by Jim Wetton
“But I really wish I was leaving you and the children something, just something. It’s kinda what you do when you die, isn’t it? Look at Uncle Charles’ kin. Look what they left to Henry. Me? I’ll be leaving you a bunch of fat squirrels and a family of guineas. I don’t even own the house I live in.”
Lizzy stopped and shook her head. “I’m poor, child, and am far too old to do anything about it, so there you have it.”
Nellie held firm to Lizzy’s hand thinking she was through, but then Lizzy added, “I’m mighty sorry, Nellie, mighty sorry.”
Nellie reached up with her one free hand and turned her mother’s chin towards her. She paused and looked into Lizzy’s now-graying eyes and replied, “Momma, we’ll have you; that’s more than enough.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
War at Home is Hell
1918
Dearest Father and Mother,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and you are keeping up with the news over here. We finally landed in France after several weeks in England doing the last of our training. I’m writing to you from the front lines, though they’ve asked me, or I should say, ordered me, not to divulge my exact whereabouts. Living in a trench is a far cry from the comforts of my home on Dupont Circle, but I’m getting by. I’ve been trained by this really tough gent who goes by the name Gunter, but I just call him Sarge. He and I have actually become quite friendly to each other so he keeps an eye on me so you shouldn’t worry.
I’ve seen a half a dozen battles thus far, the last one being the roughest, hence my need to write. We were at the ready stage, guns loaded and bayonets engaged. No one expected what happened next. All of a sudden, our trenches were filled with gas. Don’t know where it came from but it filled our trenches within seconds. My friends, Hector Marsden and Michael Prazo both fell at my feet, gasping for air. I dropped my weapon and reached for them until the gas filled my lungs like a burning flame. The next thing I remember, I was lying on a hospital cot far behind the lines. The doctors said that I still have a ways to go, but they wanted me to tell you that I was one of the lucky ones. Well, please give my love to my sisters and to the two of you. I sent a separate letter to Adeline, but in case it doesn’t arrive, please tell her that I’m planning on asking her a very important question when I return; I think you may guess what that might be. For now, I will go back to resting. I’ll write again when I can.
Much Love,
Teddy
Nellie folded up the letter and placed it into Henry’s hands and squeezed them tight. She took an old cloth off his forehead and replaced it with a newer and cooler one. She leaned over and raised her mask to kiss him but his hand caught her and he forced her back.
“P . . . put the mask b-back on, Nellie.” Henry’s voice was strained as he dropped his hand back on the bed. Nellie got up and went into the living room to cry. She didn’t want Henry to see her falling apart.
The latest pandemic of influenza had hit the eastern part of the United States the hardest. Every city and rural community had been affected. Henry’s condition continued to decline as well as Nellie’s daughter Hannah and her husband Paul.
Hannah and Paul had moved back from New York City into a small home only five doors down from Nellie and Henry’s. Paul’s business went bankrupt when half of his hedge fund went under and as hard as he tried, his clients all left him and he had to close his doors.
He had recently begun working for a congressman from Virginia as an intern. The pay was minimal, but as Paul told Hannah, “The man has aspirations of sitting in the Oval, so you never know, we may just be moving into the West Wing someday.”
Hannah had no quarrel on moving back to D.C. To her, it was home and soon it would be home to their first child once he or she was born.
“It’ll be a girl,” Hannah had announced when they finally got settled. “I’m a Monroe. We have girls; that’s all there is to it.”
Nellie’s concerns for her family were overwhelming. She didn’t know who to help first. She had thought of bringing Hannah and Paul over to her home to better nurse them, but the doctor insisted on keeping them separate. “Can’t take the chance that they have separate strains of the same virus or different viruses all together” was all he’d said.
“How’s he doing?” Nellie turned at the sound of Lizzy’s voice. She was sitting in a chair, her head resting on the back.
“Momma, for Christ’s sake, what are you doing here?” Nellie screamed out in tears. “I’m losing him! I can’t afford to lose you too, so please go home!”
“Child, they actually say that the old and feeble are faring much better from this virus than the young and strong; don’t know why, but that’s what they’re saying. I’m here to help and there’ll be no argument.”
