgling indoor fountain. Lillian nuzzled my side in our secluded booth. Her warm amber eyes danced in the candlelight. I had a hard time concentrating on the menu as I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Snuggling and holding hands, we pored over the menu together settling on an appetizer of antipasto before settling on our entrees. The meal was delicious, and it completely sated our hunger for sustenance, but not our desire for each other. After all, we did well to steal the few precious moments we had alone.
In Another Time Page 6