Chapter 19

My mother looked distinctly less than pleased as she looked at my sisters. She greeted us with, "What have you two been doing while gone with Brad?"

We all gulped. Irene stepped up, figuratively, to bat. "Mother," she said. "Jim asked me to marry him and I have agreed. We have set the date, time, and place. We will be married in Auburn at Trinity Methodist where Jim has been going and taking me since we've been together."

My mother looked stunned. Irene continued, "It will not be a big wedding nor will we go on a long, involved honeymoon. Our classes will start soon after the wedding and we will have to set up housekeeping at the condo."

"That's not right! I'm your mother! I should have been consulted!"

Irene said, "Mother, what you would want for 'my' wedding is what Jim and I don't want. We want a simple ceremony and a small reception with friends and relatives. It will 'not' be the social event of any season. We already have commitments from Grandfather Joe and Grandmother Doris and all their other children and families. We met them while on the trip and they are wonderful people. We have missed so much from not knowing them until now." Jim put his arm around her.

My mother was angry. Marianne picked that moment to tell her. "Mother, I am engaged to Tom." She held her hand out with the ring showing. She was smiling.

Mother said, "That's tiny. If Tom can't do any better than that, he won't be able to support you either. I do not approve. If you wish to live here, that ring has to go and the foolishness of marrying him ends."

Marianne said, "I'm sorry you feel that way. I will go pack. Tom will come get me." She left the den calling Tom on her phone. It was quiet in the den and my mother looked distraught. I don't think she expected to be called on her statement so quickly. My father didn't look happy at all.

Irene said, "I don't think I will stay either. Jim, please help me pack. Karen, Brad, we will be in touch." Irene and Jim walked out of the den closing the door behind them.

It was quiet but not comfortable. My mother looked at me. "Brad, this is your fault. You have encouraged your sisters and now have introduced them to the low life relatives from who I have kept you separated."

Karen stood. "Missus Gilman, like you, I am a Gilman by marriage. I am proud of my parents and brothers. Your parents, Brad's grandparents, are wonderful people as are your siblings. Brad had been in contact for years and his sisters have decided they are poorer for not having them in their lives. All six of us will continue to see and be in contact with them. It's a shame you have cut your life off from those wonderful people. It is almost criminal to have cut your children off from them.

She paused for a moment and looked at my mother who looked troubled. "We already have confirmations from them all that they will attend Irene and Jim's wedding in Auburn. You were left out of my wedding planning at Brad's discretion. He didn't want it to be the circus you would have, in his opinion, turned it into. You have now lost one daughter's wedding and will probably lose the other one when Marianne marries Tom. Your attitude may rush it but it won't stop it. I think you love your children. However, it's time you cared about them and not your fake society friends. Brad and I have met them. We will not return to that country club again. There is nothing there that my husband wants."

Karen took a deep breath. "Now, do you want us to leave you, too?"

My mother was crying. "I just want what's best for my children. They have rejected me."

I stood beside Karen holding her hand. "No, Mother. We have rejected a life without values, a life without relatives, and a life of plastic people. You have sent your daughters away because they won't kowtow to your plans. Karen offered for us to leave 'if that's what you want.' No one rejects you but they do reject the plastic life you want for them. I did it so long ago that you just pass it off. Don't you want to see your grandchildren? Don't you want your children to marry for love without regard for money or position? Is money the only value to you?"

She put her hands to her face and sobbed. I looked over at my father. He mouthed, "Go wait in your room. See to your sisters." I nodded and we left quietly leaving the door open.

Karen and I went to Marianne's room and knocked on the door. Karen said, "It's us."

"Come in." We entered and found Marianne crying on the love seat in her room. She said, "Tom is on his way. I'm not sure where I'll go."

I said, "Have him take you to our place. That's the plan and here's a key. Dad is talking to Mom. Karen and I went off on her and they are talking now. Dad sent us out to check on you and Irene."

Marianne said, "Irene and Jim packed her stuff and have already left. I just need to pack a few more things. Jim will call me when he arrives. I need to finish getting ready. Brad, I don't plan to return."

"I know and understand. I think Dad is going to talk to her. I'm not sure about the outcome. There is nothing here for me to pack though there are two small boxes of mine that I will need to take. We are here with you. Continue to pack. Let's see what may happen."

The door had never been closed after we walked into the room. I could hear the echo of my father's voice talking angrily. I couldn't make out the words only the tone.

Karen stayed with Marianne while I went into my room and gathered two boxes. Once was the size of a banker's box and the other was smaller. I brought the items into Marianne's bedroom and we waited. We could all hear the angry voices coming from the den. Tom called that he was coming down the drive. Marianne told him where to park. The three of us carried her things out to his car by a side door. We hugged and kissed her good bye.

We returned to her room and sat down together. In her room were her phone and keys to the house. I checked Irene's room. She had left her keys, too. Things quieted down in the den and, after a few minutes more, Dad came down the hall.

I hissed, "Here!" He came into Marianne's room. It wasn't hard to tell that she had vacated it. His eyes widened when he saw the phone and keys on her big dresser.

He said, "She left?"

"Yes, sir. She told us that she doesn't plan to return. Dad, I'm not sure I do either. I don't pretend to understand mother's reasoning for I've been apart from it and her for a long time. I'm not sure this situation can be fixed."

He looked troubled. "I don't know either, Son. Your mother was exposed to some harsh information and it won't get better." Marianne's room had a love seat and a chair in its sitting area. We were on the love seat and he took the chair. He said, "She truly has nowhere to go. I'm not sure what will happen. I am canceling the country club membership and her credit cards. I have suggested that, for spending money, she will need a job."

He looked at me a little harder. "You've moved out of your bedroom?" I nodded. "I thought so since you're married. I'm moving into it for a while."

He looked at me earnestly. "Brad, I love your mother and I think she loves me. I hope we can work all this out. Regardless, there will be some substantial changes made. First, your mother and I will have to work things out. After that, you and your sisters will find you are welcome here again and with your spouses or significant others. We'll have to see what fallout there will be from this. I have been afraid that this time was coming. Tell both your sisters that I would like to walk them down the aisle whether your mother comes to either wedding. I love all three of you. Karen, I love you, too. Jim and Tom are fine young men. This tragedy was coming and probably was unavoidable. I should have stepped in earlier so a lot of blame falls upon me.