Bridges

by Janice McLeod

  Saturday was the next time Gina had a chance to be alone with Sonny and talk about their plans. Driving along highway 84 toward Jesup, Gina sat snuggled beside Sonny, listening to him explain his family dynamics, down to his mothers nervous laugh and his father’s tendency to constantly say “well now”, before weighing in on important matters. Gina laughed as Sonny went through certain antics he had pulled in his youth that disturbed the calm and order of his parent’s home, but all in all he felt he had a verily typical childhood. Gina in a moment of seriousness asked Sonny what he and her father had talked about outside the night of their announcement. Sonny gave her a side-way glance and said “Man Talk”. “What does that mean” Gina asked? “That means I can’t tell you because I vowed to keep our discussion between me and your dad”. “Is this how we are going to start out our lives together, by you keeping secrets from me” she said? Sonny smiled and told Gina there was another way she could look at it; that he was in fact a man of honor and would keep his word no matter to whom it was given, including her. She smiled back and said “case closed” and that she would chalk this one up to male bonding; Sonny then winked at her and drove into his parent’s driveway.

  Albert Boone, Sonny’s father was tall and thin like his son, his bald head and glasses giving him a bookish look. Virginia, Sonny’s mother, was short, plump and sweet; bubbling with excitement to meet the girl that had so captivated her only son’s heart. Invited into the parlor, they all sat while Virginia presided over distributing napkins and pouring tea. Gina smile as Virginia gave out a nervous laugh and asked if she would like one of the small sandwiches she now passed on a tray. For a while they made small talk, trying to find common ground. Gina spotted the beautiful piano that sat near the window the moment she had entered the room and asked Virginia if she played. She shook her head and said sadly no, but that she had given both of her children lessons and that they could both play fairly well. Gina was fascinated to learn this about Sonny and begged him to play something, anything. He smiled and rolled his eyes at his mother who smiled back with motherly pride and motioned him on with the wave of her hands to please play. “Oh alright, but just one” Sonny said as he sat down and adjusted himself to reach the pedals. Soon the dreamy sound of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue filled the air. Gina was mesmerized as she watched Sonny play. Just as he was about to finish the piece, he all of the sudden broke into a few measures of a hot, jazzy, Boogie-Woogie that ended with a flourish as he gallantly stood up and took a deep bow. “Oh for heaven sakes Sonny” his mother said, laughing as she shook her head at her mischievous boy.

  When the topic of marriage finally came up, Albert made a similar argument to the one Gina’s father had raised, about the two of them waiting to be wed until after Sonny got set-up and the necessaries put into place. Sonny assured them that the timing was irrelevant, because he knew he was going to get hired and that he would need to get right back to his job after coming down to get Gina, who would need to be packed up and ready to go. After all he would not have any leave time as a new employee and he and Gina were anxious to begin their life together. There was a casual yet determined tone in Sonny’s voice that was all too familiar to the parents of this head strong young man who stood before them. Albert got up from his chair, and while reaching for a cigar in his breast pocket, walked over to the window; looking out he asked Sonny how soon he thought he would hear from the Studebaker Company. He reassured his dad that it could be any day now because he had mailed in the application his friend George had sent him over a week ago. Turning away from the window, Albert looked at Gina and with the sincere concern of a father he said “well now Gina, do you really think you are ready for the life changing events that are about to take place; marriage and moving away from your family”? Gina stood and moved to the waiting arms of Sonny who now held her tight. “Mr. Boone I love Sonny with all my heart and I can’t imagine my life without him now, we truly belong to each other” she said. With that Sonny kissed her cheek and again reassured his dad that all their plans would work out just fine and not to worry; that he would make good. Virginia was now on her feet, walking toward the children with her arms open wide and her eyes brimming with emotion. “Welcome to the family”, she said to Gina as she embraced and kissed them both.

  The wedding was an intimate affair that took place just two weeks after the Boone’s met their new daughter to be. Carol had been fortunate enough to arrange for the ceremony to be held at their small country church, the very place where Gina had been christened as a baby. Carol had always thought her daughter would be married in a church with flowers and she was determined to have this wedding as much for herself as for Gina. While Carol arranged Gina’s veil in a tiny room off the small modest sanctuary, she smiled and thought how happy and beautiful her sweet daughter looked, soon to step over the threshold of youth and into adult life. She hoped her future would be all that Gina wished for and that the love she felt now would sustain her in difficult times that would surely come. Soon there was a rap on the door and the signal was given that all was ready to start the ceremony. As Gina emerged from her cocoon in the ante room and took her dad’s arm, she literally radiated the peace and joy she felt. She was a stunning young bride and Sonny’s heart skipped a beat as he saw her move down the aisle toward him.

