worry about being shy.”
“Pin a sign on my back, ‘Daughter for Sale’,” Caroline said, refilling her coffee.
“Hush! What a terrible thing to say. Is it a crime for a mother to want her daughter…well fixed?”
“It depends, Mom…”
“I’m going to the fabric store today. You need a suitable dress,” Linda said, folding up the newspaper.
“I’m late for work,” her daughter said, looking at her watch.
“Perhaps it won’t be long before you leave your job at Macy’s behind for a life of luxury, my dear,” Linda said, giving her a kiss.
“Keep dreamin’, Mom , She said with an exasperated sigh.
****
After a few years of struggling, it became apparent to both Linda and Alex that he would have to take a job. Their lack of money put a strain on their life together. He found a job teaching for a few years and the couple’s deep love continued to flame. But, when city funding for school arts programs dried up, Alex was out of a job. He worked at a procession of unfulfilling jobs, mostly in sales, which he hated but worked at anyway, desperate to keep his homecoming queen happy and well fed.
While work days were stressful, nights were passionate. Linda’s respect for Alex’s talent grew as he continued to create. Sometimes he would paint or draw into the wee hours of the morning on weekends. Artwork filled their house, hung on walls and in stacks in closets.
Desperate to make money from his artwork, Alex and Linda attended every gallery showing and opening they could. After six months, Alex got his turn. One painting in one gallery made them hopeful. It sold and the gallery requested more of his work.
It wasn’t long before Alex’s work was hanging in a few galleries in Soho and Greenwich Village. But sales were bumpy. Some weeks he would sell a painting or two, then four weeks would go by with nothing. The extra money was always needed as Alex kept losing jobs or quitting because he couldn’t force himself into the regular work mold. Linda dreaded those days when she came home to find him sitting with a glass of wine, staring out the window. He was always sorry but it d idn’t help.
Chapter Three
Caroline was wearing a sky blue strapless dress Linda made for her and her grandmother's pearls when she walked into the Vanderbilt Room at The Waldorf Astoria hotel. Mother and daughter looked stunning and the room with its green marble wainscoting, pilasters capped with gold leaf cornices and silver nickel railings wa s equally posh and understated.
"I'll find our table, see if there are any interesting men here," Linda whispered, moving off quickly.
After a few minutes, Linda located their table and sat down. She watched her daughter from across the room and recalled when Caroline had been born.
****
When Linda became pregnant, the stress in their lives doubled instantly. She worried how they would live if she couldn’t work. Alex was thrilled. Fatherhood came easily to him. The prospect of having his own child as a playmate lifted his heart. He took jobs working in stores, two jobs a day, to put aside enough money for Linda to take a few months off.
When Sunny was born, Linda insisted on giving her the beautiful, dignified name, Caroline, but Alex slipped “Sunshine” in as her middle name on the birth certificate. He called her “Sunny” insisting she brought sunlight into his life. The first few months were heaven as Linda, Alex and Caroline cocooned together, going for walks, playing, laughing and loving. Long-missed p assion returned to Alex and Linda when they weren’t up at night with the baby.
When Linda went back to work, she created a schedule where she would work at night while Alex minded the baby, and he would work during the day. There was never enough time for painting and making love. Still, they managed to make ends meet and stay together. As Caroline grew, Alex found steady work as a word processor for a law firm. The work paid well, even though he hated it.
“Pin a sign on my back, ‘Daughter for Sale’,” Caroline said, refilling her coffee.
“Hush! What a terrible thing to say. Is it a crime for a mother to want her daughter…well fixed?”
“It depends, Mom…”
“I’m going to the fabric store today. You need a suitable dress,” Linda said, folding up the newspaper.
“I’m late for work,” her daughter said, looking at her watch.
“Perhaps it won’t be long before you leave your job at Macy’s behind for a life of luxury, my dear,” Linda said, giving her a kiss.
“Keep dreamin’, Mom , She said with an exasperated sigh.
****
After a few years of struggling, it became apparent to both Linda and Alex that he would have to take a job. Their lack of money put a strain on their life together. He found a job teaching for a few years and the couple’s deep love continued to flame. But, when city funding for school arts programs dried up, Alex was out of a job. He worked at a procession of unfulfilling jobs, mostly in sales, which he hated but worked at anyway, desperate to keep his homecoming queen happy and well fed.
While work days were stressful, nights were passionate. Linda’s respect for Alex’s talent grew as he continued to create. Sometimes he would paint or draw into the wee hours of the morning on weekends. Artwork filled their house, hung on walls and in stacks in closets.
Desperate to make money from his artwork, Alex and Linda attended every gallery showing and opening they could. After six months, Alex got his turn. One painting in one gallery made them hopeful. It sold and the gallery requested more of his work.
It wasn’t long before Alex’s work was hanging in a few galleries in Soho and Greenwich Village. But sales were bumpy. Some weeks he would sell a painting or two, then four weeks would go by with nothing. The extra money was always needed as Alex kept losing jobs or quitting because he couldn’t force himself into the regular work mold. Linda dreaded those days when she came home to find him sitting with a glass of wine, staring out the window. He was always sorry but it d idn’t help.
Chapter Three
Caroline was wearing a sky blue strapless dress Linda made for her and her grandmother's pearls when she walked into the Vanderbilt Room at The Waldorf Astoria hotel. Mother and daughter looked stunning and the room with its green marble wainscoting, pilasters capped with gold leaf cornices and silver nickel railings wa s equally posh and understated.
"I'll find our table, see if there are any interesting men here," Linda whispered, moving off quickly.
After a few minutes, Linda located their table and sat down. She watched her daughter from across the room and recalled when Caroline had been born.
****
When Linda became pregnant, the stress in their lives doubled instantly. She worried how they would live if she couldn’t work. Alex was thrilled. Fatherhood came easily to him. The prospect of having his own child as a playmate lifted his heart. He took jobs working in stores, two jobs a day, to put aside enough money for Linda to take a few months off.
When Sunny was born, Linda insisted on giving her the beautiful, dignified name, Caroline, but Alex slipped “Sunshine” in as her middle name on the birth certificate. He called her “Sunny” insisting she brought sunlight into his life. The first few months were heaven as Linda, Alex and Caroline cocooned together, going for walks, playing, laughing and loving. Long-missed p assion returned to Alex and Linda when they weren’t up at night with the baby.
When Linda went back to work, she created a schedule where she would work at night while Alex minded the baby, and he would work during the day. There was never enough time for painting and making love. Still, they managed to make ends meet and stay together. As Caroline grew, Alex found steady work as a word processor for a law firm. The work paid well, even though he hated it.
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