© Copyright 2010 by Charlotte Ann Zuzak

Tracie Rollins beamed, tears of joy in her eyes as her daughter, Amber, left the dressing room of the rectory wearing the wedding dress she had worn about thirty years ago. Amber had insisted on wearing her mother’s gown even though as an attorney she definitely could afford a very expensive design.

Tracie shuddered when she thought about how she had put the gown up for sale just before her first anniversary at the time she and Jason had decided to separate. Fresh out of high school, marriage hadn’t brought the bliss Tracie had expected, just bills and a baby girl who was two months old a week before their anniversary. Amber had been a fussy baby who refused to sleep through the night. It seemed as if changing her diaper and trying to give her a bottle, which she refused, were not the answers. The doctor had merely smiled and said this was to be expected. She might have colic.

A month after Amber was born, they had problems with the car. Thank goodness Jason was knowledgeable about automotive problems and was able to take care of the situation himself. Also their apartment was close to Super Grocery where Tracy worked as a cashier, so she could walk to her job. Tracy depended on her mother to be a baby sitter, but didn’t know how long that would last. Mrs. Callum had been hinting that many of her friends were taking day trips with lunch out and she would like to join them.

On a day when nothing went right at work she arrived at her mother’s to pick up Amber and was told that the baby had cried all day and refused to eat. Amber really needed to do something! When she finally got back to her apartment, Jason wasn’t there. Tracy decided that she had had enough. She wanted more freedom and a new start. She put an advertisement in the want ads to sell her wedding gown.

Tracie adjusted Amber’s pearl necklace, her wedding gift from Chris, as she thought back to Melba Gray who had came to the shabby apartment to see the gown and perhaps purchase it for her daughter. Tracie thought back to that day and now would love to say “thank you” to her for saving her marriage.

Melba had sensed that Tracie was overwhelmed by marriage and motherhood all coming in one year. Tracie had broken down and cried, pouring out her feelings to a total stranger.

“Jason is never here to help with Amber, and she’s a fussy baby. If he isn’t at work he’s at the trade school, or so he says, where he’s supposedly enrolled in some program. And there just isn’t enough money!”

While Melba was trying to comfort Tracie, Jason had come back to the apartment to pick up clothes to take to his parents’ house where he was staying. He quietly gathered up his things and kissed the baby who was sleeping in Tracie’s arms. He patted Tracie on the shoulder without saying anything, hesitating before he went to the door.

“Tracy, please, if you need anything I’ll be at my folks. If I’m not there, just tell Mom what you need and she’ll help you.”

After he had left, Melba held Amber for a while as she told Tracie how lucky she was to have a hard working young man like Jason. “Yes, Tracie, you do go through rough times. But you have to work together. Did you think that marriage would be all pretty like your wedding day?” She gently handed Amber back to Tracie and quietly departed. Nothing had been said about purchasing the wedding gown.

Wiping her eyes, Tracie had prepared to get her things together to take Amber to her mother and then go to work. There was a knock at the door. When she opened it, there stood Jason with a bouquet of flowers that he had bought at the grocery store. At a loss for words, Tracie had taken the flowers and placed them in an empty peanut butter jar after she washed it out.

She suddenly remembered that she had agreed to work at the store that evening since she had traded with another clerk because of Melba’s visit. Jason grabbed the phone, called his mother, and luckily she agreed to sit with Amber. She’d be there in half –an-hour.

Jason was determined to have his say before he left.

“Tracie, I am not fooling around. When I’m out in the evenings I’m taking on extra work as a way of learning. I am not with my buddies downing beers. And by the way, I need to leave soon because I have a big test at the trade school tonight. I’ll drop you off at work and pick you up when you’re done. I discovered what was wrong with the car today.”

Tracie didn’t know what to say.

“Hey,” a big grin came to his face. “I got a raise and Mr. Henson who owns the garage said that he would help out with my tuition at the trade school if I continue doing well. How about that?”

Tracie through her arms around Jason and apologized profusely for her behavior. “Amber’s not the baby, I am!”

“How about going out for pizza tomorrow night? Maybe we can prevail on Mom to sit tomorrow night.”

As it turned out, Jason’s mother kept Amber at her place overnight and there were no problems.

Tracie had told Amber this story last night. Both of them had used quite a bit of Kleenex as Tracie relived the past. She recounted how she and Jason had gotten back together again and worked hard to get a better life for themselves and Amber.

