“You don’t really need to go back,” Dale said, taking my hands in his own. “Stay here.”
A tiny gasp of laughter escaped before I could stop it. “I’m sorry, Dale. I can’t stay here. There’s nothin’ here for me. I need to get back. Mother Elizabeth is holdin’ down the fort, and she won’t be able to do it by herself much longer. I have a job to go back to, and I need to make sure there’s money to feed the kids. Stayin’ here isn’t an option.”
“Sure it is. Just hear me out.”
“Dale.” I smiled. “I’m not like you. I don’t have the ability to make the same choices you do. I have four children and my mother to care for. I gotta get back.”
“What if you didn’t have to do it by yourself?”
“Lots of what-ifs in this world, Dale. The fact is, this is my reality. I can’t play what-ifs, or my children starve.”
“Let me say this differently, then. What if someone else was to take on that burden for you? What if someone else was to make sure the children were fed and clothed?”
“Sure.” I laughed. “That’d be great. What if money fell from the sky? I don’t see that happenin’.”
“You’re not listening, so I’ll try again. Marry me. I have more than enough for myself and two families. Bring the children, and move up here with me. You could stop working and stop worrying about where the money’s gonna come from.”
Mrs. Watkins had warned me, but his words were still a shock. I had no idea how to respond.
“Ya don’t know what you’re askin’, Dale. I have four children. Not to mention my mother—I can’t leave her behind. Then I owe money to the ladies who helped me get here. It would be too much. Ya don’t know what you’re gettin’ into.”
“Bring your mother with you. There’s room. The house is large enough. Say yes. Let me marry you. You wouldn’t have to worry about food or clothing. You can quit working. Let someone take care of you for a while.”
“But you’ve not even met my children …”
“So, I’ll do that first. Let me take you home on Saturday. I’ll meet your children and your mother. I know I’ll like them; but if this will set your mind at ease, I’ll do it. I’m forty-three, and I not only know what I want, but I’m not getting any younger; and I’m not patient enough to wait around in hopes something better comes along. I enjoy your company. You make me laugh and … I’m in love with you.”
“I—I don’t know what to say,” I replied.
“Then don’t say anything yet. Let me take you home on Saturday and meet your family. See how we get along. Then give me an answer. Will you do that?”
I nodded. “I can do that, I think.”
Smiling, Dale squeezed my hands. “Excellent! I knew I could win you over.”
I laughed. “I’m not won over yet, but I’ll give ya a chance.”
We spent the rest of the meal discussing every topic imaginable. Dale made it difficult to think of anything other than what the future might hold as his wife. After dinner, he took me dancing for the first time. I’d tried to beg off, telling him what an awful dancer I was, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. With no radio at home, I neither knew the music nor the dance steps, but I enjoyed learning. Dale was patient, and had a good sense of humor.
We arrived back at Mrs. Watkins’s home at shortly after midnight. Walking me to the door, Dale stopped short and pulled me into his arms. “Think about what I said. I meant every word. I think you and I would be good together.”
“I will,” I said, stepping away. I smiled all the way into the house and long after I’d closed the door behind me.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
ETHAN’S LAST INJECTION WENT AS WELL AS could be expected. It was so hard watching my strong boy suffer the pain of the needle those three weeks, and I hoped time would heal the emotional wounds suffered by each horrific visit. We finally headed home on Saturday, October 19th—three weeks and four days since the morning we’d headed to Oklahoma City.
The ride home seemed short compared to the bus ride out. Perhaps it was faster in Dale’s vehicle, or maybe I was nervous at the reception we’d receive with Dale in tow. I only knew I was ready to see my family, and get Ethan back into his own environment.
Pulling into the driveway of our home in El Reno, Dale turned to me, took my hand, and kissed my knuckles. “Are you ready?”
“I think so.” I turned to wake Ethan in the back seat while Dale emerged from the driver’s side and came around to open my door.
“Ethan, wake up. We’re home,” I said.
Content to finally be home, Ethan smiled before his eyes were even fully opened.
I had just emerged from the passenger seat when my children came piling out of the house with Mother Elizabeth following.
“You’re home! How’s Ethan? We missed y’all!” Their questions came all at once, one over the other, as they raced toward us.
“Careful,” I said. “Ethan’s still recoverin’ from his last injection. Give him a day or two to regain his full strength.”
“It’s good to have ya home.” Mother Elizabeth stepped close and placed both hands on my cheeks. “We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too—all y’all.”
Stepping back, Mother Elizabeth glanced at Dale and smiled. “And who is this? I hope you’re plannin’ to introduce us!”
I smiled. “Mother Elizabeth, please meet Dr. Dale Greene. He’s been Ethan’s physician, and my friend. Dale, please meet my mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Kirk.”
“Mrs. Kirk.” Dale bowed and, lifting her hand, raised it to his lips and placed a brief kiss upon her knuckles. “It’s a pleasure.”
Mother Elizabeth flushed pink. With only a few words, he’d already charmed her. It would take even less time to charm the children.
