Author's Chapter Notes:
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Abby and Vernon argued for days about whether he should go to the war. Abby, of course, was against it. She almost lost him once due to the Titanic and she didn’t want to lose him again. She needed a father for her three children. She didn’t understand why America was in the war at all so why should he risk his life? Vernon felt it was his duty as a man to fight for not only freedom for America, but for other countries as well.
“Sampson enlisted today”Vernon said to her. Sampson was the owner of the butcher shop and Vernon’s boss.”He feels the same way as I”
“So you still feel like you should go?”she asked him.”Don’t you see that this is a good opportunity? You can take Sampson’s place and be in charge”
“I did think about that and I have been considered for the position but he gave it to his brother and son. They will be running the place since it is a family business”
Abby sighed,”Vernon you just cant go. You cant do this to me! Ive already lost you once, Im not going to lose you again!”
“You never lost me Abby. I will come back, I promise. I will fight as hard as I can. I will train hard so those filthy Germans wont ever lay a hand on me. Abby, please let me do this. Let me fight for us. For our children. It’s my duty as the man of this house”
Abby sat down and rubbed her temples in defeat. For the past few days, she has refused his chance to go. Its been making her sick to her stomach. But she felt like she was losing the battle against him. She didn’t want to be selfish; she just loved him and didn’t want to lose him. What was so wrong with that? But Vernon was very adamant and she knew that he probably would never forgive her if she didn’t. She was glad that he asked her. One of their neighbors enlisted and then told his family, so they had no choice but to let him go. She started to cry,”You will come back right? You promise?”
“Yes, I promise”he said to her as he knelt before her,”And when I come back we can have 3 more children to make up for lost time”he said and she laughed a little.”Baby I promise you I will come back. I have to do this, please”
She then nodded, hoping this wasn’t a decision that she would regret. They both cried together and then explained to Vernon Jr. and Vivian that Daddy was going to fight in the war and be brave and he will come back. The two children were 4 ½ and they really didn’t understand but they didn’t argue or cry. They were good children.
However, Salomi didn’t like the idea either. She didn’t understand the war and felt that Uncle Vernon would be shot and killed once he got off the ship. Vernon would have to take a ship overseas. What if it sank before it got there? The Germans have shot down a passenger ship, why wouldn’t they shoot him?
But Vernon enlisted, promising that he would be back and a few days later he was packed and ready to go to Britain to fight. They all waved him goodbye as Vernon boarded the ship bravely. He blew kisses to both Abby and Salomi and they kept on waving until his ship was out of sight. Both Abby and Salomi cried for days. This worried Gabriel because Abby had 3 children to take care of and Salomi needed to be stress free.
However, Abby found solace in speaking with her parents. No one really wired anymore. There was a new phone system and even though there was a lot of static and she couldn’t talk long, she would call her mother in California just to keep herself sane.
A month after Vernon left for the war, Dorothy caught the acting bug once more. David had another great script for her and she said yes on the spot. However, it was to be shot in California. Soon she packed up and she was sent on a train to California. Ruth and Gabriel were going to be in charge of the club as usual. Salomi was only allowed to work there during the day, but those days were numbered. Her belly was growing and she was getting more tired. She also missed Vernon and Dorothy and cried a lot. She was soon sent on bed rest, which she didn’t like at all. She felt as if life was passing her by as she laid there staring at her growing stomach.
Week after week Abby received letters from Vernon about how much he loved and missed her, he spared most of the details about the war and the gory details that he had seen. However, as the war got worse and worse, it was harder for letters to come through. They stopped coming once a week and it worried Abby and she just hoped that it was just extra precautions on Europe’s part and nothing fatal.
However, since Vernon left, Abby secluded herself from everyone. Salomi would come by every now and then but she was the only one she would really talk to. She would find herself staring at many pictures of her and Vernon, sometimes she couldn’t even stand to look at her own children, especially since Vernon Jr. was a split image of his father. One night she was staring out the window at nothing, just thinking and daydreaming of the day when Vernon would come home when there was a knock at her door. She thought about not answering it at all, she didn’t really want to see anyone. But then maybe it was Vernon? She slowly decided to get up and opened the door.”Yes?”she asked
There was a boy in uniform standing on the step. He seemed pretty nervous about something and barely looked at her,”Telegram for you ma’am. Im sorry”he said as he quickly shoved the letter in her hand and then ran off.
