One of the couples laughed, but the rest of them didn’t know how to react.
Bill never cracked a grin. Two slices of banana cream pie later, he and Eunice left the others to gossip in hushed tones.
“You’re crazy, Bill,” she said as they left the dining room.
“Crazy in love with you,” he said with a wink.
The scheduled comedy began at 8:30 sharp and the R-rated Newlywed Game Show had Eunice nearly wetting her pants.
Mardi-Gras Tuesday confirmed that the mornings were going to be rough. They didn’t get up and out of their private bungalow until after ten o’clock. Eunice appeared content to lounge around. Bill desperately needed the time to recharge.
Just outside the resort, they went horseback riding at Mountain Creek Riding Stables. Eunice mounted a small gelding named Barnaby, while Bill rode Hannibal Lecter, the backbiter. A scenic ride through the lovely Pocono woodlands revealed several feeding deer and a trail of wooden signs that labeled everything from trees to the homes of hidden animals.
“How wonderful,” Eunice cooed.
“It sure is,” Bill wheezed.
Bill felt grateful when Eunice agreed to skip the Honeymooner’s Scavenger Hunt. Instead, they lounged by the pool to get some color. It was time well spent—talking and laughing and growing in their love.
Bill jumped in for one last dip. “Hey, I just found a warm spot in the pool,” he yelled out.
Other folks looked over.
“Someone must have peed right here,” he announced.
Eunice shook her embarrassed head, while a woman beside her burst out laughing.
At dinner—as most indulged in a gluttonous buffet—noisemakers, horns and Mardi Gras beads were handed out for the upcoming festivities. Though Eunice didn’t question it, Bill only nibbled at his plate.
The masquerade party directly followed. Bill and Eunice peeked their heads in. “How ‘bout a quiet night alone?” Bill suggested, hopefully.
Eunice’s eyebrows bounced up and down a few times in some comical facial dance. “I love quiet nights alone…”
~~~
Tropical Wednesday hosted another breakfast in bed, with an afternoon movie that had close to a hundred couples cuddling. Halfway through, Bill suffered such a terrible coughing attack that he had to excuse himself twice until it finally passed. Eunice looked concerned, but he quickly waved away her worries. “I’m fine,” he fibbed and, although he was feeling worse than lousy, he decided to keep it to himself.
Dinner promised a T-bone steak for him, while Eunice opted for the lemon basil chicken. At the table, Bill explained, “The first night we took a hot tub soak, my ex-wife here misread the instructions on the bubble bath and poured in two full caps instead of one.”
Eunice laughed. “I never saw so many bubbles in my whole life,” she said. “The entire floor was soaked.”
Everyone chuckled, adding nods of understanding.
Bill shrugged. “I figured it’s not our house, so what the hell.”
Everyone laughed again.
The night rocked to the sounds of calypso music. Once again, Bill and Eunice chose to remain anti-social. A late night swim under a warm rain shower seemed much too romantic to pass up. With island music playing in the background—people laughing and having a great time—they held each other in the pool and danced.
“If you ask me,” Eunice whispered in his arms, “everyone else is missing out.”
~~~
Thursday was Roman Italian & Horror Movie Night.
After a day spent in the throes of ecstasy, the night came quickly.
Choosing chicken parmesan over tortellini for dinner, a talented fire juggler bridged perfectly into the scary movie that was being shown on the lawn. By the final scene, it started to rain.
“That’s fine with me,” Eunice said, running for cover. “I’ve seen enough.”
Back in their love shack, just as they started to doze off, Eunice leaned into her husband’s ear. “Meet me in my dreams tonight?” she whispered.
Without opening his eyes, Bill smiled. “You are always in my dreams, my love…day or night.”
~~~
On Friday, they ate a late breakfast with the rest of the world and ventured back on the highway to count down a hundred exits through the state of Connecticut—all of it on a belly full of runny eggs and greasy hash browns.
Though he felt nauseous, Bill looked over at Eunice and smiled. A full week with her had proven his newest belief: The greatest purpose of any relationship is to bring out the best in someone and share everything—experiences, wisdom, family and friends. All the love Eunice knew was now his, as well—compounded. It’s amazing, he thought. I’ve finally become the best man I can be. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. And just in time.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“For saving me from myself,” he said seriously.
She started to open her mouth but never uttered a word. Instead, she kissed his hand back and held it all the way home.
Chapter 4
On their front porch, Eunice found a bouquet of fresh sunflowers tied in purple ribbon awaiting their return. She turned and kissed her husband. “You really are something else,” she said. “God, do I love you.”
Bill smiled widely and slowly followed her into the house. His energy was dropping to an all-time low and, from the look in Eunice’s eyes, she knew it.
“It’s amazing how a few short months can change the world,” he said. And then he asked a question that nearly buckled his wife’s knees. “Are you afraid to die, Eunice?”
“No,” she quickly answered. “I wasn’t afraid to come in. I’m certainly not afraid to return home.” She thought for a moment. “I suppose I’m more afraid of being alone.”
He shook his head. “Impossible,” he said. “Angels are always with us. Just because you can’t see some things doesn’t mean they’re not there. We always have company. It’s impossible to ever be alone.”
