The following is a work of fiction in several parts. You'll find the other parts on my blog.
Part 3
“It wasn’t permitted,” I guessed.
Aunt Bea nodded. Inter-racial relationships are a challenge in most societies, but back then where she had lived, they were close to impossible. As white a name as Dean might sound, her Dean was an African American gentlemen. I remembered now how good of a saxophone player he had been. Dean had died a few years ago and I knew that Bea had been very unhappy at the time.
“I’m so sorry, Aunt Bea.”
She lost it then and the tears came flowing. I sat with my aunt and comforted her. If this was enough and she wanted to move on from the conversation, I wouldn’t press it. But she seemed to feel an urgency to tell the full story. When she had recovered enough, she continued.
“In those days, where we lived, a man like Dean couldn’t have married me. We would have had to have moved away and be shunned our whole lives. In the town where your father and I grew up, there was a black man who was charged with burglary for having a relationship with a white girl. We all knew the charge was trumped up, but he was in prison for years. I couldn’t let that happen to the man I loved. Dean's career was here, his music was here.”
“Did Dean end your relationship?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “I did. I stopped it. We couldn’t be together. I didn’t want any harm to come to Dean. It was me that introduced him to Delilah, who I knew from the jazz clubs.”
“Did Delilah know about you?”
Aunt Bea shook her head and I saw another tear form. “She didn’t know then. I tried so hard to keep it inside. And I never let Dean get close to me again in that way.”
“But she found out?” I guessed.
“Yes,” Aunt Bea nodded. “She found his letters to me after he passed. That was why she moved the kids away.”
Now I realized that she’d been heartbroken twice. She was like a second mother to Dean's and Delilah’s children, who had grown up next door. When Dean had died and Delilah found out about his relationship with Bea, well, that must have been a huge blow. Delilah then moved away and took the kids.
“You’re all I have now,” said my aunt with a sad smile. “And you’re good to me.”
She looked me straight in the eyes. “Now you understand why marriage is such a precious thing and why I want you to find someone who appreciates love. I had it. And I would have given anything to marry the man I loved, but it couldn't be done in our time.”
She paused and let that sink in.
“Thank you for telling me, Auntie,” I replied. “I’m so sorry for how you must have suffered.”
“I loved, as you said. And that was all I could ask for. But you, my favorite nephew,” she said as her radiant smile returned and she patted my hand. “We must find you a good woman.”
I sighed. “If she’s out there, I’ll find her. I’ll tell you, Auntie, I’m not in such a hurry after my divorce. It wasn’t much fun.”
“I know,” said Aunt Bea. “That Serena broad took a lot out of you. But that’s all the more reason to find you a good nurse. I don’t see any grand kids yet. Grandnieces, grandnephews, whatever. I’m 82 years old. My biological clock is ticking and your hair is starting to thin.”
I realized then that I wasn’t living merely for myself. I was a son she’d never had, and to some extent, my aunt was living through my life also. While I resolved to make decisions that would make me happy (i.e. not making another mistake like Serena), I also stopped feeling sorry for myself. My suffering was nothing compared to Aunt Bea’s lifetime of hurt. I realized I needed to get myself out of my own way and move forward.
Aunt Bea finally understood that her current nurse was not a candidate. So she had me get on the Internet to look through the staff directory of the nursing service she used. They had the nurses’ photos and short biographies online. Most were women and I had to admit a number of them were attractive in their own ways. I was a little uncomfortable relying so heavily on the pictures, though, as there wasn't much information given about each of them. Aunt Bea watched me and noted my interest in two of them. I had no idea if either of them were married, single, or what.
Such a weird way to meet women. But as long as Aunt Bea insisted upon it, I didn’t see anything wrong with trying. I still wasn’t sure it would work very well.
"So where should we start?" she asked. "With the blonde from Texas or the Filipina?"
I forced a smile. "Do you have any more of that candy corn?"
Please tune in again soon for Part 4 on my blog.
This is a fiction series in several parts. The remainder will be coming soon to a blog near you. The image above is public domain. It's not really my aunt, since I've never had an Aunt Bea and I'm not really the person in the story either. It's fiction.
Wow! You never cease to amaze me, Tom. I salute you! 🙂👏🏻
Hello Friend how are you? It is sad that Aunt Bea's love story is gone, before there were more forbidden loves than at present, as we say in Venezuela, Aunt Bea is cordial because she is helping her nephew to find a girlfriend online.
I am sure that history, even if it is fiction, has touched many hearts, mine has already touched it and I think that sometimes things are not usually in our favor or are simply not for us, we should not believe that everything we want or what we like is for us
awww Poor Aunt Bea! It's difficult for us to understand a time in history where people weren't allowed to love based on the color of their skin. Shameful really.
I'm looking forward to wherever it is you are heading with this, but I have to ask, where did the idea come from? Anywhere in particular?
Combinations of things from real life and then a few other ideas randomly added.
I guess that's the way fiction works, isn't it? So then I have to ask, have you always written fiction too? Like a closet writer? :) I've only been 'following' you for a while, but your huffa...bee (sorry, I forget the real name of them ;) story was the first bit of fiction I'd noticed from you. Are you planning on regularly inserting some fiction in your work here? Sorry, apparently this is a night of twenty questions :)
I'm enjoying it though.
