Chapter XXVI
Dearest Merry,
You crazy, crazy brother o'mine! I am so happy for you, although you know it already, as we spent I don't even know how much time on talking on the 'phone about your new child addition. A boy! Horrah for the little Blythe, as Dad would say! I wish I could go and meet your little Cuthbert now, but I know that there is so sense in doing so, we will see each other in two weeks anyway, at Owen's and Nancy's wedding of course (if you've forgotten about it already, and I know that you did).
I am so so happy for both you and dear Luna. Her very voice sounds so much better than it has been in so many months, you know it better than I do though. I'm sure that little Cuthbert won't replace darling Willis, but he already makes his own place in all of our hearts. I'm certain he will be just as crazy as you, my dear brother!
You asked me in your last letter about Lake. Oh dear, my darling friend Lake… I can't tell you how hard it is for me to visit her every two days. I have to, and I want to but she is so much changed, you see. She cried and cried when we first met after the death of Jim, and she poured out all of her grief and sorrow on mine and Gladys's shoulders (as Gladys's husband, Malcolm, was Jim's brother). "At least he got the chance to meet Benji." she said and I couldn't agree with her more, although quite bitterly. But there is where the better news come, you see her mother-in-law's sister lives in England, in Nottingham, and she invited her and her little son for two months stay and Lake gladly agreed. I know that it will be the best thing for her, to escape from home, from the place she and Jim loved most. And so Lake in this very moment is crossing the Atlantic and heads towards England.
Now, you ask whether I really feel good, "in my condition" as you called it. Merry, you know that I do feel good, I don't know why people are always so worried about every woman in our family who is pregnant. Merry, I couldn't feel healthier nor more excited about this new baby of mine. Can you believe that it's going to be my third baby? I always thought when I was a little girl, that I would have no more than two children, thank you very much; and now, a third on the way! But it really is the nicest and the most hopeful feeling in the world, that's for sure.
I am really busy at home, Blythe says that I write "like crazy" and I think I have to agree, I really can't stop writing! I don't think I ever thought about writing as seriously as I do now, and believe me, it's so enjoyable to just write about you, and Walt, Cee, Blythe, everyone and everything that happened to each of us during the war. My diary, of course, is my best source for each chapter, but I love analysing everything I've written down anyway. I could go on and on like that forever, at least Blythe is a writer himself and understands me.
It looks so funny sometimes, me writing my novel at the kitchen table, with Joy running after Bonny the dog, Paris laughing as loud as he can from his chair next to me, and Blythe sitting right across the table in front of me writing his poetry. We really are a crazy family, aren't we?
Alright then, I have to go and prepare my promised apple-pie for Jenny and Lorenzo as they are invading the Sunflower House in around two hours' time and I was writing this whole morning, again.
Love,
Julia Una Ford
At the very end of November, a winter wedding took place in the old church in the Upper Glen. The whole family gathered, just like Nancy insisted. Even Persis and her husband came all the way back from France, along with Grandparents Ford and Patrick himself, who accompanied Cee of course. Only Rose and John were excused from the wedding guest list, as John was in the middle of packing up for the hospital. Gilly and his family were excused as well as they were supposed to come to Canada for Christmas anyway.
The whole ceremony was a real feel of magic everyone wished to feel for many months. Maybe it was a wedding itself, maybe the loving looks Nancy sent to Owen and Owen sent to her in return, maybe it was how Cee's cheeks were whole red whenever Patrick's arm landed on her shoulders, maybe it was the small Cuthbert making squealing sounds once in a while during the ceremony, or maybe the baby Jonah who laughed and laughed and couldn't enjoy the echoing sound of his giggling in the church more than he did. Whatever the reason, all that Julia could feel was that most of her family certainly rejoiced and that this wedding was one of the most hopeful events they ever attended.
Nancy looked like Nancy Blythe would look like on her wedding day, perfectly wonderful and beautiful. She could outshine everyone and Owen couldn't be more proud of his bride when she walked down the aisle on his arm after Jerry announced them 'husband and wife'. "All of my babies are married!" Rilla cried half-bitterly, and half-happily upon seeing the happy faces of each of her children while standing next to their spouses.
