Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Sitting on the sofa, Alana on one side of Grandma Ruby and Zoey on the other, I sit beside Zoey as anxious as they are to hear the stories that accompany the photos inside the box. Carefully removing the lid and placing it under the antique tin, Grandma begins to sort through the pictures in search of where to begin.

When she finds it, she holds up a photo of a family for all of us to see. “I’m not sure how much you know for our family history, so it’s best to start at the beginning.” She points to the couple in the middle she says, “These are my parents Doreen and Edgar Thorpe, and these are my brothers Eddie and Billy, my sister Tess and me. I was the youngest, and the only one of my siblings that would be moving with my parents to California. My father was a Captain in the Navy and had just received orders to report to Point Mugu to become the commanding officer. Along with the new post, came a promotion. Rear Admiral Edgar Thorpe. It was a huge accomplishment. We were all so proud of him,” her voice takes on a wistful note.

Confused Alana asks, “Why weren’t your brothers and sister going with you?”

“My sister had just gotten married and she and her husband were moving to Colorado. My brothers were both in the Army. Eddie was stationed at Fort Bliss, in Texas and Billy was stationed at Fort Sill, in Oklahoma.”

Studying the picture for a few minutes, Zoey asks, “Grandma Ruby, how old were you in this picture?”

“I was about your age,” she says smiling at the photo. “It was taken just before my fifteenth birthday.”

Taking in the snowy landscape in the background of the photo I ask, “Where were you living before the transfer to Point Mugu?”

“We were living in Illinois. Being in the Navy, we moved around quite a bit. Each one of us were born in a different place. I was born in Maine, and we lived there until I was three, then we moved to Maryland and lived there until I was eight, and then to Illinois, and were there until we moved to California.”

“Did you mind moving around? I would miss my friends if I moved now,” Zoey says.

“When you are a military family, you get used to it. I did miss my friends at first. Given the choice between living on the lake in Illinois where it snowed and was below freezing almost five months out of the year, and living in California. I’d make the move every time.”

Sorting through the box Grandma Ruby takes out another photo. “Dad was only allowed to take leave when it was approved, so we didn’t go on many vacations. On our way to California we stopped at the Grand Canyon.” Looking at the photo she says, “It was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen.”

“What was it like living on a military base?”

She shrugs her small shoulders. “To me, there wasn’t anything unusual about it. It was all I had ever known. The friends that we had were all like us, growing up on military bases. You learn how to make friends quickly and how to have friends without getting too close. It’s always in the back of your mind that you could be transferred to another post at any moment.”

Grandma pulls out several photos of her brother Eddie, the first one of him standing proudly in his uniform. “This was taken when Eddie made Sargent. We were all so proud of him.”

“Why didn’t he join the Navy?”

“He wanted to make a name for himself. He was afraid that if he joined the Navy, he would be given special treatment because of Dad. At least that’s what he told everyone. Eddie wasn’t a big fan of boats or open water. I think he didn’t like the idea of being stationed on a ship in the middle of the ocean.”

Smiling warmly as she looked at the next picture, Grandma says, “This picture was taken on one of the rare occasions that both Eddie and Billy had leave at the same time.” Pointing to the first couple she said, “This is Eddie and his wife Sue, and this is Billy and his wife Joan. Eddie and Sue told us on that visit that they were expecting a baby. They had a boy, and then three more after that one. Billy and Joan had their first child the next year. The first granddaughter, followed by another grandson.”

“What about your sister, did they have children?”

Grandma nodded, “They did. Tess and David had two daughters and a son.”

As Grandma Ruby continues to relay our family history, the girls and I listen intently, hanging on her every word, until my cell phone rings interrupting her latest story.

Rising from the sofa, I dig my phone out of my purse. Seeing Mark’s name on the screen I answer it. “Hey, everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine. I was just wondering if you all wanted to pick up something for dinner on your way home, or if you wanted me to start something here?”

Looking around for a clock and not finding one I ask, “Dinner? What time is it?”

Mark chuckles in my ear. “Babe, it’s six-thirty.”

“What! No, it can’t be that late,” I say as I walk to the window and peer through the blinds finding the sun has already set. “I can’t believe we’ve been here that long. I’ll pick up a pizza on the way home.”

“Sounds good, no rush though. Say hi to Grandma Ruby for me.”

I smile into the phone as I reply, “I will. See you in a little while.” Ending the call, I turn back to the sofa, “Girls, we need to be going.”

“Awww,” Alana says. “Do we have to?”

“But Mom,” Zoey says, “we didn’t find out about the picture?”

Grandma Ruby looks first at me and then to Zoey, “What picture?”

Reaching into the box, Zoey pulls out the photo of Grandma Ruby embracing a pilot and hands it to her.

“Oh,” she says as she runs her fingers over the photo, a look of nostalgia settling on her face.

Lying my hand on Grandma Ruby’s arm, I bring her out of her memory. “Grandma, are you okay?”

Looking up at me, she smiles. “Yes dear, I’m fine. I just haven’t thought about Paul in such a long time.”

“Maybe you could tell us about him sometime,” I say as I squeeze her hand.

“Oh, you all don’t want to hear about that.”

“Yes we do,” the girls say in unison.

“Please Grandma Ruby,” Zoey begs. “We’d love to hear about how you two met.”

Looking to me for approval, I nod and she agrees, “Okay, I’ll tell you, but another day.”

I pick up my purse and drape it over my shoulder then gesture for the girls to stand. “Come on girls let’s walk Grandma Ruby down to the dining room on our way out.”