When I spent that weekend with my grandma and she told me of her first love, I was heartbroken. Growing up as one of the oldest daughters of a farm family, she cared for her brothers and sisters while her parents farmed. When she was old enough, she accepted a job with a family in town, caring for their younger children, doing some house cleaning and cooking. She grew close to the family and especially to the eldest son, Elmer, who was only a few years older. They were married and after only a year, Elmer was tragically murdered by a distant cousin.
After Grandma told the story, she choked up and said, "It feels like it just happened." When she told the story to me, the tragedy had actually happened 60 years previously.
Grandma left the room and came back with a small green and gold silky box. She handed it to me. "I want you to keep these for me," she said. I opened the box and found two 24kt solid gold wedding bands with their initials engraved. EMF to HMR.
In 2007, when Grandma was 102, she passed away. Although she loved my grandpa and built a life around her family, I know she still longed for that first love.
Comments