Heaven's Gate Bridge Forty-two

Heaven’s Gate Bridge Forty-two

NOTE: I am truly sorry that this chapter and the end of the story has been so long in forth coming. This story will have two parts. The end of part one will be in a few more chapters and then I’ll try to work on and write more of part two before I put it up to read. Feedback on the content is most certainly welcome. I have not edited it because I wanted to finish part one. Thank you for your patience.

Story:
Mrs. Hunt was exhausted when she arrived at her mother’s house. Penny stood behind her mother with her small valise waiting for the sign that they could both enter. The smell of the woods filled the air. Over to one side, there were some chickens pecking away at the soil in hopes of finding a juicy bug. The house had no paint on the outside. The roof was made of tar paper. Edith’s thought of the last time that she was here was one of a young girl who promised herself that she would never return.

Edith turned around to Penny and took her hand. They both walked up to the door. Edith knocked gently. She remembered that her mother did not like loud noises at all. Even when she was young the children got scolded for noise. They waited and listened for some footsteps that would indicate that someone had heard the knock.

“Well if it isn’t the city lady Edith. And who is this young un?” said a man’s voice from the corner of the house.

“This is my only child, Penny, Jeb. You know I wrote home and told Irene that my husband died last year.” replied Edith to Jeb, Irene’s husband. He was wiping his hands on a towel. His body looked like a many who worked hard. But the thing that stood out was his smile. He could have been covered with a bucket of mud, but his smile would still show through.

“Yes, I do recall that Irene said something. My condolences to you and you little one there. I am sorry that we could not come to the funeral or send something, but we had so many problems around here and town that there was no way to break away.” He tucked the towel in his back pocket and walked up the steps. He looked at Penny and then Edith. “Yup, she’s your kid. And you can be sure that she’s a good one too.”

“If you don’t mind, I guess we had better go in to see mother. Irene’s letter sounded serious.”

“Yes, you’re right. But the darn door is broken. We can’t open and close it. That’s why I came around from the back. Follow me.” Jeb motioned with his hand. As he turned around Penny noticed that he had a thumb missing on his left hand.

The house was small. It did not take more than two minutes to go from the front to the back. All of the windows were dirty, but Penny could still see some curtains in them. In the back yard was what looked like a plot where someone was trying to make plants grow for a garden. Young seedlings were struggling to survive, since the ground looked dried up. Behind there by several feet was a fenced area that Penny guessed was the family cemetery. In it was three headstones and three crosses. At the very front, was a hole that looked fresh.

“Please remember you mama’s rule about noise. She may be asleep, but she can hear a pin drop ten feet away.” remarked Jeb with a soft voice. Edith and Penny both nodded and walked quietly through the open screen door. Edith opened the regular door and walked into a kitchen that sent a flood of good memories back into her heart.

They put their belongings on a chair. Edith put her purse on the cloth covered table. Her family was not rich but her mother felt that a house was not proper if there the kitchen table was not covered. In the center was a pitcher of water and two glasses. Next to that looked like a small bottle of medicine and a spoon. The bottle was dark. It was half full. When Edith smelled the medicine, she immediately knew that it was a concoction for pain. She put it down and looked at Jeb.
“How long?” she asked.

“Not much.” Jeb looked at his feet like a little boy who had just pulled a little girl’s pigtail.

“Why didn’t you call me sooner? I would have come.” said Edith with a little anger in her manner.

“Your mother felt that you needed a full year to do your grievin. Your mother may not have been a high faluten city lady like you, but she had her standards. We waited as long as we could. We even thought that the medicine might pull her out of her coughin and blood spittin.” replied Jeb with his hands spread wide. “Irene and I begged. But you mother was set on this point.”

“Can Penny and I see her now?”

“She’s just had a bad bout of coughing. We gave her the medicine. She needs to rest. “ As he said that Irene came from the bedroom and walked over to Edith. “She’s been calling for you. I think that she knew you’d come so she has hung on til you came.” Irene looked over from Edith to Penny. “Oh, this must be the super smart little one that you told me about.”

“Yes, this is my one and only Penny.” Edith put her arm around Penny’s shoulders. “Penny, go over to say a proper hello to your Aunt Irene and Uncle Jeb.”

“I am pleased to meet you Aunt Irene and Uncle Jeb” said Penny with a small curtsey at the end.

“As we are happy too.” responded Irene as she walked over to Penny and gave her a hug.

The welcoming did not last long because the door opened in came Wallace, Edith’s older but very good looking brother. He wore some coveralls and heavy looking shoes. A little dirt was on the pants legs. As soon as he entered he removed his straw hat. “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. Let me look at you! Well city life is not bad. You look like you have grown into a fine married…oh my, I’m sorry.” he said as he turned around to hide his embarrassment.

“Wallace, that’s okay. I know that Elijah and I will be together when the proper time comes.”

“How’s Tiny Tina? Has she had your baby yet?”

“Any day not, but I sure wish that your mother could be here to do the blessing.”

Edith was about to make a remark when there was a loud groaning from the next room. They all rushed to the door to go see what was happening.