Hannah's Rainbow: Every Color Beautiful

Chapter Eight

Ma frowned. "Hannah Lucille, that is no way to be talking about your relatives. They welcomed us into their home. Your sister doesn't know the half of it."

"I'm sorry. I just meant that it would've made sense by itself, but then today, when we were leaving church, I saw- well, I saw Aunt Mabel in the cemetery. I know it was wrong of me to be so nosey, but I looked at the grave after she left. Ma, did you know that they lost a baby?"

Ma went silent and then shook her head. Exhaling loudly, she said, "I don't approve of the way you sneaked around, but since you're old enough, you might as well know the truth. Yes, I knew. I was told not to share with my family. Only your father knows. Not only did they lose a son, they never really had him. He was stillborn and was the only baby your aunt managed to carry to term. They suffered years and years of miscarriages, and as they aged, the prospect of ever having children grew more distant. The doctor eventually told Mabel that he didn't think it wise for her to try to have children any longer."

"So... the reason they don't like kids is because they never could have any of their own?" Hannah asked softly.

"Yes," Ma replied. "It breaks my heart. They are the people you see today because of it. Your aunt visits that grave every Sunday, or so I understand. They haven't gone to church in years. Their faith is broken, as is their spirit. That's why they didn't pray at meals, I am sure of it."

Hannah's eyes glassed over with tears. "I'm so sorry. Ma, I didn't know. If I had, I never would've-"

"They have chosen to keep their grief to themselves. The burden they bear because of that choice is heavy. I am glad you are understanding of it, my dear, but it's late, and I have already told you enough. Don't share this information with anyone. Do you understand?"

Hannah nodded. "Of course. Thank you for telling me, Ma. I'll- I'll pray for them."

Ma smiled. "I think that's a fine idea. Goodnight again, Hannah."

Hannah returned to her room and stood in the doorway for a while, gazing at her sleeping sisters, and murmured a prayer:

"Lord, please look after Aunt Mabel and Uncle John. I'm sorry I wasn't more understanding. I'm sorry they've gone through what they have. I... I don't understand why bad things like that have to happen, but please bring them some comfort. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Amen."

Hannah yawned, and after a while fell into bed, pulling the sheet up to her neck. Cricket song beyond the window began to invade her mind, slowing pulling her away from the waking world and into the land of dreams.

x x x x x

In mid-August, Amy came home one evening from work with news to share at the dinner table: she had a boyfriend. She was overjoyed. Hannah was not.

"How did you meet this young man?" Ma asked.

"I would like it if you brought him by. I'd like to meet him," Pa said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"We met through a mutual friend from work," Amy said. "I'm twenty-three, Pa. Really, don't you think I'm a bit old to be bringing my boyfriend around for my parents to meet? It might not even be anything serious."

Hannah rather suspected it was serious by Amy's flushed face and the way her hands twiddled under the table.

"You're still a young lady," Pa said firmly.

"Erik gets tons of calls from girls," Amy said. "Why should this be any different? I'm five years older than him. Ma, you were my age when you met Pa."

"Hey, don't bring me into this," Erik said pointedly.

Ma sighed. "You're right. I was, but girls... women... were more mature back then than they are nowadays. The way they flaunt themselves - those flapper girls with their bobbed hair and too-short dresses. All that jazz nonsense, dancing, and illegal drinking. People are wilder than ever."

"I'm hardly a flapper, Ma," Amy said impatiently. "How often have I told you times change? When will you realize that things aren't going to just go back to the way they were thirty or forty years ago?"

Ma harrumphed and dug into her food.

Pa shook his head. "Can we please not argue at the table? Amelia Rose, despite your opinion on the matter, you still live under the roof of this house. Your mother and I wish to meet this young man because we want what's best for you. The matter is closed."

"Father," Amy groaned, removing the napkin from her lap and setting it on the table. "I'm suddenly not hungry."

Amy walked away from the table and left through the back door, closing it with a click.

"Enough," Ma said. "Let's eat before dinner gets cold."

"Well, I think it's awful that Amy has a boyfriend," Hannah said. "I agree with Ma and Pa that it just isn't right. Next thing you know, she'll be wanting to get married and moving out."

Harry chuckled. "Good one, sis. You took the cake on that one."

"What?" Hannah asked, scrunching her face up at him. "It's the truth."

"I believe I already said that was enough," Ma said.

"But-"

At Ma's warning look, Hannah sighed and bit her tongue. Hadn't her parents just told Amy that they didn't approve? While Hannah force-fed herself, her mind drifted away from the dinner conversation around her and to the future. What if Amy moved far away? She wouldn't see her anymore. She wouldn't have her older sister to confide in when Ma and Pa were being horribly unfair. Everything was threatening to change.

After that dismal dinner, Hannah went through the motions of clearing the table and washing dishes, as Harry dried and Erik put them away. She tried to read, but kept getting distracted by her mind's wanderings and the tap, tap, tap of Pa's hammer down the basement as he repaired shoes, working out his frustrations over his oldest child on the nails.

All through the evening, Ma also fretted over Amy. Pa's shushed assurances to his wife didn't do much to quell her worry. Hannah listened as she sat in the living room and her parents were in the kitchen, and this scenario continued upstairs when Hannah was in her bedroom and her parents were in theirs.

She eventually fell asleep, only to be awakened sometime later by raised voices.

Hannah's heart thudded in her chest as she sat up. Her parents and Amy were downstairs, so their voices were coming up through the floor, muffled. When footsteps echoed on the stairs five minutes later, Hannah breathed in sharply and pretended to be asleep. Within seconds, Amy closed the door and collapsed onto her bed. Hannah was afraid to breathe, trying to hear her sister. Amy's sobs were buried in a pillow, but evident nonetheless.

"Amy?" Hannah whispered.

"Go to sleep, Hannah. Can't a girl go anywhere for privacy?"

"Sorry."

x