“No, I didn’t. Is she an Elmwood Springs girl? Do I know her?”
“No, ma’am, she’s not from here. But you’d like her. I have a little girl, too. I haven’t seen her yet, but I’m sure they’ll come to visit pretty soon.”
“Well, that will give you something to look forward to, won’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Why don’t you try and see if you can’t get a little sleep. I know you must be worn out.”
“Yes, ma’am, I am.”
“I’ll wake you up if anybody comes to visit.”
“Thank you. Like I say, I am expecting my wife and little girl, so if you could…”
“Don’t worry, I’m a light sleeper. I promise. I’ll let you know the minute they get here.”
“Thank you.”
Gene closed his eyes, but before he drifted off to sleep, he thought that if somebody had told him he would wind up buried next to his sixth-grade teacher, he wouldn’t have believed them in a million years.
—
GENE’S DEATH HIT the town hard. Nordstrom’s Bakery closed, and the town’s flag flew at half-mast. Gene was the first boy they had ever lost in a war, and it had an effect on almost every person there. They had all watched him grow up. He had mowed their lawns, delivered their papers, and quarterbacked their football team. Even the younger people who had never met him had seen his picture in the bakery window and felt the sadness that was everywhere. People didn’t know what to say to Gerta and Ted. So they mostly just left little notes on their porch to let them know they were thinking about them. Elner sensed that it was best not to say anything. What could you possibly say?
After Gene had gone off to training camp, Gerta had kept his room exactly as it was the day he left. Same pictures on the wall, same bedspread. It was almost as if the room didn’t know he was not coming back and was expecting him to walk in at any moment.
Gerta now sat in his bedroom every day, looking at all the things he had collected over the years. The little metal car on his desk, the model airplane hanging from the ceiling, a box of marbles, an old broken yo-yo. She realized the items could not bring Gene back, but they reminded her of when he was still there.
—
HERBERT JENKINS, THE PRESIDENT of the bank, waited a few weeks, then one day walked over to his sister-in-law’s house to have the talk he hated to have. The one he knew would be so painful for Ted and Gerta.
He wasn’t supposed to, but he had taken the liberty of closing down Gene’s savings account that he had started when he was twelve. Gene had been saving all the money he had earned during the summers and after school, and it came up to almost eight hundred dollars. Herbert sat them both down, then handed them the check.
“I thought you might want this to…well…do whatever.”
Ted looked at it. “I had no idea. Are you sure this was all Gene’s? It seems like so much.”
“Oh, yes. Don’t forget, it’s been collecting interest all these years.”
Gerta looked at Ted and said, “This should go to Marion. We’ll give it to her when she gets here.”
“Is she coming to town?”
“Yes, just as soon as the baby is old enough to travel.”
“Good, that should help a little with expenses and all.”
“Well…we sure do thank you, Herbert, for coming over.”
“Oh, you’re so welcome. Anytime you need anything, just call us. Ida sends her love.”
—
HE DIDN’T TELL THEM, but he and Ida had added an extra two hundred dollars to the account. Most people didn’t know it, but even with all of her airs, Ida could be almost human at times.
When Gene Nordstrom woke up again, Lucille Beemer greeted him cheerfully. “Good morning. How are you feeling? A little more rested?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well…quite a few people have been waiting to talk to you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Go ahead, Lordor.”
“Hello, Gene. I’m your grandfather Nordstrom. You didn’t know me. I died before you were born, but welcome home, son.”
Gene was astonished. “Oh, wow…Well…hello, sir. Nice to meet you. I played you in the Founder’s Day pageant.”
“Miss Beemer told me. You did a fine job, too, I hear.”
“I’ve heard so many great things about you from Dad….Mother, too. She said you were such a nice man. They still have your picture hanging in the living room.”
“Oh, really, which one?” asked Lordor.
“I don’t know, sir. You were wearing a dark suit…and a derby hat?”
Gene suddenly heard a woman laugh. “How well I remember that photo. Hello, Gene, dear, it’s your grandmother.”
“Grandmother Katrina?”
“Yes.”
“Really? I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d actually meet you.”
“I know. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“It sure is. So, umm, Grandmother…would you mind if I asked you a question about something I’ve always wondered about?”
“Not at all.”
“Were you really a mail-order bride, or did Dad just make that story up?”
“No, it’s true. I was.”
“She’s telling you the truth, Gene,” said Lordor.
“Wow…what was that like?”
“Well, back then, we had to do our courting by mail. And when I saw your grandmother’s photograph, that was it.”
“I see. Well, no wonder. I saw an old-timey picture of you, Grandmother, and you were a real knockout. What did you think of his picture?”
“I thought he was very clean looking.”
“So did you get married right away?”
Lordor answered, “No, it took some time…to get to know each other.”
“Too long,” Katrina said with a laugh.
Gene spent the rest of the day meeting other relatives and having people say hello. Because he was such a young man, most of the people who spoke to him were older, including his old high school football coach. “Hey, boy. Welcome back. It’s Coach Cready here.”
“Coach? I didn’t know you were up here. Nobody told me….”
“Yeah, well, the old ticker up and quit on me. Just happened a year ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Coach.”
“Thanks….But listen, boy, I’m mighty proud of you. A marine. Semper fidelis. I was there the day you got on the bus to go to Quantico for training.”
“Yes, sir, I remember.”
“How was it? Tough?”
“Yes, sir.”
“But you could take it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you go down fighting?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good boy. So, Gene…what do you think? Do you reckon we’ll win this thing?”
“Yes, sir. I know we will.”
“That’s the spirit.” Then the coach proudly made an announcement. “Folks, I just want you to know this boy here was the best damn quarterback Elmwood Springs ever had, and he made a damn good marine, too.”
—
GENE WAS AMAZED AT all the people who remembered him and that he had actually met his grandparents. He had heard so many stories about them, but to be able to meet them was something he had never expected. Who would have? Another thing surprised him as well. Nobody had ever told him they both had Swedish accents.
—