That Slow Sweet Walk

Chapter 5

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    "I've got a story to tell you," Mrs. Greer said with a grin, but it was a grin that held a twinge of sorrow.

"What is it, mom?" Sandy asked as she put her hand on her mother's.

"My mom. Before she passed away last year, she told me a story. I didn't believe it at first and thought it was just an imaginative yarn of an old sick woman. That's why I never mentioned it before. But she told me a story of my grandmother Consella and grandpa Conor. It was their secret history with Copper Mansion."

Sandy raised an eyebrow. "A secret history? What does that mean? They couldn't have lived here at any point."

    Mrs. Greer shook her head. "No, they didn't but they've been inside it many times."

    "How could they? Are you sure what she told you was true? Grandma Arielle had dementia and she wrote children's books. The woman had a colorful imagination."

    Mrs. Greer nodded. "Right. Like I said I didn't believe it either. But I started going through mom's things the last few weeks." Mrs. Greer sniffed softly. "And I found some things that back up her story a little."

    "Mom, what did grandma tell you?"

    Mrs. Greer sighed. "You know the park was closed in the summer of '73 and burned down later that year, your great–grandma Consella was seven at the time. The mansion came through without too much damage and they had to move it anyway to make way for the mining operations. They hadn't planned to keep the place at all but since so much of the park was destroyed, the people felt the mansion had to be saved at least. Feeling the public pressure, the Anaconda Copper Company moved it to a public street corner and there it sat for many years without anything being done.

    "In the early eighties a campaign started to save the old place. Fundraisers and community meetings were being held even before the town officially decided to do anything. Eventually they decided that a scenic area of the east ridge would be the new home of the mansion. It would be years before it was ready, roads had to be built, water and electric line put down and everything else, in the meantime, the house needed work too. The caretaker of the place died five years into his charge of the home and was never replaced so by '86 it was in need of serious repair. That's how Consella and Conor met. She would drop her father off at the construction site and pick him up, and Conor was on that crew.

    "They didn't get much time to talk though. Conor had to get home quickly most days because his father needed him at the store. Consella was the oldest of five and helped her mother with the others and had a busy schedule as well. Consella's dad was named Joshua, and well I think Joshua liked Conor, and had noticed the young man's interest in his daughter. Joshua started leaving his lunch at home and the lunch would always be enough for two. Joshua would insist she stay for lunch and Conor would eat with them.

    "Eventually the young people started dating. Construction and restoration went on until 1990 and the house wasn't moved until spring of '91. Joshua was the foremen of the construction crew and eventually the city gave him the caretaker position as well, and he would remain so until the house was relocated. It was a good position and meant double the amount money for the family. Having the key to the place meant Joshua could let in whoever he wanted. Consella and Conor had many dates here. According to my mom, they carved their initials into one of the windowsills."

    Sandy laughed. "Really, which room?"

    "I don't know," Mrs. Greer shrugged. "Mom never said, I'm not sure she even knew. The story doesn't end there though."

    "Tell me, I want to know." Sandy did want to know. A secret family history involving the mansion she was about to get married in. It felt thrilling and mysterious.

    "They got married in the mansion, Conor and Consella. Secretly because the mansion was not open to events."

    "You're pulling my leg mom," Sandy laughed.

    Mrs. Greer smiled and shook her head. She reached into her purse and brought out an old journal. A very old journal. The binding was cracked and it looked stuffed with extra papers. Carefully, Mrs. Greer pulled on a paper at the top of the page and brought it out. "See for yourself."

    The paper turned out to be an old photograph. Her great–grandparents stood in the center of their families, only Consella and Conor were fancily attired. The others wore everyday clothing, though it was clear they'd made an effort to be as nicely dressed as they could without tipping anyone off. Consella wore a wedding gown that was closely fitted to her torso with a sweetheart neckline. It had long sleeves and the skirt had a tiny amount of volume to it. The photo wasn't top quality but it looked like the top had some beading work.

Very different style from the dress Sandy choose. She flipped the picture over. There was writing on the back. Copper Mansion June 2, 1990, the caption read.

Sandy didn't know what else to say. "Wow."

Mrs. Greer nodded. "My mom claims she was likely conceived not long after while they were on their honeymoon, which was secretly in the mansion as well. Maybe history will repeat itself," Mrs. Greer joking nudged her daughter.

Sandy laughed. "Calm down, mom. You'll get grandchildren someday." She gave back the picture and watched as her mother carefully tucked it into the journal. Sandy looked up to see the men were walking towards them. She stood and stretched then looked back at her mother, still seated on the bench. She was cradling the old journal. "Are you alright mom?"

"Yes, dear I'm fine." Mrs. Greer stood as well. "I wanted to give you this as a wedding present. My grandma started it not long before she met Conor. She didn't write in it terribly often, but started to journal more frequently after she met him. It chronicles some of their relationship and wedding. Because she wasn't much of a journalist it covers almost ten years, mom told me. I thought you might find it interesting."

Sandy took the journal. It was crammed not just with writing but also pictures, some loose some glued to the pages. "I'm pretty busy but I will read it," she promised.

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