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After the Wedding – January 1872
“Ma grew up in Boston, but Pa moved around a bunch. They met in Boston though.” Thomas moved a checker piece; he was trying for a 7th consecutive win over William.
William nodded, absently. “I moved around a bunch myself. My father was in the Army.” He made his move, setting Thomas up for a jump. “We lived in Boston for a while when I was your age.”
“Neat.” He grinned, jumping William’s piece. “I’ve always lived here. Sometimes I want to travel, but I think I would be happier here.”
William blew out a quick laugh, “Traveling ain’t that exciting after you’ve done it for a while. You get to where you want to stop.”
He glanced over at Anna, who blushed, and went back to knitting. “Hey Ma?” Thomas jumped from his seat suddenly. “Can I show Mr. William the Daguerreotypes?”
Anna looked up again. “I suppose, just be careful.”
Thomas ran from the room to the back of the house. William sat watching Anna while he waited. Thomas suddenly came back in the room out of breath, carrying a box. He sat it on the table, talking the whole time. “Ma brought these from the east when she and Pa moved out here.” He pulled out the first one. “Here is Ma when she was younger, before a concert.” He showed William the picture; it was a younger Anna posing with a cello.
He smiled, nodding. “Nice.”
He pulled out several others, one at a time. Some were relatives, and some were of ships his grandpa owned. There was even one of his Pa, Clay.
He reached the last one, and pulled it from the box. “This was Ma as a girl.” He tried to read the caption above it, “Hatfield Perp...prep...”
“Hatfield Preparatory Academy” Anna finished for him.
William perked up, “Can I see that?”
Thomas handed it over, and William stared. It was a group picture with a sign overhead, ‘Hatfield Preparatory Academy’ and the date, 1848 inscribed on the bottom.
He couldn’t believe it. He looked; back row on the end, there he was. Right next to him, his brother Joe, grinning at the camera. He remembered it like it was yesterday. It was their first day at the new school. He had been mad because his mother had done his hair funny. He felt tears forming at the corner of his eyes.
“Are you alright, Mr. William?” Thomas’ voice was laced with concern.
William looked up, Anna had sat forward, noting Thomas’ tone.
“Yeah... I...” He cleared his throat, and held up his hand. “Where did you get...?” He looked back down at the picture, and suddenly it all made sense. There was the pretty little girl with the bow on the front row... Anna. He smiled, and pointed at the little girl in the picture. “This was you.”
Anna stood, moving to the table. “Yes...” she spoke hesitantly, “Why?”
He smiled again. The memories flooded back. The few weeks he had at that school, and how they affected his life. Why he loved the cello... it was because of the pretty little girl on the front row.
He noticed big Phineas on the other end of the back row. He pointed, and spoke softly, “Phineas.”
Straightening in surprise, Anna blinked, “Yes, but how...”
He handed the picture to her. “It was my first day. We were only there a few weeks, thanks to Phineas. That is me and my brother Joe on the far end.”
She took the picture, looking at it wide eyed.
Thomas jumped up, excited, “Really? Can I see?” She handed the picture to Thomas, who scanned it closely before asking, “Which one, Mr. William?”
He showed Thomas, and then looked up at Anna.
Anna met his gaze, smiling softly. “I remember you. Your last day... the ball...” She shook her head, “Phineas had always been a bully, but never after that.”
William nodded slowly.
Thomas interrupted suddenly, having lost interest “Can I go down and look at the cows?”
Anna looked uncomprehendingly, and then nodded slowly, “Yes, but be careful.”
Thomas handed the plate to William, and ran out the door heading down to the pasture.
She turned to go back to her seat, but William stopped her, “That was you.” he shook his head. “After all of these years, it was you.”
She nodded, a smile on her face, “Yes, it was.”
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