Adirondack Audacity (45 page)

“Nope, I’ve learned. I packed the food and a blanket
along with extra clothes in canoe dry bags, just in case
something like this happened. I’ve been with you long
enough to know that I need to Klutz-Ellen proof.
And what can I say…..….I’ve found my soul mate.

Today was our wedding day. The completion of a
story…a story that began so long ago in the
mountains….once upon a time boy meets girl at summer
camp…...and ends miraculously with……they lived
happily ever after. Today I married Vic at our camp
surrounded by family and friends. It was the most perfect
of days.

Pausing at the open window of our bedroom, I watch
the sun sink into the horizon. Cool mountain air pushes
back the heat of the day. With a shiver, I search through a
pile of gifts stacked on the bed and find the angora shawl
Claire gave me this morning……….a wedding present
from my daughter-in-law.

Throwing the shawl over my shoulders, I step out
onto the balcony, needing a moment of quiet, to reflect
back on the day, to savor the precious memories of our
wedding.

I love the earth best at twilight; mountain peaks
muted in the dying light, the depths of the lake lie dark
and deep. Lingering, I watch the sky deepen; pink tinted
clouds fade to lavender and the shoreline reflects the
colors of the mountains. Profound contentment sweeps
over me in a moment of serendipity. Tilting my head to
one side, I listen to the sounds drifting over the lawn of
stubby mountain grass, the resonance of ice clinking
against glass, the ebb and flow of quiet conversation
playing as background music for the giggling laughter of
children and barking dogs. These are the sounds of
contentment, of dreams fulfilled, of a family found and a
curse lost. Unconsciously I exhale, letting go of the fear
and uncertainty of the past, and send an unspoken prayer
of gratitude towards the heavens.

…
One word describes our wedding….magical. We
stood under the brilliant June sun, surrounded by loved
ones. Even though we were not married in a church, we
wanted the sanction of a Christian marriage, a hold over
from my Catholic school days and Vic’s devout Mexican
family. The ceremony was a blend of traditional wedding
rites and Native American rituals. A mix of customs and

cultures we hold dear
in God’s cathedral of the forest.
Ironically, Vic’s mother has Native American blood. She
looks like her Swedish grandfather but her beloved
grandmother, Bema was a Lakota Sioux.

Our wedding started on the water, we arrived in
separate canoes from opposite ends of the lake. I came
from the south in a hand crafted wooden canoe, sides
burnished to a golden yellow hue. Lani and Hanna
manned the paddles, with strict orders
not
to tip the
canoe. White birch and ribbon along with ferns and wild
roses were woven into the gunnels of the boat. It looked
like a small barge for a Viking princess. I wore a white
dress, long and flowing, delicate embroidery on the hem
and a wreath of wildflowers in my hair…….daisies. In my
lap rested a bouquet, a cluster of June blooming
wildflowers, mimicking the blossoms dotting the
meadows and roadsides throughout the mountains. Tall
spikes of purple lupine, ox-eyed daisies, pink mountain
laurel and yellow bird’s foot trefoil held together by a
border of ferns. My hair unbound, fell freely down my
back, a deep caramel color, lying in wait for the sun to
paint in the streaks of summer copper. On my feet, a
delicate pair of sandals, the hand tooled flowers encircling
my ankles held with a thin strap. Around my neck, the
locket Vic gave me so long ago, the filigree heart, edges
worn with tarnish, a familiar weight to anchor my
overflowing heart. The choice of clothes reminiscent of a
seventies flower child, but truth be told……. that’s how I
feel, young, fresh, embarking on a new beginning…….
while reclaiming the past. It’s never too late…

