I’M Going with You

Copyright © 2014 NORMA TREPTOW.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-2289-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2290-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014900733

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/27/2014

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 1

E ula stands on the deck that wraps itself around the 1920s house that is nestled into the side hill of the thick wooded Blue Ridge Mountains. She gazes out over rolling hills of tree tops that range from one mountain to the next, she allows her tears to flow down her cheeks and on to her yellow t-shirt with a logo printed on it, Olson’s hardware.

She leans her tall, slender body against the side of the house, next to the patio doors and her bright clear brown eyes are red and swollen from crying, and her face shows expression of despair because she and Gene have just learned that she will soon be a widow and this news is unbelievable, unreal, horrifying, shocking, but real. Her husband of 38 years is dying of Leukemia, their family doctor and friend had told them just minutes ago.

She looked toward the path that had been cleared by her husband Gene and their two sons, a decade ago and it leads farther into the thick bushes where there is a huge flat rock big enough for two people to sit on, it’s where she and Gene sat many times, just to talk, and it’s where Eula told Gene he was going to be a father 30 years ago.

The path is about fifty feet from the deck and Gene had gone for a walk because he wanted to be alone for just a bit. He needed to digest his unexpected diagnosis, leukemia, which was the reason for his constant fatigue, growing weakness and loss of appetite that would take his life from him in 2-3 months, according to their friend and family physician, Dr Richard, who had told them during the clinic appointment he had called them to. They had been there for tests a week before and now they learned the test results.

Gene had disappeared into the woods, walking on the path, now gone for an hour and she wanted to see him return, but she understood that he needed to be alone, after all, this was his life coming to an end and he needed to digest this sad and shocking news himself but they only had about two months to plan what they should do next, and she suddenly felt she should be at his side to care for him and be at his side every possible minute. It still did not seem real to her. Widow? Alone? No! No! No!

Eula thought of their two sons, Ben and Chad, and their wives, they needed to be told so she took her cell phone out of her jean pocket and pressed Ben’s number and when he answered on the second ring, she told him she needed to see him right away and he should tell Chad to come if he could find him. Ben could hear the sound of urgency and tears in his mother’s voice so he moved quickly to do as his mother asked, with out asking any questions.

Eula slowly closed her cell phone and continued to stare into space, but inside her head, thoughts were racing from one thing to another: the business, oh what would they do with the hardware store? It had been failing the passed year, with the economy changes, and local competition of the big stores coming in, their income had changed dramatically and they were falling farther and farther behind, financially. Eula was more aware of that than anyone, because she did all the record keeping at the store. Question after question was swarming around in her mind, the thought of not having Gene in her future was impossible, not real, there must be a mistake, maybe just a bad dream, then she looked anxiously again toward the path that led to their special rock, Please come now, she whispered under her breath. She questioned whether she should start on the path to look for him, or should she just let him be alone and think? How she wanted to see him return on the path. She was beginning to feel anxiety, which was not normal for her, she stared in that direction, and the anxiety was building inside her, heartbeat increasing, she knew there might be something wrong, she just sensed it.

She and Gene had spent hours on that path and sat on the large flat top rock just to talk and be together. Please Gene, come, walk out of the woods, we need to talk, she whispered. Oh dear God! Tears flowed again. Her emotions were getting stronger.

Eula met Gene when she was eighteen years old. She had left her home in Patton, Oregon just one week after her graduation. She had told her parents during her sophomore year that she wanted to go to New York and find a job and just live there for a few years before deciding what she wanted to do with her life, but her parents rejected Eula’s dream because it didn’t seem like a sensible or practical thing to do - to just take off for a strange land, no college, such an adventurous idea was risky, so the idea didn’t appeal to neither her mother or dad or grandparents, but Eula was persistent and determined to follow her dream and be on her own so when the day of graduation came she was in her room, starting to pack her clothes and months before that, she was searching on the internet for possible jobs in New York. She had calculated how much money she would need to travel, and get a place to stay, then food, and estimate the money she would need to have before she got her first paycheck, then she could ask her parents for the amount she thought she would need. Her parents gave up protesting with out anger and finally decided to let go of her and pray for protection because she was so determined though they did ask her many times Why New York? But she would answer them, why not New York? I can do it, mom, dad, I know I can do it! She was confident because she already had found a possible job, being a nanny. She believed she would qualify for that since she had taken care of little sister, Hannah, and she had baby sat often for neighbors so she believed she had enough experience. She had applied on line to an employment agency and had been notified by a letter accepting her application that directed her when she arrived, she should come there for an interview. She continued to assure her parents and they were amazed at her courage and ability to plan, she seemed to have thought of every thing but they knew she was mature for her age.

