Chapter 46

July 3, 1912

It was a hot, humid day in New York as Marion watched little Jack, while his mother washed dishes in the kitchen, and his father was out working, which was a typical day at the Almstead home, except for the humidity. Marion was missing Jesse very much, and the house was too quiet, except for an occasional dog that barked, and cars and horse-drawn carriages that passed by the place. Earlier in the morning, Jessica had to take her son to a doctor's appointment, and Marion decided to have the house to herself. Once they left, the house was even more quiet; the only sounds being the clock ticking over the fireplace mantle, and her own heart beating.

With her spine tingling, Marion decided to walk around the small house once more, noticing more pictures that she missed when everyone was at the house. She sees Jesse's graduation picture hung on a bookshelf, then takes it down, caressing it. She began to wonder what Jesse was like in his younger years, as there were no other pictures other than his secondary school graduation picture, and of him standing near the Grand Staircase, on the Olympic. He stared at the picture, his eyes intense, and his head cocked sideways, and his hand around his neck. She studied the picture intently, tracing her finger around his face, before hugging it. She was missing Jesse very much. Marion knew that tomorrow was a big day; that they will be celebrating both America's freedom and, her ultimate favorite, celebrating Jesse's real birthday. She wished she was by Jesse's side to witness that joyous moment, that he was indeed getting older. With the picture still on her lap, she went into a day-dream, wondering what kind of man Jesse was, as she was taken to a school of sorts. In that dream she imagined Jesse, a tall figure, standing in front of a dusty, western-style window, as being the most popular boy in school, with his books slung over his shoulder, and had his school uniform jacket on the other. Jesse laid his books on the crude desk, and hung his jacket on the back of the chair, and turned his head...She was then brought back awake to the sound of the front door opening. Jessica and her young son walked in, who was eating a piece of candy apple on a stick he had received from the doctor's office.

"Be a big boy and change your clothes, and Mommy will be up." Jessica tells her son, whose lips and part of his face were caked with caramel. He also nearly made a mess in the cab, and the driver nearly got angry with them. Marion looked down, still realizing she had the picture in her hands, then at Jessica.

My God. They look like twins. Marion thought, as she watched Jessica pushed her hair away from her eyes, in a similar way Jesse does. She never got a good look at them, until now. But she knew Jesse was a few years younger than his sister, and he was tall. Jessica sat back down next to her, with a sigh.

"Promise me you'll raise a girl when the time comes." Jessica says, then leans her forehead on her palm.

"So, how was Jesse, in his younger years?" Marion asked, out of the blue. Jessica took her head off her hand, and looked at her. Jack came running down the stairs, then sat down next to his mother.

"Jesse? He was quiet. Too quiet, unless spoken to. He hardly had any real friends. He was, how do we say, reserved." Jessica says, still remembering the days Jesse had his face buried in his books, the serious kid who always studied. Even in the dorms she stayed in, she overheard that Jesse's always studying, despite the ruckus in the boys' dorms.

"He was pretty." Jack beamed.

"Jack!" His mother quickly became embarrassed, and turned red slightly.

"Well, he was. And still is." Jack looks down at his hands and fingers, which were lightly covered with remnants of caramel. He showed Marion his ten sticky fingers.

"I can count to fifty, say the 'aphabet' and my colors, and I can play Texas Hold'em. Uncle showed me. And shoot marbles. And jacks. And backgammon, checkers, but i don't know chess yet. Maybe Uncle will show me next time." Jack proudly proclaims, then began to lick his caramel-coated fingers.

"Jack, go clean your hands, or your father will go crazy again. You already made a mess on this couch. And get in there in the tub with you." Jack gave his mother a sad puppy eyes, but his mother wasn't having any of it. "And get in between your toes. We all know you have the smelliest feet in this house. Let's go. You might make more messes in this house." Marion stayed at the couch while Jessica led Jack up to the bathroom. She didn't realize she still had the picture in her hands until she looked down. She looked at the picture for the last time before placing it to her chest, and hugging it. Soon, she heard voices coming from the upstairs bathroom.

"Don't splash the water now."

