Chapter 1 – Introductions
EPOV
I don't know how things will be, but I knew they would get better. My mother and I just moved out of the big city. She recently recovered from her ailment of Spanish influenza. She would have been fine, if she weren't trying to care for me, when I began to show the early signs of the disease.
My mother was a very nurturing woman and she had to do anything for her ailing son, even if it was costing her her own health. When nurses weren't available to come to our house, my mother did all she could for me. Thanks to my father, we got the best doctors money could buy.
Unfortunately, my father, Edward A. Masen Sr. was too far gone. We lost him in a matter of weeks. After he passed, my mother spilled further into her ailment, almost losing her will to live. She remembered she still had a son who needed her.
My father was a very successful lawyer, the same as his father. He wasn't an affectionate man. Though he loved my mother and me very much, he felt giving his wife and son all the luxuries of a fine home and other baubles were showing his love. He sent me to all the best schools, gave me the best piano he could find, all the finest jewelry and clothes for Mother and anything else we wanted. That was nice, but I truly wish I had more time with him.
He never said it, but I believed he was grooming me to follow in his footsteps. Maybe, I'm not sure what I want anymore. All I dreamed about, especially in the last few years, was becoming a solider. The thrill of war was an alluring call to me. To protect my home sounded perfect for me. My mother hated the idea of it and she praised the saints above when the Great War was over.
At least, she wouldn't be left alone now. My mother and I only had each other. She was still coping with the loss of my father. The home he built for her was only a painful reminder and she couldn't stay. We were now moving to the town of Cicero. It wasn't a large town, but it was coming up. "Edward, this is our new home." My mother pointed out a large off-white Victorian house, with a small veranda on the right side. To the left, there was a large window, which had to be from the living room.
I parked in front of the house in my father's Cadillac Touring Car. Well, it was mine now. Mother said she had no use for this vehicle. She didn't know how to drive it. The car was painted burgundy and Mother detested the color. Already here, our furniture from our Chicago house. My mother began instructing the workers on where she wanted everything, when another truck with an attached trailer parked behind the Cadillac.
Finally, Antonio was here. Antonio was my horse. He had silver fur with a black mane. I guided him to the back of the house, where the garage was expanded into a stable. Behind the house, there was open land, where I could ride him. Mother wanted land; so that she could make the garden she always wanted. She wanted to look out her windows and see green grass, not cobblestone streets and black pavement. She wanted to see nature.
There was a fence around a small section of the land, which would be his pen. My parents bought Antonio for me for my 17th birthday. They were hoping owning him would sway me from wanting to enlist.
Well, now we were starting a new life. In Chicago, my family's reputation made me very popular. And, to my father's happiness, especially among the young ladies. But none of them interested me. They were all the same in my eyes. I felt when they saw me; they saw the son of a wealthy lawyer that would take them into a lavish lifestyle. The goal of most of those young women in the big city was marrying into a wealthy family. I wasn't interested in any of that nonsense. My mother and I discussed my attendance to the University of Chicago Law School, where my father earned his degree there.
My name was already on the prospective students list since I was born. I wanted to make my father proud, even now, with him gone, but law didn't hold much interest for me. Maybe I would give it the college try. If it wasn't for me, my mother would understand.
"Edward, dear?" my mother called out. "Coming," I was in the parlor, playing my piano. I had to make sure it was still finely tuned from the move. My mother was speaking with a woman when I found her. "Mrs. Swan, this is my son, Edward Jr." The woman had sandy blond hair and light blue eyes. She and my mother were the same height, "Hello, Edward."
I took her hand and kissed it, as I always did when I greeted a lady, "It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Swan." She smiled at me, "He is such a gentleman." My mother smiled, "Just like his father." Mother patted my back. "I was just inviting your mother over this afternoon for tea with my family. We live just across the street." She pointed to the pale blue house. The veranda spanned across the front of the house and down both sides. There were several flower boxes underneath the windows. The different color of the flowers was lovely, even from this distance.
My mother smiled, "We'd love to come." My mother was such a sociable person. It doesn't take her long to make friends. Mrs. Swan smiled, "Oh good. Then I can tell you all about your new neighbors, the good and the bad." My mother laughed. They were going to get along famously. My mother looked at me, "Get dressed, sweetheart." I kissed her cheek, "Yes, Mother." This move is just what she needed. My mother and I were on the threshold of new lives. I just wanted her to be happy.
