When Elena was seven years old her mom and dad said they had a big surprise for her: She was going to have a little sister. They didn’t sense it, but Elena wasn’t thrilled with this news. She didn’t want a little sister. She knew a little sister wasn’t the same as a new baby doll. She knew it meant she would no longer be the princess, her mama’s twinkling star, her daddy’s little lollypop.
And so after interminable months of being constantly reminded of what was to come, she was told that little Magda had arrived. Mama came home from the hospital and Aunt Emma and Uncle Michael and Aunt Barbara and Uncle Robert and Aunt Sophie and Uncle Scotty clustered around the bed and oohed and awed as they passed the baby from arms to arms.
Somebody remembered Elena and found her half hiding behind the window curtains. They brought her forward to meet her new little sister. When she approached the cradle Magda began squalling, kicking her feet, flailing her clenched fists and became bright red. Elena thought she was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen. And so began their life together.
As the years went by and Magda grew from cute to pretty Elena only saw her as an annoyance she wanted nothing to do with. When Elena was twenty-four and was planning her marriage she didn’t ask Magda to be a part of her wedding party. Her stated reasoning was that at seventeen her sister was too young to serve as her matron of honor and there was no room for another bridesmaid. Although this didn’t surprise Magda it still was an unforgivable affront.
Harvey was a mild-mannered man whose quiet demeanor tended to obscure his good looks. At thirty-two he was six years Elena’s senior and had early on established himself as a successful businessman. He was fascinated by the way Elena was flirtatious and at the same time determined in her opinions. He devoted himself to fulfilling her wishes. Elena was set for life.
Three years later Magda let it be known that she’d met a young man she was enamored with. He was ambitious, intelligent and inventive. His good-looks matched Magda’s. The romance flourished and became serious. He proposed marriage and she quickly accepted, but then he received an opportunity to advance significantly in his profession, which also meant a relocation to another part of the country.
Magda was disappointed to leave friends behind but not enough to dissuade her from marrying Quint. They moved the wedding date up and settled on a modest affair. Invitations were sent out and it was soon apparent that Elena, and by association Harvey, had been ignored.
Her mother expressed outrage and dismay but Magda maintained that this was to be her day and she would invite the people she wished to be a part of it. Her mother had no choice but to relent and assure Elena that the shame would fall on Magda.
Magda knew that she would be many hundreds of miles away and out of reach of any shame that might be hurled in her direction. The wedding went off without mishap and even the weather complied. The reception was festive and everyone cheered when they climbed into the limousine and headed for the airport. Their honeymoon was a weekend at the famous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park on their way to their new home in Palo Alto, California.
And so Magda and Quint’s life together began, far away from where they’d grown up. A year later a daughter made them a family and three years later a boy was added.
Meanwhile, Elena and Harvey added two girls to the one they’d already had. Elena put on a few extra pounds and started a lifelong habit of dieting and worrying about her weight despite Harvey’s assuring her she was still beautiful and desirable.
Twelve years passed and in all that time Magda knew nothing about Elena’s life other than whatever her mother sent in a letter or mentioned when they talked by phone. Elena knew even less about Magda since she never questioned her mother for any bits she had picked up in any of those phone conversations.
But twelve years can bring changes not only in people but also in places, such as where we work. Quint had become increasingly more dissatisfied in how the company he worked for was run and the direction in which it was headed. It had grown successful beyond his expectations and many more people had been added to the workforce. With all this, things had become more impersonal and he’d become one more cog in the wheels that ground out the profits. He was unhappy.
Magda had become less involved with the daily social life she’d created for herself. She had always thrown herself fully into whatever her current interest was, but with time her interest waned and grew cold. Now she found she was restless but she wasn’t sure about what.
What she hadn’t realized was that although he hadn’t expressed it, she had sensed Quint’s unhappiness and it had infected her own feelings. It finally came to a head, but before there was any kind of eruption, they confronted the problem. But they didn’t have the answer.
But then serendipity entered the picture.
Magda got a letter from Marsha and Abner announcing that their fiftieth wedding anniversary was in the near future and they wanted to have a major celebration, which required the attendance of Magda and Quint and their grandkids whom they’d never even seen. There was to be no acceptable refusal.
In fact, they were insisting that Magda and Elena get together and handle the whole affair, which they’d pay for, but didn’t want to lift a finger preparing. They were to be the honorees and everything should be a surprise for them.
Magda knew that, of course, her mother would have her finger in everything and would make constant suggestions so that everything would be as she wished it to be. She told Quint that there was no way she could go back and do any of this. It would take weeks. She couldn’t be away that long. What about the kids? And could he get time off to attend the festivities?
He replied that it was the perfect catalyst that they needed. He’d give notice. It would mean the kids would have to change schools but they were at the beginning of summer and they could be settled in before the new school year started. It only meant getting them involved in having a great adventure. He was dying to start up his own business. He was ready to go home.
