Sunday, July 2, 1944

As is usual on Sunday afternoons, I usually stay at Hank and Martha’s for tea and snacks or sometimes stay longer for early supper. I call it my adult conversation day as compared to my daily barn yard talk with the animals at the farm. Hank and I usually exchange ideas, talk about the weather and take a relaxing time reading the newspaper. When I stay for supper, I would mostly end up playing cards with the boys. I can’t help wonder how much the boys had grown this summer. Hank Jr and Chester do remind me a lot of Daniel and I, except that they are less troublesome than we were at that age. I think Martha had learned not to repeat history by regulating her boys. It’s not that we were totally ill-behaved lads but we did have the run of the farm. Our age gap was not a hindrance to our fun, we somehow just complemented each other with it. I think the freedom we had was what had made Daniel the outgoing type and I turned to my usual reserve as the protective older brother to him. We have plenty of good memories between us and because of this, we were the tightest of brothers till the end. I hope that Martha’s boys will have the same devotion to each other as well.

Today, I sat with Martha and Hank around the table having tea. Tea is somewhat of a tradition being that Mama and Pa used to do this many a Sunday afternoons at home, we somehow found a need to keep this going after they passed on. Over tea, we would have Mrs. Pratt’s cake of the week. I still wonder why she bakes me such a huge one practically every week. I’d share it with Martha and still have plenty left to take home.

My niece Ruth, who is the oldest of the brood and growing up very much like Martha these days, have started to join in our conversations as well. Being the firstborn child and first niece of the family, she’s quite attached to me and I to her. Wasn’t it just yesterday that she’d sit on my lap and carefully color her book I got for her from the general store while I have tea with Martha and Hank? Well now she’s sitting beside me trying to be part of our conversation. Excitedly she asked me:

“Uncle Ray, can I be a bridesmaid at your wedding?” I was quite stunned by her question.

“Uh- a bridesmaid?” I must have sounded like a deaf person even when she had asked that 10 decibels higher than normal.

“Ruth, you can’t invite yourself to be a bridesmaid, don’t be rude baby” Martha interrupted Ruth’s statement.

I looked at Martha. I guess my eyebrows shooting up made her realize I needed an explanation.

“Ruthie here had overheard us talk about the wedding the other day and so now she is just absolutely thrilled about your getting married soon.” Martha clarified. “Believe me, you won’t hear the last of this, she can’t stop asking about who your bride is going to be, what she’s like, where she’s from, -“

“Yeah Uncle Ray, who is she? Did I ever meet her before? How old is she? –“

All her other questions were a blur, I didn’t quite expect that she would find out so soon or that how many people might also know about my arranged marriage before it actually happened. How am I to answer questions like these? I was suddenly in quite a panic, I stood up and went to the stove to fetch some more hot water.

Martha had shushed Ruth and asked her to go check on her brothers. She left the room quite disappointed, I somehow felt bad seeing that look on her. I guess I’ve always had a special spot for her in my heart.

“I am sorry Ray, I know you didn’t expect that, I was surprised myself. I thought it was best to let them know after the fact but it was an accident she found out. I’ve talked to her about this being a secret for now. You don’t have to worry about it going outside of the family – unless if you don’t mind…?” Martha was sincerely apologetic.

“I was caught unaware, yes. I guess I didn’t really think about this until now. I myself do not mind it but I tend to think that we should be careful for the sake of Olivia, who might not like the idea that the town knows she’s been arranged to marry me.” Martha and Hank nodded in agreement.

There was a long silence, we all were contemplating on any unfortunate consequences. Hank broke it by volunteering to assist me in any way he could around the house. He’s coming over to help me start the bathroom repair. It’s great to have some help for I need it for the weeks to come.