1990
“Great, Karen did you pick up all Anna’s luggage from the house?” Mike asks.
“Yes, Mike I did.”
“Okay, thank you. I’ll see you in half an hour,” Mike says. After speaking to Karen, he calls Anna on the phone. “Hi Anna,” he says as soon as Anna responds. “Please dress warmly love. It looks like it’s going to rain.”
“Yeah, yeah daddy!” Anna jokingly responds. “I’ll dress up. I’ll see you later. I love you Mike, goodbye.’
Before leaving, Anna writes a letter to her parents.
Dear Mom/Dad
I have no means of explaining the way me and Mike dealt with this situation. It was never my intention to hurt you like this, but I love Mike, and if we cannot be allowed to be together whilst we’re here, then we see no reason for staying. Daddy, I know you’re heartbroken and probably disappointed, and I’m deeply sorry for that. I hope that one day your hatred for the Jakes family will die, and I also hope that you’ll see that Mike truly loves and cares for me.
Mother, how this is going to kill you. You always told me I was just as stubborn as my father, and that’s true. Once I’ve made up my mind, there’s no way I’m changing it again, and that’s just it, I guess. I am my father’s daughter after all. What I did, what we did, was probably reckless. Mike and I will be together, though. I don’t know what to expect, but as long as we’re together, then everything will be alright. What we’re doing might seem foolish and irresponsible, I know, but I had to, we had to.
Tonight we’re leaving for Johannesburg. Mike has a job there and got us a place to stay. It’s safe and clean, so don’t worry.
I love you both dearly.
I am sorry that … I’m sorry, goodbye. It had to be this way. Please forgive us.
P.S
Anna
May 1955
Today is the funeral of Evelyn Pace, a beloved wife, mother and friend. She had a small funeral, and Mr Jakes and his family were also amongst those who attended. Charles was deeply saddened by the loss of a women whom he had come to love like his own mother. It was her love, care and gentleness that kept him going. As for poor Mr Jakes, nobody knew his pain and the love he had for that remarkable woman. He felt a void; like his world was slowly coming to an end.
“I would like to pay for Johnny’s fees until he is old enough to take care himself,” Ted says to Manuel after the funeral. “Please let me do that bit.”
“No, absolutely not, Mr Jakes,” Manuel responds. “Thank you, but we don’t need your money. I’ll take care of my son.”
The two men go quiet for a while, but then Manuel speaks again, breaking the silence.
“Have you no shame?” Manuel asks Ted. “You slept with my wife, and I know there was more going on with you guys, old Mr Jakes. Have you no shame for doing my wife those long hours? I’m not stupid, you know. She turned to you, but was it because of the money? Why do you think I wouldn’t notice the late hours, the gifts, and the way she spoke about Mr Jakes? Yes, you’re surprised now, aren’t you? You cannot even admit it.”
“That’s enough now,” Ted responds. “I know you’re hurting, but let your feud be against me, so don’t punish Johnny. I promised Evelyn that I would help him get a proper education, so let me do that. It was her last wish.”
“Well, I don’t care. This is my last wish, stay away from John and me, or I will tell your wife and the whole world that you had an affair with the maid.”
“Are you blackmailing me?”
“No, Mr Jakes, I’m warning you. I’ll ruin your life like you ruined mine, so stay away from us, we don’t want or need your money.”
Soon after his alteration with Manuel, Ted writes John a letter.
Dear Johnny
I saw you from a distance. I wish I had the guts to tell you this in person, but I don’t. Your father warned me to stay away from you, and this I will do.
I promised your mother I would take care of you, but your father is making it impossible for me to do that. I guess he has his reasons. My relationship with your mother was more than just her being my employee and I her boss. The more time I spent with your mother was the more I started realising that I had felt something that was indescribable for her. I felt alive again, and her warmth, laughter, kindness and love is what drew me even more towards her. She was a beautiful soul, both in and out.
I had fallen in-love with your mother. We had an affair, and I realise that this must come as a shock to you, but I am really sorry. But I am not sorry for loving your mother, though, mainly because I didn’t make a mistake when I did. I have so many regrets now, and I wished I had married your mother. Oh, how my heart bleeds for her. What a fool I was.
