Page 54 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

Lily remains in the living room while we three tear into the cupboards, none of us saying a word as we fix up baked beans and sliced ham. Sable produces a casserole dish of leftover cheesy potatoes. We all react, agreeing it’s the perfect comfort food in a time like this.

But the sound of a car horn turns our heads. We run, abandoning the food, to peer out of the front window, hiding behind thick curtains. We’re all panting.

Lily whispers, “Is it her?”

Sable is the first to realize, “It’s Marvins car!”

She rushes to the door. “They’ve come over! Oh, what do we say? What do we do?”

Before we have a chance to answer, Sable has run outside.

Gertie looks at me, and I shrug that I don’t understand, either. She runs out.

Lily grabs my arm as I attempt to follow. “May! What would you do?”

“If Jerald were here, you mean? Were I in your shoes?” She nods. I gaze at her poor, bruised face. “There isn’t anywhere on Earth I’d rather be than with Jerald, no matter what happened.”

“What if Peter can’t stand to look at me?”

I smile, “Then he’s a fool.”

Fear and hope combine to make up the tears that hover. She takes my hand and together we walk.

He’s growing louder outside, dissatisfied with the answers from Sable and Gertie. Finally he shouts, “Lily! Lily girl! Where are you?” bounding up the front porch.

I give her an encouraging nod and Lily steps out. “Peter?”

He freezes in his tracks, arms flying out for balance at the top of the stairs. “What the Sam Hill?” Rushing forward, he gently touches her face. “Who did this to you?”

When a person is kind it unlocks the jail you put around your pain, the one covering your heart. The look in Peter’s eyes gets through to Lily in a big way, and even though she doesn’t answer him, it doesn’t matter. He has begun to lightly kiss her bruise and every other inch of the face he clearly loves.

“Oh, Peter! I’m so happy to see you!”

He gathers her into his arms, voice hoarse. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. Never ever, you hear me? Never!”

Down on the path stand Sable and Marvin, Hank and Gertie, heads upturned as we silently watch our friends falling in love.

30

MAY

“Mother! Mother! It’s here! There’s a package from Jerald!” Into our house I race, breathless. Finding her scrubbing the kitchen tile while on her hands and knees, I shout, “Look! Look!”

She sits back on her ankles, and wipes her forehead with the back of her wrist. “Well go on, open it!”

Tearing the package I laugh, “You look more relieved than I am!Oh look, there’s a whole stack!” I hold them up. “He must’ve been writing to me the whole time.”

I start to open one, and look at Mother’s expectant face. “Gee, perhaps I should read these alone.”

Disappointment slumps her shoulders.“Oh!”

My face twists and I laugh, “How about I read just one?”

She drops her sponge in the bucket and stands for a hand towel. “I am curious.” Hastily she adds, “And not in the way you might think.” She stares at her pruned fingers, carefully drying them. “A mother just wants her children to be happy. That’s all she ever wants. And well, you’re all I’ve got.” She looks at me. “To see you waiting for those letters, just broke my heart. And I must admit, it did occur to me that they might not come. I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for you.” I walk to give her a hug, and she says, “Not your dirty shoes on my clean tile!”

“Oh I’ll clean the footprints in a minute, never you mind. This is more important!” I squeeze her tight. “Thank you for being so good to me!”

She hugs me back and takes a deep breath as I lean against the counter to unfold the letter that was on top of the stack.

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