Lizzy got up and walked over to Nellie and hugged her. Days of worry and fear were almost more than either could bear.
“I told Adeline to stay home at your house, keep her mask handy and don’t answer the door to anyone, not even the mail boy. Speaking of the mail boy, did you hear that Billy Horton passed the other day? Such a shame to lose that young man. Don’t know if Nancy Lee’s heard, but you might want to be prepared for her reaction.”
Lizzy peeked into their bedroom and could see Henry’s chest heaving up and down in a desperate attempt to breathe, trying to gasp for air. She put her hand on her chest and felt a sharp pain developing. No, don’t, Lizzy; gotta be strong for Nellie.
“How’s Hannah and Paul faring; check on them lately?” Lizzy asked, still looking at Henry.
“They’re, uh I mean, they’re, oh dear God, Momma!” Nellie collapsed to the floor erupting into a fit of anguish. She wailed and cried as Lizzy knelt down beside her.
“They’re just as bad as Henry, Momma! What is happening; oh God, what is happening!?”
* * * *
Nellie sat in a chair and opened the envelope. She looked at the return address and it had been blacked out, but she knew whose handwriting was on the cover. Before she began to read, she adjusted the damp cloth over Henry’s eyes and sat back down.
“It’s from Teddy, Henry.”
Nellie searched for Henry’s faint smile before she began to read.
She inhaled deep and pleaded to God for strength.
Dearest Mother and Father,
I’m back on the front lines again. Still with a sore throat and a cough, but nothing compared to how it once was. I’m hoping you all are doing well. We don’t get much mail out here, but I did hear something about a bad case of the flu going around. Make sure you keep an eye on Nana for me; she promised me a big hug when I returned.
Papa, you’d be so proud of me; I was cornered in a trench by two Germans but I tricked them and shot em both dead. I told you, Papa. I could take care of myself. Can’t wait to tell you all about it; it’s that same trick you taught me when I was a kid, remember? Bend, twist, cough and then shoot? Well, Papa, it worked, by golly, it worked.
Nellie paused from reading and looked at Henry. There appeared to be a smile on his face as he labored with his breathing with his eyes closed.
“You taught him that?” Nellie asked with a snicker.
Nellie could barely hear a grunt and noticed another smile.
“You boys. What am I going to do with the two of you?” Nellie looked back down at the letter and could see her hands shaking. She took in another deep breath. It was difficult with the mask covering her mouth.
“Damn mask!”
Nellie saw Henry slowly shake his head and barely raise his hand as if telling her “no.”
“I won’t, as much as I’d like to,” Nellie’s voice echoed under the mask.
Another smile appeared on Henry’s face.
I didn’t tell you, but I ran into a town friend of mine. His name is Curtis Hamilton. Don’t know if you both know of him, but he once tried to convince me to take flying lessons. I, of course, chickened out, but he proceeded and got his wings. When I met up with him, he tol
d me that he was in a squadron with Lt. Eddie Rickenbacker. Don’t know if you know of him, but he’s a world-class hero over here and an ace pilot. Curtis said that he’s shot down six planes so far himself; nothing compared to Rickenbacker’s number, but enough to brag about back home. Only thing I can brag about is how many Krauts I’ve killed, but I’ll wait to fill in the details when I’m alone with you, Papa. No offense, Momma, but it’s a guy thing, OK?
Nellie looked at Henry and was comforted at the sight of his smile. “He’s a chip off the ol’ block, you know that, don’t you?”
She smiled as he nodded his head slowly in agreement. She adjusted his cloth and squeezed his hand before turning back to the letter.
I do think you’d both be real proud of me, and Papa, I’m so glad you encouraged me to come. You’re right, it makes a boy a man right quickly and the most important thing I want to do is to make my father proud of me.
Nellie’s voice cracked. She took off her mask and wiped her nose with her hanky before replacing it and continuing.
