Madeline soothed the knots in her stomach as best she could as she adjusted the hem of her navy eyelet sundress. She and Ken had
just attended Noon Mass at St. Ambrose and were now headed to his
parents' house for Mothers Day dinner. Standing in the pew with him
again, reciting familiar prayers and singing timeless Church hymns had
been such a powerfully emotional experience-and yet another example
of having come "full circle." There were several moments during the
service when she found herself dabbing at her eyes with a tissue,
thoroughly overwhelmed in the best sense of the word. It was during
those times that Ken would look over and smile, or squeeze her hand
reassuringly.
She'd called her own mom, of course, earlier that morning, though
time constraints had prevented a meaningful conversation regarding the
life-altering events of the past few weeks. Maddy couldn't wait to share
her incredible news with the whole family, but she knew her mother
would be especially exultant; all she wanted now for her youngest child
was to know that she was happily settled down with the right guy. While
she'd suspected Kenny had been the real reason for her daughter's
relocation, and often wondered about his continued absence in her life,
she'd respected Madeline's privacy. And putting Ken aside, Madeline had
grown into a mature, self-adjusted woman over these past fourteen years.
While she missed her terribly, she also felt tremendous respect and
admiration.
After all, hadn't it been Monica's stellar example of independence and
determination that had provided Maddy the blueprint? Mrs. Rose had
admirably handled formidable hardships of her own-the death of her
beloved older brother Anthony during World War II, Bell's Palsy at age
13, and-in one of the biggest tests of her adult life-the birth of a Down
syndrome baby when she was 28, at a time when conventional medicine
dismissed such children as "stigmas" to be shipped off to nightmarish
institutions, never to be seen or heard from again.
Then again, Monica herself descended from a long line of "tough"
women, beginning with her paternal grandmother Rosaria who as a young
widow, uprooted her three small boys and relocated with them to
America in search of a better life-a particularly gutsy move considering
she didn't know a soul in the New World, nor did she speak the language.
But unshakeable faith and stalwart desire had spurred her on in spite
of fear. And thanks to her abundance of courage, each of her sons had
achieved remarkable success in their adoptive homeland as pharmacists,
graduating from prestigious Philadelphia universities when such
accomplishments were unheard of for immigrants. Raffaele, Monica's
father-a consummate entrepreneur-had even owned a thriving corner
drugstore in their Germantown neighborhood.
For over 25 years, it had been a beacon of comfort, where residents
of all ethnic backgrounds could congregate for some good medicine, not
just in the traditional form of pills or liquid, but also in the presence of
Ralph's sparkling personality, boundless generosity and genuine concern
for their wellbeing.
Monica had often regaled her children with stories of her father
translating letters from English into Italian for the old folks who struggled
with linguistic comprehension; playing the piano and singing songs with
Monica, Maria and their friends; bartering prescription medication for a
simple, good meal when someone couldn't afford to pay; and hosting
weekly "mystery nights" wherein he'd hold the elderly men spellbound
with his recitation of suspenseful novels.
Having shared a special bond with her father, his life had always been
an intense source of pride for Monica. When he passed away suddenly
from a heart attack, his grief-stricken daughter nearly lost the unplanned
life that had taken root within her. Madeline's conception could not have
occurred at a more inopportune time for her parents, who were already
struggling to keep a roof over the heads of their four young children.
Joseph had just completed his residency and was knee-deep in debt; yet
neither he nor his wife would've ever entertained the notion of
terminating Monica's pregnancy. True, abortion hadn't been legal in 1966,
although in states like New York, the procedure was certainly attainable.
However, faith, optimism and a clear-cut sense of right and wrong
had conquered anxiety and fear-more for the baby's health than for
financial matters. After all, they knew Joseph was destined for a brilliant
career that would soon yield its own rewards; but this new child's fate
would remain an unknown right up until the moment he or she
successfully navigated out of the birth canal and into the material plane of
existence.
While Louis had proven a source of indescribable joy to the family,
Monica and Joseph had sweated out each of her three subsequent
pregnancies, praying that God would bless each new child with the
priceless gift of full physical, mental and emotional capabilities. Yet no
matter the outcome, love would have prevailed.
But eight months after Raffaele's death, bouncing baby Madeline-
who'd inherited her great-grandmother Rosaria's auburn hair as well as
perfect health, had quickly fulfilled one of her many purposes by
immediately replacing the void of sorrow in her widowed grandmother's
life with happiness. As a further boon to the older woman's spirits,
Monica and Joseph decided to give the infant her name, Madeline. And for
Maddy's loving grandmother, there was absolutely nothing like the sweet,
smiling face of a baby to make an adult forget all about her own
problems.
Monica often joked with her youngest offspring that she sometimes
wondered who'd actually given birth, as Nanny spent her days constantly
doting over her namesake. And though young Madeline was forced to say
goodbye to her beloved grandmother in the most traumatic fashion six
years later-an event that would unknowingly have significant
repercussions over 20 years down the road-she never once forgot about
her. In a brief span of time they created indelible memories that became
an integral part of Maddy's psychic tapestry. From cuddling up in bed
with Nanny to read her favorite fairytales to going to lunch at
Strawbridge's department store, the older woman's positive influence had
been expansive.
One of Maddy's favorite memories involved fetching her
grandmother's medicine as a three year-old "ward" who'd gone to live
with her temporarily after her mother had contracted pneumonia-thanks
to shivering through an Eagles game in sub-zero temperatures. Nanny had
lovingly referred to her then as her "nurse," a title the little girl had
assumed with pride. It was just one of several uplifting details that were
forever etched in Maddy's being.
Gazing now at the passing scenery, she couldn't help but feel her
grandmother's presence, along with Aunt Maria's and every other loved
one who'd gone before her. No doubt they were all celebrating right now,
too.
"Hey!" Ken piped up, noticing her faraway expression, "You ok
sweetheart? You seem a million miles away." He picked up her hand and
kissed it.
"Oh sorry, Kenny!" she laughed, "I was just thinking of how lucky we
are-and how nervous I am about meeting your parents."
"Madeline, there is absolutely nothing to be nervous about. They're
going to love you as much as I do-well, maybe not quite as much as I
do, but pretty damn close!" He'd hoped a little lightheartedness would
ease her mind.
"You sure?"
"Sweetheart, do you remember that New Year's Day when you
encouraged me to call my father? I'd been staying at your parents' house
and I was really nervous about talking to him?"
"Uh, coerced would be a better word," she raised an eyebrow as she
smiled at him; she clearly remembered how torn up he'd been about
making that simple gesture.
"Ok, coerced is probably more accurate, but the point is, you helped
me do the right thing. And while that one phone call didn't salvage our
relationship, I firmly believe it had been the first important step. And I
owe that to you, Madeline."
"Wow, I never knew that," she replied, deeply touched. "You're not
just trying to make me feel better are you?"
"No-Maddy I am telling you the truth, I swear," he pleaded. "And
my mom and dad know all sorts of wonderful things about you, including
how much you've inspired me, how much your whole family has inspired
me. Hell, you still inspire me!"
He kissed her hand again as they headed west on Camino Real.