Pearl Grace Parker

Chapter Fourteen

Two years later

I watch Kathleen run around the house with Mary's little boy. I clean the dishes while looking at the TV we have. I watch the news. I haven't heard from Oliver in two years. I hear someone knock on the door. I wipe my hands clean and open it. I see a man in uniform holding a letter and a grimace facial expression. He says, "Mrs. Pearl Faye?" I nod and say, "Yes." He rubs his hair and says, "I don't really know how to tell you this but your husband, Oliver. He..uh..he is dead." He hands me the letter and says, "I'm sorry, Ma'am." I nod and feel a tear fall down my face. I slowly close the door and let myself sink to the floor up against the door. I opened the letter. It was from one of the generals. Oliver was held captive at a concentration camp for a while. He was starved to death. I look up at Kathleen who will never know her father. This is when I start bawling.

A Year later

I watch Kathleen run around with Mary's children on her third birthday party. I say to Mary, whose husband came back from the war, "How has James been?" She looks down and says, "Well, he is getting therapy." I practically spit my coffee out and say, "What?" She looks over at me with tears in her eyes and says, "He hasn't been the same since he got back from Germany. It's like he is a completely different person." I look at Kathleen who has her father's green eyes and say, "That's crazy. The last time I saw him. I thought he was fine." She shakes her head no and says, "He slapped me the other day..." I look at her now and see the tears slowly falling from her eyes and say, "Mary, I am so sorry." She wipes her tears away and I continue, "If you need anything. I am always here for you. You were there for me when Oliver died." She nods and says, "I am thinking of leaving him." I let her vent from everything that has happened to her since James came back home for the rest of the day.

Three years later

Kathleen went to school for the first time today. It was so cute watching her run up the steps in excitement. I hope she makes good friends. I close the letter and write to send it to my Grandmother. I spray it with my perfume and then I open the letters that have been sent to me. I look down at one that is strange. I opened it to find out my Grandmother has passed away in New Zealand. I feel a sharp pain in my heart. She raised me. I feel broken for a split second and then I call my father. He picks up the phone and says, "You found out didn't you." I mutter through my tears, "Yes, when is the funeral?" My dad says, "Well, we can't bury her since she is in New Zealand. She will be buried over there to avoid any trouble but we will have a ceremony on Friday." I say, "Ok, we will be there." I hang up and try to collect myself for the rest of the day.

Friday

I put a pretty black little dress on Kathleen as she told me about school. I don't even think Kathleen remembers her great-grandmother. I try to smile at Kathleen as she explains her friends to me. I finish buttoning her dress and then I hold out my hand for her. She takes it and I bring her to the car. I buckle her up and sit down and start driving to the ceremony. I stare at the empty casket while the preacher talks about my grandmother. Kathleen sits nicely and tries to amuse herself with her dress. She is a good little girl. The ceremony is finished and I see my mother and George, William and Helen in the back pew. I walk over to them with Kathleen following. I say, "Hello, my little siblings." They scoff at me and Helen says, "We are not that small anymore." I laugh for the first time in what seems like forever. We catch up and then I take Kathleen home. I put her to bed a little early so I could relax. I pull out a cigarette that I haven't had in years and smoke outside on the porch. I ask myself, "What am I doing with my life?"