1940s: Ida's pain
While the world, and the Whittaker-clan, are following the war, wondering which young solder will be the next to die, and hoping that it will not be one of their sons, the world moves on, and demonstrates that not even those who are at home are safe from the Grim Reaper. On a summer morning the news that Ida's husband, Nathaniel Preston, passed away after a short illness, breaks on the ranch.
In and of itself, the news is not all that surprising. Nathaniel was substantially older than Ida when they married, and has been an elder for some time, but for Ida, it is a hard blow none-the-less. After all, what does age matter when it's a lifetime of companionship that is lost?
Of course, the family rushes to Willow Creek to comfort Ida, and to attend the funeral. Soon the house is crowded with people, all except the boys overseas. Ida especially miss her boy, and wishes Austen could be there to say goodbye to his father, but that is not how war works, and Austen will have to honor his father best he can over in Europe.
The day after the wake it's time for the funeral Ida gives a touching eulogy and then they bury Nathaniel in the family plot. Will you come stay with us mum? Melanie asks, but Ida shakes her head. "I think I'd stay with Maggie for a while, help her with baby Leonard until Austen can return home." At least that way she'd be somewhat close to her baby boy, and get to know the grandchild that lives too far off for her to see him every day.
As Ida prepares to move to Britechester, at least for the time being, Harrison has finally been granted a transfer to Sulani where his brother has been released from the hospital. Harold happily greats his brother and shows him around the base.
That evening Harold brings his brother to the beach bar along with the rest of the group, introducing him to the people of town, and more importantly to Lana, or Lanuona, as his girlfriend is called. With Harold having spent so much time at the hospital the two have gotten quite close, and Harold is happy to finally introduce Lana to his brother.
But Harisson's reaction is not what Harold has expected. While he is polite and nice to Lana, he turns to his brother the moment she has to leave to return to the nurses quarters. "You're not serious?" he asks. "She's hawaiian? When you wrote Lana I thought... I assumed... I mean you can't possibly date her, like seriously? It's just some fun, right?"
"Well there is a war going on, I haven't really thought about later, but why shouldn't I be serious? She's fantastic!"
"She's native! I mean, it's illegal! At least back home it is. Any kids you might have, they'd be considered bastards! You can't expect mum and dad to accept something like that, what are you going to do, stay in Sulani forever?"
Unfortunately for Harold and Lana, Harrison is absolutely right about the laws in Louisiana. The laws there forbidding interracial laws are strict, and a marriage between Harold and Lana would never be recognised in his home state. But Harold is stubborn, and more importantly, in love. He has no intention of ending things with Lana. Instead he throws himself deeper into the relationship, grabbing any chance he has to spend time with her.
But this is wartime, and no one gets they want for long. He and Lana might be in love, but before long both Harold and Harrison are shipped out of Sulani, heading for the battlefields of Tomarang. It's hot, moist, and the mosquitos feel almost as much of a threat as the Japanese, threatening them with tropical deceases and plaguing them with bites. But the army never was a picnic, and the Japanese army is lurking in the jungle.
In the US, Ida has just settled in with her daughter-in-law, when the Grim Reaper shows just how cruel he can be again. Just days after her arrival, the house gets the visit no family member wants. The military car, the soldier with a telegram in their hands. Austen has been killed in action over in Europe!
His wife, Maggie, is of course heartbroken by the news, but for Ida this means that not only has she lost her husband, she has now also lost her youngest child and only son, all within a short period of time. Parents are not meant to lose children, and Ida does not know what to do with her pain. She isn't even done mourning her husband yet. At least he did not have to see his only son die, she thinks.
Ida manages to persuade Maggie to bury Austen's ashes, once they have been returned to them, next to his father, rather than in a military plot, and once more the family gather's in Willow Creek Church for a eulogy and burial. Once more they weep over the dead. "Will you come stay with us now?" Melanie asks again, and this time Ida agrees. She likes her daughter-in-law, and loves her grandson, but understand that Maggie is still young and has her own life to lead. One day, she will move on, find another love, start a new family. Ida would only be in the way of that.
And so Ida moves again, this time into her daughter's house, across the street from her previous home. "We'll take good care of you here, mum," her daughter, she too missing her father and brother. "And the kids will love having you here." Ida hopes they're right, and that they'll be safe. At least neither of them is old enough to go to war, and Ida has no more son's to offer and no daughters who volunteers. She hopes her brother has more luck with his two sons, and that her younger brother William is safe and sound. But at this point, who knows who will live or die in this war.
