Although did not say that the girl was Protestant right off the bat, when I announced to my Emily was planning on getting married, my mothers face portrayed that had already said she was a Protestant too. "But your only nineteen," my mother says, the shock still frozen on her face as she unconsciously passed the potatoes to my sister Esther, who could eat a whole horse. Couldn't let this one go though not like the last few, I knew this girl was the right one. 'Well if I'm old enough to work, I'm old enough to get married," I exclaim defiantly. I looked at my father anxiously for a hint of expression on his blank face.
I'm not really nervous about anything anymore after being president of
...he debating team at my school. I look around the table and make eye contact with my younger brother Jerry and I remember all the times that I would non-gallantly wave him off in the past few weeks when I would normally play ball with him because couldn't get my mind off of Jesse, Oh Jesse. I would always tell Jerry that love is what made the world go round. At last my father broke his silence, "How much do you make at the shop Armband? " I had been saving up for some time now and so had Jessica. Fifty cents an hour but I have already saved up two hundred and ten dollars ND she has almost as much working as a secretary uptown.
" "Who is she? " my mother asked. "Jessica Stone. " I say quietly not liking my mothers persistence i
the subject. See my Brother Pall's eyes light up and I know that with his vast expanse of knowledge and memory he knows my secret. "A Protestant," Paul says.
This comment is what starts 'The Six Month Wad in the Renault family, as my brother Paul explains it. Listen to my father as he rants about how he raised me to be better, and even though I want him to stop I let him go on because I respect him.
At the end my father exclaims: Is this what you were an altar boy for? To marry a Protestant? " "l love her," say, leaping to my feet in protest. This isn't Canada Pa," I pronounce, pleading with him to accept it. "This is the United States of America 1941.
" Say but get cut off by my mother. "Armband, Armband," my mother says, her voice barely above a whisper and evident supplicating in her voice. I notice a smile creep onto my fathers face and he exclaims, "Well, why should we get excited? ' he asks my mother. 'This week a protestant and next week a Hindu.
And the week after that " I could o longer take him and it was at this moment that I snapped, "Next week and next year and forever, it will still be Jessica," I cry. "This isn't puppy love Pa Eve been going out with her for seven months. " I don't want to tell him that but he just doesn't understand that Jessica and are going to get married. You've been going around my back with a protestant for seven months? " My father exclaims.
"Not
behind your back," say. "Have I ever brought any girl home here? " No. Because wanted to make sure it was the right one. And Pa, I know this is the right one," I say with all the confidence in the world.
My father then decides to exile the use of Jessica name in his house, and denies me from bringing her here ever.
My father would continue to press the subject, making ever so present snide comments wherever he could. One night my father announced that Mister B. And his family were going to lose their house tomorrow and it was a Protestant who was signing the papers (trying to prove that Protestants were bad). Then he went on to complain about how Protestant weddings were dull and heartless places to be at. One day when most of my siblings were gone, I decided to approach my mother about having Jessica over.
D already introduced Jesse to my mother behind my father's back and she was reluctant for me to invite her over to our house. "l know, I know, Armband," she said, "l agree that she is a charming girl, but going behind your fathers back to meet her is one thing, bringing her here without telling your father is a completely different matter. " "But don't you see Ma, he thinks that all Protestants are monsters. " I exclaim pleading with her. My father had always been a stubborn man but refused to believe that he would shoot me down like that. "l think Jessica will be a fine girl, Pa only needs to meet her, you said so ourselves," I say.
L still don't know what he will do once he finds out that I sat with her in a drugstore and had college ice," she says so quietly I can barely hear it. The next day after I had finished my shift at the shop decided that I would pick up Jessica to bring home. It was a bold move and even bolder because I had note told my father, but something had to happen. I walked up to the door where Jessica lived, wasn't afraid because her father was very mellow and understanding of us. I knocked and Jesse answered, "Jessica please come home with me I think it's time for you to meet my arenas," say with all the confidence that I could muster.
Armband, know you've been stressing about this for a while, POI come," she says. But she looks extremely nervous about it so I take her arm and link it around my own. Jessica and I walk slowly to my house, as we walk by I saw my younger brother looking through the window at Jessica in surprise. I look over at her and give her a look of reassurance and a wry smile as I'm a just a bit nervous myself. We walk up the steps and open the door and walk in just as my father is walking in yawning, but his mouth snaps shut as soon as he sees who is standing by my side.
This is Jessica Stone," I announce to my family, but mostly to my father. Jessica stood and smiled like a porcelain doll until it looked like it hurts her a little. I
introduce her to my family that are present and we go and sit down in the davenport. We carry a conversation about the weather and Jessica sport, ten ins, which my father dismisses with disgust. I hear the door open and close a few times, it must have been my brother Jerry. I could see the embarrassment on my Jessica face as she was just put down like an old racing dog time and time again.
At last it ended and all could see that had changed with my father was that he thinks he is victorious. Butt have my own surprises up my sleeve. Have been listening to the radio and have decided to enlist for my country. It would give my father an opportunity to realize what this marriage means to me. As it happens this comes up at the table that night. I knew I won't get another chance to do it so I tell my Par My stubborn, wrinkly, old Pa that I am enlisting to protect my country.
Can sense his anger because of the deaths and wounded along Pearl Harbor, a chunk of pride misplaced with grieving.
You know many of those lost were Protestant? " I say. "Many of them were Catholic too," he proclaims confidently. "Well, here's one more you can add to the roll.
I'm going to enlist" I hear a sharp cry from my mother in the kitchen, and my father gasps out something along the lines of "You're only a boy. " tell him Jesse is willing to wait, and explain to him that this is what being a true American is about, pride
for my country. I can see me Pa let a tear roll down his face, which he explains is the onions in the soup. That's my Pa for you.
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