Then it was the feast of course, and everyone talked and laughed again, trying not to think about Rose or John, at least for that day. Julia finally had the occassion to meet both of her new nephews, Leslie's sweet dimpled boy Jonah, and Luna's wee boy Cuthbert whom Merry was constantly referring to as an 'angel'. Everyone started talking about Blythe's new book of poetry. Grandmother Blythe couldn't hide her pride over having a real poet in her family and she and her grandson had several conversations about not just Blythe's work but also some of their shared favourite poets.
Julia answered all of the questions about her own book or rather the"war-book", as she referred to it, and everyone agreed in unison that she couldn't make a more sensible choice to start writing books instead of being a midwife. Jem and Grandfather Blythe hesitated a bit, they were always so proud that their daughter and granddaughter went on the medical career, but when she said that she really loved writing and that she didn't say that she won't ever come back to either nursing or midiwfery, they both sighed in relief and agreed with everyone that it was nothing sweeter to see her smiling and laughing and not worried at all once more.
Walt again invited Julia and Blythe for a visit at his house in Kingsport but unfortunately got the same response as the last time, they would come when they would find time to do so, eventually.
Luna laughed again, and was so happy, especially while holding little Cuthbert in her so loving arms. Merry told Julia that when his son was born and he heard this loud and strong crying sound, he cried like a child himself for he knew that this time the baby would live and make his wife happy again.
The whole day was a real treat, and a real joyous day for that matter. And so when Nancy threw her bouquet which landed straight into Cordelia's hands, making her cheeks turn positively red, and drove off with Owen for their honeymoon in Florida, Julia was very reluctant to go back to White Sands.
It was all so good to see everyone, or almost everyone of course. Only then she truly realised, after almost five years of living her own life in White Sands, she realised how much she missed her family, and how much with every year she was missing them more. She missed each of her parents, grandparents, siblings and cousins but she also missed the whole of her family, this unity they always shared with one another. But Julia knew that the pain that appeared in her chest would quickly disappear as soon as she would go back to the Sunflower House. And she was right.
When late at night, she and her husband arrived at the door of their house, and started quietly going upstairs with Julia holding the sleeping Joy and Blythe the fast asleep Paris, Julia kissed her husband's cheek and whispered to him: "I'm glad to be home.".
Christams 1949 were spent in White Sands, in the Sunflower House.
Gilly, Faye, Eddie and Melia came for the whole three weeks to PEI. They were staying in the House of Dreams with Rilla and Ken, who were delighted to see them so fresh and content again. Everyone was very excited about seeing them again and were relieved to see that Faye was her old laughing self, Gilly just as much in love with his wife and chidlren as ever, and Eddie with Melia growing up as quickly as children should grow.
Blythe laughed at his brother while they were talking, as Gilly sometimes pronounced some words with a British accent "I can't help it, you know!" he chuckled himself "Everyone: my wife, kids, neighbours, students, everyone talks in this elegant accent and just I pick it up myself." but he really didn't change, and even if, then only for the better.
Owen and Nancy were all fresh and new as well, they just moved into their new house in Bright River, where Owen started his career as a local doctor. To everyone's surprise Nancy was so nice and sweet all the time, so unlike her old self, it was almost impossible not to smile at her. Even Cee talked with her for a little while and their new friendship started to blossom all over again.
Unfortunately Patrick couldn't come for the Christmas dinner with his parents as they took his only child for two weeks long holiday in Toronto. But even so, Cee was as gentle and beautiful as she always was, and her eyes weren't tired nor sad anymore, and everyone couldn't be more happy about that.
Rose and John came with their children as well. No one could bring themselves to say to John that he looked good, because he didn't. He was very pale, and so unbelievably thin, everyone was holding their breath whenever they looked at him. He spoke very quietly as he struggled to breathe normally. But he didn't seem very sad about the whole situation he was in, he laughed and joked with everyone else as if everything was as it always had been. Jackie and Nanny were always observed by him, he was almost drinking their sights into his memory.
Rose looked good, Aunt Nan whispered to her niece, Julia. Rose was almost radiating with a completely different view on things, she wasn't pesimistic at all, for example when Jackie asked her for a permission to play outside in the snow with Bonny the dog she didn't tell him not to go because he would catch the cold, like she told him just a year earlier, she told him to have fun. Julia was almost shocked by her change, but it was a good change and she knew it. Julia and Rose talked a little in private when they both put Paris and Nanny into the nursery room when the children fell asleep in their arms, and Rose said that she really was quite alright now, and she was prepared for John's death.