In and of itself, the news is not all that surprising. Nathaniel was substantially older than Ida when they married, and has been an elder for some time, but for Ida, it is a hard blow none-the-less. After all, what does age matter when it's a lifetime of companionship that is lost?
Of course, the family rushes to Willow Creek to comfort Ida, and to attend the funeral. Soon the house is crowded with people, all except the boys overseas. Ida especially miss her boy, and wishes Austen could be there to say goodbye to his father, but that is not how war works, and Austen will have to honor his father best he can over in Europe.
The day after the wake it's time for the funeral Ida gives a touching eulogy and then they bury Nathaniel in the family plot. Will you come stay with us mum? Melanie asks, but Ida shakes her head. "I think I'd stay with Maggie for a while, help her with baby Leonard until Austen can return home." At least that way she'd be somewhat close to her baby boy, and get to know the grandchild that lives too far off for her to see him every day.
As Ida prepares to move to Britechester, at least for the time being, Harrison has finally been granted a transfer to Sulani where his brother has been released from the hospital. Harold happily greats his brother and shows him around the base.
That evening Harold brings his brother to the beach bar along with the rest of the group, introducing him to the people of town, and more importantly to Lana, or Lanuona, as his girlfriend is called. With Harold having spent so much time at the hospital the two have gotten quite close, and Harold is happy to finally introduce Lana to his brother.
But Harisson's reaction is not what Harold has expected. While he is polite and nice to Lana, he turns to his brother the moment she has to leave to return to the nurses quarters. "You're not serious?" he asks. "She's hawaiian? When you wrote Lana I thought... I assumed... I mean you can't possibly date her, like seriously? It's just some fun, right?"
"Well there is a war going on, I haven't really thought about later, but why shouldn't I be serious? She's fantastic!"
"She's native! I mean, it's illegal! At least back home it is. Any kids you might have, they'd be considered bastards! You can't expect mum and dad to accept something like that, what are you going to do, stay in Sulani forever?"
Unfortunately for Harold and Lana, Harrison is absolutely right about the laws in Louisiana. The laws there forbidding interracial laws are strict, and a marriage between Harold and Lana would never be recognised in his home state. But Harold is stubborn, and more importantly, in love. He has no intention of ending things with Lana. Instead he throws himself deeper into the relationship, grabbing any chance he has to spend time with her.
But this is wartime, and no one gets they want for long. He and Lana might be in love, but before long both Harold and Harrison are shipped out of Sulani, heading for the battlefields of Tomarang. It's hot, moist, and the mosquitos feel almost as much of a threat as the Japanese, threatening them with tropical deceases and plaguing them with bites. But the army never was a picnic, and the Japanese army is lurking in the jungle.
In the US, Ida has just settled in with her daughter-in-law, when the Grim Reaper shows just how cruel he can be again. Just days after her arrival, the house gets the visit no family member wants. The military car, the soldier with a telegram in their hands. Austen has been killed in action over in Europe!
His wife, Maggie, is of course heartbroken by the news, but for Ida this means that not only has she lost her husband, she has now also lost her youngest child and only son, all within a short period of time. Parents are not meant to lose children, and Ida does not know what to do with her pain. She isn't even done mourning her husband yet. At least he did not have to see his only son die, she thinks.
Ida manages to persuade Maggie to bury Austen's ashes, once they have been returned to them, next to his father, rather than in a military plot, and once more the family gather's in Willow Creek Church for a eulogy and burial. Once more they weep over the dead. "Will you come stay with us now?" Melanie asks again, and this time Ida agrees. She likes her daughter-in-law, and loves her grandson, but understand that Maggie is still young and has her own life to lead. One day, she will move on, find another love, start a new family. Ida would only be in the way of that.
And so Ida moves again, this time into her daughter's house, across the street from her previous home. "We'll take good care of you here, mum," her daughter, she too missing her father and brother. "And the kids will love having you here." Ida hopes they're right, and that they'll be safe. At least neither of them is old enough to go to war, and Ida has no more son's to offer and no daughters who volunteers. She hopes her brother has more luck with his two sons, and that her younger brother William is safe and sound. But at this point, who knows who will live or die in this war.
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