Chapter 7 - New York City: New Adventures and Surprises
Lee and Rosemary wake up early the next morning. They need to get started because they have a busy day planned. They pick up some bagels on their way to Central Park, and they find the bike rental place. "Lee, why are you only getting one bicycle?"
"I want to see how quickly you will be able to ride on your own before I rent one for me."
"Well, okay."
"Are you ready, sweetheart?"
"I guess I am ready as I am going to be. Please don't let me fall."
"I promise I won't let you fall. I will be right next to you as long as you need me. First, I need to see if the seat is in the right position. I will hold the handlebars while you put one foot on a pedal and then swing your other leg over and sit down. Now see if you can reach the ground." She does what she is told, and the balls of her feet comfortably reach the ground. "Good. That is exactly the right height."
She grabs his hand, "Don't let go of me, Lee."
"I won't let go." He keeps one hand on the handlebars and puts the other on the back of the seat. "Now put your hands on the handlebars and start pedaling slowly. See if you can ride in a straight line." He takes his hand off the handlebars to let her steer on her own. She tries to steady herself, but she can't seem to stop wobbling. She gets frustrated and stomps her feet on the ground.
"I can't do this, Lee. I couldn't do it when I was ten, and I can't do it now."
Before she can get off the bike, Lee grabs her by the waist and says, "Whoa…where, do you think you are going, Rosie?"
"I don't want to do this anymore. I am sorry, Lee."
"Sweetheart, since when are you a quitter? So, you didn't get it on the first try, that is okay. We can try and try again." He snaps his fingers and says, "I have an idea. Take your feet off of the pedals and just leave them in the air and try to balance. I will push you and see if you can get the wobbling under control." She is finally able to balance and ride in a straight line for the most part. Lee suggests for her to try pedaling again, but she is still really wobbly.
Rosemary stops in frustration again and softly asks, "Why can't I do this? I see children riding bikes all the time, including Robert, Timmy, and Cody."
"It takes time, Rosie. Don't worry, we will get you riding this bike in no time. Let's try working on your balance some more. Take your feet off of the pedals, and I will keep pushing you." She keeps practicing and is getting more comfortable each time. Once he thinks she has the hang of it, he decides to give her a push but this time letting go to see if she can handle coasting to a stop.
She glides another twenty feet and puts her feet down. She looks back at Lee with a frown and asks, "Why did you let go? I told you not to let go of me, Lee Coulter."
"Look, Rosie. You glided to a stop on your own. You didn't need me to hold on to you."
She thinks about it, and meekly says, "I did?" She pouts and then softly says, "You still were supposed to hold on to me."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I only let go because I'm confident you won't fall." He tries to get a smile out of her, but she can only just roll her eyes, "Are you ready to try again? This time with pedaling?"
Rosemary looks at him and says, "I guess so." He rests his hand on the back of her seat, and she puts her hands back on the handlebars and starts pedaling. She is finally able to pedal and steer straight at the same time."
"Look, you are making progress. Why don't we try again? If I feel like you are steady enough, I will let go, and you can either glide to a stop or keep pedaling. That is up to you." She nods hesitantly. Lee puts his hand on the back of the seat again, and Rosemary starts to pedal. After about ten feet, Lee decides to let go, and Rosemary continues to pedal for another twenty-five feet. She hops off the bike, rests it against a tree, and runs to Lee and jumps into his arms. He spins her around and puts her back down again.
Rosemary excitedly says, "I just rode a bike. Can you believe it, Lee?"
"I can. I know, for a fact, you can do anything you put your mind to."
"Thank you for always being patient with me and teaching me new things."
"That is why I am here. So, what do you want to do? Do you want some more practice, or should I get a bike now, and we explore more of the park together?"
