Rose Daughter – Part III

Though they’d longed for a child, their daughter perplexed them. They enunciated each “tomato” and “tomahto”; Baby Maudie bawled until Nanny gave her catsup. (As vulgar as pickles, Cousin Helen said.) Nanny could not keep Maudie from the beloved rose garden, where she stuck sticks into the beds and could not say why. Then too, Maudie’s hair was distinctly auburn. Her mother had had no idea her husband’s family bore this tint. She chose blues for Maudie, who fought for reds like a slap. At 18, Maudie planted a ladder into the garden, tossed out two suitcases, and clambered away.

Here are Part I and Part II.
Image: A black-and-white version of Takashi Hososhima’s.

Rose Daughter – Part II

After seven years, she found herself with child. They paced all week-end in the library, so rattled they nearly forgot to water the roses. She had managed to ascertain that her cousin Helen knew of a reputable agency of British nannies. Mightn’t French be better, he wondered. Foreign languages, so valuable and . . . They compromised. Nanny would be British.
     Piqued, he ventured that all his favourite names appeared in Byron: Augusta, Selim, Caroline. She said nothing. Thyrza, he said. She opened her Tennyson: a girl would have to be Maud. He kissed her pale blonde hair. It was his favourite name.

Here are Part I and Part III.
Image: A black-and-white version of Takashi Hososhima’s.

Rose Daughter – Part I

They first met at a harpsichord concert. He liked Bach; she sniffed and spoke of Mozart, the early Mozart. At lunch the following Tuesday, he said “tomato” and she, “tomahto”.
     They married despite all that but there were no children. He sighed privately. She wept once, openly. Then they rallied, designing a beautiful little rose garden behind their Morningside Heights brownstone. White roses only, she said, they’ll glow at night. He misted the bushes lightly; she arranged heavy bouquets.
     At cocktail parties, she took to declaring that the roses were really like children to them. He, to displaying the scratches.

Part II is here.
Image: A black-and-white version of Takashi Hososhima's.