"After all," she said to Julia when both of them put their little ones into the bassinets "-I will have to live for him, I promised him, Juliet, snd I never broke a promise to him, and I never will." she said decidedly, not a single tear coming up to her eyes.
"I admire your bravery, Rose." Julia told her and kissed her cheek tenderly "You know that whatever happens, I am here for you."
"Thank you, darling." she replied warmly and squeezed her hands tightly "Everything happens for a reason, John told me a week after the news came. I couldn't believe him at first, but now I think that, even though I will loose him, maybe God has some higher plans for him." and she smiled, in one of her old kind of smiles.
Julia sniffed and smilled back at her, knowing that Rose would be fine, whatever might happen in the future.
Dear Diary,
It is almost the end of the first month of the new year of 1950. The "fifties" are here, and I can't quite believe that the war ended five years ago and not one year ago, everything goes so fast.
This Christmas was the last ever Christmas for John Richardson. Just three days ago, Blythe and I received a call from Father who told us that John passed away. He was in the hospital at the time and Rose was by his side, and held his hand as he drew out his last breath.
Rose didn't want the whole family to come for the funeral, and so it was only her, Jackie, Nanny, John's parents and Aunt Nan with Uncle Jerry at the ceremony. Aunt Nan said that Jackie cried along with Rose and John's poor mother. But after the ceremony, Rose had a long talk with her son and her father and Uncle Jerry, being the Reverend, made them possible not to cry anymore after all, and Jackie was determined to make his father proud of him from this day on.
Darling Rose called me yesterday, eventually. We talked for a while and she apologised for not 'phoning me up earlier. "Don't be silly, Rose dear." I said to her "How are you keeping up? And the kids?" I asked her.
"I am fine, Juliet, that I am." she said in a strong voice "I promised my John, on the day he died, that I will be strong for him and that I won't grieve him for long, he is in a better place now, after all. He was so weak on that last day and he told me that he was glad that his torture would be over soon. And.." she gupled loudly "-and he asked me to never give up the fight for life. And I will do just that, Juliet, I have to." she said eventually and I could almost imagine how hot tears started strimming down her face.
"I know you do." I replied to her, my own tears coming down my own cheeks "And I am so proud of you, Rose."
Rose already prepares for selling her house in Montreal and moving back to Glen, to Aunt Nan and Uncle Jerry. They will move there in summer, so that Jackie won't miss out school and so Rose has many things to cope with, with all the moving out process and therefore her mind is a occupied with different thoughts, thank Goodness. And I'm so happy that she will move to Glen again!
Now, some more happy news.
Blythe's book is another best-seller! He is so relieved and proud, and I couldn't be more delighted than he is. His success is overwhelming, that's what his publisher said and I couldn't agree more. When Blythe got a white envelope from Mr Shopfield (who is his publisher) and saw what's inside, and how much, he took me in his arms and promised to go with me and allow me to buy any dress I ever dreamed of and this doesn't happen every day.
Lake came back from England a week ago, and she is herself again. She was so full of new ideas of how to start her new life, that I could hardly believe that she lost her husband just two months ago! She told me all about her two months' long vacation. When Lake arrived in Nottingham, she was very tired and very miserable, only the small Benji kept her still in her senses. She didn't want to do anything else but to cry for the first few days. But then her "aunt Connie" talked with her about loss as she also lost her husband, at the end of the First War. They both talked and talked and Connie talked Lake out of her grief. Lake said that she stopped mouring over Jim when Benji smilled at her for the first time and she knew that it was just like Jim would smile, he has his lips after all. And so dear Lake is much better now and already sold her house for the smaller apartment near St Gerard Majella's House.
I would help her with little Benji after she will go back to work in two weeks' time, but no matter how much I would love to help her, I just can't. I have my two little troublemakers at home to take care of, last few chapters of my first book to finish, and a growing stomach messing the thoughts in my mind entirely. But just like with Rose, I know that Lake will be strong and capable of everything. They are my two heroines and I know it, I always did.
With this hope I for the new year I finish this entry. I hope that this year would bring nothing but happy smiles on each of our faces.
Forever Yours,
Julia Una Ford