Paddling alone, Vic arrived from the north, in an
aluminum canoe, a nostalgic rendition of the one we used
at Camp High Point. He was dressed in a tuxedo, minus
the bow tie. He wore the tuxedo because…. I love a man
in a tuxedo. And he looked impossibly handsome.
Waiting at the dock, Ike helped us disembark from the
canoes. Following a Native American ritual, he placed a
blue blanket on Vic’s shoulders and then one on mine,
representing our past sorrows and disappointments.
Standing between us, he led us up the bank to the plateau
of grassy lawn, under the shade of a large white birch tree
where our family and friends gathered forming a tight
circle. Aside from one of my brothers and our friends
from Camp High Point, ironically, most of my family was
Jack’s. Jack may be gone, but the love of his family lives
on;; and I’ve never loved them more than on the day I
married a man….other than their son. Their presence
showed the generosity and goodness of their hearts. They
stood in a tight knot, beaming at me from all directions;
his mom and dad, brothers and sisters with assorted
nieces and nephews. Individually, they’re nice people, it’s
when you get them in a herd; they can be slightly
overwhelming …and if there is one thing Jack’s family
never misses, it’s a party. When they accepted our
invitation, I was concerned that one look at them would
send Vic running for the hills, fearful they were a lynch
mob in disguise. And yet quite the opposite happened,
with the common bond of beer and poker, Vic, Ike and
the brothers played cards until the wee hours of the
morning. They wanted to make sure Vic was good
enough for me. Can’t be trusting those Hollywood types,
Jack’s Da whispered in my ear the night before the
wedding …..and they heard we were serving top shelf
whiskey.

Vic’s mother
arrived for the ceremony wearing a pale
blue suit; and a very handsome older gentleman on her
arm. After divorcing Vic’s father she stopped drinking
and started painting again, even garnered a few private
showings of her work. In fact, the silver haired fox
escorting her was the owner of one of the galleries
hosting her paintings. And he looked quite smitten with
her. Looking tall and elegant in her blonde patrician
beauty, it’s hard to believe Vic is her son;; they look
nothing alike except he inherited her height and elegant
bearing along with her loving heart.

Waiting for us under the shade of the birch tree
stood the minister from the little stone chapel
overlooking Pine Lake. As we approached the center of
the circle, our children aligned themselves on the lawn,
standing at the four cardinal directions; north, south, east
and west. It is a Native American belief the cardinal
directions bring blessings to a marriage.

Lani stood holding a hawk
’s feather, symbolizing the
element of air, and in a clear strong voice she invoked the
blessings of the east; the bringing of openness, the gift of
breath and communication to our marriage. From the
east we receive the gift of a new beginning with each
rising sun. Trey held a burning flame in a birch bark
vessel representing the south: energy, passion, and the
warmth of a loving home. Hanna faced west and cradled
in her hands a vase of water, filled with river rocks, the
element of water. In marriage one must offer absolute
trust in each other and vow to keep your hearts open in
sorrow as well as joy. And from the North, our Josh; a
pottery bowl rests in his hands brimming over with rich
black soil, the element of the earth. Earth which provides
sustenance, fertility and security, earth which feeds and
enriches one, and helps build a stable home, where one
may always return.

After our children offered their blessings on our
marriage, the minister stepped forward welcoming our
guests to the mountains on such a beautiful day, stating
our intention to make a solemn eternal covenant before
God. His glasses glint in the afternoon sun as he asked
the assembled congregation to join in the celebration
reflecting our love and joy. Directing us to face each
other, we exchanged vows, choosing the traditional
Christian rite, time honored, tested and true. Holding
hands we pledged our promise to be true from this day
forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long
as we both shall live. A solemn vow held in our hearts,
finalized and consummated through the simple exchange
of silver rings.

The minister placed his hands over ours, and looking
out over our friends and family he said, “My friends as
we gather here, I want you to reflect on why the birch
tree we stand under is the perfect symbol for marriage.
This tree is rooted in the ground, yet it still reaches to the
heavens above, weathering the storms of life. It flexes
and bends with the winds, static but always changing,
adapting to whatever comes its way, as a husband and
wife must bend and give. And always reach for heaven to
our Almighty Father from whom all good things come.”

