She Had No Choice (20 page)

Their easy conversation continued on the drive back to Hollister. Richard helped Eva out of the car and carried the basket to the front door. She knew Miss Walker would be waiting for her inside, eager to hear about her afternoon. But she paused at the door and turned to face Richard.

“
I had a wonderful time today,” she told him.

“
So did I. Do you think we could do it again sometime?”

“
What did you have in mind?” she asked.

“
How ‘bout a movie next Saturday night?”

“
Sounds like fun.” She nervously looked down at the blanket draped over her arm.

Richard stroked her cheek with his finger and she felt a chill down her spine. He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Their first kiss – her first kiss. She looked up at him and gave him a sweet little smile. He looked into her hopeful eyes for an instant and then turned and stepped off the porch with a grin.

“
I’ll phone you this week, Eva,” he called to her as he walked to the car. She felt the lingering warmth of his lips on hers. She waved at him as he drove away, then turned and floated into the house.

Their bond quickly grew and deepened over the next few months. Richard came to visit her as often as he could, called her when he couldn’t. When he wasn’t able to borrow a buddy’s car, he would take the Greyhound Bus and then walk the mile and a half to her house.

Richard’s commanding officer called him to his office one day and told him he had new orders for him. He was going to be shipped out to Korea. After leaving his C.O.’s office, Richard went directly to a payphone on base and called Eva. He told her he was being sent to Korea soon and would be gone for the next six months.

The news was so unexpected it made her stomach twist. A cloud of sadness enveloped her and she had to sit down because she felt her knees weaken. She was falling in love with him and now he was going to be gone for a long time.

“
Give me a minute, Richard, I feel sick.”

“
I’m sorry, Eva. I didn’t wanna have to tell you, but they didn’t give me much time. I love being with you. Please understand, it wasn’t my choice.”

“
I know, I know.” Tears began to flow, and she was glad Richard couldn’t see her.

They made plans to go out to dinner one last time before he shipped out the next morning. He picked her up early that evening, and they drove to Pinky’s, a popular diner in town. The restaurant was busy, but Richard had called ahead and reserved a booth for them. Sitting across the table from each other, they held hands and made small talk. Neither one wanted to talk about his leaving in the morning.

The attractive blonde waitress came and took their orders, giving Richard a wink as she left. The waitress didn’t think Eva saw it, but she did. Eva wondered to herself why she would do that. Just a flirt, she thought and dismissed it. When the food came, another waitress brought it because they were so busy. Just helping out, she said.

They ate their dinner, hardly tasting it, just making small talk. Their minds were on his leaving, but they tried to avoid the subject by talking about anything else. They could avoid it no longer. Once they were through eating their dinner, the conversation came around to Richard’s departing in the morning.

Richard took Eva’s hand in his and looked at her face. He wasn’t going to see it again for a long time and he wanted to remember her eyes, her smile, her hair. She studied his face and wondered what he was thinking. He wanted to tell her how much he was going to miss her, but the words were difficult to say.

“
These last few months with you have been terrific, Eva. I can’t believe I’m leaving tomorrow, and I won’t see you for at least six months. It’s going to be hard…really hard.”

“
I feel the same way. It’ll be torture, Richard. I won’t see you until after I graduate. It’ll be like an eternity.” She hung her head and was starting to softly cry. Picking up her napkin, she dabbed her eyes. “I’m sorry for being so …”

“
I love you, Eva,” Richard interrupted.

This surprised Eva. She looked up at him, through her tears. It wasn’t just that they hadn’t been going out that long, for she was having those feelings, as well. It was that she couldn’t ever remember anyone in her entire life saying those words to her. She knew her mother loved her, but she couldn’t recall hearing those words actually being said out loud.

“
I love you, too,” she blurted out in response, before she could think about it too much.

“
I wanna marry you when I come back from Korea. Will you wait for me?” he asked. 

“
Oh, Richard!” she said, “It’s only been a few months. Are you really sure?”

“
Yeah, I’m sure. Will you marry me?”

“
Yes, yes, yes!”

He leaned over the table and kissed her firmly on the mouth. She was dizzy with excitement, and Richard seemed pleased with himself.

They got up to leave and started toward the door. Passing by the pretty blonde waitress, Eva again noticed she winked at Richard. I’m sure she thinks he’s handsome, she’s just flirting with him, Eva thought to herself. He’s my man, she told herself confidently, and he’s going to be my husband.

Richard stopped at the cashier’s counter and paid the bill, then held the door open for Eva to walk out of the diner first. She took his arm as they walked down the street to the car, his buddy’s black Ford sedan. He opened the car door for her, and she turned and gave him a warm passionate kiss before getting in.

She cuddled up next to him as he drove her home, and he put his arm around her. She felt safe and loved in that moment, a feeling she had never felt before. She wanted that feeling to last forever.

There was no ring yet, only a promise. The next six months would pass quickly, she assured herself. She would keep busy finishing her senior year at school, saving her money and planning her wedding. When he returned from Korea, she kept reminding herself, they would start their wonderful new life together as man and wife.

Chapter 17:
Wedding Bells

As Eva expected, the next six months were a whirlwind of activities. She and Richard wrote letters back and forth, and she updated him on the wedding plans and the money she was saving. Working a part-time job as a nursing assistant, Eva put every penny aside for the wedding and their future together. She wrote to Richard every week and got at least one letter each month from him. Girls, she told herself, are a lot better at writing letters, I guess.

