by Linda Ellen
He started the car, reminding himself to be grateful for small things – in that the vandals hadn’t gone so far as to tamper with the engine – and reached to switch on the radio.
The couple’s eyes met and they smiled at the good omen when the opening notes to their new song, You and I, began to immediately play.
All was right, once again, with their world.
‡
CHAPTER 10
Summer Sparkin’ and The Dance Contest
And summer rolled on…
The family received the news that Edna had delivered her first child with her Filipino husband, a precious little girl they named Conchita. It had pained Lilly greatly that she couldn’t scrape the money together for the ticket when Edna had sent a telegram requesting that Lilly take the train to be with her for the delivery. The Hoskins did, however, manage a long-distance telephone call to the proud parents. A week later, Sonny and Sara had their own baby girl, Joyce, who was born with fine but abundant wisps of sunshine hair inherited from her daddy. The birth had been difficult for Sara, and the greatly concerned extended family had stood vigil at the hospital for over twelve hours. Thankfully, both mother and baby eventually came out of the ordeal just fine, as did little Joyce’s Papa. Sonny was, indeed, the image of the proud father, making the rounds handing out Roi-Tan cigars from the box of ‘patches’ his sister had procured for him.
Week after week, Louise stopped by the lawyer’s office after work on Fridays to make a five-dollar payment, making sure to get a receipt in writing. With each one she stashed away in her box of treasures, she felt that much freer from what she had, for four long years, thought would be her lot in life – marriage to a man she could barely tolerate. She didn’t want anything to go wrong or delay the divorce. Now, she worked hard at her job, and she gave a large part of her paycheck toward rent, food, and other necessities to help support her mother and Billy, keeping back just a little for her own needs.
Meanwhile, Vic continued on with driving for B-Line Cab Company, but the money only trickled in. Sometimes he wondered if the dispatcher was somehow funneling the big tippers to the drivers who had been with the company the longest – or perhaps that the man did that in exchange for a small percentage of the largest tips. Either way, there was no way to prove it. However, ever so often he would luck out and get hailed as he drove by some fat cats coming out of the Brown – the kind whose ladies were dripping in diamonds and mink while the men sported top hats and expensive suits – and a tip from them usually equaled what he made in commission the rest of the week.
Lilly had mellowed out after that first week of watching little Tommy, and no longer protested when it came to looking after him so that Louise and Vic could spend some time alone. Privately, Vic figured the woman was a bit jealous of Irene. Louise couldn’t seem to avoid singing Irene’s praises, and each time, Vic would notice Lilly’s facial expressions giving away her true feelings. He wondered why the woman at times still displayed such a sour disposition. She was a hard one to figure out, her moods seeming to swing from sweet, helpful, and loving – to grouchy, difficult, and harsh. The young couple made it a point to make themselves scarce during occasions of the latter.
The sweethearts also had begun attending Doc’s church each Sunday, although if Vic were truthful he would admit that he found as much enjoyment from sitting close to Louise on a pew toward the back of the sanctuary and listening to her sweet voice singing the hymns as he did Doc’s sermons. However, Doc’s lively narratives did help lift his spirits and keep his hope kindled – his hope for a bright, prosperous, and happy future. He had not been raised to go to church or believe in God and had yet to even crack open a Bible to read it for himself, but he had to admit he always enjoyed the way Doc could weave verses and lessons from the Bible together with stories from his seemingly never-ending supply of adventures. The combination worked wonderfully, his points always hitting home and staying with the listener longer than just minutes after walking out into the light of day. Indeed, like a smorgasbord, his sermons seemed to include nuggets for everyone and Vic was always glad to raise his hand and nod with an “Amen” when Doc would bellow out at the end of the service, “How many are glad you came to church today?”