Well, they say that you may or may not get some of my mail. Sometimes in spurts and some all at once, sorry. Heard we’re making great strides and the back’s been broken on the German army, so, with that being said, I may be seeing you a lot sooner than we expected. I’d like that. I miss you, Momma. I miss you, Papa and remind Adeline about that question coming. Oh, and Papa. Would you honor me by being the best man at my wedding?”
Love you
Teddy
Nellie slowly folded Teddy’s letter and placed it into the envelope. She turned it over and studied his handwriting on the front.
“He writes like you.”
Nellie moved her eyes from the envelope over to Henry. She froze when she realized that Henry had stopped breathing. She removed the cloth from his eyes and stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. She took her mask off as tears began to fall. She bent over and kissed him, not caring what might happen. She combed her hands through his hair and bent down and placed her cheek against his.
“I love you, Mr. Monroe; I love you so very much!” She caressed his chest with the palm of her hand. “You rest now, my dear, you rest now.”
Nellie laid her head on Henry’s chest and cried until there were no more tears to shed. She was startled by the phone. She had no energy to answer it so she just let it ring. It stopped but within a few seconds it rang again. Nellie sighed, wiped off her cheek and proceeded into the living room to answer the call.
“Momma?”
“Bonnie?”
“Oh, dear God, Momma. They’re, oh God, Momma, they’re both gone!”
Bonnie’s panicked voice sent an electric shock through Nellie’s body. She couldn’t comprehend what Bonnie was talking about.
“Bonnie, slow down! What? Who?”
“Momma, Hannah and Paul . . . they’re dead!”
Nellie collapsed to the floor, the phone falling with her.
“Momma? Momma?” Bonnie’s voice echoed through the receiver.
* * * *
The combined funeral was simple. The mortuary had no resources left. Since the pandemic began, they’d wiped out all of their supplies. Henry, Hannah and Paul were all buried in plain pine caskets and left to rest in the city’s cemetery three miles north of Dupont Circle. Lizzy rode with Nellie and held her hand. Her face was blank and pale. Her voice was monotone at best. Bonnie and Nancy Lee rode with Molly and the third car, which was much larger, carried Edith and Woodrow Wilson.
The service was kind to the deceased and to their family. The pastor reminded everyone that there was a season for all and everyone had a season. He shared a prayer to the ones in front of him but also to the millions that had succumbed to the pandemic and to those who were still suffering.
Upon leaving the cemetery and getting into the car, Nellie stared out the window, her black veil covering her eyes. “It’s damn time to get Teddy home, Momma!”
Lizzy just listened.
“It’s also time to get this damn suffragist thing done, once and for all.”
Lizzy continued to listen.
“I deserve it. You deserve it. Hell, we all deserve something good to happen to us. Look how much we’ve lost, how much you’ve lost.”
“We’ll get there, dear.” Lizzy spoke softly, then began humming an old favorite hymn to herself.
“How you can stay so positive, focused and patient is beyond me. I’d have quit years ago if I were you,” Nellie remarked to her mother with wonder. “Count who we’ve lost for Christ’s sake. Papa, James, Katherine, Uncle Johnny Russell, William, John Charles, Andrew, Adeline’s father and Caroline. How much more does God want us to endure?”
“You forgot, Henry, Hannah and Paul; let’s not forget them if that’s what we’re doing here,” Lizzy replied firmly.
“I don’t get it, Momma!” Nellie raised her voice as she turned towards Lizzy. “How can you be so calm about everyone we’ve lost? What’s the gain? What the hell’s the purpose?”
“We are not into this, as you say, for a pity party. There’s no one who should feel sorry for us. God is with us and He has given us time on this Earth to do what He has planned. Be it for a day, a week or several years, when it’s His time for us to go back to Him then it’s time and we must accept that and continue to strive forward. We all still have so much to live for, Nellie, and to be thankful for.”
“Like what?”
“Well, for one thing, I’m very thankful to be sitting right here next to you as we go through this together. You’re my daughter whom I love dearly and together, we, you and I are going to make a mark on this world that our children will remember for generations to come.
