Of Love Regained

A quirky little love story that endured

May I share with you the story of a love that was so enduring, so wonderful it would follow me throughout my life.  According to family history it was always present, long before I made my appearance.  I can relay what I witnessed from the age of about five years old.  Christmastime was always held at my Mama's house.  No excuses were permitted.  Attendance was mandatory.  It was not the lure of promised presents to be distributed, or the want of delicious baked goods prepared days in advance, it was the presence of Auntie Donna and Uncle John and what quirky, little gift he had dreamed up for her this year.  Permit me please to give a little background about my Auntie Donna and the love of her life. Auntie Donna was Mama's older sister.  Having lost their Mama when she was just thirteen years of age it befell Auntie Donna to assume the role of "mother" to her three siblings.  But a promise made by Auntie Donna to her dying Mama would not be taken lightly. Raising my Mama Kate, my Uncle Buddy, and my Aunt Sugar would prove to be an enormous task.  Over the years the trials of everyday life were met head on.  Mama married Daddy, Uncle Buddy entered the service, and Auntie Sugar settled into her life as a unmarried business women. By that time Auntie Donna was 45 years old and had given up on having children of her own. But the following spring Mama had introduced Auntie Donna to a friend Daddy had met during his time in the army.  Mama tells the story of the tidal wave that washed over Auntie Donna and drowned her in the sea of love. She became young again and filled with laughter.  Mama says it was ordained by God. Auntie Donna loved Uncle John and Uncle John loved Auntie Donna. Over the years my bothers and sisters became the unofficial children of this wonderful couple.  Each year we would get a summer to spent with our favorite Auntie and Uncle.  Summer days would be filled with roller skating, picnics in the park, movies at the theatre, days at the beach, scary bedtime stories by Uncle John.  What magic our summers held over the years!  Neighborhood children became the norm at our Auntie's house. 

By the time my brothers and sisters were married with children of our own, the love was still shinning bright in their eyes. I remember one Christmas my Uncle John presented Auntie Donna with a little gift box, neatly wrapped in Christmas paper with a beautiful gold bow on top.  Inside was a beautiful autumn leaf, bright in orange and red hues, it had been pressed months before.  Auntie Donna would put her hand over her little mouth and giggle.  Mama would sigh and we would all clap with approval.  The next year it would be a sea shell that Uncle John had pick up on our summer trip to the beach. One year I remember a bird's feather, and another year tickets to see the play "My Fair Lady". No matter the gift, all of them told of a memory that the two of them had shared during their life together.  Mama said that God has given them a special love because they could not have children of their own.  Even as they grew old and fragile their love for each other grew stronger.

One afternoon Uncle John called to give us all bad news.  Auntie Donna had passed away in her sleep.  Mama and Daddy rushed over and made all the arrangements.   Daddy was to go back and pick up Uncle John the next morning and he would spent the next couple of weeks at Mama's house.  But after getting no answer Daddy had the Super unlock the door.  There was uncle John sitting in his favorite chair with a tiny suitcase all packed and ready to go. He had passed away just hours before my Daddy got there.  In his suit pocket was a little gift box he had prepared as his final offering of love to Auntie Donna.  We never opened it, but buried it with them.   Over the years we would all try to guess what the last gift  was, but it would remain their last secret to each other.  If you go to the cemetery on the anniversary of their deaths you will find a red rose on each of their graves.  Daddy says it was probably one of the neighborhood children but Mama insists they give the roses to each other.