[A/N. Due to the fact that I've got an essay for "Criminal Law and
Criminology" due in soon which I've only just began to work on this chapter
won't be very long. But I don't think that matters too much since there
isn't much I want to say in it. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer!]
Philadelphia, July, 1955.
"Dear Mama, Papa and Ben," Eliza read out loud from the armchair where she was seated.
Edward was sitting in another chair, and Ben was stretched out on the couch. He'd completed his first year of Harvard Law School with top marks and Eliza and Edward couldn't have been more proud. As a present for his grades Mrs. Gracie had ordered he be given a thousand-dollar cheque, something which had shocked both Eliza and Edward. Even though Mrs. Gracie was now confined to her bed her mind was still working perfectly, although after that Eliza had questioned that.
"I can hardly believe it's the end of another year at Uni. I suppose my marks could have been a little better but they weren't too bad. Anyway we all know Ben is the smart one in the family. I tell everyone here about how my big brother is going to be a lawyer soon. This summer I am planning on spending a few weeks over in France with one of the girls from my class, Penny- you will remember I wrote to you about her before Papa, her dad owns that coal mining company in Newcastle?- so I might need some more money for the vacation than last year. I don't want to look out of place over there. Penny has a real Dior outfit Mama! I can't go to France dressed like a teenager in my favorite poodle skirt now can I? We will be spending a lot of time on the beach so I will need to get a new bathing suit. I was thinking of one like Miss America's last year- Papa don't have a heart attack- it's quite decent I promise. Mama I tried to read that book you told me to read- "Majorie Morningstar"- but to tell you the truth I just couldn't get into it. It may be on top of the bestseller list, but it's just not my type of book. Anyway darlings I must close now, as I've got a few things to do, and I want to send this letter as soon as possible. Love always, Margie." Eliza finished reading the letter and folded it up.
"With a garbled letter like that its no damn wonder she didn't get better marks." Ben remarked from the couch.
"Just because your twenty-one now it doesn't mean you can swear Benjamin." Eliza reminded him gently.
"Oh Mama don't treat me like a child." Ben complained sitting up and stretching his legs. Unlike many of the young men his age Ben still dressed neatly in pants and a shirt. When one of his old schoolfriends had dropped in to visit him the other day Eliza had been shocked to see him wearing denim jeans and later on she had commented on it to Ben. Ben had laughed. "Mama that's the way guys my age dress now- You saw the pictures from "Rebel without a Cause" everyone thinks they're James Dean." Eliza had frowned. "You still dress properly." "Well I'm going to be a lawyer, I have to." Ben had replied. "And don't be so old fashioned Mama, or I'll start thinking you're like Grandmother. She actually yelled at me the other day because of the music people are listening to."
"Sorry, but to me you are still a child." Eliza said softly, thinking of that conversation. Was she really that old fashioned? She didn't think she was. Like many other fifty-year old women she still dressed relatively conservatively, and she had to admit she was getting kind of used to the rock and roll music played on the wireless.
Edward sighed, and got up stretching. "I better go and make that call to Morgan, or he'll be having kittens. It's good to hear that Margaret is happy in England though." He said as he left the room.
"Ben, do you think Margaret will ever come back?" Eliza asked suddenly. She'd been thinking about it the last few days since Margaret only had a year left of University over there, and Edward's comment as he left the room reminded her.
Ben sighed. "Honestly Mama I don't know, but I wouldn't be holding my breath. She's always said she'd go back there, and to tell you the truth I think she's better off there. If it means she's happier, and she's not moping around here sulking like a spoilt brat..well.." He shrugged as he got up. "I better get going. I should have left a few minutes ago but I wanted to hear the Queen of England's letter first."
Eliza had to laugh. "Spoken like a true brother." She said with a smile.
"I'll see you later Mama." Ben said, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he left the room.
Eliza sighed and leant back in her chair. Why couldn't time stop before it was too late and both her children were grown and gone, and it was only her and Edward alone in the big house?
Philadelphia, July, 1955.
"Dear Mama, Papa and Ben," Eliza read out loud from the armchair where she was seated.
Edward was sitting in another chair, and Ben was stretched out on the couch. He'd completed his first year of Harvard Law School with top marks and Eliza and Edward couldn't have been more proud. As a present for his grades Mrs. Gracie had ordered he be given a thousand-dollar cheque, something which had shocked both Eliza and Edward. Even though Mrs. Gracie was now confined to her bed her mind was still working perfectly, although after that Eliza had questioned that.
"I can hardly believe it's the end of another year at Uni. I suppose my marks could have been a little better but they weren't too bad. Anyway we all know Ben is the smart one in the family. I tell everyone here about how my big brother is going to be a lawyer soon. This summer I am planning on spending a few weeks over in France with one of the girls from my class, Penny- you will remember I wrote to you about her before Papa, her dad owns that coal mining company in Newcastle?- so I might need some more money for the vacation than last year. I don't want to look out of place over there. Penny has a real Dior outfit Mama! I can't go to France dressed like a teenager in my favorite poodle skirt now can I? We will be spending a lot of time on the beach so I will need to get a new bathing suit. I was thinking of one like Miss America's last year- Papa don't have a heart attack- it's quite decent I promise. Mama I tried to read that book you told me to read- "Majorie Morningstar"- but to tell you the truth I just couldn't get into it. It may be on top of the bestseller list, but it's just not my type of book. Anyway darlings I must close now, as I've got a few things to do, and I want to send this letter as soon as possible. Love always, Margie." Eliza finished reading the letter and folded it up.
"With a garbled letter like that its no damn wonder she didn't get better marks." Ben remarked from the couch.
"Just because your twenty-one now it doesn't mean you can swear Benjamin." Eliza reminded him gently.
"Oh Mama don't treat me like a child." Ben complained sitting up and stretching his legs. Unlike many of the young men his age Ben still dressed neatly in pants and a shirt. When one of his old schoolfriends had dropped in to visit him the other day Eliza had been shocked to see him wearing denim jeans and later on she had commented on it to Ben. Ben had laughed. "Mama that's the way guys my age dress now- You saw the pictures from "Rebel without a Cause" everyone thinks they're James Dean." Eliza had frowned. "You still dress properly." "Well I'm going to be a lawyer, I have to." Ben had replied. "And don't be so old fashioned Mama, or I'll start thinking you're like Grandmother. She actually yelled at me the other day because of the music people are listening to."
"Sorry, but to me you are still a child." Eliza said softly, thinking of that conversation. Was she really that old fashioned? She didn't think she was. Like many other fifty-year old women she still dressed relatively conservatively, and she had to admit she was getting kind of used to the rock and roll music played on the wireless.
Edward sighed, and got up stretching. "I better go and make that call to Morgan, or he'll be having kittens. It's good to hear that Margaret is happy in England though." He said as he left the room.
"Ben, do you think Margaret will ever come back?" Eliza asked suddenly. She'd been thinking about it the last few days since Margaret only had a year left of University over there, and Edward's comment as he left the room reminded her.
Ben sighed. "Honestly Mama I don't know, but I wouldn't be holding my breath. She's always said she'd go back there, and to tell you the truth I think she's better off there. If it means she's happier, and she's not moping around here sulking like a spoilt brat..well.." He shrugged as he got up. "I better get going. I should have left a few minutes ago but I wanted to hear the Queen of England's letter first."
Eliza had to laugh. "Spoken like a true brother." She said with a smile.
"I'll see you later Mama." Ben said, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he left the room.
Eliza sighed and leant back in her chair. Why couldn't time stop before it was too late and both her children were grown and gone, and it was only her and Edward alone in the big house?