Many times after church was over, Vic, Louise and Tommy would hop into Vic’s car and take a leisurely drive. Sometimes they would cruise down River Road until it weaved its way southward and away from the river, only turning back toward the city when it connected with Highway 42 and nothing but farm land. A couple of times, they went across the Second Street Bridge to explore parts of Southern Indiana. Once, they headed south into Bullitt County. But most of the time, they would opt for what had become ‘their’ favorite spot – his once private place at the river’s edge. There, they walked together with Tommy happily suspended between them or riding high atop Vic’s shoulders. Tommy particularly loved to pick up treasures buried in the thin stretch of sand at the water’s edge, and his excited squeals and giggles never failed to bring joy to the hearts of his mother and Vic. Sometimes they would even bring along a picnic basket and several quilts, and after lunch the couple would spend relaxed time lying together, staring at the clouds overhead and whispering of their dreams and longings as Louise’s little boy lay napping nearby.
They also spent those blissful hours sharing with one another their family histories, secrets of their early years, and any information they happened to remember.
One afternoon, Vic shared with Louise about the many and varied tragedies of his childhood.
“One evenin’ in Evansville, after supper, me, Al, and Goldie were playin’ cards and he got to talkin’ about our family…things nobody’d ever told me before,” Vic paused, rolling onto his side on the quilt, facing Louise.
She turned her head, gazing at him silently, adoringly. As she listened, her eyes caressed his handsome features – from the long black lashes framing those warm brown eyes, to his tanned face… the strong jaw line and straight white teeth… and the dimples that appeared each time he would glance her way and bless her with one of his adorable grins.
“Like what things,” she murmured when he paused to stare past her shoulder, his eyes no longer seeing their surroundings, but visions in the memories.
He breathed in and reached past the edge of the quilt to a small patch of grass. Plucking one blade, he brought it to his mouth to chew. “Like I had another brother…one younger than me. He passed away…don’t know what from…he’d lived only two months, and my mom went two months after that. That made three children that had died as infants. Al said Dad always said she died of a broken heart from too many of her babies leavin’ this world too soon.” He sighed sadly, his thoughts slipping into the sorrow that had plagued most of his life. “His name was Daniel…same as my grandpa I never knew, Dad’s dad. I wonder…I wonder what it woulda been like, havin’ a younger brother to play with, do things with…talk to…” He was silent for quite a while as images and fantasies of what could have been swam through his mind.
Finally, Louise moved one hand to touch his arm, giving it a soft caress with the tips of her fingers. “I’m sorry Vic…I wish he would have lived…and your mom, too. I wish I could have met her.”
Vic’s eyes refocused and he turned his head to meet her gaze, his expression showing his appreciation for her empathy better than mere words could ever do. The depth of her feelings for him and for the pain he had suffered warmed him and once again filled up the emptiness in his heart, sweeping away the familiar melancholy that had tried to roll back onto his soul. But he had no reason to feel any of that any more. Louise was his angel, the savior of his heart, and his main reason for living. He knew that with her in his life and by his side, he would never feel loneliness again.
He brought up his left hand, gently smoothing back a lock of her soft hair. “She would have loved you.”
“And she would have been so proud of you.” She smiled softly and he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her lips.
Both, however, were conscious of the little boy snoozing on his own quilt only a couple of feet away. They were cognizant, also, of the fact that Louise wasn’t yet divorced from that boy’s father and, therefore, they could not afford to allow their nearly unquenchable desire for one another spiral out of control. With supreme effort, Vic broke the kiss and leaned back to rest his head once again on his hand, the fingers of the other caressing Louise’s downy soft cheek.
“I have a brother and sister I never met,” she divulged softly, watching his eyes widen in surprise for a moment.
“Wha…?” he whispered. “From your dad?”
“Nope. Mama.”
He waited, trying to imagine the circumstances behind such a revelation.
“Mama told me about it when I stayed with her in Bowling Green…after TJ…did what he did. I never knew it, but she was married before. Her first husband used to beat her and the kids, and one day she just packed up, took the kids and ran away from him. Ended up in Lexington, and that’s where she met my dad,” she explained, adding more of the details Lilly had divulged. “But don’t say anything or tell her I told you…she’s very private and doesn’t want anybody to know her business.”