Dale stayed through the weekend then returned to Oklahoma City early Monday morning. The night before he left, we sat on the porch swing long after the children had gone to bed. I’d both anticipated and dreaded the conversation that would follow. It was time to make a decision.
Never one to waste time, Dale asked, “So, what do you think, Victoria?”
“I think I’m happy to be home.” I grinned. “I hadn’t realized how much I missed the children. It’s good to see Ethan back in the fold.”
“Agreed. It’s fun to see him interact with the others. You have amazing children, Victoria. They’re like their own little universe, each protecting the other from outside forces. Ethan was clearly missing that while you were away.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “They’ve not had it easy since their daddy died. They’ve become inseparable since their older brothers and sisters moved away. They seem to hold tight to each other for fear of losin’ one more. They’re just children, but they’ve seen too much.”
“They’ve grown up quickly, I take it. I’d like to make their lives easier. I want to lift the burden of their worries. And yours. Let me do that, Victoria. The children seem to like me, and I know you and I would make a great pair. Let me lift some of the burden you’ve lived with these last several years, and make your life easier. Marry me.”
Though I’d expected this question to resurface, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t love Dale. I enjoyed his company, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever love him. My heart still belonged to Will, and I couldn’t see a day in my future where that would change. Yet Dale could make our lives so much easier. He could ease the burden of my constant worry over money. He would make certain the children ate full meals again. How could I say no to this opportunity placed in front of me? How could I deny my children the chance at a better life? Dale could offer the boys, and maybe even Gracie, college. If not college for Gracie, at least an opportunity to marry more successfully than our current situation predicted. I didn’t know if I could love Dale, but I thought I could make him happy. In the bargain, my children could have a better life. Coming to a decision, I smiled.
“When?” I asked.
“You’re saying yes? Is that
a yes?”
“Yes!” I grinned. “When?”
“When? Right now! Marry me right now!”
“It’s late at night! I can’t marry ya right this minute!” I laughed.
“Tomorrow, then.”
“Tomorrow’s Monday, and you have appointments. And I need time to tell the children, and get our things together. Friday? We could have a civil ceremony at the courthouse, then go back with you Friday night. Could ya get away on Friday?”
“For you, I could do anything!” Dale placed a leisurely kiss upon my lips.
It was decided. I had less than a week to prepare the children and Mother Elizabeth, then pack our things and be ready for Friday. Time and again, I asked myself if I was making the right decision. Each time, I reminded myself it wasn’t only what Dale wanted, but what was best for my children. With Dale as their stepfather, they’d have opportunities Will and I had never dreamed possible.
As we said our goodbyes the next morning, Dale handed me an envelope filled with large bills. “Go shopping while I’m gone. Replace your wardrobe and the children’s, and don’t forget your mother. Burn the clothes you’ve been wearing. They’re tattered and over-worn. It’s time you became accustomed to looking the part of a doctor’s family. I’ll be back on Friday morning, and I want you to pack only your new clothing and those things you absolutely must take with you. Understood?”
I couldn’t help but smile. I hated not having money, and we’d soon have enough to buy decent clothing and food. But I just couldn’t burn the clothes we had worn all these years. After not having anything for so long, the idea of waste made me ill.
With a brief hug and a swift kiss, Dale was gone. I stood in the driveway for long moments after watching him drive away. After a while, Mother Elizabeth came out to join me.
“You’re sure this is what you want?” she asked.
“Definitely,” I replied. “It’s an opportunity for all of us. Most of our friends are still livin’ hand to mouth. We have a chance to escape; to live a better life.”
“I don’t really need to go with ya,” she said. “I’m fine here.”
“Oh, yes, ya do! The children need you. I need you. Please say you’ll go with us!”
“Only if you’re sure,” she replied.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
THE NEXT SEVERAL days flew by in a flurry of preparations. The children were excited to have new clothing, not to mention new shoes and better food on the table. Soon it was Friday morning, and Dale would arrive. We were about to begin the next phase of our lives.
We didn’t pack much, as there was very little worth packing save a few well-loved mementos. With all of us moving to Oklahoma City, Mother Elizabeth loaned the use of our house to a family of nine from the church. She didn’t want the house standing vacant, and the family had recently lost everything when the bank foreclosed on their property. They’d been living in the chicken coop of a nearby neighbor, and the house would give them a real place to live. We couldn’t help them with food and jobs, but a home to live in, free and clear, would do for them a great deal.
Dale left enough money for me to reimburse the Misses Delaney; and it was with both a heavy heart, and no small amount of relief, that I repaid their loan. Ever gracious to the end, the two ladies embraced me and wished me happiness.
On Wednesday before the wedding, Julianne and Earl came to town for a short and unexpected visit. I was elated to see them, and had feared we’d leave before saying goodbye. With no vehicle or telephone, I’d worried I’d be telling them of our move by letter. Julianne’s surprise visit came at exactly the right time.
“I can’t believe you’re doin’ this! What d’ya even know of him?” Julianne asked.
“I know as much about him as I knew about Will before we wed,” I replied. “Maybe more.”