Eunice searched her husband’s eyes. “And you?” she asked, concerned. “Are you afraid to die, Bill?”
“Not anymore.” He shook his head again. “Who would have thought that a retired entrepreneur would have learned everything he ever needed to know at the end of his road?”
“End of his road…” Eunice started, but was stopped by Bill’s index finger pressed gently against her lips.
“As you know, I spent most of my life in the office, achieving success,” he said. “I missed the lives of my children, my grandchildren. This last year, though, for whatever reason I was blessed with the precious opportunity to invest all my energy and love into another human being—into you—and to reunite with my daughters…my family. And I really believe that it might be enough to redeem my soul in the eyes of the Lord.”
Eunice’s eyes filled. “Oh Bill…”
“In this past year,” he said, cutting her off, “ I’ve proven myself more human than I was my entire lifetime and it’s the greatest gift anyone could have ever given me.” He looked on her with such love in his eyes. “Another person has finally taken priority over material objects, intangible goals and my need to accumulate material wealth. But you’ve redeemed all of that for me, Eunice.”
She held him.
“You gave me the sweetest gift…a saving grace…and my entire existence has found a real purpose because of you.” He shook his head, while his eyes filled. “Had it not been for you, Eunice, everything I’ve ever done and achieved would have added up to nothing. You’re my ticket into heaven.” He choked out the last few words and then spit something into his handkerchief.
Tears rolled down Eunice’s blushed cheeks.
“I’m a wealthy man, yet…” He grabbed for his wallet. When he opened it, there was no cash—only a photo of him and Eunice.
She kissed his cheek.
“How much money do I have in the bank?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
He grinned. “I don’t know either.
And it used to be the most important thing to me my entire life. Now it means less to me than watching an animal feed its young or a rainbow bridge the gap between two clouds.”
She hugged him tightly.
~~~
By their first wedding anniversary, Bill Stryker had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Eunice’s birthday gift of his quitting smoking had come too late.
While Bill joked, “I smoked two packs of menthols every day and inhaled enough fiberglass to make a fleet of Corvettes,” the doctor told Eunice, “I know this is difficult, Mrs. Stryker, but I’ve known Bill since we were kids. For a man of seventy-four years, he’s lived a wonderful life…especially since you came along.”
She knew the old medicine man was right, but it still didn’t help. She and Bill had only been given a few brief seasons together. And in that short time, she thought, Bill Stryker has become the air that keeps me alive.
“I’ll allow him to rest comfortably at home,” the doctor said. “But if he gets any worse…”
“Don’t you worry…I’ll look after him,” Eunice promised.
~~~
Eunice and Bill sat in silence, content to be in each other’s company. She gave him a penny. “For your thoughts,” she said.
With a smile, he reached into the nightstand, pulled out two pennies and handed them to her. “For your heart,” he said, before placing the oxygen mask back onto his face.
She sat beside him and held his hand. “Where is the one place in the world you wished you had visited?” she asked.
“Well, my dear, that’s a tough one. As long as I was with you I don’t think the location would matter.”
She kissed him. “I know, but where?”
He thought for a moment and grinned. “A shack on a deserted beach with no telephones would be one place. Long walks on a moonlit beach, hand in hand, stopping frequently for one of our intense kisses. Of course we would have to venture into town, so you could shop and I could buy you a new dress. Lunch on a veranda hovering over a busy street with someone strumming a guitar singing Jimmy Buffett tunes as we sip margaritas. With our shopping bags full and a tequila buzz, we could venture back to our love shack for some more quiet time. A week of that would be incredible.” He paused to take in some air and kiss her hand.
“Perfect,” she said with a nod.
But he wasn’t done. “A romantic trip to Paris, the city of love, would also be my choice—probably my top choice,” he said. “A long plane ride to climb inside each other’s heads and talk about everything and nothing at all, followed by checkin at a luxurious hotel with a balcony overlooking the city. There would be lots of sightseeing, shopping and wine tasting by day. But the nights, my love, would be all about us…just us. After a week of seeing all the sights but one, you take my hand and suggest we have one more stop to make before we venture home.” He stopped for a moment to breathe. “With plastic cups filled with wine, we climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower where we can see it all. With the breathtaking views before us, under a gorgeous sky, the mood would be set perfectly. As we toast to an incredible vacation, I’d look deep into your eyes and say all the things you love to hear.” He looked at her, gathering more oxygen. “Yeah, Paris is definitely my top pick. I always wanted to see Paris before I died.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “Paris.”
~~~
Two nights later, Eunice Stryker gave her dying husband Paris.
Just as Bill was wheeled into their darkened dining room by his visiting nurse, Eunice lit a candle that illuminated the room. Wearing a pretty, flowered dress, Eunice had her hair twisted back in a tight French braid. She was smiling and fighting back the tears—all at the same time. As the nurse disappeared, Bill scanned the room—which had been transformed by love—and his eyes filled with tears.