"Can I have a couple more practice runs, and then I think I will be ready?" He nods. After a couple more tries, Rosemary is feeling comfortable enough with riding by herself. She suggests they get some lunch, and then Lee can rent a bike, and finally ride together. They spend the next couple of hours riding around Central Park. Rosemary reminds him they need to get back to the hotel to get ready for the show. They return the bikes, and he tells her to come and sit down on the park bench with him. He just sits there for a minute to keep her in suspense. She looks at him and waits for him to speak.
Lee points to the horse carriage at the end of the block. "I have a surprise for you. They will give us a ride back to the hotel and then to the theater for our show."
He stands and offers her his arm. She gladly accepts and pulls him in close for a hug, "Oh, Lee, I have always wanted to go on a horse carriage ride. How did you know?"
He leads her to the carriage and helps her get in, "I didn't know. I just thought you would enjoy a romantic ride with your husband." They arrive at the hotel and quickly go up to change clothes for the evening out. Rosemary insists on them dressing up with some of the clothes she bought them the other day. She tells him to put on his new suit while she quickly changes into her new dress. She comes out in a royal blue satin dress that matches her eyes. Lee immediately stops what he is doing and just stares at her. He holds out his hand, and she takes it as he twirls her around. "You, my love, are breathtaking!"
She smiles and gives him a passionate kiss on the lips. She wraps her arms around his and says, "Are you ready to go, my darling?"
"I'll go anywhere with you, Squidget!" They get back down to the street and find the carriage. He helps her get back on and puts a blanket on top of them.
Rosemary brings the camera out of her clutch and takes a picture of them. She whispers to Lee, "I want to remember this night forever. I love you!"
He kisses her cheek and whispers back, "I love you more!"
Lee and Rosemary both enjoy the play. They can't believe how entertaining the story is and how well-acted. They are really impressed with John and Lionel Barrymore, Constance Collier, and Laura Hope Crews. Afterward, they eat dinner at an Italian restaurant called Barbetta. They continue to talk about the play for the rest of the evening. Lee loves how excited and passionate she gets any time she sees a live performance.
The next morning, Lee sneaks out of the room before Rosemary wakes up. He is hoping there is a telegram from Lillian and Grace. The concierge happily tells Lee that a telegram came for him last night. He sits down in the lobby and reads the telegram:
Lee, so excited. Look forward to your visit. Patrick. See you next week!
Hearing the child's name stops Lee in his tracks; he can't believe the boy's name is Patrick. Tears well up in his eyes. He immediately writes back:
Wire when off the train. See you soon.
He decides to go for a walk to process what he just read and gather his thoughts before seeing Rosemary. He knows she can always tell when something is going on with him. After about twenty minutes, his emotions are still high, but he decides he better get back to the hotel room before Rosemary gets worried. Lee quietly opens the door, hoping she is still asleep. Unfortunately, she is waiting for him on the couch with a concerned look, "Where have you been, Lee Coulter?"
He joins her on the couch. "Oh, I just went for a walk."
"A walk, huh? I was worried when I woke up, and you were not here."
"I'm so sorry, hon." He tries to quickly change the subject, hoping she will just let it go. "What do you want to do on our last full day in New York City?"
She rests her head on his shoulder, "Is there another baseball game we can attend?"
He puts his arm around her, "You want to go to a baseball game, really?"
Rosemary looks up at him with a big grin on her face, "Well, you have done so many things for me, it is the least I can do. Besides, I did have a lot of fun the other day."
He looks in the paper to see if there are any games they can attend. "Oh look, Rosie, we can go to the Yankees/Indians game this afternoon."
"Perfect! Why don't we spend the day walking, people watching, shopping, watching the baseball game, and then have a picnic in Central Park for dinner?"
Lee brings her in close and gives her a lingering kiss on her lips. "I think that is a great idea!"
Lee and Rosemary finish getting ready and start their last day in New York City. They get to see the Yankees win again, and Lee catches one of the fly balls. He even gets Wally Pipp, the first basemen, to autograph his ball. They decide to pick up food for their picnic from Katz Delicatessen and then go to Central Park. Rosemary says, "I know it is way out of the way, but I am really craving their chicken salad sandwich."
