A Journey by Chance by Sally John Page B

putting it there. Not to mention it’s almost ancient history.”
    He was silent.
    â€œCan I just tell you what I know?” Gina didn’t wait for a reply. “After the baby, after Rosie died, our parents felt they didn’t need to stay married. Obviously they concluded they were too young, weren’t ready.”
    â€œYour mother ran off with another guy.”
    â€œThat’s not true! Your dad went back to school and my mom went to a different one, determined to stay single. She eventually met my father, and they eventually married and moved from Chicago to California.”
    â€œMy father never finished college, he was so hurt and humiliated.”
    â€œAnd my mother wasn’t? What makes her responsible for his college decision?” Gina took a breath, willing herself to calm her voice. “How old are you anyway? 32, 33?”
    â€œAlmost 33.”
    â€œWell, I’m 28. My parents were married two years before I was born. That means they met after you were born. I’d say your dad wasn’t all that hurt to get into another marriage so soon.”
    Only the sound of their breathing broke the silence. The windows were closed against the night chill.
    â€œWhenever Dad and Mom argued,” Brady’s tone was flat, “or if he got mad about anything like low corn prices, I’d panic. I was convinced he would run off and find Maggie Lindstrom and leave us all behind.”
    â€œWhy in the world would you think something like that?”
    He ran his fingers through his hair. “I was taught from day one, by my Grandma Olafsson, to despise the entire Lindstrom clan because they bewitched my dad.”
    Gina was stunned.
    â€œI spent a lot of time with Grandma when I was little. She and Grandpa lived with us when he became ill. She took care of us while Mom worked in the fields with Dad. She was proud. Back then the gossip was fresh enough to still hurt her. She told me all about it. Said the Lindstroms were to be despised, but we often went to Rosie’s grave.”
    He exhaled loudly. “I imagine the whole thing diminished her in the town’s eyes. Looking back, I can see that would have been tough on a woman like Grandma. But she was always kind and giving to us kids. I guess I never thought of questioning her word.”
    â€œPerhaps it would have been the same if I’d grown up around my grandmother. How did you and my cousin Vic and Aunt Lottie manage to be such good friends?”
    â€œWell, technically they’re only Lindstroms by marriage.”
    She rolled her eyes.
    â€œAnd Lottie had this way about her, one of the truest Christian ways I’ve ever seen. She didn’t take sides in the issue. Grandma knew she still respected her and wasn’t talking behind her back. So, the Samuelson branch was accepted.”
    Gina shook her head in disbelief. It was so archaic. She wondered, though, if there was any merit to Brady’s childhood fear. “Is your parents’ marriage all right?”
    â€œOh, yeah, it’s solid, with just the usual ebb and flow. How about yours?”
    She smiled. “It’s fine.”
    â€œGina.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œFor what?”
    â€œFor holding this against you. Just because you’re a Lindstrom, I treated you as being partly responsible for this blackmark in my family history. And that sounds totally ridiculous.”
    â€œIt’s like some family feud that no one can remember the cause of.”
    â€œYeah. Kind of scary how you trust adults and don’t even question some of the stuff they tell you.”
    â€œWhat’s scary is finding out at my age that my mother was married and had a baby who died. Makes me wonder if I’ve missed anything else.”
    â€œDo you know about Santa Claus?”
    The giggle started somewhere deep inside of her, like a volcano rumbling. When her laughter erupted, Brady joined in,