"Okay, Mommy."

Jessica sat back down next to Marion, then looked at her.

"When I first moved here almost five years, Jon showed me places, like that carnival place Jesse takes you. We took him there. A lot of people thought we were truly husband and wife; they didn't believe Jesse and I were actually brother and sister. Even Jack resembled my brother moreso that they thought he was our son."

"No wonder Jack looks up to Jesse as if he were an older brother." Marion says, as Jessica slowly looks down.

"That's the thing. He doesn't really like to call him 'uncle'. He often wished Jesse was more of an older brother than anything." Jessica sighed. "But my brother does treat Jack like he is his older brother."

"What does Jesse do, that he goes to Europe?" Marion wanted to retract what she just said, but Jessica sat up straight. She knew if anyone was to court her brother, they might want to ask what does he do.

"Well, he helps our father run his car repair business back in the southwest. A man came to them, asking if Jesse wanted to work for him back in England." Jessica pauses. "Jesse stays in Albuquerque."

Marion tried to pronounce the town's name she had never heard of, but she failed, and laughed at her own silliness.

"It's a small desert town in New Mexico. I haven't been back in about four years, since I married Jon in Pittsburgh, and we moved here soon after."

"Wait. There's a new Mexico?" Marion raised her eyebrow.

"Its actually a state now, if I remember, its been half a year I believe. It used to be a United States Territory. My history's rusty, but Jesse knows more about it than I do. But enough about that. My father worked for some steel plant in Philadelphia, while Jesse ran his father's business long enough, that my half-older brother found out. He wanted Jesse to work in a rail yard here in New York, and turns out he also knows of a wealthy businessman who was out to look for skilled workers, to work on ships back in England and my grandfather's place of birth, Ireland. I'm also part Irish, but Jesse is a little more interesting, as he is an Indian, though he's also part Irish. All things aside, this businessman also wanted to pay for my brother's education either in town or back in Europe, Germany is what I think is called, but he hasn't yet decided yet. I just hope he gets his life in order." Jessica says.

"Mommy! I'm done!" Jack called from the bathroom.

"I'll be right back." Jessica hurries upstairs, followed by the sound of a door closing, then entering the bathroom. Jessica was soon done, and Jack was still eating his candy apple.

"Don't make a mess with that now." his mother warned.

"I won't." Jack moaned, before biting into the apple.

"Did your husband come from here?" Marion asked.

"No, we've both come from the countryside. Jon's side of the family have been living in Ohio farmlands for as long as he can remember, before they moved to Pittsburgh. His father found work there, in a mine, and his younger brother moved to Philadelphia to seek better fortunes. Meanwhile Jon was supposed to head to California, to seek work there, but his train broke down in my city. And that's where he found me, and next thing I knew, we were on the next train back to Pittsburgh, and that's where we got married. With my father's permission and blessing, of course." Jessica sighed, remembering it like it was just yesterday.

July 4, 1912

The sun went down over the Williams homestead, and the meager lights of Albuquerque began to light up, but everyone can still see the stars above, and even the mighty Sandia Mountains in the background. Jack and Rose hugged each other, admiring the colors of the Southwest, and of the stars that were beginning to glow overhead. Mr. Williams stepped out, then adjusted his coat flaps.

"Ready to head downtown?" he gave a chuckle. "It's Jesse's big day."

"Father, really. It's no fuss-" Jesse began from inside the house. He had hoped his father had forgotten about this day, like he has done in previous years. He wasn't nine years old anymore. Beside, it was very embarrassing for him. He knew his father acted like a big child at times, especially if it came to weddings, birthday parties, anything that was fun.

"C'mon now, son. It's your big night. Tell you what, let's get something to eat tonight. My treat." Jack and Rose turned back into the house, as they watched Jesse getting ready, putting on a jacket, while Fabrizio and Karl stood outside, waiting. Everyone piled in the car, while Jesse's father cranked the engine over with difficulty. Jesse wanted to get out, but Mr. Williams instead called for Jack, then instructed him to turn the engine. The car barely coughed to life, before Jack tried a final time. It finally started, as Mr. Williams pulled the crank handle from the engine, then entered the car. With the oil lamps barely lighting a path, Jesse's father drove the car through the difficult path, but they managed to make it to the main dirt trail that led them to the town.