She said he was crazy. She was doubtful the kids would go along with his crazy plan. They’d have to leave all their friends behind. She reminded Quint that they would have to sell everything they had or pay a fortune to have it all moved.
He made light of all her doubts and with time his enthusiasm infected her and she got increasingly excited as he played it up. He brought the kids in and successfully sold them on the idea of opening the door to a whole new world. If their enthusiasm faded it would be too late to back down, and he was sure he could fire them up again if necessary.
Plans were made and set in motion. Quint gave notice at his job and claimed his unused vacation time. A realtor was engaged to sell the house. Belongings were given to friends and charities. Boxes were packed and shipped. By the first of August, all was ready and Magda and the kids were put on a plane and flew away. The next morning Quint piled into the SUV with their two dogs and pulled out of the driveway and turned toward the east.
Three days later the kids were ecstatic to see their dogs but disappointed that they couldn’t stay in the hotel with them. Magda assured them that they would be fine at the boarding facility and they would go and visit them every day and Quint promised that they’d all be together in a house very soon.
The day after he arrived, Abner and Marsha invited the four of them to dinner. Magda suspected that Elena and Harvey would be there too but had prepared herself for the inevitable. When they arrived at the house Abner opened the door and Magda threw her arms around him. Marsha came hustling in from the kitchen drying her hands on her apron and pulled Magda from Abner and embraced her.
Abner shook Quint's hand and welcomed him. Quint held out his hand to Marsha but she tucked her chin down and clucked before she grabbed him and planted a kiss on his cheek with an exaggerated smack.
“Elena,” Marsha shouted over her shoulder and Elena came from the kitchen with a pained smile on her face. She and Magda exchanged air kisses and she extended her hand to Quint.
Harvey stuck his head out of the library door and then came toward the group beaming.
“Magda,” he said as he took each of her shoulders in his hands. “Look at you, more beautiful than ever.”
He kissed her on each cheek and then let her go and turned toward Quint.
And this must be Quint.” He clasped Quint’s hand in both of his. “You actually do exist. I often wondered. It’s great to finally meet you, brother.”
Quint smiled broadly. “It’s great to meet you, too. It’s been a long time coming.”
Suddenly Marsha cried out, “But where are my grandkids?”
Magda said, “Mom, the hotel provided a sitter. We thought it better for tonight if they didn’t come.”
Marsha looked pained. “Oh, no,” was all she could think to say.
“Our girls are upstairs,” Elena archly interjected.
In the silence that followed Quint looked from one to the other.
He spoke up. “Tell you what, I’ll bring them tomorrow for lunch. I’ll even bring the lunch. Can you bring your girls tomorrow?” he directed at Elena.
“I suppose,” she said with reluctance.
“Of course you can,” Harvey told her.
“But no bringing the lunch,” Marsha stated. “I’ll fix it.”
Quint smiled and frowned at the same time. “Can I bring a cake? Make it a tea party?”
Magda laughed. “A tea party with an eight-year-old boy? Good luck with that.”
“Ha!” Abner let out. “He and I will be the waiters. We’ll make it a game. We’ll even sneak bites behind the girl's backs.”
And so the reuniting of the two branches of the family began. The setting up of his own business occupied a large portion of Quint’s time, leaving little for house hunting. He left that to Magda who was also saddled with getting the kids into the proper school.
Marsha kept reminding her that the festive date would be there in a couple of months and she couldn’t leave everything for Elena to do. But once the house was found and papers signed, the basics bought and school started she was able to give her attention to what she’d been enlisted to do.
Meanwhile, Harvey had offered his hand in helping Quint to contact the correct people. Over the years Harvey had established himself in the business community and was well known by the movers and shakers in the city government. Quint found his help invaluable. He also found his intelligence and sense of humor delightful. He enjoyed their time together.
Football season was in full swing when on Friday Harvey called him.
“Hey, buddy. The Raiders are in town tomorrow. Can you get away?”
“Are you serious?” Quint exclaimed. “Wild horses, well, you know. Can we still get tickets?”
“Got ‘em. I’ll pick you up at noon?”
Quint chuckled. “Are we tailgating?”
“God, no. But we can pick up a pizza on the way,” Harvey suggested.
The afternoon was fueled by beer and the Raiders won, which was expected. The main thing was it kicked off a social connection between the two brothers-in-law.
Other games followed. Harvey introduced Quint to fly-fishing. Quint tried to get Harvey interested in playing tennis.
Harvey invited Quint to check out his gym. Workouts were followed by time talking in the sauna. Massages were followed by soaking in the pool. Quiet times set the stage for revealing conversations.