Grasping our hands tightly in his, he continued, “I’m
sure everyone gathered here today knows the story of Vic
and Ellen’s love, the trials, tragedy and separation they
endured, and yet within the divine mercy of God, they
stand before us professing their love. And lest we forget,
their time apart was not for naught. Through Vic’s travels
he earned the loyalty of a trusted and invaluable friend.
He married and was blessed with his beloved daughter,
Hanna.” Here the minister pauses and nods at Hanna
who beams a smile at her father. “And somewhere along
the way, Vic, I don’t know how or why, but the camera
fell in love with your face and you fell in love with the
profession of acting.” Reverend Stephans laughs at his
little joke before moving on, “And Ellen, you became a
teacher, and someone earlier today told me you were
named one of New York State’s Outstanding
Environmental Educators a few years ago. Very
impressive.” I feel a slow blush creeping to my face, and
cut my eyes to Jack’s Dad, who I’m sure was the blabber
mouth. He loves to extol the virtues of his children. And
I’m blessed to be counted as one of his children. And of
course, he smiled back at me with a completely angelic
look on his face.

“Ellen, y
ou were a loyal and loving wife to Jack for
twenty five years, and in your marriage you and Jack
raised these beautiful children, or I should say young
adults.” He smiles at Lani and Trey. Reverend Stephans
sweeps his hand to encompass all of Jack’s family. “And
the depth of your commitment to Jack is evident by the
loving support of his family. But life changes and we
must move on to new beginnings or maybe in this case,
to finish a story started so long ago, and bring it to a
happy ending.”

“
Vic and Ellen, God had a greater plan for you. A
story with many chapters, but the conclusion included the
love for a child so great it could not be ignored, a burning
desire to be reunited with your son, Josh. And out of that
love, God saw fit to bless you with four children and two
grandchildren. I’m sure today, your cup runneth over.”
Vic and I at this point were overcome with emotion, our
foreheads touching as tears unabashedly rolled down our
cheeks.

Reverend Stephans continued, “But that is the past
and now you embark on the adventure of a new
beginning, a new life, and a future designed by the two of
you. Standing under this birch tree, I’m reminded of a
Robert Frost poem,
Birches.
The first line of the poem
talks about the birch trees bending to the left and right,
across a line of darker trees. Such a lovely analogy of life
and our need to bend and flex in the darkest hours, to be
able to withstand the ice and rain storms and then live in
joy, the kind of joy that allows little boys to climb and
swing away from the earth for a while.

Vic and Ellen, our wish for you today is
……that you
may bend and flex as the trees through the hardships of
life and yet like a child, climb up snow white bark toward
the heavens in joy, till the tree can bear no more and dips
to swing back safely to the earth. May the Lord bless you
and keep you all the days of your life.”

After the minister’s blessing, Ike remove
d the blue
blankets, wrapping us in a white blanket representing our
new life together. We kissed as man and wife…
finally.

Woof!
The sight of Lani’s fiancé, Jason engaged in a
playful tug of war on the lawn with Cyrus pulls me back
to the present, allowing my memories to slip away,
hidden yet safe for another day. Even from my vantage
point it’s questionable who will win the contest. A sharp
tug from Cyrus causes Jason to slip on the dew covered
grass, falling hard on his butt and Cyrus sprints off in
search of another hapless victim. Shaking my head with
amusement and affection, I watch Lani help Jason to his
feet, suggestively brushing off his butt. Which he rewards
by pulling her into a passionate embrace; two silhouettes
become one in the fading evening light.

And then I sense more than feel his presence come
up from behind, sinewy arms pull me into enveloping
warmth, causing my skin to tingle, come alive and turn
velvet in the lavender light of evening. The day old
stubble of his chin tickles the soft side of my jaw sending
tremors of delight down my spine.
Vic…..

“Penny for your thoughts,
mia.” his husky voice
drawls as his breath caresses the lobe of my ear. His arms
tighten around me, and I feel safe, cherished, and loved.

“Oh, they’re much more expensive than that,” I
whisper, leaning my full weight into his embrace sighing
in disappointment when the delicious kisses at the nape
of my neck cease. He whispers hoarsely, “The best things
in life are free, my love, or haven’t you heard.”

My face softens as my gaze travels over the
Adirondack cedar house surrounded by porches,
peppered with brightly cushioned furniture. Pure false
gold winks from the shuttered windows, the light held
within spilling out the windowpanes.