Abby stood there confused, what did he have to be sorry about? Maybe because it was late? She then looked at the telegram excitedly as she closed the door behind her and rushed to the couch and sat down. It must be a letter from Vernon, thank God. She hoped she didn’t have to wait this long for each of his letters. She didn’t really notice the black border as she tore the letter open. When she unfolded the paper, she realized that it wasn’t a letter from Vernon. She held her breath as she read the letter,”We regret to inform you that your husband, Vernon Alexander Greene was killed yesterday….” The rest of the letter was a blur to her as she started to sob. He promised! He promised he would come back to her! How could he do this!? How could they kill Vernon? Her Vernon. Now he was gone and never coming back. Never. She sobbed for hours just wanting to touch him, hold him, kiss him, to just smell his favorite aftershave…anything. But he was gone.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Vernon blinked his eyes a couple of times, not believing what he was seeing. “Abraham? Salomi?”he asked. The two of them stared at him sadly and then came over to hug him.”Wait….I don’t….I don’t understand…”he said and then laughed,”Ok this is a dream right? You both are coming to me in a dream to give me a message? What is it? Do I need to go home now? Because I aint arguing with you. Im ready to go back. Can you see the future? Is the war going to be over soon? Is this a message about Abby? She isn’t pregnant again is she? I mean I wouldn’t be upset about it but I want to be there when the baby is born. I don’t know how long Im gonna be here-“
Abraham put his hands on Vernon’s shoulders and the touch alone made him stop rambling. It felt so real. “Vernon this isn’t a dream. We’re sorry”
“About what?”
“You’re dead Vernon. You died in battle last night”Abraham said
Vernon stared at him and then backed away,”No….no Im not. Im not”he said as he kept shaking his head.
“I know, its going to be a shock at first but we will get you through this”Salomi said to him. She looked the same as when he last saw her before she died, just not pregnant, she was still beautiful. However, she was talking bullshit.
“No”he said, not wanting to believe it.”This is just a dream. I want to wake up now”he said to them. But they just stared at him sadly. He started to panic and he started to yell.”I WANT TO WAKE UP NOW! WAKE ME UP!”
“Vernon, stop it. Get a hold of yourself”Abraham said,”Im sorry”he said and then he turned him toward a mirror. Vernon gasped when he saw a bullet wound right in the middle of his forehead.”You were killed in battle by some goddamned German soldier. Shot you right in the head”
Vernon closed his eyes,”Make it go away”he said,”Make it go away please”
“It will. It will take some time though”Salomi piped in,”When Abraham first got here he looked like a walking slab of ice and smelled like saltwater for awhile but it cleared up, see?”
Vernon opened his eyes and looked at her,”This is no time to make jokes Salomi”he said to her angrily. She was still the same, making jokes whenever a situation seemed too tough for anyone to handle.
“Shes just trying to help Vernon”Abraham said to him.
He started to cry, everything finally setting in. “I failed. I failed her. I promised her. Abby…..oh God….”he said and then turned to face him,”I promised her that I would come back to her. I wanted to fight so I could do something good with my life for once. But all I did was end it, I left her alone. Oh God…what if she tries to kill herself again?”he said as he sobbed,”My children….my baby…”
Abraham and Salomi held him as he cried and Salomi spoke,”Its alright Vernon, you didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. If you did, you wouldn’t have went. But you died valiantly for your country, for your family’s freedom. All you can do now is watch over them, be their guardian angel. Be their guide”she said to him. She had said the same thing to Abraham when he died and now she had to tell the same thing to Vernon.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
“Im worried about her, I haven’t spoken to her in awhile and I want to see her”Salomi said stubbornly to Gabriel. She was supposed to be on bed rest but she had this strong urge to see Abby. She hasn’t seen her in two weeks and hasn’t heard from her either. Something was telling her to visit her.
“But you shouldn’t leave this apartment, let alone your bed”Gabriel said to her.
“It will only be for a couple of hours. I just want to see her and the children, then we can turn around and come back”Salomi said as she struggled to get out of bed, she looked at him helplessly,”Arent you going to help me?”
“I don’t think I should. You shouldn’t go”he said worriedly
“Fine, I can do it myself then”she said as she slowly got up.She then sighed, her stomach was so big that she couldn’t really see her feet. “I cant see my feet…I have to put some shoes on”
“That must be a sign, get back in bed”Gabriel said sternly
“Gabe….please”Salomi said in a small voice and a sigh, she didn’t have the strength to argue with him. He looked at her big brown pleading eyes and unfortunately gave in. He helped her get dressed and got her shoes on.
“Only for a couple of hours and then we are headed straight back do you hear me?”he said to her. She nodded. He took one of Dorothy’s cars and drove to Abby and Vernon’s place. He helped her out of the car and up the steps. She knocked on the door and waited for a little while. No one came to the door. She knocked again and Mrs. Andrews, who lived next door, answered the door.
“Oh hello Mrs. Andrews, are Abby and the children around?”Salomi asked
“My my my, you are coming along arent you?”Mrs. Andrews asked her with a small smile as she looked at Salomi’s stomach,”How far along are you?”she asked her
“6 months”Salomi said,”Is Abby here?”she asked her again
“Yes but um, I don’t think she wants visitors right now but let me check”she said and then closed the door. Salomi looked at Gabriel with a weird look, he just shrugged. Mrs. Andrews walked down the hall to Abby’s room and knocked,she heard a small voice and she said,”Sorry to bother you Abigail but Salomi and Gabriel are here. Are they an exception?”she asked her
Abby opened her door a crack,”No, tell them I don’t want to see anyone”she said and then closed the door. Mrs. Andrews sighed, she didn’t like seeing Abby like this, it seemed like she wasn’t getting any better. But she had to obey her wishes.
