Hope Girl (22 page)
Authors: Wendy Dunham
W
hen Dad and I get back to Gram's house, I'm real tired, but I hurry to the mailbox just in case Mom wrote back. I reach in the mailbox and pull out a stack of mail. There's the water bill, electric bill, and the Birdsong newsletter. The last letter in the pile is for me. The return address says: 731 Swift Road South, Sparrow Harbor, West Virginia. I tear it open.
Dear River,
Thank you so much for writing to me and reminding me about such a precious time in my life. For the first time, I'm starting to remember you. I've had little flashes of memory come to me ⦠I remember your dad and I having a picnic when we chose your name, I remember when you were born, and I remember when you had the chicken pox. My memories are coming back in little pieces. I'd love to have
you come visit for a week. The more time we spend together, maybe the more I'll remember. Please talk this over with your dad and get back to me.
With much love,
Mom
For the first time, I cry because I'm happy. I hurry to the house and burst through the door, taking Dad by surprise.
“My goodness,” he says, “what's all the excitement?”
I hold up my letter. “Mom remembers! Well, not everything, but lots of things. And she wants me to come visit for a week!”
Dad shakes his head. “Unbelievable.”
I wave the letter around the kitchen. “So when can I visit? She said she wants to know, so I have to call her backâ”
Dad laughs. “Now slow down there and take a breath.”
“Okay, okay, but when can I go?”
“How about after the wedding? I'd like to take Rosa on a honeymoon, so that would work out good from my end.”
Every bit of happiness I'm feeling slips away from me. “Dad, even after this letter, you're still planning to marry Rosa?”
“River,” he says, “yes, I'm marrying Rosa.”
“But what if Mom wants to be back with us? How's that going to work? Moms and dads are supposed to be together.”
Dad puts his hand on my shoulder and guides me to the chair. “River, you'll still have both of us, but your mom and I can't be together. You'll have two families⦠more people to love and to love you back.”
I fight the lump in my throat again. “But I asked God to work things out like they're supposed to be⦠and this doesn't make sense.”
Dad takes a deep breath. “What if having the three of us back together isn't how it's supposed to be?”
“How could it not be?”
“Did you ever think God's plans might be different than yours?”
“No, because all I've ever wanted was the three of us together.”
“But she's married and has children. You need to accept that.”
I pull my hand away and head out the door.
Dad tries stopping me. “River, would youâ”
I turn back and cut him off. “Dad, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but can we talk when I get back?”
“Sure, that'll be fine.”
I head down Meadowlark Lane toward the birding place. Once there, I get on my knees and lean against the log. I figure if I'm going to talk to God seriously, this is probably the best position to be in. “Okay, God. First, thanks for helping my mom remember some things about me. And please don't think I'm ungrateful, but I don't understand why you didn't work things out like I thought. But since you're God, you know more than me. So right now I decide to trust you. It looks like Dad and Rosa are getting married, and Mom's staying with her family. Now I'll have two families⦠I guess you gave me double what I asked for.”
When I get home, Dad's still in the kitchen. “You okay?”
I smile and nod. “I am now.”
He gives me a wink. “Before you left I was going to ask if you'd like to have Rosa and Carlos over for sundaes this evening. I thought we could put our heads together to plan the wedding.”
“That sounds good, but first I have to call Mom and tell her I'm coming.”
A
fter supper Dad, me, Rosa, and Carlos sit around the picnic table in the backyard eating hot-fudge sundaes and making wedding plans.
We brainstorm until it's dark and only the big dipper's shining on us. Rosa takes notes on every wedding detail, from the time and place, down to Gram's corsage (which will be a flower called the camellia because it represents gratitude). Dad chose that flower because he's grateful Gram raised me all those years I was missing.
Carlos's boutonniere will have a gladiolus, which represents strength of character.
I'll carry two types of flowersâa zinnia for Billy, which represents thoughts of absent friends, and for me Dad picked baby's breath for innocence and pureness of heart.
Dad chose a bouquet of orchids for Rosa because they mean rare beauty and love. And for Dad, Rosa chose a primrose, which means I can't live without you.
Dad says I don't have to wear my brace at the wedding so I won't feel like everyone's staring. I felt happy about that until Carlos said, “I wish I had that option.” Even though he was joking, deep down I think he meant it.
The rest of the week flies by, and Saturday's finally here. The bridal party (which includes Dad, Rosa, me, and Carlos) waits inside Dad's studio while the guests arrive. We don't want anyone to see us.
Rosa and I hide in Dad's office so Dad and Carlos won't see us. They wait in the kitchen. I can hear Dad pacing back and forth across the kitchen.
Rosa looks beautiful. Her gown is made of a shimmering ivory, and she's wearing a matching veil, which falls over her eyes. A delicate pearl hangs from her neck. I smile from deep inside and say, “You look real pretty, Mom.”
She smiles and fixes the ribbon on my dress. “So do you, my beautiful daughter.”
Rosa and I peek out the front window of Dad's office. Main Street is already lined with cars. Then we peek out the back window. The rows of chairs are filled. It's almost time.
Just then the piano lady begins, and we hear the kitchen door open. Rosa and I peek out the back window again and watch Dad walk along the stone path to the pergola (which is still covered with coral roses). Pastor Henry's there waiting.
Then there is a knock on the office door. Carlos says, “Is Miss River ready for her escort?”
“She is,” I tell him. When Carlos opens the door, his jaw drops. “You, Miss Starling, look radiant.”
He guides me through the kitchen door and along the stone pathway, where I meet Dad and Uncle Henry beneath the pergola. Gram smiles and blows me a kiss from the front row. And sitting next to her is my real mom, my step-dad, Michael, and my half brother and sister, Bennie and Livvy. My real mom's holding the bouquet of May flowers I gave her, and as the wind blows my way, it carries the sweet smell of happiness, reminding me my life's complete.
Carlos lets go of my arm and goes back inside. Now we wait.
Everyone stands while the piano lady plays the bridal march. Then after what feels like forever, Carlos walks through the door with his mother at his arm. She is the most beautiful bride I've ever seen. He guides her along the stone path, bringing her to Dad, then steps aside.
Uncle Henry smiles as he looks out at our friends and family. “Today we celebrate the union of two lives, Rosa Amaranta and Jay Whippoorwill.”
After Uncle Henry talks about love, patience, and cherishing each other, Rosa and Dad exchange rings, repeat their vows, and say, “I do.” Then Uncle Henry turns to Dad and says, “You may kiss your bride!”
When Dad leans in to kiss Rosa, Rebecca stands up and shouts, “They're kissing again?” Of course everyone laughs. Then they clap and throw rice as Dad and Rosa run down the aisle.
As Carlos takes my arm and we follow our parents, he turns to me and says, “I thought you weren't wearing your brace today.”
I turn my robot body toward him and say, “I didn't want my brother being stared at all alone.”
Carlos smiles. “I knew you'd be an awesome sister.”
These questions can be used as a springboard for group discussion:
⢠River had to wait twelve years before she met her father. Have you ever had to wait a long time for something you really wanted? Share about that time.