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Love at First Sight
“Where did we leave off, Ella?”
It seems like it took forever to get out here to the porch. I was hoping that Mrs. H. wasn’t going to ask me to return to the greenhouse for our shoes.Thankfully, she did it herself. From where I sit by the front window, I can see Tommy snoozing away in the study. We’re in the home stretch of our last minutes here, and it’s ridiculous how much unfinished business there is, but at least I’m going to hear the end of the story Mrs. H. started.
“We left off with how life took over while Lep was busy making plans.”
“Oh, right. Before we start would you like me to get us a beverage?”
“No! I’m fine. Get to the story!”
She’s teasing me, but we’re running late, and my mom is picking us up early. For our last day Mrs. H. served a small cake for dessert. It was just like a birthday cake in miniature, with our names on top and a willow branch design down the sides. Yesterday, I would have appreciated those decorations more. Today they gave me the heebie jeebies.
“The thing that happened was me.”
“What?”
“Me. I’m the thing that happened while Lep was busy making plans.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I had been at my aunt’s for the summer. I was 21 years old and was just returning home as Lep was planning to leave.
“I don’t get it.”
“I’ll never forget stepping down from the carriage, the very same one that’s in the carriage house now. My mother ran down the walk and threw her arms around me. My father was just a step behind. The three of us stood there hugging, and crying, and laughing. It had been four months, and we were thrilled to be back together.”
Mrs. Hallovich pauses for a minute. She’s smiling, and it’s like her eyes are focused on a movie that I can’t see. She continues.
“As I blinked the moisture from my eyes, I saw him. He was standing behind my father. His hair was dark and he wore it just a bit longer than was fashionable, so it curled where it met his collar. His eyes were the color of honey. He was looking straight at me, and Ella, he was so handsome. We spoke of it later and agreed that it was like being struck by lightning.”
“What are you saying?” But, I think I already know. It was like when I first saw the dollhouse.
“Love at first sight, Dear.”
Yep. That’s what I thought.
“My father saw it happen, and I could see he was not pleased. He introduced us quickly and ushered Sam away.”
“Wait a minute. Sam?!”
“Yes. Sam. Lep was the nickname his gypsy family gave him.”
Wow! I didn’t see see that coming either! So much for my detective skills.
“My mother had also seen what passed between us, and I believe she was even more upset than Father.”
William ushered Sam into his study.
“I guess you’ll be leaving soon,” he started. “I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to . . . uh . . . help you, in any way, to begin your next journey.”
Sam was still reeling from the sight of Gwendolyn exiting the carriage.
“I can’t believe that’s your Gwendolyn,” he said, ignoring William’s words.
William took a deep breath, steadying himself and nodded.
“She’s beautiful.”
“She takes after her mother,” William said. He tried once more to distract Sam from the subject of his daughter. “Now, about your departure . . . “
“Would you give me the honor of escorting your daughter to town? Perhaps to dinner?”
There it was. What was William to do? Sam was his dearest old friend (old being an accurate word). He loved and respected Sam, but there were things about him that he didn’t know; things perhaps, that he didn’t want to know. William also understood that he might be agreeing to more than one simple dinner date.
“Lep, though you don’t look a day over 30, you are a man nearing 50 years old. Compared to you, my Gwendolyn is a child.” William faltered. Fearing he was about to cross a line over which he may not be able to return, he plunged forward. “No. You may not take Gwendolyn to dinner.”
A darkness descended over Sam’s features.
“I’m good enough to dig in your dirt, but not good enough for your daughter?”
William’s own words from the past flew back at him like a slap in the face.
“That was a long time ago. Things are different. You are different.”
“I’ll leave tomorrow,” Sam said. He turned to go.
“Lep, please! I’m so sorry. Try to understand!”
The study door slammed shut. The frame holding the postcards of Sam’s travels fell to the rug below with a thump.
Sam was good on his word. In the morning, William found the apartment over the carriage house empty. There was no sign that his friend had stayed there. William left the apartment and took a walk to the greenhouse: a masterpiece of a structure. It captured the morning sun, and reflected so much sky and green surroundings that it nearly disappeared. He felt the loss of his friend like a kick to the stomach.
William was sure, however, that he had done the right thing. He had a daughter to protect, though what he was protecting her from was unclear.
He carried on across the clearing and down the slope to the pond. He took in Lep’s handiwork here as well. Willow saplings, 28 of them, surrounded the water. They were young and stood straight. The characteristic ‘weeping’ of the branches would begin next summer. It would be a glorious sight.
He heard a noise and turned to see his wife rushing toward him. Something was wrong.
“What is it, Dear? What’s happened?”
“It’s Gwendolyn,” Harriet said. She could barely get the words out.
“What about Gwendolyn? Darling! What is it?!”
William had turned her about and was ushering her back toward their house.
“She’s gone.”
William stopped short. Harriet crumpled to the ground at his feet. He felt the blood drain from his face and felt his heart as it shattered to pieces. He rested his hand softly on his wife’s head as she sobbed into the earth. William remained immobile for a long while, gazing out across the pond and the young weeping willows.
“Where’d she go?” I asked. This was better than a movie!
Mrs. H. looked at me and waited. She gave me a second to come back to earth.
“Where did you go?” I corrected.
“I followed Sam of course. I was young, I had just fallen in love, and the combination of those two things is quite dangerous. All rational thought left me.”
I am blown away by this. I would never leave my family for the dollhouse. “But you’re here now.” I say.
“Sam and I moved back a few years later, just before my father passed away.”
I need to know more, but Mom is pulling into the driveway. I am frustrated and Mrs. H. can read all of the questions spilling out of my eyes.
“It will be something for us to look forward to.” She smiles. “And don’t forget, I’ll be seeing you next Saturday for the party.”
How could I have forgotten the party? I’ll see Daleni and the M&M’s tonight.
My brain feels like it’s going to explode right out of my head.
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