Harvey allowed that “I love Elena, I truly do, but she can be opinionated and stubborn. I’ve learned to give up and let her have her way. It isn’t worth it to dissolve into an argument which I’ll never win. You got the tame one.”
Quint countered by telling him, “When the kids started school Magda got involved with the PTA and we were swamped with meetings. That lasted for about five years. When Richie asked about the Boy Scouts she got all excited and urged Ashley to join the Girl Scouts and she became a Den Mother. And you know that died out too. Those are just two of the biggest. There have been a dozen others that only lasted months. Too many to remember. I never know what’s coming next. She’s a whiz for sure, but it can be exhausting.”
Harvey shook his head. “They’re a pair, all right. I just wish they’d get along better. It would sure make everybody else’s life a lot easier.”
“Well, I wouldn’t sweat it,” Quint assured him. “It’ll all work out with time. If not, we’ll work it out.”
On one of those afternoons in the steam room, Harvey observed, “You know, you got a great body. I wish I had one like that.”
Quint responded. “You look fine. I don’t know why you don’t think so.”
Harvey scoffed. “When I was your age I didn’t even look like that. How old are you?”
“Thirty-two,” Quint answered.
“Yeah,” Harvey sighed. “What chance have I got now?”
Quint surprised himself when he answered, “Well, I think you’re handsome. Or maybe I should say distinguished.”
Harvey laughed. “You could’ve stopped with handsome.”
They both broke up.
The date of Abner and Marsha’s anniversary party arrived and it was a grand, over-the-top affair. Elena and Magda had outdone themselves and Harvey and Quint were both pleasantly surprised that they’d been able to work together. They put it down to maturity.
No one seemed to realize that the blending of the kids had forced the two mothers to quell their sharp remarks and the blossoming friendship their husbands had constantly put them in situations where civility was the overriding mode.
When the festivities were over and everything had returned to normal with the kids looking forward to Christmas, Quint and Harvey returned to their get-togethers. Magda and Elena suddenly found themselves with empty hours to fill. Both Quint and Harvey suggested they find something to get involved with.
Quint came up with the idea of a game night involving the kids and Elena decided that the adults should have a game night for themselves. The men gave in with the unstated knowledge that they could continue spending time pursuing their mutual interests.
As one of those game nights was winding down Quint asked Harvey, “I was thinking about something. You ever been White Water Rafting? It’s something I always wanted to try.”
“Oh, boy. I don’t know if I’m ready for doing that. I think I’m past the age for that.”
“Bullshit! Besides, there are different levels of difficulty. Anyway, we couldn’t do it until next spring. I was just thinking about it.”
“Huh-uh,” Harvey said. “But what about now. Next, you’ll want me to go skiing.”
“Why not?” Quint asked. “Haven’t you ever done that?”
“Nope,” Harvey said. “I was sure I’d end up crashing into a tree like Sonny Bono did.”
“Who?”
“Forget it. Never mind.”
“You know what? You gave me an idea.”
Harvey waited for Quint to go on.
“We could go cross country skiing or snowshoe hiking. No, wait. I don’t mean anything too rugged. Just get out in nature and spend an afternoon covering a small piece of territory. Nothing too strenuous. We could check it out first.”
Harvey chuckled. “Maybe we could rent a sled and dog team. I could sit on the sled while you shouted, ‘Mush’.”
The week after the New Year it snowed heavily and Quint brought up the suggestion again. Harvey got on the internet and read all he could about both winter hiking and cross country skiing. He decided the latter was doable and he was anxious to engage in some activity with Quint. It had been weeks since they’d gone off alone.
They decided that if the snow was still around the first week of February they would go then. It snowed twice more before the end of January. It was determined that they didn’t want to join the masses that they discovered loved engaging in this winter sport on weekends. The first Wednesday of the month would be ideal.
The day arrived and they set off when the sun was barely up, heading north for the Higgan’s Lake area of Michigan. It surprisingly felt liberating to be off on another day without their families.
The euphoria lasted for only a couple of hours as it began to snow heavily well before they reached their destination. The further north they progressed the thicker the snowfall became. Upon reaching the southernmost edge of Roscommon County they decided it was foolish to try to travel any farther. The windshield wipers couldn’t compete with the accumulation of snow and Harvey found it impossible to ascertain where the shoulder of the road was.
“This is awful,” Harvey complained. “And dangerous,” he added.
“Yeah,” Quint agreed as he squinted, trying to make out the road through the windshield.
“What are we going to do?” Harvey wondered.
“Don’t worry. We’ll work it out,” Quint assured him.
Just moments later they spotted a motel and pulled into the parking lot. Quint sprinted inside and inquired about a room. They were lucky that it wasn’t a weekend and a room was available. He signaled for Harvey to come in and they registered. Harvey thought it best to call Elena and let her know that they were safe but wouldn’t be returning that evening.
