Anna's Story - Part Two

 The crowd parts like the Red Sea as she makes her way to the parlor.

“Mein leibhaber, mein Zigeuner, my Steve!” her voice cracks with emotion and age.   A life-size portrait of her husband stands before her.  She has been widowed for over 50 years and never stopped loving or missing him.  He is her gypsy. The man she fell in love with all those long years ago.

Heidi had the life-size photo of her grandfather made from an old wedding photograph for the party.  There were also enlargements of other missing family members who have been gone so very long.  Pictures of Anna’s parents, her brothers and their wives are placed around the room.   Her sister, Mary, gone 100 years, is the only one missing.  Anna never met her older sister and there were no pictures of her.  As Anna stands there, her family begins surrounding her.  Her favorite great-granddaughter and Heidi’s youngest, Katrina, is standing next to her. 

“Grandma, are you okay?  You look like you have seen a ghost.” Katrina slips her arm around Anna’s waist giving her a gentle hug.

Anna’s voice cracks as she replies, “Yes, Trina. I am just lost in my memories.”

“Come, sit down and I’ll fix you a cup of tea.  Relax and have fun.” says Katrina.

As Heidi wheels in the cake, ablaze with 90 candles, Anna looks into Heidi’s eyes.  Heidi sees how pleased Oma is but also sees something else, a flicker.  It’s like a candle almost blown out in the wind.  As Anna’s family gathers around the cake and sings, Anna’s thoughts move back over her long life.  She grew up in what was known as The Valley.  The neighborhood is still called that.  Her granddaughters call her ‘The Original Valley Girl’.  At the time, the neighborhood was filled of Hun-Austrian immigrants.  Her parents had moved back and forth from Austria to America several times before her Papa told her Mother to choose a country.  With Europe on the brink of The Great War, American was where they would make their permanent home.

When she was a young woman in her late teens, a family from Czechoslovakia had moved into the neighborhood.  With them they brought a border; a young man of 20.   To Anna, the gypsy was the most handsome man she ever laid eyes on.

 Anna went to the Catholic school in her neighborhood with her best friend, Celeste.  She had them changed their route to school in order to pass the Gypsy’s house.

Leaning toward Anna, Celeste whispered, “Ann, I don’t understand why you have to take the long way to school.  That new fella goes to work very early in the morning.  He’s been gone for hours!”

“Yes, I know Celeste, you tell me that every morning.” Anna said with a sigh. “What if he is late one day?  I want you to see him, he’s so handsome.  I’ve decided to marry a gypsy like him someday.”

Celeste rolled her eyes.  “And you tell me that every morning!”

Just about a month away from graduation Anna and Celeste had their heads together; whispering in low voices to one another.  Anna felt eyes on her.  It was almost as if they were burning into her soul.  She looked over her shoulder. The gypsy was watching her.   She never told Celeste. After a year of taking the detour she never stopped complaining of the extra blocks.  She looked into his eyes; certain he would be the gypsy she would marry. 

Peter’s voice brought her back from the past.

“Ma, it’s time to open presents.  Are you feeling alright?  You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine Peter.  Let’s get the young ones to help this Old Grandma open this mountain.”