IMMGRANT DAUGHTER #26

I left off with the third brother meeting the oldest for the first time and turning white. He excused himself and went to another office to call his wife. After a bit he came back and apologized and said it was lunchtime and invited the three of us to lunch and said he wife would meet us. He wanted his wife to meet us. She was a Miss Florida at one time and very attractive and very nice. The lunch went well and she invited us out to their home for coffee and dessert. They lived in a wooded area in a fabulous that was like a hunting lodge with all the modern conveniences. It had the heads of various animals that B shot on the wall. B was an avid hunter. I want to mention here B was a Vietnam veteran that was exposed to Agent Orange and still being treated for it.

B wanted to apologize for not attending the dinner for all the cousins to meet C. He said that he respected his brothers’ decision but wanted C to know they knew their parents had a unspoken secret. But they never really new what it was and admitted it was quite a shock when C showed up while the wills were still in probate because the mother just recently died. He told C that his dad and mom were into the community in charge if this and that. It was like he owned everything. In fact his dad raised Arabian horses and rode in the local parades, and the other brothers wife was quite an equestrian. It seemed to me there was a strain between sisters in law. The brothers were entirely different.

One brother wanted us to go away and the other brother opened up his heart and felt bad when he heard how C had to grow up knowing that his parents had an opportunity to claim C. I am not sure of all the particulars how but his mother was notified by the Children’ Aid Society that they had C in their care again. C told me a story that he remembered being sitting in a chair in this large empty room and a lady came in to see him. C asked her “are you my mother?” she nodded her head yes and then left the room.
That is the only remembrance he has of his mother. He never did see his father.

This meeting probably happened between foster homes. When I mentioned that the fathers’ part of the family did not have anything to do with the mothers’ side of the family. Remember the parents got married after the baby was born so he had his mothers maiden name. Back then in early 1920 these towns were small even Fort Wayne where his cousin L lived. You can better understand why the 2nd brother wouldn’t come and meet C. They were snooty and like he said there is nothing in it for me to come to meet C. Now both of the parents were dead and he did not want C rocking the boat. After all they were up standing people in their own eyes.

But I mentioned third son felt so bad the way his brother acted the when he and his wife took us to their house they gave pictures to C of the family he came from. That is how C was able to have any pictures at all. That brother did not live too long after that. The Agent Orange took its toll and we never did get to see him again. His wife called us after the fact and said the reason she didn’t was she did not want any problem with B brother because the two brothers had harsh words and she just couldn’t take any more.

That is the first part of the orphan boy’ family that leaves a lot to be desired. The first son that’s us had both girls and boy, the second son had just two girls, and the third son had one of each. I think it is ironic that the most stubborn of the two brothers had just girls no one to carry on their precious name. And B’ son sort of fell off the deep end because he left home and ended up marrying a much older lady that had children of her own. The last we heard they went to Arizona.

You can better understand now how I know that we are blessed and I have the best of the three sons. C also knew that yes he had a crummy life but found out the Lord was never leaving him alone. I remember Paul Harvey use to say he never saw a u-haul behind a hearse going to the commentary. What I used to tell C yes they had money but what he had money couldn’t buy. At least he knows now he had a mother and father and two brothers and the boys are all five years apart.

I am thankful for my BIL who was diligent in the search to put C’s mind to rest. I can now continue with more about our life together. Until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.