While making all the wedding arrangements, Eva finished her senior year and was preparing to graduate from Hollister High. It was 1951. One day, at the end of a long day at school, Eva was coming out of the front doors of the main building. Her arms were full of books and she had wedding plans on her mind.

“
Hey, Eva!” The male voice sounded familiar. She spun around to see a tall, good-looking young man with wavy dark-hair coming through the doors behind her.

“
Alex?” She was surprised to see him. They had been friends in junior high, but then his family moved away. She missed their lunches in the park. She missed him.

“
Who’d you think it was?” He grinned at her. He had grown about a foot and was quite handsome.

“
Well, I don’t know. I haven’t seen or heard from you in over three years.”

“
Yeah, you’re right. My voice has changed since then.”

“
What are you doing here?” she asked.

“
What? No ‘welcome back’, no ‘happy to see you’?”

“
Okay, okay. Welcome back, Alex, I’m so happy to see you.” She hoped he picked up the sarcasm in her voice.

“
That’s better.” A big smile spread across his face.

“
So, why are you here?” she asked again.

“
My family just moved back. I was in the office enrolling. I’m starting classes tomorrow. Surprise!”

“
That’s great. I’m glad to have you back.” She didn’t want to tell him she was heartbroken when he left, that he was the only bright spot in her life. She had had a secret crush on him in junior high, but she was sure he didn’t return the feelings.

“
If you’re not doing anything tonight, why don’t we get together. You can catch me up on all the town gossip.”

“
Well, I don’t know.” She didn’t know why, but she hesitated to tell him she was engaged.

“
Oh, come on. It’s Friday night. Unless you already have a date.”

“
No, I don’t have a date tonight. But, well…I’m engaged.”

“
Oh.” His countenance fell. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Congratulations, Eva.” He looked disappointed, like a little boy who just had his bike taken away.

“
Thank you.” She stood there awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

“
I guess I’ll see you in class then. Talk to you later.” Alex felt awkward, too, and he walked off quickly.

“
That was uncomfortable,” Eva said to herself, making a quick exit in the other direction.

Eva finished out the school year and only spoke briefly to Alex on a few occasions. Even though at one time she had a big crush on him, she couldn’t think of him like that anymore. She tried to block him out of her mind, reminding herself she was committed to marrying Richard. They would both be graduating soon and pursuing separate paths in life. Her life would be with Richard.

* * * *

Occasionally, Eva ran into her mother at the market in town or on the street, and they would hug and talk for just a few minutes. Sofía could never stop for very long to chat, though; she always needed to get back home before too long.

It was during one of those brief visits that Eva told her mother about her graduation day and implored her to please come. She said she would try, but it wouldn’t be easy.

Over the next few weeks, Mama was often on Eva’s mind. It was one of the most important days in her life, and she sincerely wanted her mother to be there. She wasn’t sure Carlos would let Mama and her brothers and sisters come to the graduation because he hated Eva so much.

But, it turned out to be a wonderful day. Mama was able to come and share that special day with her. Unfortunately, she had to come alone. Carlos eventually gave in to Sofía’s pleading, but he had forbidden Eva’s brothers and sisters from coming.

Lydia, Eva’s little sister, babysat the two youngest so their mother would be free to attend. Eva was overjoyed to see Mama that day. Not just because it was her graduation day, but also because, since moving out at sixteen, she hadn’t seen much of her family at all. Carlos absolutely would not allow it.

Sofía was so happy to be there for Eva on this special day. She was so proud of her daughter, the first in her family to graduate from high school. She could see how much Eva had grown up, how happy and confident she looked. Her hair was cut into a stylish bob and she spoke with more confidence and directness than Sofía had remembered.

After the ceremony, Eva was able to spend a little time with Mama before Carlos would be expecting her home. Mama brought Eva up to date on each of the children, purposely avoiding any talk about Carlos and the misery he continued to inflict on them. She didn’t want to taint this wonderful day. Before Sofía had to rush off, Eva took the opportunity to tell her that she was engaged and would be getting married soon.

“
Married?  That’s wonderful, mi’ja. I’m so happy for you.” What else could she say? Sofía wondered to herself. She hoped Eva was making the right decision, she was so young, not quite nineteen. Sofía knew so well the suffering and despair that came from marrying the wrong man.

“
Thank you, Mama,” Eva said as her mother gave her a long, warm hug.

“
Tell me about your young man. What’s he like? Where’s he from? What does he look like?”  Mama had so many questions. She had come to this ceremony today so delighted to see Eva graduate from high school. She didn’t expect to find out she was getting married, too.

Eva went on to tell her mother about Richard and his life in Wisconsin, and that he was in the army. She described his blue eyes and thick brown hair.

“
Blue eyes? You mean he’s white?” Sofía asked.

“
Well, yes, Mama.”

“
We’ve never had a gringo in our family. And he doesn’t care you’re Mexican? He knows about your family? That we work in the fields?”

“
He knows, Mama. He doesn’t care. He loves me. I hope you’ll come to my wedding.”

“
Oh, Eva.” Mama shook her head. She dreaded the thought of having to ask Carlos for permission again, but she knew this was important. It would take some begging, some bribing, maybe even some fighting.

“
I want to be there, I just don’t know if I can. We’ll see. I have to go.” She needed to get back home before Carlos started getting mad that she was gone too long. Eva pleaded with her mother to find a way to come to the wedding.