P.S
Ted
Soon after writing the first letter for John, Ted writes another one.
Dear Johnny
As I was making my way to address a crowd on thanksgiving, I stopped and saw a boy. He looked just like you, and I wanted to run over and embrace him, but then realised it wasn’t you. Oh, how much you look like your mother. Light blue eyes and a beautiful smile. Turkey was your favourite meal, and you would have been so excited because that was your favourite meal, and Christmas was the best season of the year for you.
I recall how your mother would fuss because she needed to get the perfect turkey to cook for you.
Thinking back, I now have a smile on my face because of those memories. She really loved you, and you were her everything.
I write to you, Jonny, because I cannot bring myself to tell you the truth. I promised your father I would stay away, but I haven’t forgotten the promise I made your mother. The gift vouchers, school fees, birthday and Christmas presents were not really from Aunt Ellen, they from me. I was afraid that if your father knew, he would reject them. I loved your mother dearly, and I love you, son, even though you’re not my own. I know I’ve hurt and killed you with my silence. You never knew the truth, but now you do. I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.
I love you.”
P.S
Ted
1990
“John!” Emma screams while crying.
“What’s wrong Emma?” John says, running to his wife.
“Look.”
John takes the letter written by Anna from Emma and reads it. As the words on the letter unfold, he slowly breaks into tears. He phones Anna’s phone, but no one answers. He then calls Mike’s parents, but they have no idea what is going on. They try Anna’s best friend, and finally somebody picks up. John then begs her to tell him where his daughter and Mike are and, reluctantly, she does.
After hanging up the call, John then takes his car keys and Emma follows him out the door. Its’ a winter’s night, and the rain is pouring. John is driving in an impeccable pace in order to stop the kids from going. “Everything is going to be alright,” he thinks while driving. All he hears are the sound of sirens, and he immediately gets a feeling in his gut. “It can’t be them, please let it not be them,” he thinks.
When Emma and John arrive where the sirens are raging, they get out of the car and inquire about what happened. The officer tells them that three females – one aged 18, another also aged 18, and a lady from the other vehicle aged 66 – and one male aged around 18, had been involved in an accident. The old lady lost control of her car because the brakes had failed, and the rainy weather didn’t help either. The two cars then collided. He also tells them that everybody is alright. They just sustained minor injuries, except the blonde one. She’s being rushed to the hospital because, apparently, she’s pregnant.
“What? No, that’s terrible,” Emma says.
After a while, John sees Anna in the distance. “no, no,” he thinks while rushing over to her. When he gets there, he sees that it’s his daughter being rushed to hospital. They had been the people involved in the crash. After seeing this, John and his wife follow the ambulance and, when they get to the hospital, they explain that they are Anna’s parents.
“Mr and Mrs Pace, we have some good news and some bad news,” the doctor says as soon as John and Emma arrive. “I’m sorry to inform you, but Anna didn’t make it. She sustained a head injury and her organs started failing. She also lost a lot of blood”
“No, No,” Emma screams as she breaks down. Her husband embraces her, and the doctor allows them to grieve. Soon after, though, he shares the other news.
“Mr and Mrs Pace, I’m not sure if you were aware, but your daughter was pregnant,” the doctor says.
“Pregnant, what?” Emma says. “How? What? How far was she?”
“Well,” the doctor responds, “she was almost 7 months pregnant. We managed to save your granddaughter.”
“Granddaughter?” Emma asks again.
“Yes,” the doctor responds. “Congratulations. Although you’ve have lost your daughter, you’ve gained a granddaughter.”
“Can we see her please?” John asks.
“Yes, of course you may. Come through”
When Emma and John get to the room, they find the baby sleeping. “She’s beautiful and so tiny,” Emma says. “Oh look John, she looks like Anna and you. She has your hands and feet. Ahhh, little baby. Oh John, I’m happy and oh so sad.”
While Emma and John are busy looking at the baby, Mike and his parents enter. The two families embrace, talk, and settle their differences.
“Mike, what will you call her?” John asks.
“Well, if it’s okay with you, I would like to call her Evelyn,” Mike responds.
After hearing Mike’s response, John’s eyes fill up with tears and he hugs Mike. “Yes, you may name the child Evelyn,” he says.
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