That afternoon, I escorted my mother to the Swan's home. "Please come in," a small woman in a maid's uniform invited us in. She was a head shorter than my mother, with touches of gray in her temples. "You will be having tea with Mr. & Mrs. Swan in the garden." I had a feeling this afternoon's event would be dreadfully boring. High teas were nothing but sipping a bland drink and listening to mindless dribble. But I couldn't be rude.
Mrs. Swan invited us and I couldn't decline. I wasn't going to embarrass my mother. A tall man with dark hair came down the stairs, "Lauren, I have to report to the station." The maid nodded, "Yes, Mr. Swan." She gestured to us, "This is Mrs. Elizabeth Masen and her son, Edward Masen Jr. They were invited by Mrs. Swan for tea."
Mr. Swan looked at us, "Ah, yes. My wife told me you were coming." He shook my mother's hand, then mine, "I must apologize. I'm the chief of police and I must get to the station." My mother smiled, "Of course. We will have tea again soon." Chief Swan chuckled, "I hope so. Please, make yourselves at home." As he was putting on his coat, Chief Swan looked me over suspiciously, as if I were about to commit a crime.
Mrs. Swan came in through the kitchen door, "Mrs. Masen, Edward," she greeted us. We smiled at her, "Please come with me." We followed her to the back veranda, which was very big. It reminded me of the homes in the south, with enormous verandas, where the children played.
Beyond the veranda, hundreds of flowers hung over a low wooden gate. There were some flowers I couldn't identify. My mother gasped, "This is a beautiful garden." It reminded me of the story "The Secret Garden." Inside the garden, there was a swing hanging from one of the thick branches of a cherry blossom tree. There was a narrow stone path leading further into the garden.
"Yes, Bella absolutely loves flowers." My mother glanced at her, "I'm sorry, who?" Mrs. Swan smiled, "Oh yes, my daughter, Isabella. She's in there…" she gestured to the garden, "somewhere. She prefers to be called 'Bella' though." I tried to not roll my eyes. Of course she wouldn't mention she had a daughter.
Mrs. Swan seemed to be the type to gossip and having a daughter meet a wealthy lawyer's son never crossed her mind. You think I would be used to these ploys. Maybe I was jumping to conclusions. For all I knew, this Isabella was 10 years old. She looked at us, "Please, let me show you her work."
"Her work?" my mother was greatly interested. "Yes. I swear that girl is Mother Nature herself. She doesn't want anyone walking off the path. They may harm one of her precious flowers." Mrs. Swan spoke about Isabella proudly. "And she abhors cut flowers as a gesture." Mrs. Swan led the way through the garden.
This conversation didn't hold my interest. I followed after them, looking at the landscape. Bella was very skilled. There were some flowers here from India. She seemed to like variety. Mrs. Swan and my mother compared Isabella and myself. From the way they spoke, Bella and I were competing with each other and we hadn't even met.
The path led down a slight decline and there was a small pond. "There she is," Mrs. Swan announced. Looking up, I saw her. Bella was sitting on a small bench, beneath an archway festooned with hanging freesias, lavender and lilacs. Some lilac petals fell in her dark hair, but she didn't notice. Part of her hair fell down her face, pass her shoulder. It escaped from the bun atop her head. She wore a lavender ankle-length dress. The color faded to white at the hem of her dress. She wore simple strapped shoes and sapphire earrings.
She hadn't noticed our arrival. Her ankles were crossed and a book was in her lap. I was right, Bella was about my age. "Bella?" her mother called her. She didn't respond and Mrs. Swan sighed, "My daughter." She went over to her and took the book from her hand, "Isabella?" Bella looked up at her mother in surprise, "I'm sorry," and looked back down at her hands in her lap, "I'm sorry, Mom."
Mrs. Swan smiled, "You and your Shakespeare." She gestured to me and my mother, "Dear, I'd like you to meet Mrs. Elizabeth Masen and her son, Edward." When she looked at us, my heart stopped. It was as if time slowed. She gazed up from underneath her long dark lashes and smiled. Her eyes lit up, though they were dark brown. The color was like chocolate. Her smile was so sweet. A blush colored her face as she tucked her loose hair back.
Bella looked exactly like her mother, but she had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. When she smiled, the archway she sat under lit up. When she spoke, it was the most beautiful sound, "Hello, it's lovely to meet you." My mother smiled at her, "It is lovely to meet you too." She looked back at me, I hadn't moved an inch. I was locked in my stance staring at her; she was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She had a subtle beauty that was mesmerizing.
