Memoirs of old writing days

No Promises in the Wind Epilouge

"Stefan," I annunciated his name perfectly clear. He looked up, his contemplation broken by me. Business was still tough in 1937, and money was tight. Part of the reason tha Dad came here was to drown his worry in alcohol. It was a slim chance that he would grant me my blessing.

"You see," I began steadily. I held his eye. "I want to take a train to Nebraska. Omaha. To see that man I always write to, Lonnie."

I could see Dad become agitated and quickly laid down my arguments.

"I could work at the restaurant I used to. They paid us fine."
"I'll come back, promise."
"It'll only be for a little while."
"I won't even touch your money. I'll use my savings."

Dad's mouth closed, unable to find any loopholes to my arguments. "Money's still tight. I don't see how we could afford it."
"No, Dad, it'll be just me. You have to take care of Mom and Kitty." I protested sharply. A soft desperate fire bloomed in my stomach. I wanted to go alone. I had to go alone.

Dad stood up abruptly. "Nonsense boy, I'll come with you. We'll all come with you! Mary and I must pay our debt to this man. Joey'll want to see this Lonnie fellow too! Combining all our money'll save us a ticket there and back."

"No, wait, but -" my protests were cut off by Dad's enthusiastic determination. He grabbed my by the scruff of the neck and literally dragged me to Mom and Kitty and Joey, my complaints falling on deaf ears. "Buckle up, son, because tomarrow we're goin to Omaha, Nebraska!" he announced to the rest of the family.

Joey's handsome face was blank for a moment, then it lit up and he thrust his banjo into the air, a joyful bellow of "YES!" exclaiming from his throat. Mom and Kitty were less enthusiastic, both of them looking at Dad like he was a madman, then slowly drifted to me, my sturdy figure slouched in embarrassment and my eyes not meeting them.

I took a glance at them from behind my bangs and saw them both narrow their eyes and putting their hands on their hips at exactly the same time.

It was going to be a long night.

The next day

"Josh, let's get moving! The train leaves in half an hour!" Joey screamed at me from outside our small time house.

"Alright, I'm coming!" I screamed back. I shoved the letter to Emily 'Harris' into the envelope and grabbed Edward C's letter too, shoving them into my coat pocket. I would mail it at Lonnie's house, since I missed the mailman yesterday.

I grabbed my backpack and ran to the cab, where my family was piling into the car. Everyone except Joey sent me a disgruntled glare, not happy that they were leaving the city because of me.

But they couldn't back out of it now, because dad had already ordered the train tickets for the 5 of us while he was in his drunken state.

The cab pulled out of the driveway and after an hour and a half, we had reached Omaha, Nebraska, at the front of Lonnie's house.

Joey and I breathed in and out, heavily. Our nervousness and anxiety overwhelmed excitement, and Joey couldn't help but grab onto my arm, seeking comfort. I needed comfort too. What if Lonnie forgot us? What if he didn't want us here? We already owe him so much.

"You know what," I chickened out and quickly turned away from the house. "Maybe we shouldn't do this, he probably already forgot us -"

Kitty's knocking on Lonnie's door blocked me from saying more, and no more than a second later a older, aged, wearier Lonnie answered the door.

"Yes, can I help you?" Lonnie stopped short and stared at us like he couldn't believe it. Like it was a dream.

Joey stepped forward, and I saw him not as Joey, but as the 10 year old stubborn boy that had accompanied me and Howie as our journey began. "Hey, Lonnie." Joey whispered. "Remember us?"

It seemed like a long time when he responded. "I told you to not be a stranger." Faster then I realized, Lonnie had shot towards us and enveloped Joey and I in a hug. Both of us. That hug felt like home.

Lonnie pulled away and his eyes met Dad's, who was staring a the 3 of us. I turned around to look at him and could not get used to the sight of my father getting choked up.

Stefan coughed and looked away, not wanting to seem weak in front of his family. Lonnie stared at him for a moment and clasped his hand, shaking it firmly. Then he said the words that he promised to say to our father all those years ago. "Brother," he whispered. "I feel you."

Stefan released a watery smile to Lonnie and spoke in Polish. I understood what he said. Thank you.

Lonnie hugged my mother and my sister, then beckoned my family and I inside the house. Nothing had changed since the last time I had left this place 5 years ago. The entire family walked in like they were on a wire, minus Joey and I.

Joey walked to the living room and plopped on the couch, innocently asking Lonnie a question. "Lonnie, where is Gramma?"

Lonnie saddened and sat on the couch next to Joey. "I'm afraid that Gramma passed away, a couple of weeks since you left." he sighed and rubbed his hands on his face. I couldn't help but think that Lonnie looked older and more frail when he did that, not the cheerful and compassionate Lonnie that we knew 5 years ago.

"Aww, I'm so sorry," Kitty sympathized, gingerly placing a hand on Lonnie's shoulder. Lonnie looked up and smiled at her. "I'm okay, lass, don't worry about me. It's my niece that's troubling me."

My stomach tightened up with anxiety at the mention of Janey. "What's wrong with Janey?" I asked. Worry made me careless with my words and my mom looked at me strangely when she heard the note of desperation.

"Janey's been going through a hard time once you left, Josh. She was heartbroken. She didn't think you would ever come back to her and leave her for another girl in Chicago. After Gramma died, that just made things harder for her. The poor dear wasn't even that excited when she got accepted into university. Now all she does is throw herself into books and study, locked in her room and trying to forget the world around her."

I felt my heart crack for Janey and all she had gone through without me. Now everyone was staring at me as I looked at my feet, my head hanging. "Where is she?" I asked, softly.

"She's in her room, actually. Right up the stairs ant to the left. She sleeps in the room that you stayed in when you were sick." My head whipped up at his response and without a word I ripped up the stairway and scrambled into the unlocked room.

Janey was there, her back to me, reading a book. Her brown hair was just past her shoulders, and she wore a light blue cotton dress, which reached her ankles. The thing that got me most was that she was wearing earrings.

She whipped around and feasted her eyes on me. Then she raced towards me and threw her arms around me. That was the moment I realized that I was staying here, in Omaha, Nebraska. Forever.

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