“I get that,” he nodded. “But…why didn’t you ever meet them?”
“They were raised in that orphanage, Mama never took them out…” she paused, biting the edge of her lip as she debated whether or not to tell him the rest of it. Finally, she did, the catalyst being the fact that he had once told her of his father’s shame in gambling away everything and causing their family to end up penniless. Quietly, with measured words, she shared how an unknown man had attacked her mother, her sister Edna being the result, and how her father, Willis, had married Lilly and taken her to Louisville to shield her and get her away from the gossips.
“Wow,” he whispered, thoroughly amazed that the quiet, sullen woman who spent her days cleaning and cooking, had experienced so many hardships and trials in her life. “And she never saw her son and daughter again?”
“Not that I know of, but I think she’s received letters from them over the years, and I’m sure she’s written to them as well.” Pausing to stare over his shoulder for a moment, one hand fingering the stone in her necklace, she sighed softly. “I wonder what it would have been like, to have another brother and sister to grow up with. But they are so much older. Really, they’d almost be like another set of parents,” she added solemnly.
“Yeah…I’m glad you told me this…it kind of helps me understand your mom. I bet she gets sad thinkin’ about them and that makes her…” he paused, searching for diplomatic words.
“Kind of grouchy?” Louise supplied, her eyes twinkling.
He snickered. “Yeah.”
He lay there gazing down at her as a small shaft of dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves on the branches of the nearby tree. It gave her hazel eyes a magical luminescence, or was it the absolute adoration in them as she peered back up at him? He couldn’t help it, but leaned down and captured her lips with his once again. She didn’t push him away, but instantly melted into his embrace.
It was heaven, pure delight, sweet enchantment as their mouths fused, and their breaths mingled and merged. The fires of desire, that both had been keeping firmly banked, suddenly roared to life and Vic emitted a low groan as he lost himself in the kiss. The breeze off the river, the warm summer day, and the sleeping child close by were all forgotten in the headiness of their sparking. Of one accord, each one’s hands found their way into the other’s hair, or softly cupped the other’s cheek. Vic soon rolled over, his body partially trapping Louise under his weight. Glorying in the feelings he was eliciting within her, Louise clung to him, her breasts pressing against his chest. She moaned into his mouth, her heart speeding up, breaths coming in rapid bursts as the world around them disappeared in the white light of their blazing passion.
“Umph,” Vic suddenly grunted, breaking the kiss as his eyes popped open. Louise, too, opened her eyes to see why he had stopped their passionate embrace, only to stare up at the laughingly impish eyes of her son. Apparently, he had awakened from his nap and chosen that moment to jump onto Vic’s back.
“Horsey Vic! Hi-ho Si-ver!” he exclaimed, coming within an inch of kicking his mother’s stomach as he maneuvered into a more comfortable riding position. Vic noticed just in time and grabbed the offending foot before it could connect.
“Whoa there, Kemo Sabe! Silver’s takin’ a nap right now.”
“No you not, you pwayin’ wiff Mama. My turn now,” he declared, leaning over the side and giving Vic an upside down grin, his curls splaying outward. He was adorable, too adorable for his own good. The couple, their passion instantly cooled anyway by the interruption, burst into chuckles. Vic reached an arm back and captured his ‘rider’, sweeping him down between them for a bout of tickling, Tommy’s delighted squeals music to their ears.
Finally dissolving in laughter, the three collapsed onto the quilt, Tommy’s little arms doing their best to encompass both of the adults in a sweet hug.
The couple’s eyes met over top of his head, each thinking the same thing…Thank goodness for the Lone Ranger’s perfect timing.
*
The end of summer was fast approaching. Louise, Fleet, and Ruth had been trying to talk their sweethearts into taking them to Fontaine Ferry Park for old times’ sake. After seeing an advertisement for the final dance of the season at the popular attraction, featuring the Ted Weems Orchestra and their star crooner Perry Como, the girls launched an all out campaign to persuade their men to take them. Finally, their resistent fellows relented. Louise was particularly looking forward to it, as she hadn’t been back to the amusement park since the idyllic day four years before.