Giant posters of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe papered the walls. A hidden stereo played selected favorites by Maurice Chevalier. He and Eunice were seated at a small café table, with French bread and a small wheel of cheese before them. Even a bottle of French wine was chilling nicely. “When did you…” he began to ask when a flirtatious waitress adorned in a traditional French costume entered and poured him a glass of wine.
“Bienvenue. I’m Louise,” she announced, “and I will be your server for this eve, oui?”
“Oui,” Bill answered and chuckled. He grabbed Eunice’s hand across the table. “Merci,” he said, “merci beaucoup.”
She rose and kissed his hand.
They started with brochettes jurassienne as an appetizer, pieces of cheese wrapped in ham and fried on a skewer. It was absolutely delicious. Next came two steaming bowls of bouillabaisse, a stew-like soup with conger eel, scorpion fish, gurnet, saffron, fennel, garlic and bitter orange peel, served with garlic mayonnaise. It was equally incredible. For the main course, Eunice had ensured her husband would enjoy a variety of dishes: diots au vin blanc, pork sausages poached in white wine; crêpes, an imaginative range of savory, sweet pancakes; filet mignon de porc normande, a pork tenderloin cooked with apples and onions in cider and served with caramelized apple rings; truffade, thinly sliced potatoes with cheese through it that is then fried with bacon and garlic; and various fish dishes that ignited the palate. It was a banquet, a feast prepared for a king, and Bill indulged as much as his failing health would allow. Dessert consisted of a tray of imported chocolate truffles, delicate pastries and rich coffee. The doting waitress offered Bill a shot of Cognac for his nightcap.
“Sorry,” he said, “but I just don’t feel up to it.”
“That’s fine,” Eunice said and slid the Cognac glass away from him.
And then Bill and Eunice danced to Edith Piaf’s classic, La Vie en Rose. With Bill in his wheelchair and Eunice on her knees, they swayed to the music and clung to each other tightly, knowing this would be their last waltz. They danced and whispered sweet nothings in each other’s ears—and they cried.
It’s amazing how love can be so damn beautiful and so damn cruel, Eunice thought, all at the same time.
~~~
That night, Bill awoke in terrible pain and turned to Eunice. “It’s finally dawned on me…” He coughed hard, grabbing for his chest.
Eunice held him, waiting for the attack to cease.
“What if…in the end…our success, our worth…is…” The hacking continued.
Eunice hugged him tighter, hoping desperately to provide some sort of comfort.
Once he finally composed himself, he concluded, “…is measured by what we gave away on this Earth…and not what we accumulated?”
Eunice nodded. “What if,” she whispered, and buried her tearful face in her husband’s heaving chest.
Chapter 5
It wasn’t long before Bill Stryker was admitted into the hospital.
He gave Eunice gift certificates to the ice cream parlor for enough black raspberry to treat a good-sized island. “Before they close up shop for the season,” he explained, his words muffled behind the oxygen mask.
She hugged him.
“I know you love black raspberry, but I won’t be upset…” he took a deep breath. “…if you try a new flavor,” he said. “Maybe life’s too sweet not to?”
She smiled at his sincerity but shook her head. “No,” she said, “I’ve had enough ice cream for this lifetime.” Life felt dark and cold for Eunice as she sat by her husband’s deathbed.
Bill pulled off the confining mask. “I can still feel…”
She placed her finger to his dry lips. “Don’t talk, my love,” she said. “Save your strength.” She kissed him once and then returned the mask to his ashen face.
Even through the tremendous pain, his eyes sparkled at her. “I can still feel the warmth of your love on my face,” he said, raising his volume to ensure he was heard. “For me, the sun will always rise and set on you.”
“I love you so much,” Eunice whimpered, “and…and the thought of being without you…”
“Forever,” she promised and knelt by his side to weep.
“Don’t cry,” he panted. “You’ll always be my sunshine…and I know that as much as…I’ve ever known anything.” He searched her eyes. “Together forever, right?”
She nodded. “I can’t say goodbye.”
“Good,” he wheezed, “because there is no goodbye. Now go home and get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She kissed him with every ounce of the love she felt for him. “Goodnight, my love,” she whispered in his ear, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
With a wink, he strapped the oxygen mask back onto his face and struggled to fill his broken lungs.
~~~
The disease’s appetite became voracious, and it didn’t take long for it to devour any healthy cells that remained.
Bill warned his family not to sit in the rocking chair that sat in the corner.
“Why?” Eunice asked.
“Mama comes to visit me now.”
“Do you see her?” she asked. “Do you talk to her?” Everyone was curious whether the claim was the result of delirium or other things unseen.
He shook his head. “I feel her presence. I’d know her in a crowded room,” he rasped, “before I ever set eyes on her.” A tired grin completed his explanation.
They said they believed. And while the family churned through their emotions, Bill lay there in his unbearable pain and smiled at things they couldn’t see.
While Bill rewound his life and played it out, Eunice told him about the whispers on the wind. “We wait for great signs from the Lord—tornadoes and hurricanes and thunder. All the while, the Lord holds us safely in His bosom and whispers in our ear. We’re too busy kicking and screaming to ever hear Him though. If we could just learn to be still for a moment, that moment may be all we’ll ever need to find the answers we seek—the peace He intended for us.”
Just in Time Page 3