After good-byes to the family, Eula’s dad took her to the bus station where she boarded a bus that would take her to Minneapolis, then after a six hour wait, she would change buses and board another one that went straight to New York. She was full of determination and expectation, no fear what ever, that is, until she arrived in Minneapolis, when it was time to change buses, and had to manage 4 suitcases, she had no idea which way to go because there were multiple buses lined up and she couldn’t see any signs on, or by the buses that directed her to a New York bus.

A uniformed sailor was people watching from the bench he was sitting on and he observed Eula, watching her facial expressions change from confidence to bewilderment. When it became evident the girl perhaps needed some help, he did what he had witnessed during his whole childhood life, which was to help people who needed it

He offered to get her a cart for her luggage. She was greatly relieved and accepted his assistance and when all the suitcases were loaded on the cart he turned to her and said, wherever you are going, you must plan to stay a while, giving her a wide smile and looking directly into her eyes, pretty eyes, he thought, brown and sparkly. She felt a little shy but she sensed no danger from him, she was good at that and had developed it from her jobs at fast food places years before, so she answered him, Yes, I don’t plan to return for a long time.

Where you going? He asked her.

New York.

So am I, perhaps we could sit together, talk, it’s a long trip. You’re alone, I’m alone, so how about it? Eula still didn’t sense any thing discomforting from this good looking, kind young man so she answered him, Well, Ok Thanks for the help, I guess I didn’t think about how many suitcases I had and only two hands, she laughed, nervously. She noticed how handsome he looked in his uniform, she gave him a smile and he continued to smile and look into her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes, he thought to himself. Come on, we’ll get these bags to the right bus and get a bite to eat. She still felt secure in his assistance, he just seemed like a nice guy and who knows, maybe she had a guardian angel to help her along. Anyway, she liked the idea of not being alone after all. She had thought being alone would be a great adventure, but now she was changing her mind about that.

He turned to head for the next bus and she followed because he seemed more confident about which direction to go. She was relieved because the reality of traveling alone was starting to set in and she was glad for the help, he seemed like a pretty nice guy. Eula was naïve but not vulnerable to strangers, because she was aware of things that can happen to people and her parents had warned her many times about being cautious, she had never dated much because she wasn’t very interested in dating, besides she didn’t have time and relationships would get in the way because she had her big dream of going to New York. She had made herself busy with several jobs during senior high besides she had told her friends in school, the teachers, and everyone she knew, that she wasn’t interested in dating or getting involved with anyone because of her plans to go to New York, she even turned down possible dates.

She had done research and given reports in class about New York, and that was where she wanted to be. Why? She didn’t know, she just knew it was her goal. Eula had never been afraid to try any thing new and she liked making personal goals for herself.

So do you have relatives in New York? Gene asked her.

No, I just chose to go there, live there and experience life, that’s all. He seemed amused at her determination and courageous spirit, and was trying not to stare at her because she was so radiant and beautiful, he liked her freckles, curly hair that bounced when she walked, and her great figure.

You’re really pretty, are you leaving a boy friend back home?" Gene asked.

Heavens no! she answered as if it was a ridiculous idea to even think of such a thing then after a few more steps, they found the correct bus but the driver wasn’t there and a sign on the opened side bins instructed passengers to put bags in and he would be right back and the bus would leave in 5 hours. Just then the driver returned and loaded Eula’s suitcases when she realized her new friend had no luggage.

Where are your bags? They are already loaded, I have been here for an hour, so I found the bus and got the bags loaded earlier. I came from Seattle.

After the luggage was loaded, they began to walk toward the area of cafes when Gene told Eula, "my