Saturday afternoon found Louise at the bathroom mirror as she hurried to get ready. She was wearing the purple flowered dress that Vic loved, the same one she had worn on their previous date to the park, the cherished necklace ensconced in its place in the garment’s V-neck. At the moment, she was fussing with her hair, which had decided to enforce a mind of its own and refuse to cooperate.
“Aggh!” Louise fussed as she removed the Bobbi pins yet again and vigorously ran the brush through the sable-colored locks.
Tommy paused while galloping by on his stick horse and dragged the wooden toy over to the bathroom door. “Mama mad?”
Louise glanced down at him with a loving smile as she removed the pins from her mouth. “Just mad at my hair, sweet pea.”
“You hair pwetty Mama,” he returned, gazing up at her with that pure wide-eyed innocence that always melted her heart and never failed to set her world right again.
She bent down, kissed his chubby cheek, and then ruffled his hair. “Thank you, sweetheart. I just want it to look good for the dance.”
His eyes lit up even more and he chirped, “Me dance! Me dance!” as he flapped his arms and began to gyrate around, doing his best to imitate what he had seen the adults do at Alec and Fleet’s apartment the weekend before.
Louise chuckled and shook her head at her little boy. “Ooo yes, you dance good, honey.”
Lilly walked by at that moment and stopped at the door, observing her daughter. Seeing she was having difficulty, Lilly walked in and gently took the brush from Louise’s hand as she murmured, “Here, let me.”
Louise watched in the mirror as Lilly turned the brush just right to achieve the desired waves, and then reached into the pocket of her ever-present apron. She pulled out a lovely hair comb about three inches long and decorated with tiny pearls and diamonds in a flower pattern along its smooth wire length. “This will look pretty,” she murmured as she encouraged one side of Louise’s hair back and commenced maneuvering the comb into place.
“Oh Mama, it’s beautiful,” Louise breathed, reaching up with one hand to touch the item. “Where did that come from?”
Lilly smiled softly as she patted the item securely in. “Your father bought it for me. I wore it in my hair at a spring d
ance he took me to…in 1921. It was a lovely night…the only dance we ever went to together…he was so debonair, squiring me around the floor…” she finished quietly, staring wistfully at the memory-inducing item.
“You never told me about that before, Mama…” Louise murmured, watching her mother’s face and knowing she was reliving moments from that night. “Where’ve you kept it all these years?”
Lilly pressed her lips together as the question evoked other memories. “I put it away in the bottom of my jewelry box after we lost nearly everything in the Crash. It was the one piece of jewelry worth anything that I refused to sell, apart from my wedding ring. I…I had hoped things would change…that prosperity would return…that I’d have occasion to wear it again…” she whispered. Then shrugging sadly, she focused her eyes on the reflection of Louise’s in the mirror and gave her daughter a wistful smile. “It’s yours now. I just hope you’ll have many chances and many dances to wear it to.”
Tears burned in Louise’s eyes as she whispered, “Thank you, Mama…I’ll treasure it always.” She turned and gave her mother a lingering hug.
A few moments later, they both heard a knock on the front door.
Lilly pulled back, smiling at her daughter. “That’ll be Vic. I’ll let him in, you finish getting ready.”
Louise breathed deeply, shaking off the tearful mood and quickly finished applying her makeup. As she stepped into the living room, her mother reached forward with a sweater and Louise’s purse, encouraging, “Hurry on now, time’s wasting.”
Louise took the items and leaned forward to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Mama. Um…are you sure about watching Tommy? We could still take him to Irene and Betty’s…”
Lilly’s expression registered her embarrassment at the fuss she had made before regarding watching Tommy. “No, honey. He’s no trouble. We’ll have a good time listening to our favorite Saturday night shows on the radio – won’t we dear,” she directed at the child, who had been chattering something to Vic. Vic put the boy down on the floor and stood straight as Lilly added, “You two go on now and have a good time.”