The Write Place

Under the Fruiting Tree: Chapter 23 – The Write Place
Under the Fruiting Tree: Novella Table of Contents – The Write Place

Ruth faced the setting sun, leaning her body against the fruited tree.  The gray-haired pastor at her side in his clericals removed his right hand from Ruth’s shoulder.  He turned to walk away, leaving Ruth standing beside the tree holding a folded American flag in her gloved hands.  As the sun finished setting, it cast a light on her, making her appear a solitary silhouette dressed in black, the orange of a setting sun her backdrop.  The fruit of the tree hanging over her head attracted the occasional glance from Ruth’s tear-filled eyes.  Daniel and Marie were a fair distance behind her on the dirt road standing by their beaten down red pickup.  Daniel wore a suit with a black tie, as many of the men in the crowd by the church did.  Marie stood in a dress that matched in color, her eyes focused on Ruth. Several other cars were parked in a long row facing the church along the dirt road as the crowd milled around talking.  Marie sauntered over past the row of cars and people to join Ruth by the fruiting tree.

“Are you alright Ruth?” Marie asked in a tired and concerned voice.  Marie placed a gloved hand on Ruth’s shoulder, then another.  Ruth’s head sank before turning to face Marie. Like waves of the ocean, the sorrow ebbed and flowed, never truly going away but always coming back.  Marie offered her a handkerchief which she took to wipe away tears that flowed over the curves of her face.

“I’ll be fine.  I just need a minute.  A minute with him, a minute with memories,” Ruth said trailing off as she was continuing to wipe her puffy eyes.  “Stay with the children, will you?  Just…just for a moment.” 

Marie nodded.  “I’m sorry for all of this.  If Daniel and I hadn’t… If your father hadn’t thrown William out for standing by his friend… none of this would have happened” Marie said, failing to hold back tears. The guilt knotted with her grief.

“Oh Marie, what good does that do? It may have been Daniel if not William. William wouldn’t hold it against you and he wouldn’t want you to either” Ruth said in a calm, soothing tone.

Marie wiped away a tear.  She nodded in agreement, then composed herself as best as she could.  “I’ll leave you two alone, I guess. If you need anything, anything at all, Daniel and I are here,” Marie offered.

Ruth met Marie’s hands with her left hand still holding the tear-soaked cloth.  Their eyes met as Ruth received Marie’s concern with a saddened but thankful nod.  “Thanks Marie.  I know we both miss him.”

“Best brother he coulda been.  He stood by me and Daniel.  I think of all the memories we had here together,” Marie said, looking at the tree.  They looked at it together, staring back into those same memories. Marie and Ruth hugged for a moment.  “Anything you need Ruth. . .” Marie added as she pulled away.

 “I know it.  I’ll be right along.  Just, watch the kids for a moment,” Ruth replied.  Marie nodded and walked away, leaving Ruth alone with her memories of times past.  Marie and Daniel embraced, sharing sorrow between them before turning to the children who huddled around them.  Ruth returned to the memories of things now gone. For Ruth, all the things now past felt like the here and now as much as they did times gone by. All of it seemed like it was right now, but just out of reach.  Ruth continued to dab her eyes.  She began taking deep, slow breaths.  Her body rocked and lifted with her deep breathing.  She closed her eyes to see the things that had come to pass, just for a moment.  After a long pregnant silence she began to speak. 

“I haven’t read this letter yet.  Not all the way through,” Ruth said looking down towards the flag.   She pulled out an opened envelope with her left hand. “I will sometime soon.  Someday when I’m strong enough.”  Ruth looked to the sunset, her eyes glistening with gentle tears.  “The sunset, the same it has always been. How many times did we see it together?  It’s odd seeing it knowing you cannot. Knowing that it looked down on us both but now, just me.”  Ruth looked at the letter.  She tried her hardest to hold back the tears from her eyes. “Strange thing, the hold a piece of paper can have because of the hand that wrote the words upon it.  I can’t bring myself to read it through, still I can’t set it aside.  Seems like it is all I have left of you.”  Ruth turned her body slightly toward the church.  She looked at her children as the sun set.

“Well, the letter isn’t all you left me with,” she said with a gentle smile as she looked at Billy and Emma standing with Marie and Daniel.  The crowd was thinning somewhat, leaving immediate family.  “No.  More than the letter, more than the memories.”  She turned back to the sunset, her smile under her teary eyes.  “So much more,” she said, lit by the moonlight, rubbing her bulging abdomen tenderly. “They may not all meet you in this life, but they’ll all know you.  I promise you that.  Emma doesn’t understand where you went, but she’ll remember you. I’ll make sure of it.  I’ll tell them of our time growing up together,” Ruth said, looking at the tree.  “The times we climbed this tree and sat in its shade,” Ruth added as she stroked an apple on the tree.  “Or ate its fruit,” she concluded sadly.

“You left me one last gift.  New life,” Ruth said with a smile returning.  “I don’t know that I could love another.”  Ruth’s face sunk slightly once more as she took her hand away from the tree.  “Marie and Daniel have taken good care of us.  They promise to keep doing so.  I’ll be useful there.”  Ruth pulled her hand away from the fruit to stare at the direction of the setting sun for a long moment, deep in thought.

“You were a good man. And you still are.  This baby will never know you,” Ruth continued her hand resting on her belly as she rested her eyes upon the concealing bulge that held new life.  “That pains me.  It hurts something awful.  I can still make sure this little one does know you, hears about you.  You always put us first.  You wanted everyone to be safe.  You died making us safe.  The war’s over like you expected.  All it took was your life.”  Ruth’s voice cracked as tears flowed anew.  She lifted her eyes to the sunset.  “I wouldn’t talk to you if you didn’t exist.  I know you’re there.  You’re more than memories.  I know I’ll see you again someday.  A world with no more sorrow, no more sin, no more suffering, no more death,” Ruth finished and turned toward the church graveyard.  The broken earth of William’s freshly buried plot was visible on the hillside.  While she stood transfixed on it, Marie walked back over carrying Emma in her arms. 

“This little one kept looking for you,” Marie said, bouncing Emma on her hip.  Emma’s little black dress bounced with each motion.  Ruth looked into her child’s piercing blue eyes before meeting Marie’s.  “Are you doing all right?” Marie asked.

“Sure.  I’ll meet you at the car if you are still willing to drive me back,” Ruth told Marie.

“I will.  Don’t worry about it, you’ve got enough to handle.  What’s family for?”  Marie looked at the little girl in her arms.  “Come on Emma. Say see you soon!” Marie said to Emma.

“See you soon Momma,” said Emma, waving as Marie took her to the parking lot.  Ruth turned one last time to absorb the sunset.  Lights poked through the tree line in the hill.  The fields were ripe with their harvest.  Ruth turned to walk away but hesitated for a brief moment, looking up to the branches of the tree.  Reaching out with her left-hand Ruth plucked one apple, then another.  With her hands full she headed back to the church towards a life she had not planned.  Back to the life she and William had created.  She stopped at the black car with Marie in the driver seat.  Ruth took a bite of an apple and before seating herself in the car, took one last look at the setting sun over the fruiting tree.