On The Other Side

Chapter Thirty-Eight: SAOL ÀLAINN

(Beautiful Life)

      I hear laughter in the garden, Aggie, now 19, Alex, 14, Beatrice, 12, and our baby of the family, little Finn, turning 10 this week, play hide and seek in the garden.

      The year is 1942, America entering the war just a few months ago, incredibly enough, helping to dig us out if the Great Depression.

      We've added on to the store, hiring employees, Declan now seeing patients full time. Aggie with only a year and half left of medical school. My youngest celebrating his tenth birthday on Saturday.

     I walk out onto the porch Dec and I added a few years back, the white paint gleaming in the setting sun. Over the years we've added on to this sweet cottage left to us. Adding a room here and there as the babies were born.

     Declan's added window boxes, filling them with lavender, and eucalyptus. Their smells wafting on the breeze, mixing with my children's laughter.

     Aggie runs with abandon, her red hair chopped off and curling to her chin, chases her siblings through the rows of vegetables and flowers.

     "Come on Finn," she shouts, "I bet my old legs can run faster than yours!"

     Finn doubles his speed, his black hair hidden under a familiar olive-green page boy cap. "You've gotten slow, Ag. That's understandable, all you ever do is study anymore."

    Aggie's lilting laughter floats behind her as they run through the sheets hanging on the line.

    Beatrice makes her way to the porch, loosely draping her arm around my waist. "Can I bake a chocolate cake for Finn's birthday? He says that's his new favorite."

    I pull my little Bea close, her red hair as flaming as mine and Aggie's. "His new favorite, you say. I think they're all his favorite. Finn just loves food, especially sweets."

     Bea laughs. "That's true enough." She shades her eyes, looking towards the driveway. "When's pop going to be home, he'll be so excited to see Aggie. I wish she were already done with school; I miss her when she's gone."

     I nod. "I do too," I whisper, kissing Bea's temple, "mama's always miss their leanaí." Together we watch the children dashing around and through the garden. "But that's the way of it, Bea. We raise strong beautiful children, so they can make their way through life, spreading their goodness."

     Just then, Dec comes driving down the road, the tires of our automobile spitting up dust. Alex and Finn make a warriors shout, racing to meet him. Aggie, wearing a pair of Alex's Levi's and a button down, races along with her brothers to meet Dec.

     "Pop," she shouts. "Pop, I'm home!"

     Declan barely has the car in park before he jumps out, the boys attacking him, Aggie jumping in the fray. I can't hold back my smile; it's been such a beautiful life with my Declan.

      We've had our hardships, the depression the main source of those. But Dec, he was always so resourceful, so scrappy, letting nothing keep him down. When one source would dry up, he would find another. He always found extra food, fruit, milk for those in need. Doing without himself, if necessary.

      I still catch my breath when he kisses me, we still fall asleep wrapped around each other each night. He still brings home sweets for the kids, sneaking me my favorite root beer hard candies.

     Bea, more reserved and shy than her siblings, walks slowly to her father. Dec taps a finger to her nose, brushing a kiss over her freckled cheek.

    Dec's beautiful blue eyes meet mine, a visceral pull between us. He's still strong, handsome, the grey peppering his temples only making him more distinguished. He jogs up the porch steps, pulling me close, my arms snaking around his neck, my fingers tugging at his too long hair. "How was your day, grá?" I whisper?

     With the boys shouting "gross!" Dec lowers his lips to mine, kissing me thoroughly. "When I pulled up just now," he says against my lips, "with the sun shining off your hair, you've never been more beautiful." He cups my cheeks, pressing his lips to the left of mine, setting my heart to racing.

     Hand in hand we follow our children inside, Aggie smiling softly as we pass. She knows our love story, she was there. She still talks about Scotland, coming on the ship to America, her daidí. Things the other children only hear stories about. She tells her siblings stories about Crag, Finn swiping his old, faded page boy cap from Aggie, wearing it everywhere he goes.

     Aggie visits Crag's grave often, talking things through, telling him of her joys, her sorrows.

    About two years ago, we received word of Milly's passing. My heart was heavy upon hearing the news, then quickly switched to one of joy that she was able to spend the last years of her life surrounded by her family.

    We traveled by train to Colorado, an adventure for all of us. Milly's funeral was beautiful, fitting for someone as extraordinary as she.

     Miriam and Harry came from Montana. Corky, grown into a tall lanky and very handsome teenager. And Annie, a willowy, blonde headed beauty just like her mama.

Seeing Miriam after so many years was like a balm to my soul. All the years separating us fell away, picking up right where we left off. Laughing, crying, everything true friends do after a long parting.

      Harry, not having aged a day. The fresh mountain air agreeing with him. I catch Corky watching Aggie from under the brim of his cowboy hat, my daughter completely unaware.

     Aggie's hand slipping into mine brings me back to the present. "What are you thinking of mamaí?"

    "Everything, just how beautiful our life has been," I softly reply.

    With Aggie's head resting on my shoulder, we watch Declan as he scoops big bowls of strawberry ice cream for the younger kids, "a pre-dinner snack" he always tells me.

     "A beautiful life to be sure," Aggie whispers.

     Later that night, with the house quiet, and the children asleep, Dec props his cheek on a fist. "What are you thinking, mo grá, hmm?"

     I sit up, my hair falling like a curtain down my back. "I can't believe Aggie's almost done with medical school," I turn, facing Dec, "our daughter is going to be a doctor," I say in awe.  I smooth a hand over his soft as mink hair, his cheek "You told her when she was just a small one, that she could be a doctor, and you helped her realize that dream." I kiss his lips softly, "You've always been there for all of us, making sure no one goes without. Our life hasn't always been perfect, but it's perfect for me. Is breá liom tú," I whisper against his lips.

      "tá mo chroí agat." Dec tucks my hair behind my ears, cupping my cheeks. "saol álainn a bhí ann." He takes my lips with his, the breeze from the open window wafting over us, wrapping us in its magical web.