The Road Not Taken
Chapter 25
April 19-20, 1974
"Katie did what?" Sam was shocked. He knew his sister wasn't very happy being the only one left at home, especially since Dad's heart attack made him a semi-invalid. But eloping? "Who'd she marry?"
He and his mother were in the kitchen during his spring break. She'd asked Sam to help her peeling the vegetables while they caught up with the news. His mother had just dropped this bombshell.
Almost too calm, his mother gave him the facts. "His name is Charles Parnell but he goes by Chuck. They met in high school. He was going to night school but had to meet with Mr. Matthews, the counselor. Katie was working in the office and met Chuck when he came in.
"He's seventeen too?"
Thelma put down the paring knife she was using. She pushed out a short breath that Sam knew meant his mother was upset. "No, he was held back a couple of times. He graduated last year from night school. He was age twenty then. He'll be twenty one in a month." From her tone of voice, Sam was sure that his mother wasn't happy.
This shocked Sam even more. "Geez, Mom, he's my age!" At the look on her face, he knew she was well aware of that fact. "When did you meet him?"
She picked the knife back up and began working on another potato. "We met him about a year ago. Katie was only sixteen when she introduced him. We tried to keep her from seeing him, but that just seemed to make it worse. All those times she told us she was spending the night at Sarah's she was meeting him." The peel slices flew off the tuber. "They'll be over tomorrow night while you're home."
Now it was Sam's turn to stop his kitchen prep duties. "I'm not sure I like the way this sounds."
"You've got company Sam," his mother answered, with controlled anger. "Neither Dad or I are really happy about it either but what's done is done." Resignation poured from his mother. It was obvious that she saw no other option.
"But Mom…" Sam tried to argue.
His mother cut him off. "Sam, Katie made a decision. They are legally married. I may not like it, but they are married. Now, let's just change the subject for now, all right?
"All right," Sam acquiesced. They continued talking, the conversation turning towards other things. It was good to be home with his family, even if events seemed to have gone in an unexpected direction.
XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX
When Katie and her new husband showed up for dinner on Saturday night, Chuck was on his best behavior. Sam gave the man a long look, trying to gauge the type of man his sister had married.
Sam was twenty going on twenty-one himself. He'd certainly been interested in marrying Donna but this was totally different. This guy had wed a girl still firmly in high school whereas he'd been planning on 'tying the knot' with a woman ready to leave college. That his little sister was now a Mrs. was just too strange.
After the initial introductions and general small talk, Sam cut to the chase. "So Katie, how are you going to handle being married and finishing high school?"
Katie looked at her husband and then down at her hands which she held neatly folded in front of her. She seemed uncomfortable with the question. With her head still down, she mumbled softly, "Uh, well…I'm not. I'm dropping out of school."
Sam's reaction was immediate. "You're what! Katie, education is important."
She looked up and looked into her brother's eyes, begging him for understanding. "I'm..I'm planning on getting my G.E.D." She quickly looked back at Chuck who seemed to be getting tense at the line of questioning. "At least, that might happen. Chuck wants me at home. He said that he'll take care of things. He's got a really good job fixing cars down at Fred's Garage."
"G.E.D.! Geez, Katie! You can do better than that!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Chuck wants me at home," she repeated in a tone that demonstrated her agreement with the concept.
"But, Katie…." Sam voice dripped with concern
With a stern voice, Katie's husband answered. "She's my wife. We'll decide what's best for us, if you don't mind." His tone indicated that he expected that this would be the end of that particular conversation.
"Yeah, well…" Sam started but then his mother spoke up.
"Sam, Katie and Chuck are married now. They need to work things out themselves." Her eyes begged him to stop his questioning.
He couldn't understand. This was his little sister's future they were discussing. Still, he didn't want to upset his mother. "Okay, Mom, I just…"
Her eyes softened. "I know, Sam. But let's give them a little more time. They've only been married a month now."
Sam nodded, holding his tongue. He noticed that his father had been silent through this entire exchange. As he glanced at his face, he saw his Dad struggling with the same issues. He obviously was not at all happy with how this son-in-law was treating his "little girl." He too held his tongue and Sam took his cue from him.
The rest of the evening was equally strained. By the time Katie and Chuck left, Sam was sure there was something odd about his new brother-in-law.
Although Katie was supposed to come over the next day, she called to beg off saying she was feeling under the weather. Sam left to go back to school on Sunday without seeing his sister again.