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Love Unfailing

By Tara Taffera

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Anna looked at the friends and family gathered around her mother’s patio, and joy consumed her. Why then was there a gaping hole in her heart? She gazed over at her brother Christian and his wife Gina, who also happened to be Anna’s best friend in addition to her sister-in-law. Those two depicted the picture-perfect postcard of happiness. And she wasn’t jealous. How could she be when she knew of the grief they both endured when her brother Alex died, Gina’s first husband? The horrific car accident that claimed his life, and her niece Teresa, took years for them to heal from. But, in the end, it brought Gina and Christian together.
Alex Jr. (AJ, as they call called him now) interrupted Anna’s thoughts when he sprinted toward her. “Aunt Anna, look what Nana Helena gave me.”
“Are those bubbles? Oh, I love bubbles. Your Dad and I used to blow those together when we were little.”
“Really?”
“Yup, and we would chase them all over the yard.”
“Will you do that with me, Aunt Anna?”
“I promise, but a little later, okay?”
He flashed a Titanic-sized smile that always reminded her of Alex and took off to the man he called Dad, his Uncle Christian. His dad in every way that mattered. Gina and Christian planned to tell him when he was old enough that Alex died when AJ was already in her womb—though she didn’t know it at the time.
“Dad, Aunt Anna said when you guys were little, you used to chase bubbles around.”
Christian’s eyes moved to Anna, and he winked, knowing that was his brother and sister’s thing, though Christian joined in from time to time.
“We did, buddy.”
“She said we would blow bubbles later and chase them. Do you want to play with us?”
“You bet.”
The boy’s attention turned quickly to his mom and new baby sister, Evangeline, Eva for short. AJ was three now, and the kid never stopped smiling, especially when he was around the baby. Anna observed the four of them all huddled together. Though no one else would likely notice, despite the smile on his face, Anna glimpsed the worry that resided there as Christian looked down at his wife and whispered in her ear. She would wager money that Christian just asked if she was okay. The slight nod of Gina’s head gave it away. Today was Gina’s first big family gathering since Eva was born. She battled post-partum depression with Eva and with her first-born Teresa, so Christian worried about her incessantly.
“Hey, Anna, you look lost in thought. Making sure your brother doesn’t hover over his wife all day?”
“Someone has to make sure he won’t mess this up,” she joked to her friend Elizabeth.
“Seriously, though, do you think she’s okay?”
“Yes, we simply have to make sure she is surrounded by the people she loves and help her out when she needs it. With Christian back to work, a new baby, and AJ running around, it’s got to be stressful.”
“Well, that’s one of the reasons I came over here. I’m planning a girls’ night at my house on Friday with the three of us. You in?”
“Of course! We need one so badly.”
“I know, we haven’t gathered since Eva was born. So, bring on the junk food and the gossip.”
Anna felt better already.


“Girls, I missed this so much,” said Anna, as she dug her hand into the bowl of salt and vinegar chips.
“You? I have been dreaming of this,” said Gina. “Well, maybe not dreaming since I hardly sleep anymore, which makes that impossible.”
Elizabeth and Anna studied her—their faces etched with worry lines, even though neither of them hit the dreaded 3-0 yet.
“Stop looking at me like that, you two. I’m fine. It was a joke.”
“I know, Gina, we just worry about you,” said Elizabeth.
“And I love you guys for it, but I’m okay. I don’t get out much. Tell me what’s going on with you two.”
“Anna went on a date the other night,” Elizabeth blurted out.
“What? Why am I just now hearing about this?”
“Because it wasn’t a great date.”
“I still want all the gory details,” Gina demanded.
“There is nothing to divulge. It was boring, just like the date before that and the date before that.”
Gina and Elizabeth exchanged glances.
“What?”
“Nothing,” said Elizabeth.
Anna threw a pillow at her.
“Listen, you guys, it’s no picnic out there.”
“Gee, I wouldn’t know anything about that?” said Elizabeth. “Oh wait, no great dates for me either. Join the club, sister.”
Now it was Gina looking over with a knowing glance and the hint of a smile.
“What?” the other two said in unison.
“Nothing.”
They raised their eyebrows at her.
“Fine. You know what I’m going to say.”
“God has a plan,” said Elizabeth.
“So, you keep telling us,” said Anna. “I just wish he would fill me in on what it is.”
“Come on. Grace and I keep telling you two the right man is out there waiting for you.”
“Speaking of Grace, why couldn’t she be here tonight?” asked Elizabeth.
“I was just going to ask you that,” said Gina.
“She has a date.”
“Good for her,” said Anna, “I hope it’s better than mine.”
Grace was old enough to be their mother, but they all became close a few years ago when the two met in Gina’s grief group after Alex and Teresa died. Grace’s daughter perished in a brutal murder, and she and her husband divorced sometime later. While Grace went to the group to heal, her husband retreated into himself. The walls he erected were too strong for Grace to knock down. Devastation gripped her when he dropped the divorce papers on the table one day. That was a few years ago, and this was just one of a handful of times she went out with another man.
“She is coming over tomorrow to help out with the kids,” said Gina. “I will uncover the full scoop.”
“Great, while you are at it, get a date from her for another get-together next week,” said Anna.
“Perfect,” said Gina. “I’ll be the old boring married woman who has you three to fill me in your exciting dating lives.”
This time, Anna and Elizabeth launched a throw pillow in her direction, and they all doubled over in laughter.





 

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