“Yes, we have had pain. Yes, we have had hardship and loss. But, let’s not dishonor those that we have lost by giving up, no, not at all. They are rooting us on to victory, just as my great-grandmother Hannah roots us on with the words she wrote to us. Trust me, dear, your pain will subside. It’ll take some time, but it will subside and when it does, it’ll be time to get back at what your calling has been, whatever that calling is.”
Lizzy lifted Nellie’s veil so she could see her face. “It’s all right to cry, child. Just don’t let those tears be tears of defeat. Let them always be tears of determination. I may have lost a lot of loved ones in my time, but the way I look at it, those are now my cast of soldiers riding beside me until our task here on Earth has been completed. You got that?”
“You should have been a preacher or a politician, Momma,” Nellie said meekly.
“Yikes, not a politician, no ma’am!” Lizzy jerked back and laughed out loud. “Maybe a preacher, though.” She softened at the fond memories of her father. “Now that has a nice ring to it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Time to Come Home
1918
ARMISTICE DAY
ARMISTICE SIGNED, END OF THE WAR! BERLIN
SEIZED BY REVOLUTIONIST
NEW CHANCELLOR BEGS FOR ORDER
OUSTED KAISER FLEES TO HOLLAND
ON 11 NOVEMBER, AN ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED BETWEEN THE ALLIES OF WORLD WAR I AND GERMANY AT COMPIEGNE, FRANCE, FOR THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES ON THE WESTERN FRONT OF THE WAR TO END ALL WARS. THE ARMISTICE TOOK PLACE AT ELEVEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, HENCE THE “ELEVENTH HOUR OF THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH” OF 1918. THIS DATE SHALL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AND BE REMEMBERED FROM THIS DAY FORWARD.
THE GREAT WAR IS OVER.
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS HAS COME TO AN END!
“Well what do you think about that, Teddy?” Lizzy folded up the newspaper and handed it over to Roosevelt. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted to have dinner with you again. It’s been far too long, my friend, far too long.”
“Yes, it has Lizzy, far too long,” Roosevelt replied as he tucked the newspaper back into his coat pocket. “It’s going to be bully of a holiday season after all, isn’t it?”
Roosevelt looked at Lizzy and noticed the far-away look in her e
yes.
He could see that Lizzy, though younger than most in spirit, was beginning to show her true age. Her eyes were grey as was her hair. She spoke in short sentences, mostly to catch her breath in between. She had trouble holding on to her silverware, though she usually waved off the waiter’s attempt to assist.
“What is it, my dear?” Roosevelt asked as he brought a snifter of brandy to his lips. “You look as beautiful as ever but you seem a hundred miles away. War is over; your grandson is coming home; your quest for woman’s suffrage has reignited and you’re having dinner with the next president of the United States.”
Lizzy couldn’t help but laugh at that last comment. “Do tell me, sir. President? Again? 1920? At your age?”
“Oh, come on, fair lady; I’m still a spring chicken. Didn’t you hear of my travels up the Amazon with my son?”
“Yes, and I heard they had to carry you out before the devil could take you home.”
“No, that’s where you’re wrong, my dear,” Roosevelt laughed as he took another sip. “The devil has no hold on this Roosevelt. No ma’am, God’s in my corner and I go where He directs and that’s straight to the White House in 1920.”
“Ha! Pray tell, good man, pray tell,” Lizzy laughed again.
“I’d be a shoo-in if we could just get you women the vote,” Roosevelt pleaded. “Odd though, the House passed the amendment in May and here we are, still stalled. Wilson’s no help; he’d rather give up the country to Germany than to give the right to vote to any woman. I’m surprised his wife stands by his side, the bigot.”
“Now, now Teddy,” Lizzy tried to calm him down. “You do know that Edith is my dear friend and I have the utmost confidence that she’s standing right beside us on our desire to vote. They probably even discuss it at dinner every night, if I know Edith. No, it’ll come, trust me; and when it does I’m sure all of my lady friends and I would be proud to vote you in for another term. Yes, quite proud.”
“That’s just bully, Lizzy; because I do plan to announce my candidacy the first part of the new year; just don’t say anything quite yet. Agreed?”