The Gazebo ~ A Story of Love

{It is with a bit of apprehension that I publish this post.  It’s quite a departure from those of the past yet, while I was taking the photographs of the gazebo, the following short story began formulating in my head so I decided to go with it.  As posts go, it is rather lengthy but I hope you enjoy it.  The tutorial for the gazebo will be published as promised, just in another, much shorter post}

The Gazebo

“Jonas, Karen just called”, Jessie said rather quizzically to her son at the other end of the line. “I may have an offer coming in on the house.”  “That’s great Mom”, Jonas replied unable to conceal his excitement.  “I know this is hard but you are making the right decision in selling.  If it’s a good offer just accept it and then you can move on with your life,” her son said before asking, “Why do you sound so weird?  You know Diane and I will help you will every step of the move and we’ll help you find a perfect condo Mom, everything will be O.K”

“I know Jonas, I know.  It’s just that Karen asked if the gazebo came with the sale of the house and property and I don’t know anything about a gazebo.  I know we have a lot of acreage but I think after 35 years of living here I’d know if there was a gazebo anywhere on our property!”

“Oh my God Mom!”  Jonas exclaimed, “With everything happening so quickly, I completely forgot about it.”  “Forgot about it?” Jessie stammered, “What it?”  “What the heck are you talking about Jonas?”  “Mom I’m coming right over, get your coat on.  We’re going for a drive and I’ll explain everything when I get there”, Jonas said and before she could get any more information out of her son, he had hung up.

Ten minutes later Jessie heard the familiar sound of the old Chevy’s truck tires rolling up the gravel driveway.  Coat on and fastening the last button she stepped out onto the front porch as Jonas put the truck in park.   Waving to her as he exited the driver’s side, Jonas ran around to the passenger side and opened the door for his Mom.  Jessie’s heart quickened as she noticed yet again, how much her son was just like his Dad and seeing him with his father’s old blue Silverado, Jessie’s thoughts quickly slipped back through the years.

They had met at the wedding of mutual friends in England.  The attraction was shared and instantaneous and the two of them spent the better part of the wedding week getting to know one another.  When Jake had to return to Missouri, they began a long distance relationship that would last for two years.  When Jake proposed to Jessie on her 22nd birthday in the gazebo of her parent’s country garden in Sussex, she could not have envisioned a more suitable place for Jake to ask her to marry him.

The garden gazebo was Jessie’s favourite place to be growing up.  She spent countless hours playing in it, loving the fresh air blowing gentle breezes while its shade offered respite from the overhead sun.  Jessie had celebrated every one of her birthdays in it and she launched many adventures from it while getting lost in the pages of her favourite books.  When she needed to mull over a problem, the gazebo was where Jessie always went, bouncing her frustrations and her ideas off one or all of its five walls until she had the answers she was seeking.  It was both her place of refuge and inspiration.  After being married to her beloved Jake in it on a sundrenched day in May, the gazebo would always be her treasured place of new beginnings.

The newlyweds settled in a little town outside of St. Louis, Missouri.  They rented an apartment while Jake finished his journeymen hours with a master craftsman and Jessie took a job working in a local bakery.  As she was closing up the shop one day, Jake pulled up outside the front door and waited as Jessie set the alarm and turned the deadbolt.  He was excited and could hardly wait for her to climb up into his Silverado.  He only told her that he was taking her for a little drive because he needed to show her something.  Forty-five minutes out-of-town he took a left turn and drove up a long narrow laneway that led to an open field surrounded beautiful mature oak trees.  Putting the truck in park, he turned off the ignition, announced that this is where he will build their home, and did she like it?  Jessie loved the land within the year, they moved into their new home in the country.

She began a home cake decorating business and ran it from her new professionally equipped kitchen.  Jake had become a master carpenter and opened his own construction business at the edge of town.  A little over a year after settling into the house, little Jonas was born after a very difficult pregnancy and delivery that left Jessie unable to have any more children.  Her cakes were in high demand and she was grateful that this little business of hers allowed her to be at home with her son.  Jonas was home schooled until high school and from the time he could swing a hammer Jake taught him everything he knew about carpentry and often took him to his shop when his school lessons had been completed.  It came as no surprise to either of them when Jonas announced that he did not want to go to university but was choosing a trades college instead.  He wanted to become a master craftsman like just like his Dad and while Jake insisted that his son apprentice, not under his Dad but rather under the best there was there was little he could do to hide his pride in his son’s choice of profession.  Jake knew that when Jonas had his journeymen papers he would be handing over his business to him.