"Where's that Mexican place your 'Ma an' 'Pa used to take us, before they left for Phoenix? Or is it Tucson now? I forget which city they're in." his father asked, as he drove his car through the light downtown traffic. "That place had some really excellent enchiladas and posole soup. Maybe more of I'm missing some." Jesse felt awkward, being by himself while Marion decided to stay back in New York, to be sort of Jack's nanny, as she wanted to learn how she can take care of her own someday. He put his arm on the door as Fabrizio guided Mr. Williams, now that he remembered where the little restaurant was. Fabrizio leaned over the seat.

"Buon compleanno, Jesse." (Happy birthday) Fabrizio whispered in Jesse's ear, then patted him on his shoulder, while still guiding his father. Karl also reached over the seat.

"Hyvää syntymäpäivää, Jesse." he whispered in Jesse's ear, who also took in his clean scent without him knowing. He also patted his firm shoulder.

They soon found the restaurant, but it was almost closing for the night. Jesse's father quickly stopped the car, stalling it in the process, at the same time, it kept wanting to run, in a series of coughs, or "dieseling," and before the kids knew what was going on, Jesse's father pleaded with the owner that he had a son on his big day. The owner eventually gave in, and the small crowd entered. Jesse was the last person to enter, for he had to stop the car from "dieseling" from his father's abrupt shut-off. Inside, they were candles that were just lit, as the large family found a place to sit.

"You sit over there, son." his father pointed.

What?! Jesse thought, but does what he is told, as he took his seat at the middle of the table. Soon, he was greeted with stares, even from his own friend, Karl. Their food arrived, and the aroma was delicious. From enchiladas to tacos, everyone began to dig in, while Jesse looked at his food. He couldn't remember the last time he ate Mexican, but he knew it had been a while. He dug into a tamale, while Fabrizio, Jack and Rose ate tostadas, and Mr. Williams and Karl had both posole soup, along with enchiladas. For Karl, this was a new experience, from his usual dishes back at home, consisting of pea soup, and at times, cabbage. He knew isä (papa) was poor, but he managed to feed his kids well. He was more thankful he came to America with Jesse, and experiencing life the country had to offer, and of his beautiful friend. Soon, the cooks came out and sang Happy Birthday to Jesse, in Mexican.

"Feliz cumpleaños a ti
feliz cumpleaños a ti
feliz cumpleaños querido/a Jessé
feliz cumpleaños a ti."

The owner followed, with a small, singly cake cut just for Jesse, with a single candle on it. The man carefully set the cake down in front of him, then twirled his thick moustache, and though no one could see, Jesse was blushing in the dimly lit room. Jesse looked at the small thing, while his father encouraged his son to blow the candle out. Jesse sighed, then held his hair away from his eyes, and blew the single candle, while everyone cheered, especially the restaurant owner and his master cooks.

...

It was dark by the time they left, as Mr. Williams cranked the engine once more. He drove around, until he came across an open lot, clearly in view of the mountains and part of the city. No sooner than Mr. Williams shut down the car the fireworks display began. Jesse tried to forget the images of a lone ship he was on, trying to signal to another lone ship off in the distance, that unfortunately never came. Jack and Rose stepped out, and admired the noise, even though it sometimes reminded them of bad times. But tonight, it was special, not just America, but their friend as well. They leaned against the fender of the car, taking in the spectacle, while behind them the passenger door creaked and popped, as Jesse slowly stepped out of the car, trying to enjoy himself. Rose soon saw, that Jesse was clearly missing Marion, and of the tragedy that the fireworks display was giving off. She saw the first tear roll down Jesse's soft cheek, then gave him a hug, followed by Jack. It was too much for Jesse, and he cried quietly right there and then, while Jack embraced him even harder, and finally, Fabrizio, who was also missing his first love, Helga, where they both hugged each other very tightly, and sobbing. They continued embracing each other, long into the night, as the fireworks display lingered.