young grandparent

8/12/2019 Young Grandparent

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Laurel HansonNovember 7, 2007Ancestor as youth

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Helen stood in front of the long mirror, nervously smoothing her plum

dress over her gure and chec ing to ma e sure she loo ed li e a proper !oman,

con dent, modest, polite" #he too a deep breath and reminded herself of all the

eti$uette lessons her mother had instilled into her, running over the proper !ays

to approach people, to ma e small tal , to charm others"

%Helen&'

%(oming, mother&' Helen too one more long glance at herself, tuc ed her

long dar hair behind one ear, and descended from the upstairs rafters of the!ooden barn house"

%)ou loo lovely, dear"' Helen smiled and trailed her mother to the door,

nervously anticipating the yearly county get*together" +anchers and their !ives,

sons, and daughters met from across (uster (ounty at ohn -illiams. barn to tal ,

meet people, and dance" At si/teen, it !ould be Helen.s rst year attending, and

she !as both nervous and thrilled"% other1' she as ed suddenly, in the bac of their old carriage"

%)es1'

%Are you sure loo alright1' Her mother smiled !ith amusement, causing

Helen.s chee s to 3ush"

%)ou loo e/$uisite" daresay you.ll be $uite the tal of the party"'

Helen had never seen anything li e it" 4he color, the gaiety, the sheer life

of the celebration infused her !ith an e/citement she had never felt before" 4he

movement of all the s!irling s irts and the laughter echoing from around the

rafters threatened to ta e her under and cover her in endless energy"



% haven.t seen you here before"' A man had appeared !here she stood

against the !all, leaning gently against the !ood" Helen smiled, une/pectedly

charmed by his open smile and dar hair"

% .m si/teen,' she responded, smiling lightly up at him, remembering her

mother.s advice to %loo up through the lashes' and to %never openly stare at a

man"' He nodded"

%-ell that !ould e/plain it" ne! .d never miss anyone !ho !as as

beautiful as you"' Helen blushed at the unabashed sho! of gallantry, but !as at

the same time enamored !ith his boldness" %-illiam,' he said, holding out his

hand"

%Helen,' she said, smiling, and placed her palm in his" He issed it lightly

and pulled her to the drin table, scooping some punch for her" #he than ed him

demurely, sipping the refreshing drin "

%#o, miss Helen"' Helen loo ed up, raising her eyebro! at the $uestion in

his eyes"

%)es1'

%5o you dance1' For a second Helen fro!ned, her mother.s voice seeming

to echo inside her head, reminding her to as him for his last name, his father,

his pedigree" 4o in$uire as to his future goals, gure out e/actly !ho he !as, and

then politely decline his o6er to dance and discuss him !ith her mother and as

permission from her father before spea ing to him again" ut the music and the

light in his eyes !as into/icating, and Helen smiled"

%4hat most certainly do"' He tugged her onto the dance 3oor, and Helen

!as s!ept up in the lively 8ig, the sharp reprimands from her mother fading into

the bac ground of her thoughts"



Laughing, smiling, and out of breath, the song nished and the violin

struc up another tune, a slo!er but still e/$uisite piece" -illiam slo!ly but

con dently pulled her in until they !ere less than a foot apart" 9no!ing her

mother !ould have a 3at out apople/y !ere she to no! her daughter !ere

allo!ing a stranger to touch her so intimately, Helen s!allo!ed painfully" ut his

touch !as so gentle and his arms so comforting, she 8ust tuc ed her hair from her

face and let herself move !ith him"

And as the lights shone around her and her long s irt s!ayed gently and

e6ortlessly through the air, Helen daringly tuc ed her head into the croo of

-illiam.s shoulder and closed her eyes" Let her mother scold her, punish her,

reprimand her" #he could ma e her o!n decisions, and, at least for one night, she

could ma e her o!n choices" ust for this moment, she could be free"

young grandparent

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