They had a good life and Jessie was grateful for every day.  She and Jake did not lead a charmed life but they knew that God had blessed them all.  Sure, some difficult roads were travelled, some of them with many but they had taken this journey together and she knew that there was no other man she would have rather shared it with.  Marriage is a lot of work, a lot of give and take and when she and Jake exchanged their vows in her parent’s gazebo, they both knew that no matter what might come; they were in it for the long haul.

“Are you coming Mom?”  Jonas’ question startled Jessie out of her thoughts.  “Yes, yes of course”, she replied as she stepped off the porch and over to the open door.  Climbing inside and fastening her seatbelt she looked over at Jonas climbing into the driver’s side and asked, “Now what about this thing you forgot and where are you taking me?”

Jonas turned the truck around and began driving to the southeast end of their property.  As he drove, he would steal glances over at his Mom and in a quiet and calm voice, he began to explain.  “Remember when Nan got sick and you spent the better part of three months flying back and forth between here and Sussex to help Gramps take care of her?  Well, during that time Dad decided that he wanted to have a little surprise waiting for you when you flew back to us after settling Nan’s affairs.  He felt that the best place for your surprise would be where the sun cast it warm rays first thing every morning and where the red light of the setting sun would reflect off it every evening.  So, he chose to put your surprise in the little clearing down by where the stream rushes over the rocks”.  “What surprise Jonas, what are you talking about?” queried a very bewildered Jessie.  “I’m getting to it Mom”, Jonas said in his most soothing tone.  “For three months Dad cut and hammered, carved and fitted everything just so.  You know how meticulous he was and he wanted this to be just perfect for you.  He spent hours chiseling and sanding until he had every curve perfect.  He swore me to secrecy and his plan was to pack a picnic lunch and bring you down here and present it to you on your 35^th wedding anniversary.  Dad told me that he always felt bad about taking you away from Sussex, bringing you across the ocean and so far from your family.  He knew you were always happy here, with him, with us but he still felt that you gave up something when you married him and came to Missouri.  The last coat of paint was finished at the end of July and Dad could hardly wait until this May to surprise you.  Then the unthinkable happened and with everything we have been going through since August Mom, I am so sorry but all of this just went out of my head.  I remember Dad telling me that he needed to give you back a little piece of what you left behind in Sussex all those years ago and using photographs from your wedding album, he set about to build you this.”  And with having said that, Jonas turned the truck down the little slope leading to the stream and there in the middle of the clearing surrounded by a light blanket of undisturbed snow was her beloved Jake’s surprise.

Jessie opened the truck door and slowly climbed down.  Motioning to Jonas to stay, she walked towards the exact replica of the gazebo of her childhood, the gazebo of her marriage, the gazebo of her new beginnings.  Jake had painted it white and the late afternoon sun was casting an ethereal shadow on it and on the glistening snow that enveloped its base.  Stepping inside Jessie ran her hands along the smooth curved filigree work painstakingly done by her partner who left her so suddenly one lazy afternoon last August.

Death has no regard for schedule and when Jake woke that morning, he had a full day planned.  First order of business was to meet with his lawyer so he could formally sign ownership of his construction business over to his son.  Then he was going to go shopping for his first car.   His fifth Silverado was still in good running order and the mileage wasn’t too high on it.  Nevertheless, Jake had decided weeks earlier, that when he retired it was high time that he and Jessie start to get out and see a lot more of this great US of A while they were still healthy and mobile enough to enjoy it.  A nice and comfortable 6-cylinder sedan was the way to go, not a big old truck.  He was about to get into a 2012 Camry and while opening the door, he suddenly grabbed his left arm.  The alarmed salesman asked if he was O.K. and shaking his head Jake slumped to the floor of the car dealership.  He was gone.

Memories firmly shut down of that day and the months that followed, too painful to bring out from the recesses of her mind began rushing back to Jessie.  Surprisingly, instead of tears, standing in the middle of this beautiful gift from her Jake she felt an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort. Returning to her son waiting in the truck Jessie instructed, “Take me back home Jonas, I have a phone call to make.”  “Are you O.K. Mom” Jonas asked, the concern for his Mom evident in his voice.  “I’m fine son; in fact I can say with all honesty that this is the best I’ve felt in ages.”

Back in her kitchen, Jessie picked up the receiver and dialled the number.  “Hello Karen, its Jessie.” she said as the first real smile in months began to spread across her face.  “I’m just calling to tell you to take the house off the market.  It’s no longer for sale.”

(Royal Icing Gazebo Inspiration from the book The Art of Royal Icing by Eddie Spence MBE)

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