"Edward?" my mother scolded, under her breath. I blinked and shook my head minutely, "I'm sorry. I'm please to make you acquaintance, Isabella." She stood off her bench and walked over to us with her mother. I took her hand and kissed it. Her skin was as soft as a rose petal, with a slight fragrance of the flowers she sat under. As I held her hand, her finger curled around mine.
"Sweetheart, Mrs. Masen and her son will be joining us for tea." Bella smiled and nodded, "All right, Mom. I'll go help Lauren with the preparations." She looked up at me, then to my mother, "If you'll excuse me." She walked past us, up the path. Involuntarily, I took one step in her direction. I wanted to follow her. "Let me show you the rest of the garden." My mother and Mrs. Swan walked around the garden and I followed behind, becoming more anxious to get back to the house.
Bella was beautiful, yes, but there was something more about her. She was reading 'Taming of the Shrew.' When I was introduced to other young ladies, they were greatly interested love stories. That story was about a wildly rebellious woman who refused to fall into line. Was Bella like that?
The ladies chatted lightly, almost forgetting I was there. Finally, we reached the house and Bella placing a tray on the table. "Lauren, could you be a dear and please bring me the saucers." Her voice was like bells. When she saw us, she smiled again, "Everything's ready." She was standing at a decorative small iron-wrought table, with four chairs. Their maid pulled out my mother's and Mrs. Swan's chairs and I pulled Bella's. She smiled at me, "Thank you." I couldn't help smiling back.
My mother noticed that I hardly looked away from her. She gently nudged me underneath the table and smiled. My mother and I didn't need to communicate verbal to know what the other was thinking. Mrs. Swan was greatly interested as to why we moved from such a large city. "Yes, my husband passed away from Spanish Influenza."
I squeezed her hand, knowing it was still difficult for her to talk about him. Bella's eyes saddened. The chocolate of her eyes melted as they grew sad. "Edward and I had a bout with it as well, but we were treated in time." "Oh my," Mrs. Swan gushed pouring my mother's tea.
They talked for a long time. Bella listened intently to their conversation. I tried not to be obvious as I watched her. She was such a lady. Offering to replenish our tea and cookies, her hands folded daintily in her lap and quiet and reposed. Thinking of my father, I believed he would have approved of her.
From time to time, I noticed she glanced at me, sometimes over her teacup. Mrs. Swan's topic moved back to Bella, "She was the top of her class in school and in her equestrian classes. Oh, and she is a wonderful cook." Bella blushed, "Mom, stop."
My mother smiled, "Well, so was Edward and he is an amazing musician. You should hear him play. He's actually written a few compositions of his own." Bella looked at me, "I would love to listen to you play, especially to hear your own work." The four of us continued to talk, "Oh, Edward is going to attend the University of Chicago Law School. That's where his father went." I sighed, "Mother, you know I'm still undecided about that."
She looked at me, "It's what your father wanted, Edward." I knew this, but it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. "With all due respect," Bella spoke up, "Mrs. Masen, but what does Edward want?" I looked at her. No one had ever asked that. "Isabella!" her mother scolded her. "I'm so sorry," she tried to make up for her daughter's social faux pa.
My mother smiled encouragingly at Bella, "No, no, no. I like that. A young lady who speaks her mind. Do not suppress that. Young women need that." Mrs. Swan scoffed, "Please don't encourage her." Taking up her teacup, Bella making a face. I covered my mouth, trying to hide my smile. She looked up at me, smiling back. She almost communicated with me, like I did with my mother. Our afternoon progressed into the evening hours. Lauren brought out a lamp for the table, replenishing the teapot, sandwiches and cookies.
Our mothers continued to brag about us. Bella was known for her piano skills and the violin as well. Before it was too dark, Bella showed us her prized possession by Mrs. Swan's request. "I'll be right back." As she stood, I stood with her, as it is custom to do when a lady stands.
When she was back, Bella was riding atop a white and tawny brown horse. Like a lady, she was riding side-saddle, "This is Honey." She patted her horse's neck, "I inherited her from my grandmother." She and I had something in common, horseback riding. Her mother spoke of how Bella was able to jump since she was seven years old.
Bella made an uncomfortable expression and turned the horse around. She was limping a bit when she returned. I've heard it was uncomfortable to ride side-saddle. I truly liked Mrs. Swan and especially, Bella. She was so different from the other young women I've met. Something different was definitely something I was interested in.