"I don't mind. I love Katz's sandwiches as well." They hail a cab and head on over to Katz Delicatessen. Lee orders Rosemary her chicken salad sandwich and a roast beef sandwich for himself. He asks her, "Do you want sarsaparilla?" She nods, yes. With all of their food in a box, they take the cab back to Central Park. They get out and look for a place to eat.
She points to this big tree off in the distance and says, "Let's eat over there." He follows her to the tree and spreads the blanket out for them both to sit on. Rosemary starts taking everything out of the box and is surprised to find Lee also bought some chocolate chip cookies for them to share. She giggles and starts eating her sandwich.
Lee pauses for a moment before he bites into his sandwich, "Did you have picnics here often?"
"No, this is my first. I was always so busy. Besides, I never had anyone I wanted to share this with until now."
"I am glad I'm able to treat you to your first picnic in Central Park."
"Me too." They finish up their sandwiches and cookies when Rosemary notices some people throwing something in the air. She asks Lee, "What do you think they are doing?"
"I don't know, sweetheart. Do you want to walk over there and see what they are doing?" asks Lee.
"Okay, let's pick up our stuff and walk on over there."
As they get closer, Lee realizes what they are doing, "They are playing cornhole. It is where you try and throw the bags into the hole. The person who gets the most bags in the hole wins. It looks like anyone can play. Do you want to watch them and then try it out?"
"On one condition. You aren't just going to let me win this time. Okay?"
"Okay." They sit down to watch, what appears to be, a father and son playing a couple of rounds. He stands up and helps her get up off the ground, "Are you ready to try?"
"Ready," answers Rosemary.
Lee suggests they have a couple of practice rounds before they start the actual game. He notices Rosemary is having a hard time getting the bag near the board. "Honey, let me show you." He stands behind her and guides her arm to where the bag finally lands on the board. He does that a couple of more times until she gets the hang of it.
Rosemary says, "I think I am ready!"
Lee throws the bags first and gets two in the hole, one on top, and one landed just past the board. Rosemary goes next and only gets one on the board. "Okay, that is six points for me and zero for you. Remember, the first person who gets to twenty-one wins." Rosemary huffs and does her little pout that Lee secretly loves. The next round, Lee only gets one in the hole and one on the board. Rosemary steps up and is determined to get at least one bag into the hole. She throws the first bag, and it surprisingly lands right in the hole. Rosemary jumps up and down for a couple of moments. She gets serious again and throws the next three bags, and they all go in the hole as well. She runs and leaps into his arms, and he lifts her up as high as he can and puts her back down.
"Now, what is the score?" asks Rosemary.
"I have six points, and you, my dear, have eight." The next few rounds, Rosemary continues getting all four bags in the hole, much to Lee's surprise. Before he knows it, Rosemary has seventeen points, and Lee only has ten points. Lee steps up next and only gets one in the hole, much to his disappointment. Rosemary then steps up and gets all four bags in the hole again. Lee cannot believe how well she is doing.
"Did I just win, Lee?"
"You most certainly did. Mmmhmm…did I just get played? I did not let you win this time; I promise."
"Lee, I have a confession to make." She looks over at him with a meek smile. "I may have played this a lot when I was growing up with my father and Jack."
He laughs and says, "Of course, you did."
"Are you mad?"
"No, I probably deserved that after I let you win at quoits and shuffleboard back on the ship." He clears his throat before saying, "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you win?"
"What do you mean? I always look cute, Lee!"
He chuckles and holds out his arm for her, "Do you want to get some tea and then go back to the room?"
She takes his arm, and they walk to a coffee shop near the hotel. They sit down at a table in the corner, and each has a cup of chamomile tea. Lee and Rosemary reminisce about all the adventures they have had in the last few months, but they agree it is time to go home.
The next morning, Lee wakes up before Rosemary again. He runs downstairs to buy her some coffee, scones, and some flowers. Just as he is setting everything up, she wakes up with a big smile on her face. "Good morning, my dear husband. What is the occasion?"