  At the reception that was later held in a hall beside the church, friends and family gathered to wish the happy couple congratulations. There was a champagne toast given by one of Sonny’s friends, a confirmed bachelor who admitted that he would give the whole marriage thing another look, if he could find someone as beautiful and special as Gina. Then there was dancing, that included the in-laws taking to the floor with their son and daughter, a welcoming gesture to strengthen new familial ties. The food and flowers had in part been a contribution from the church ladies that had watched Gina grow up over the years and felt a sense of pride and joy at being part of her special day. Before the reception ended, Albert approached the young couple and while shaking Sonny’s hand, passed to him an envelope with money inside and told him to use it on their short two day honeymoon to have a very special time. Sonny grinned and reached to hug his dad while thanking him for the gift and for supporting him in this move to a new life.

  After all the festivities ended, a shower of rice rained down on the happy couple as they made their get-away in Sonny’s Ford that had been decorated with streamers and a “Just Married” sign. That night as the newlyweds drove off to Tybee Island and into the sea—breeze, under a full moon, where Sonny had arranged for a beach front bungalow; the two smiled at each other and Sonny said to Gina, “now that you are truly mine, I am going to love you and keep you forever”. Gina then reached over and gave Sonny a quick kiss on the cheek and told him this was the happiest day of her life. For the next two days the couple bonded in ways they had never experienced before and their joy was complete. They walked along the beach arm in arm. They frolicked in the surf and made sculptures in the sand. They lay in the sun and told each other stories from their lives; and at night they danced and dined out under the stars, feeding one another, toasting their new life and future together; later making sweet tender love as a pledge of their fidelity.

  * * *

  Sonny’s employment papers had appeared just as he thought they would, and as he finished packing for his trip, he reviewed the directives he had received concerning his starting date and where to report his first day. He had a new confidence about him and felt that the fortunes of time and circumstance were converging to support his new ambitions. Life was good and when he looked over at Gina, who was folding his shirts to fit neatly in his suit case, he could hardly believe what was happening to him. God had truly blessed him in ways he would have never thought possible. Walking out to his car to place his gear in the trunk, Sonny smiled at his precious young wife and a slight pang of loneliness already stirred his heart. He wished he could scoop her up and take her with him right now, but that wouldn’t be right. He
had to press on, to make a way for her, keeping in mind her security, comfort and personal needs. When they embraced for the last time, it was of course bitter sweet and slightly tearful on Gina’s part, who tried to keep up a brave front, so Sonny could bear their parting and know she would be alright for the few short weeks he would be away. While Sonny pulled out of the drive way of his parents home that morning, where he and Gina had stayed for the few days after their honeymoon; he waved and smiled to see that his parents had already closed ranks around Gina, holding her in their arms, as they all three waved back at him, then he was gone.

  Sonny had planned to give himself four days to reach his destination, heading north—west to Columbia South Carolina, then on to Asheville, North Carolina, Lexington, Kentucky, Fort Wayne, Indiana, then on into South Bend. As he drove along, he replayed in his mind the events of the last few months since Gina had come into his life, a special time that had been such a grounding experience for him; giving him a firm foundation from which to build a new life and career. When he thought about working for the Studebaker Company he grinned and marveled at how this German immigrant family, over the centuries, had lived out the American dream. A group of brothers had started by heading for the new land of opportunity in the Americas during the late 1700’s. They first worked at farming and then became Blacksmiths. Later on by developing their skills, they started a wagon building business, and by the time the horseless carriage was established as the wave of the future, they took the next step and moved into automobile manufacturing. Yes, theirs was an impressive personal story of triumph and innovation and he couldn’t wait to be a part of it. So as Sonny moved along, down the stretch of highway before him, he was filled with optimism and a profound sense of gratitude.

  * * *

  As the first week and then a second came then went without hearing a word from Sonny, Gina, her parents and the Boone family began to wonder if everything was all right and if Sonny had indeed arrived in South Bend as planned to started his job. At the frantic bidding of Gina, Mr. Boone placed a long distance call to the Studebaker Company and made an inquiry. To his utter shock and amazement he learned that Sonny had never reported to the Job and that they too were wondering why they hadn’t heard from him and as a result had eventually filled the position held for him, with another applicant. At this news utter panic set in on all fronts. A missing persons report was filed with local police and the state authorities were alerted as well. Gina who had returned to her parents home to prepare for her own departure, now sat with an open trunk and a pile of suit cases stack in the corner of her room staring back at her, as a glaring reality that she may not be going anywhere. Through her tear filled eyes she walked from room to room for several days, unable to concentrate, ringing her hands, stopping only momentarily to check out the window for Sonny’s car. She tossed and turned at night and could not sleep, and when she did nod off through pure exhaustion, she woke up startled calling Sonny’s name. Carol tried to get Gina to sit and have a meal, but she often refused, and when she did finally settle, she merely pushed the food around on her plate. Gina’s parents were becoming as much concerned for the well being of their daughter as they were for Sonny. Gina was making herself sick with grief and refused to be comforted. Art was especially at a loss, being more of a pragmatic man, he wanted to jump in and fix this and move on, but there was no fixing this unimaginable state of affairs. His daughter was falling apart before his eyes, his Son-in-law had disappeared and he found himself at a total loss for words and no way to make things right. His heart bled for the young couple who had the world by the tail just a few short days ago. Carol was also in shock and ineffectual in helping her daughter cope which added to her over-all sense of despair and helplessness.