“She doesn’t want to see anyone right now Im afraid”she said sadly to Salomi.
“Well why not? Is she sick?”Salomi asked her, puzzled. Why wouldn’t she let her in?
Mrs. Andrews looked at her,”Well she has seemed to have secluded herself from the whole world since she heard the news. The children are upset but surprisingly they are doing better than she is”
“What news?”Salomi asked.
Mrs. Andrews looked at her with concern,”Salomi….you didn’t hear?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about”Salomi said impatiently
“About Vernon. He was your uncle correct?”she asked her. Salomi nodded. Tears filled her eyes and she hugged Salomi close to her,”Im sorry she didn’t tell you. Your uncle Vernon died in battle two weeks ago. She received a telegram and hasn’t been out of her room since. Im so sorry for your loss Salomi. If there is anything I can do-“
“No!”Salomi shouted as she started to cry. “No he cant! He cant be!”she said as she pulled away from her and Gabriel walked to her. She turned around and ran down the steps and went back to the car. Gabriel apologized and quickly followed her, hoping she wouldn’t fall or the stress wouldn’t hurt her or the baby. She got in the passenger seat and cried.
“Baby, Im so sorry”Gabriel said as he held her close to him. He knew how much he had meant to her and now he was gone.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Abby opened the door a crack again as Mrs. Andrews prepared to leave,”I tucked them in and they are sleeping soundly. Did you need me to come by tomorrow then?”she asked her
Abby nodded,”Yes please, thank you Mrs. Andrews”she said to her and walked her out and locked the front door behind her. She then quickly turned out the lights as she went back to her room and shut the door. She laid down in bed and didn’t dare to even look at Vernon’s side of the bed, she would start crying again. But just thinking of him made her cry and just like every night for the past two weeks, she cried herself to sleep.
She stirred in the middle of the night and rolled over and opened her eyes and then sat up quickly. There he was, laying next to her, on his side of the bed. She gasped,”Vernie?”she finally dared to whisper.
“You still sleep so beautifully”he said to her
“What?….What…”
“Im not alive. Im…a messenger. An angel, or a guide as Salomi would say”
“Salomi?”
“Yes….I saw her…and Abraham…they have been helping me get through this”
“Im going crazy. No….wait…am I dead too? Please say yes”she said
“No, your not. Thank God and that’s why Im here. Baby, Im sorry. I didn’t know that it would turn out like this but please don’t wish the same thing upon yourself. Ever since I….”he said, not wanting to say it,”..ever since it happened I have worried about you trying to kill yourself again just like you tried to do five years ago when you thought I died on the Titanic. Please don’t, I need a mother for my children-“
“I want to go with you”she pleaded,”I cant even look at them, they remind me of you. Mrs. Andrews takes very good care of them. She cant have children, she could take-“
“No”Vernon said sternly,”Listen to me. You have a responsibility to our children, to yourself. Abby if you love me like you say you do, you will live on and take care of them. Please. Watch them grow up, teach them new things, do everything that I cant. Please don’t cop out”
“I talked to mother. She says I should move back to California. Bring the children. She is worried about me as well”
“I say do it. Its like a….starting over. The kids can see their grandparents. They can grow up near the water like you and I both did. You should consider it”he said to her
“I miss you so much”Abby said as she reached for him but of course couldn’t touch him. She started to cry,”Why?”
He started to cry too,”I don’t know. I miss you too baby, and I love you and always will. I just want you to be happy. I want you to live your life because it can be gone in a second. Please come out of this room, get that tan back that I fell in love with”
She laughed through her tears,”I don’t know if I can make it. I don’t think Im that strong”
“You are stronger than you think”he said to her as he got up from the bed,”Do what you need to do, what is right for the children and yourself. I’ll always be here. I love you Abby”
“Wait…just stay…stay the night?”she asked him.
But he started to fade away,”I love you Abby”
“I love you”she said and then he was gone. She laid back down and cried herself to sleep again as Vernon walked into the children’s bedroom and kissed all three of them on their cheeks.
“My babies…I love you. Please know that”he said to them and then faded away as they all suddenly smiled in their sleep, dreaming of their Daddy flying amongst the clouds.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Abby called her mother first thing in the morning and decided to move the children and herself back to California. She felt it was safer for all of them in case something happened. She still felt suicidal at times but Vernon’s visit put her mind at ease at least a little bit.
However, Salomi secluded herself as well. Gabriel worried about her all the time because he thought the stress would give the baby and Salomi complications. She didn’t eat, she didn’t sleep well. All she did was cry. It was like she was giving up. Vernon was like a father to her. She realized that he was the closest thing to a replacement for her father and now he was gone too. Was everyone going to leave her? She was always paranoid and never let Gabriel leave the apartment, afraid that something would happen to him. Gabriel just prayed that she would get through this, but would Vernon’s death break her?
*_________________________*