Tracie sighed as Amber walked over to her maid of honor, a business associate who had also become a close friend. How long ago those first problems seemed, and yet now she was only in her forties. How well Jason had done through the years, building a chain of car maintenance businesses, and teaching at the trade school where he had started. Most of the young men he hired came from that same school. She had never dreamed that they would be as financially well off as they were. Jason had just surprised her with a trip to Hawaii for their anniversary.

She was so proud of Amber, the first college graduate on either side of the family. A successful businesswoman and a lawyer, she still enjoyed climbing into old clothes and working with her dad around cars as she did while growing up. Tracie smiled. This was how Amber had met Chris.

One snowy night Amber had stopped off at her dad’s office with her date before attending a formal gathering to talk to him about a car she was thinking of purchasing. Jason had left a few minutes before, according to one of his mechanics. However, when the phone rang, she hesitated, but answered it. Some poor guy on his way to the airport was having car trouble. His car had just stopped, and he’d gotten a push to the side of the road by a driver who then continued on his way. Amber started to say that no one was in the shop now, but changed her mind.

“Sorry, Jack,” she said to her bewildered date. “Someone in trouble. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Climbing into the tow truck in high heels and a long gown, she set out. She found Chris standing beside his car, completely disgusted. Amber just looked at him.

“Don’t you know that you shouldn’t be standing outside your car? Ever hear of hazard lights? Some idiot could come along and hit you. Here, hold this flashlight.”

Chris was amazed at this young woman and couldn’t think of anything to say. He watched as she lifted the hood, peered around and shook her head as she looked up at him, hands on her hips.

“No wonder your car won’t go. All your oil has leaked out! You have a very dead car, my friend!”

“I need to get to the airport!” moaned Chris. “My whole future depends on this meeting tomorrow morning in Chicago!”

“Okay, I’ll radio the shop to come and get your car and then drive you to the airport. Get in the truck. Here’s my dad’s business card. Check with him when you get back.”

As they say, mused Tracie, the rest was history. When Chris came back to town, he was more interested in looking up Amber than in his useless car. Amber’s date had not waited around or called back. Tracie smiled. Thank goodness! He was a real loser! She’d never said anything to Amber, but she did notice that her daughter didn’t miss any sleep over the fact that Jack didn’t call back.

Tall and dark, Chris was a contrast to Amber’s blond beauty. The two of them dated for a couple of years before they talked about marriage. I had a toddler by the age Amber is now, not to mention a stillborn son, thought Tracie. She sighed as she looked out the window. If you had to know ahead of time what life had in store for you, you’d probably crumble.

Tracie had gone through deep depression when her son was delivered, but Jason had set aside his feelings to care for her. She had never seen him mourn openly, but he must have had his moments of grief.

It was at this time that she turned down the opportunity to become manager of the grocery store where she had worked so that she could run the main office of Jason’s businesses to enable him to tend to the everyday work. Tracie found that she had a gift for office management and actually enjoyed it. She even took a few courses at the local community college and ended up getting her associates degree. Working together Tracie and Jason managed to get through their grief.

It was time for Tracie to walk to her seat on the arm of one of the ushers. She walked out of the rectory into the vestibule of the church and saw Jason wink at her with a grin. He was still as handsome as he’d ever been, more distinguished with the gray starting to appear at his temples. The weight he’d put on through the years agreed with him. As a young man he’d been much too thin. Tracie was still a beautiful, slim woman, but now the beauty had taken on a maturity that was very becoming. She had an attractiveness that didn’t come from expensive clothes, hair coloring or heavy makeup.

She walked down the aisle smiling at friends she’d known for years. Patience, she had told Amber, is very important in your marriage even when you want to pick up the pot of stew and throw it. Also, remember, it is one marriage, but you are still two people. And that’s the way it will be tomorrow morning when you wake up.




HEY! and don't forget to e-mail Charlotte Ann Zuzak if you have a comment!


zuz@zoominternet.net

Author's Note: Charlotte has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Albion College, and a master’s in Spanish: foreign languages and literature from the University of Michigan. She has taught on the secondary and college levels.

She has also worked as a piano accompanist for voice students, and as a church organist.

With her husband, a retired university dean, she has traveled extensively. Her latest trip was to Croatia.

She enjoys knitting and making items for her one year old granddaughter.

Her poetry and short stories have appeared in many journals. She received awards from The Lake Ontario Writers’ group.





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