  A month after Sonny’s disappearance, Carol went through the house looking for Gina one morning and could not find her. Glancing out her bedroom windows that over-looked the back yard, she saw her going into the garden shed. Carol followed Gina and when she caught up with her, found her huddled in an old wicker chair by the door weeping deep uncontrollable sobs. Kneeling down in front of Gina, Carol lifted her chin, and looked into her eyes asking in a gentle voice, what had caused this new round of tears. Gina looked at her mother and strained for words that would not come. Carol put her arms around her daughter and held her until all of her tears had been spilled. Finally regaining enough composure to speak, Gina looked at her mother and said “I think I am pregnant”.

  The months came and went with no word from Sonny or the authorities, who had ultimately moved his missing persons report into the dead case file. Gina lost all of her desire to interact with others and spent her days held up in her room, reading and sleeping or gazing out the window looking for the one who never appeared. As her belly grew, so did her despair. One afternoon when her father came in from working in his hay field, he asked Carol about Gina and what she had been doing all day, which caused a heated argument between them. Art was growing impatient with his moping, depressed daughter and thought she should have pulled herself together by now, finally realizing Sonny was now gone from her life and that she should return to her job at the Library. And he was none too happy about her pregnancy either, reminding her often that he had advised her that she and Sonny should have waited to marry, until after he got established. If she had only done as he had counseled, she would not have the added burden of a child on the way that she alone would now be responsible for. Carol argued back that Art should try to have more compassion for Gina, realizing all she was going through would be hard for anyone but especially a young girl her age. At that Art replied that she had better get a grip pretty soon because like it or not, it wasn’t just about Gina anymore and with that he turned and walked out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind him. Gina had overheard many of these episodes between her parents in recent days that now added guilt to her misery.

  * * *

  As the lazy sun yawned and stretched its rays through the hospital window early one morning, the nurse brought Gina her baby boy and encouraged her once again to try nursing the little guy who still had no name on his birth certificate. Each time she had been asked what they should put on paper, she seemed uninspired and detached from the realities of motherhood with all of its consequences and responsibilities and instead chose to drift off to someplace of her own making, where she didn’t have to think at all. When Art and Carol came into visit on the third day of Gina’s hospitalization, the doctor took them aside and told them that it appeared Gina was suffering from postpartum depression, and was not interacting with her new born in the expected way, making the nurturing and bonding process more difficult for the infant. Art, with a look of exasperation on his face, raked his hands through his hair and asked what could be done to help Gina get back on her feet. The Doctor went on to explain that this problem occurs from time to time in a small percentage of women and that love, support and time were about the only things he could recommend. At this Art began to pace up and down in short strolls staring at the floor. Finally, Carol reached out and put her hand on his arm to stop him. With a searching, pleading look in her eyes she quietly said to him “we can do this”. With a resigned sigh he looked back at her and said, “I guess we will have to”!

  When Gina returned home, her room had been refreshed with bright new curtains at her windows and a new spread for her bed, evidence of the fresh start the Harris’s hoped to make. On Gina’s dresser was an arrangement of fragrant fresh cut flowers with a card from the Boone’s wishing her well and asking for a visit. Over in the corner was a bassinette Carol’s church friends had provided and furnished with crisp linens and soft baby blankets all in blue. Over the bed hung a painted plaque decorated with cherubs that said, “Welcome home Samuel”; the name the family had collectively settled on. As Gina entered the room holding the baby, a look of surprise washed her face and a hint of a smile brushed her lips as she placed Samuel in his new bed. She also noticed her mother had taken the old wicke
r rocker from the garden shed and painted it a fresh white and had tied an new soft cushion in its seat and placed it near Samuel’s bed so that Gina could rock the baby and feed him from the bottles they had purchased when Gina gave up on nursing. Gina walked through the room touching everything, then turned to her parents and said, “Thank you so much for doing all of this for me and Sam it’s beautiful”.