Rita's gynecologist had given "around the second week of February" as her due date back in July. Rita's position on that was "If it's a girl she'll be born on February 14th, Valentine's Day.
"And if it's a boy?" Eddie asked her.
"Then we'll name him Edward Jr."
"I'm not so high on this junior stuff, Rita."
"Yeah and you're not carrying around a bowling ball under your shirt."
Eddie had been informed months before that a girl would be named Diana after Rita's mother.
"What about Sherry as a girl's middle name?"
Though Rita was still seventeen years old, had been married for less than a year and was in almost all things just a teenaged girl, she nevertheless had already learned a wife's magic words, also known as "the discussion-enders."
"We'll see," she responded. "We'll see." Though in this case 'we'll see' definitely meant no. 'Diana Sherry' Rita said to herself, wow does that ever sound like a big load for a young girl to carry around.
Rita worked until mid-January and then wound up spending most of her days at Margaret's. Robert was now three years old and the unconditional love from Margaret and Randy was having an impact. Often whiney and uncooperative when Julie first began dropping him off at Margaret's home, he was now just a typical little boy.
Rita had Maryann ask around school for younger brothers and sisters Robert's age. With no one close to three in Margaret's neighborhood, it was an idea that Rita had come up with and that Margaret thought terrific. It turned out there were plenty of would-be friends a few minutes drive away and Margaret had set up a schedule of back and forth play visits for Robert. On those days it was left for Rita and Margaret to hang out. Afternoon movies, long walks (weather and Rita's bladder permitting) and often just hours of chatting.
What made these two women get along so well, one nearly old enough to be the other's grandmother was that Margaret was definitely street smart, but unlike many street smart women of her age, it hadn't turned to cynicism. And as Rita was very street smart for her age, they generally saw the world in about the same fashion.
Margaret, from Rita's stories about Eddie, felt that there were great similarities between him and her Charlie. And as Margaret only said the kindest things about Charlie, Rita was more
sure than ever that she and Eddie would have a great, lifetime long marriage. That is except for those moments she thought about Tommy Mullen. But as close as she felt with Margaret, Rita never told her anything about those feelings. Nothing about the day at the beach, Maryann's wedding observation, Tommy's special good-bye at the reception, nothing. And, as much as she trusted Margaret, Sherry Brown and Margaret had become rather good friends and Rita could not chance Margaret slipping up.
Rita obviously couldn't tell Maryann. What a disaster that would be. It would have to remain her secret, never being shared with anyone, never being acted upon. Of course Rita was paying a price for her feelings. Though they were still just feelings not actions, it didn't stop her for feeling flat out guilty about them. And without sharing them with another living soul she was unable to get the kind of reassurance only a living soul could give about the human condition and it's lack of perfection.
Eddie had gotten into the father-to-be thing more than the husband stuff. While it wasn't even a bit logical, he blamed being married on his having to continue working at the I.G.A. And with even their weekends at Rosco's over until the spring, Eddie missed playing with the band. Even the Sunday night practices had drifted into a once in a while thing. But he was truly looking forward to fatherhood. His father had been good at it and Eddie intended to use him as a starting point rather than as a role model. He'd take his child to the circus TWICE each time it came to town, they'd go to Met AND Yankee games, he'd let his son and daughter take lessons on two or three instruments. Eddie and his child would do it all, all the time. If all this was in any way related to Eddie's feelings that his adolescence was just a bit abbreviated, it wasn't a conscious consideration. He was counting the days to February 14th with the most anticipation he'd ever experienced in his life. But he didn't have to count down all the way until Valentine's day. On the night of January 30th, 1978 with four inches of snow on the ground, billions of stars and one nearly full moon lighting the way, Eddie and Rita picked up the Brown's and drove to the north ferry. Her pains still five minutes apart, the seven minute wait for the ferry was not an overly anxious interlude for the four Browns, rather a sweet memory in the making. In that brief time together, as the only car waiting for a ride across the bay, the sense of family, of oneness spread through the group until it was as perceptible as the cold night air.
After nine and one half-hours of labor and with absolutely no complications, Rita and Eddie were the parents of a seven pound fourteen ounce baby boy. Eddie's training was somewhat helpful in preparing him to handle the experience of watching his son's birth but inadequate in being any real help to Rita. Far more nervous than his wife, he was probably more in need of support. And as he did his typically good job of masking his emotions, even to himself, no support was forthcoming. Many trips to the men's room and solo walks around the hospital corridors kept him out of her room for long stretches. But he did see Edward Jr. hit the big time and if anyone had noticed they would have seen the first tears of joy to ever flow from Eddie Brown's eyes.
Besides all the usual suspects waiting to see Rita and the new baby, Big Bob had sent for, even provided tickets for Diana's parents. Estranged for more than ten years from both Big Bob and their daughter, it took only a phone call from the new, apologetic Bob Wills to end the feud. In fact, as a return peace offering upon meeting Big Bob at the hospital, they handed back the tickets he'd sent them weeks before.
Gloria and James Darby were recently retired high school teachers living in a Florida condominium, paid for over twenty years. Not able to watch the mental abuse Bob Willis was inflicting on their daughter and frightened over her possibly joining him in the world of alcoholism, they had tried everything up to and including an "us or him" ultimatum. They'd regretted that posture a short time after taking it but the damage was done. Big Bob had his excuse to forbid his wife or daughter any contact with his in-laws and not having her mother around anymore did much to hasten Diana's emotional and finally physical decline. It was even left for Rita to make the phone call to her grandparents informing them of their daughter's death. But they were on a six a.m. flight out of Tampa and the Greenpoint hospital by noon to see their first grandchild.
By dinnertime everyone had left except Eddie. They took turns holding their infant son, acting very much like the children they so recently stopped being.