"No occasion. I just wanted to get my beautiful wife flowers?"
"Come here, Lee Coulter!" She pats the bed and scoots over so he can sit next to her.
He hands her the flowers and gives her a deep kiss, "Are you ready to go home?"
Rosemary smells the flowers and lays them down next to her. She takes her hand and gently pats his cheek. "Yes, I am ready, but let's promise each other to always make us a priority. I love how close we have become these last few months, and I don't want to lose that ever. We are at our best when we do things together, and I believe the best is yet to come!"
"I agree, sweetheart. Now come over and have your coffee and scones. I have one more surprise for you on the way home." She sits down next to him with a smile on her face. He takes a deep breath and says, "Rosie, please hear me out. I know how much having a baby means to you, to both of us, but I feel like God put Diogo and his brothers in our lives to open our hearts to adoption. We don't know yet if we will have a baby of our own, but we can do something right now, and that is to bring a child into our lives and love them like they should be loved. After we dropped the boys off at their new home, I sent a telegram to Lillian and Grace to see if they know of any children that need a good home. I received their letter the morning you went to see Penelope. They wrote about a little boy named Patrick, who is seven years old. He is a polite, well behaved little boy who has a vivid imagination. He loves to make up stories and act them out, and he loves to build things. They suggest we meet him and see if we think he should be a part of our family. What do you say, Rosie? Do you want to meet Patrick?" Lee looks over at her and sees all the different emotions crossing her face as she contemplates what he just told her. First comes shock on why he is just now telling her this. Next, there is doubt in her mind on whether they are ready to adopt a child. Then, there is a little sadness for realizing they might not ever have a baby of their own. Lastly, there's the hope of having a child come into their lives for them to love.
Rosemary lovingly looks at Lee with tears forming in her eyes, "I would love to go to Brookfield and meet him. He sounds perfect for us. Why are you just now telling me this?"
Lee smiles and takes her shaking hands into his, "I wanted to make sure everything was arranged before I mentioned it to you. I didn't want to get your hopes up if it wasn't going to work out."
"I know opening our hearts to adoption is a new idea for the both of us, I just don't want us to rush into anything just because Lillian and Grace say they have the most perfect little boy for us. We aren't rushing into anything, are we, Lee?"
"I figure we can meet him and see if we think he belongs in our family. We are under no pressure to take him home or anything. This is strictly just a chance to get to know him and for him to get to know us."
She rubs his chin with her thumb while gazing into his clear blue eyes. "Oh, Lee! His name is Patrick, even?"
He returns the gaze as he is trying to fight the tears welling up in his eyes. "When I heard that, I knew this was meant to be!" He wraps his arm around her as she leans into his full embrace.
Rosemary rests her head on his chest and says, "Okay, let's go meet him."
"You know I love you very much, sweetheart?"
"I do. And I love you too, my darling husband!"
Lee and Rosemary enjoy the rest of their leisurely morning together. They decide to pack everything up the best they can and then eat a quick lunch in the hotel dining room before they check out. Lee is surprised to find that everything managed to fit after all of the shopping Rosemary did on this trip. They finish their lunch, check out of the hotel, and take a cab to the train station about an hour early. They both pull out a book and start reading until it is time to board their train for the long trek back home. Lost in his book, Lee barely hears them announce their train is about to leave. He looks at the time and realizes they will miss the train if they don't hurry up. He quickly gets up and starts gathering all of their things. Rosemary follows suit, and they race to the train. They make it just in time. She goes inside and gets seated while he makes sure all the luggage is safely onboard. He sits down next to her just as the train leaves the station. Rosemary laughs, "We sure cut that close."
"We sure did," laughs Lee. He pulls out the train schedule and notices there were no more trains out today. "The next one wasn't for a day and a half." He thinks about it for a moment and then says, "I guess that wouldn't have been so bad. It would have given us more time to spend together exploring the city." They both chuckle at the thought.