Nice story Sir @donkeypong, I may have to read the fist two parts, I missed them.
But this story makes me think about myself as I am not married and it is just a series of unfortunate events in my life had made me this way which I didn't choose and which I do not also like.
I hope Aunt Bea chooses a Filipina nurse, they are kind and caring like no other :P
Thank you for the comment. I know life isn't easy for all. You show great strength.
Thanks Sir.
God Bless and Keep you.
@donkeypong sir!
Love is a divine realization. All relationships under it are related to emotions. Aunt Bea knew this thing well Marriage is a sacred relation, that is why it was emphasizing that the life of the life partner is incomplete without the incomplete. Aunt Bea was very kind, who expressed her happiness by looking at Delilah and the children with her and said All are very good for me. Marriage is a precious relationship. The importance of the relationship is known to the same person in which the relationship has the ability to do the rituals. The way Aunt Bea gave harmony to the conditions and gave everyone the right direction, she is very much appreciated.
Regards
Here we go with the part 3 that arrived super fast I did not expect it today, sure you had a little more time to write
In life there are situations that simply do not happen no matter how much you want something or someone arrives at a time when everything becomes difficult and aunt bea is not saved from that, the decision is ours if we continue but with consequences such as being rejected or not following but may your heart die
Life doesn't always go according to plan. Actually, I finished all parts of this story already; I need to know where a story is going before posting any part of it.
It's like that, we can plan something but life has its plans ready for us
Your writing style is really amazing. Are you wrote any fiction book. So we can read. I loved to read fiction books a lot.
Thanks and glad you like it. In my opinion, the quality is good but not great.
Hi @donkeypong ,in my opinion life is hard to live as a single. We need a partner who can understand our feeling, A partner who could understand our silence ,And obviously the partner who could heal our wounds.Aunt bea really knows the importance of married life. We should learn from experiences of others.
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Some people can live well without marrying, but it's important for most to have someone.
I agree, but life could be more beautiful if we get married to the person to whome we love.
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It must have been strong for Aunt Bea not only to love her friend's husband, but to have an impossible love because of racial problems. Even today, unfortunately, there is a lot of discrimination in many countries. I hope the nephew appreciates the aunt's words of experience and can see himself reflected in that mirror. If we love, we must fight for that love, because otherwise loneliness and nostalgia, perhaps even repentance, awaits us. I am still waiting for this story! Greetings
True. It's so unfair that discrimination persists as much as it does. Really shouldn't matter what someone does for love or happiness.
Just coming in at part 3, I guessed I have to read the others in order to have a complete understanding of the writing. It beats my imagination how you came up with this. I love fiction but difficult for me to come up with something.
Ps. I guess part 4 will bear the line "I fell in love with one of the nurses that I met for Aunty Bea" lol.
Yes, please start with Part 1. Makes more sense that way. :)
I have read the part 1 ,2 and this one, I'm sorry for the aunt bea for not getting married. It's hard to understand but not impossible. I'm trying my best to understand your fictional stories. You are a great writer. Looking forward to part 4.
Wao part 3.Thats amazing.Your writing is very inpressive.Dean had died a few years ago.That is so sad news.Aunt bea so sad.And crying.Really sad.Why Dean couldn’t have married aunt bea.???Very intetesting and emoshional story.I always like your story.You are perfect writer.Thanks for sharing.Waiting for 4 part.
Thats sad , well aunty bea try to protect dean but shit happens those times. Its a non stop regreat for aunty Bea
Brother, how are you? your imagination has no limits, the story of Aunt Bea is great, full of a lot of feeling and even has fun, she is a tia to give everything.
Sir, the story you wrote is very interesting and all its characters sit very well in their place and will eagerly wait for the fourth part of you
check out my writings. iam pretty much sure you would like them
Here I am reading part number 3, aunt bea is entertaining, and I see that she takes great care of her nephew
She does not want her nephew to have bad luck or do not know if to call him "bad luck" I think they are issues of life, we can not have everything we want and yes, it is what the great majority want but in the end not all We are destined to get married and have children
You have a good writing style, @donkeykong
Thank you for interesting and instructive stories.
Your characters are so real, if their prototypes live a normal life.
Love, suffer, solve real problems and know how to get out of difficult situations!
I look forward to continuing.
Hello @donkeypong. introduce my name @aulia1993 from Indonesia. this is my first time visiting your blog. therefore I have to introduce myself first.
I have followed your fiction from part 1, to part 3. This is truly an amazing story. part 1 tells about aunty customs doing maintenance independently. and on the toilet a panic button is provided. you accidentally pressed it, because you thought this was just a light switch. when that ambulance came right away. in part 1 it made me laugh a little to read it. because you press the panic button which you think is the light button.
in part 2, you visit Aunt Bea's house, and tell about marriage.
and on part 3 I also read it. in my opinion this is an extraordinary work of fiction. I will wait for the 4th part.
The funny thing about this is the desperate way he tries to find him a girlfriend, and the sad thing about that is how he had to find someone else the love of his life to be happy
fictional story that made me feel touched, hopefully Aunt Bea was steadfast
Man, that sounds rough! I can't blame Delilah for moving away after finding out. That would be hard to know that something so relevant had been withheld from you by both the people she loved. I imagine Delilah felt betrayed and just needed to get away. It must have hurt Aunt Bea though.
I'm catching up, so on to part 4!