"Come on, you've had him for ten minutes. It's my turn."
"I've had him for five minutes. I'm his mother and he's not done eating."
Rita had planned on breast feeding her child but inadequate milk ducts precluded the possibility. Little Eddie had actually finished his bottle but Rita kept it at his mouth so as not to have to hand him over to his overly enthusiastic father.
"Rita, they're going to kick me out of here soon. Give him up!"
For the umpteenth time, Eddie in his mask and gown held and rocked his son until the nurse brought them their dinner and gently insisted little Eddie return to his picture windowed dormitory.
One of the advantages of having their own rather large home was the capability to comfortably have several guests at one time. Big Bob and the Darbys spent several days with Rita and Eddie and proved to be of great value, both in physically helping out and in helping to fend off whatever post-childbirth blues Rita might have suffered. With so many people constantly around, including visits from the band, Margaret and Randy and Maryann and the almost constant vigil of Dennis and Sherry Brown, Rita had absolutely no opportunity for any negative feelings. And, of course, she was living out her dream of motherhood and a wonderful marriage. It was by any measure Rita's heaven on earth.
Known by all that had even the slightest of contact with them as great animal lovers, Rita's grandparents left her two gifts before they returned to Florida. One was a fairly elaborate tank containing three permanently small turtles and the other was a large Angora cat they'd found on an excursion tour of North Fork animal shelters.
"When you're back home and Eddie's working and everything is back to normal there are going to be times you need some company. That's where the cat will come in. Nice, easy, calming company. And when you want to give some minimal effort mothering, you can sprinkle a little food in the turtles' tank." Gloria Darby was having one last cup of coffee with her long lost granddaughter as her husband and Big Bob were packing Bob's car for the three-hour trip to the airport.
"We're going to use Grandpa's name for little Eddie's middle name. Edward James Brown. What do you think, Grandma?"
"Tell Grandpa when he comes back in the house and watch him and you'll know what I think."
James Darby, a man not ashamed to show his emotions cried at Rita's words. And the tears turned to a smile that stayed with him through the car ride, check-in line and the flight back to Florida.
Whatever Tommy Mullen was feeling beyond the usual best wishes, good luck and the baby looks like his daddy, he kept to himself. Being sure to visit only with at least one other person, he gave no hint to anyone including Rita of anything below his surface. Rita noticed to be sure and was both disappointed and thankful. For the first time since her marriage she saw reason to believe that Tommy Mullen would never become more than her husband's gorgeous friend. Apparently, if she sensed she wasn't in his thoughts she could keep him out of hers.
By April the weather was allowing Rita to go for long walks with the baby, sometimes making the twenty minute walk to Margaret's or the twenty-five minute walk to the I.G.A. to have a picnic lunch with Eddie in the parking lot. Cooler Heads were about to start playing weekends at Rosco's again and had been practicing steadily for the last few weeks. All of this (and his son) were keeping Eddie in smiles. And with Margaret and Sherry more than willing baby sitters, only things to do limited their nightlife.
As both Brian and Mike were between girl friends and with Tommy spending four nights a week in the Southampton College Dorm (he never seemed to have a girl friend anyway), Rita and Eddie really didn't have any friends to double with. Maryann had now lost all the weight she'd wanted but hadn't yet managed to get anyone to ask her out a second time. Rita hypothesized Maryann still cared for Tommy and was unconsciously comparing her dates to him. And in doing so was finding them lacking and probably letting those feelings show. Or maybe Maryann's lack of experience with boys was in some way just turning them off. Whatever, the result was no couples for the Browns to hang with. That is, of course, for the one forgettable night Rita talked Eddie (and Margaret talked Randy) into the four of them going to an early movie and to Margaret's for supper. By the time they returned to their home where Maryann was struggling to calm down a very cranky Edward James, Eddie was as angry with Rita as he could ever remember.
"I told you that was a stupid idea. I felt like I was hanging out with my father. Worse. Much worse. At least I'd have something to talk about with him. The guy's .... he's an old guy. I felt like a jerk."
A much larger man physically, this rather hardened cop, detective Randy Dunne dwarfed Eddie in every conceivable category. And as he felt just as strongly going in that the idea was silly, the effort was beyond doomed. It was damned. And when Margaret brought Rita to see Robert's new youth bed, those few minutes of almost stone silence had seemed like an eternity to both men.
"Look, I'm sorry. You're right. It was a dumb idea on my part." Eddie had returned from bringing Maryann home and was still upset. "I miss going out with another couple but that sure wasn't the answer. But, you know, Margaret said that whenever I'm ready to go back to work she'd love to watch Edward James. She likes being home with Robert but he'll be going to nursery school in the fall and she'll have lots of time on her hands. And if I go back to work, chances are I'll meet people our own age. Forgive me." Eddie was still upset, but her words were, as usual, calming. And she was now in a tiny black nightgown she'd gotten as a gag gift when she was eight months pregnant and Maryann had some Christmas money left over to spend. She put on the radio, found some appropriate music, and asked Eddie to get up out of bed and dance with her "like the old days." Eddie got up, but only to pick her up, carry her back to bed, and make love, the kind of passionate love last experienced in a steamed up Nova on a rainy drive-in night. A hundred years ago.
Grandma Darby's presents of the cat, now named Missy, and the
three turtles named Huey, Dewey and Louie, turned out to be as
good a group of companions as she had promised. A cup of milk in
the morning and a can of food at night kept big old Missy happy
and (for a cat) relatively friendly. And if Rita forgot to feed
"the boys" or if both Eddie and Rita fed them on the same day, it
didn't seem to matter. Of course, the memories of the store that
these three turtles often conjured up were a bonus, not to be
underestimated.
Questions? Comments? Please send e-mail to jbearden@ieee.org
Material Copyright © 1998-2003 by Jim Bearden