Rosemary rests her head on his shoulder, "I am so glad we are going home, Lee. I miss everything about our little hamlet. I can't wait to wake up with you in our little row house and pop-in on little Jack and Elizabeth. I bet he has grown so much and is talking up a storm. I hope he still remembers us."
"Me too, Rosie." They both close their eyes and look forward to some quiet time after the whirlwind of activities they have experienced this past week.
Rosemary hopes this will allow them to reflect on their journey so far and talk about their future. After traveling around the Americas and seeing what they saw, they both feel they should do more to help out those in need, especially children. "Lee, do you think we will hear from Diogo and his brothers?"
"I don't know, but I sure hope so. We have to believe we did right by the boys and just give the rest to God." Rosemary nods in agreement.
After almost four days on the train, Rosemary is starting to get a little antsy. She is worried about meeting Patrick, but she doesn't want to tell Lee. She has not seen him this happy in a long time; she doesn't want to be the one responsible for bringing him down. Lee puts his newspaper down when he hears Rosemary sigh. He sees her staring out the window when a concerned expression forms on her face. Lee clears his throat and asks, "What's going on, Rosie?"
"What do you mean? I didn't say anything," Rosemary replies innocently.
"You don't have to say anything. I can see it written across your face."
She looks down and straightens her skirt, "Oh, it's nothing, Lee. I don't want to bother you with anything."
"Rosie?"
She bites her lip and begins, "I am just nervous. What if Patrick doesn't like us? What if I don't know how to be a mother? I've been praying for this for such a long time, now that it's a possibility, it scares me to death."
"Sweetheart, I know you are going to be the best mother in the whole world. Once he meets you, he will never want to leave your side. I know that I didn't want to after meeting you."
"Awe, Lee. You are going to be the best father in the whole world. I can't wait to see you with our future children."
With a big grin on his face, Lee chuckles, "Our stop is next. We should start gathering our things and get ready to get off the train."
"How are we getting to Brookfield from here?" asks Rosemary.
"The stagecoach," answers Lee.
"How long are we staying there?"
"As long as we want to stay."
They get off the train, and to their surprise, Henry's car is sitting there waiting for them. The porter hands them a note:
Dear Lee and Rosemary,
I have it under good authority that you need a ride to Brookfield. So, I thought you could use my car. The porter at the train station will let Lillian and Grace know you are on your way.
Sincerely, Henry
Rosemary grabs the note in disbelief, "How did Henry find out about this?"
"It is a surprise to me too. Lillian and Grace are the only people who know about this. Maybe they think we will want a car while we are visiting them?" Lee starts loading all of their luggage into the car, "Are you ready to go, hon?"
"Is there something you are not telling me?"
"No, I promise. I don't know anything about Henry or what he does or doesn't know. I have no more surprises."
"Mmmhmm. Well, okay. I believe you."
"Thank you. Now, let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can meet Patrick."
Rosemary tries her best not to get too excited. She tries to busy herself looking out the window, working in her sketchbook, or looking at their pictures again. She fails to notice Lee continually looking over at her, smiling. He can see the anticipation all over her face. After a while, he finally breaks the silence, "We are almost there, Rosie. You can relax. I do have one favor to ask you, though."
She gives him a smirk, "What would you like me to do?"
"Come sit closer to me. I want to enjoy this beautiful drive in the mountains with my beautiful wife next to me."
She scoots over and sits right next to him. She rests her hand on his leg and quietly asks, "Are you nervous? You seem so calm."
He looks over at her and gives her a kiss on her temple, "I am a little nervous, but I know God wants us to be there and meet Patrick. I wholeheartedly believe he has great plans for the three of us and hopefully more in the future."
Rosemary smiles and says, "Thanks, Lee…for being so good to me! I believe that, as well."
"My goal in life is to make you happy. When you are happy, I am happy." They pass the Brookfield sign, and he takes her hand and tenderly gives it a squeeze. She squeezes it back and notices he is trying to fight back the tears forming in his eyes.