“D’ya love him?”
I didn’t know how to answer this question. I didn’t want to lie, but stating the truth seemed so base and callous. “He’s been good to me,” I said instead. “He loves the children, and they seem to’ve accepted him. He says he loves me. He can give the children things I could never have hoped for before. It’s not about money, exactly, but the fact I won’t have to worry anymore. That alone makes a world of difference.”
“I can understand that,” she replied. “You’re sure ya wanna take Mama with ya? She can come live with us, if you’re worried about her livin’ alone.”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “I want her to come with us. She’s given so much to me. This is my chance to give back.”
“Sounds like ya have everything worked out. Are ya happy?”
“I think I will be.”
“Then I’m happy for ya,” she said, pulling me into a hug.
I DID BURN one thing before we left—those patchwork quilts. Each square of fabric brought back painful memories of what we hadn’t had. I hated them, and I couldn’t stand to see them another moment. Using a burn barrel in the backyard, I stood outside the night before Dale’s arrival, feeding each quilt to the fire until there was nothing left but ashes.
Friday morning came faster than I’d expected. At nine o’clock sharp, Dale arrived with a huge smile and a bouquet of yellow roses. They were beautiful, but seeing them brought a pang of sorrow. I missed Will. I missed his smile and the dimple in his cheek. I missed the way he interacted with the children, and the way we’d cuddle late into the night discussing the day’s events. And I missed those damned black-eyed Susans he’d always presented me. I couldn’t see any flower—much less a yellow flower—without remembering Will and the black-eyed Susans.
Today I would erase the last of Will’s presence from our lives, and replace it with new memories. For a moment I doubted my decision. I didn’t want to forget Will. I didn’t want the children to forget him. But Dale was our salvation. The children had been hungry and poor for too long. This was my chance to give them the life they deserved.
I said a silent prayer to Will, asking his forgiveness for what I was about to do. A sudden warmth and peace settled over me, and my doubt was erased. Somehow, I knew Will approved. This is what he would’ve wanted for us. Squaring my shoulders, I walked with Dale toward his vehicle in the driveway.
“You ready?” Dale asked, opening my door for me. The grin on his face was contagious and I couldn’t help but smile in return.
“Ready,” I told him.
Leaving the children at home to finish packing, we left for the courthouse with Mother Elizabeth as our witness. At shortly after 10:00 a.m. on October 25, 1935, Dale and I were pronounced man and wife. I was now Mrs. Dale Elijah Greene.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF OUR MARRIAGE seemed like something out of a fairy tale. We moved to Dale’s large house on the corner of Drury Lane and Nichols Road, just north of Oklahoma City-proper. Only a few years old, Nichols Hills was founded by a colleague of Dale’s and consisted of beautiful large houses on vast plots of land. Having lived in poverty for so long, the extravagance of Dale’s home overwhelmed us all at first. Soon, though, the children made friends at their new school, and they settled in as though they’d never known poverty.
For myself, I would never forget how poor we’d been, or the hardships we’d endured. As a result, I struggled to form relationships with our affluent neighbors. Instead, I renewed my acquaintance with Mrs. Watkins, and reintroduced her to Mother Elizabeth. The two women had known each other in passing many years before, but our proximity and my relationship with both women easily brought the two of them together as close friends.
After the first few weeks together, Dale began to change. The changes were subtle at first, and I thought it was my imagination. He didn’t like the way I’d arranged my hair, or perhaps I spent too much time in conversation with the butcher. Little things. Things that were easily shrugged off but, together, should’ve raised a red flag. With each new incident, the changes were more pronounced. He started criticizing my spe
ech, correcting my grammar at every turn. He began gathering the mail, insisting I not touch it until he’d gone through it. I wasn’t allowed to answer the telephone; it was always to be answered by him when he was home. Once, I ran into a colleague of his I’d met at a dinner party, and he wanted a detailed description of where and how I’d happened to run into him. What was I doing at that particular store at that time of day? I cast all of his behavior up to new husband jitters. I overlooked the behavior and tried harder to appease him in an effort to relieve his concerns.
Our first big disagreement came after attending a dinner party for some of Dale’s colleagues at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Harper. I’d had a lovely time, and had enjoyed the company of the many couples present. But, on the way home, Dale found fault with everything I’d said and done.
“Did you have a nice time?” he’d asked.
“It was lovely,” I replied.
“You spent a lot of time locked in conversation with Dr. Henderson.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “I enjoyed talking to him.”
“What did you talk about?”
“You were there for most of it.” I shrugged. “We talked about the children, mostly. Will’s older children, that is. He had some family who moved to California a couple of years ago. We were mostly discussing where they’d relocated, and whether our two families were anywhere in the same vicinity.”
“I don’t like it.”
I was surprised by his words. “What don’t you like?”
“Any of it. Will’s dead, and his kids have moved. They’re no longer part of your life. They’re not your kids. Never were. I don’t like how intimately you were talking to John Henderson. The two of you left both his wife and me out of the conversation entirely.”
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