The Cherry Tree Ring

“Betty, I’m home! Come n’ see what I’ve got for ye.” Larry stood in the doorway filled with joy and excitement. Betty had expressed how a blossoming cherry tree would look “so perfect” in the middle of the front lawn of their new home when they were looking at it a year ago. He watched as she slowly moved through the hallway, weighed down in the front by the product of their love. Her hair was sticking out all over, escaping her messy bun. The patched sundress she wore barely stretched over her expanding belly. Her tired brown eyes looked up at him as she came closer, and a smile lit up her face. She was the most beautiful woman in the world in his eyes, and never in a million years did he think he would live up to being the man she deserved but golly he sure was going to try. 

“Larry, what on Earth have you been up to? You’ve got quite a mischievous look in your eyes.” She chuckled softly as he winked at her.

He reached out and clasped her hand, his other arm circling around her so he could gently guide her back and provide support should she lean back too far while going down the three front steps. He breathed in the scent of her perfume and his heart felt like it would burst at her nearness.

“Okay, that’s it. Now come look what I’ve got in the truck for ye.” He couldn’t help but giggle as he waited for her to see his surprise.

“Now Larry what is this all about?” She said as she came to the truck bed, looking slightly confused.

“Well now Betty, I remembered ye sayin’ how a Cherry tree would be just the thing for the center of our yard. I went to see ol’ farmer Jed seein’ as he’s got them Cherry tree fields and asked if he might be able to sell me one. He was kind enough to sell me one of the yearling trees that he had planted last year ‘rouns about the time we’s got married.” He said as he pointed out the smaller tree in the bed of his beat up old red Chevy. 

“Oh Larry! You’re such a good man.” She smiled with tears in her eyes and turned to hug him.

“An looky here, that other tree there is a Sugar Maple. Ol ‘ Jed, he said every chil’ should have a tree to hang a swing from. So’s he gave us that there tree as a baby gift to us.” He stood proud and full of love for the kindness of farmer Jed and the joy that he could see in his wife’s face.

“I’m gonna get started on diggin’ the hole out here for yer Cherry tree Betty. Would ya min’ makin’ some a that sweet, iced tea o’ yours? I’lls be somin’ thirsty in a short bit with this diggin’.” He asked, knowing that she’d love to help dig but that in her condition couldn’t.

“Okay Larry, I can do that for you luv. Mind you bring a chair out here for me so I can at least sit and watch as you put that lovely tree in our yard.” She turned then and slowly made her way back towards the house.

“Now Betty, ye just holler when you gots that all ready. I’ll come in an bring it out.” He said as he pulled the shovel he’d borrowed from farmer Jed out of the truck bed.

An hour later and Larry had finished digging the whole and gently placed the tree. He filled in the hole with the loose dirt while Betty watched and gave praise for his work and the beauty the tree would bring. 

“Larry luv, I’m a bit thirsty but my back is aching. Would mind bringing me a glass of the iced tea? There’s a couple glasses worth still in the fridge.” Betty asked.

“A’ course I don’ min’ Betty. Ye just rest an’ I’ll be right out with it. I thin’ I may have another glass o’ yer tea too.” He smiled as he wiped the sweat from his brow with his handkerchief.

Betty began to feel a bit antsy while waiting. She got up after a moment of struggle from her chair and walked around the new tree. She got down on her knees with the idea of leveling the soil out a bit more and proceeded to use her hands to manipulate the soil and rocks. She always loved the feel of getting her hands dirty and with the water Larry had poured in to give the tree a drink, it was lovely slippery mud on the top now.  Feeling satisfied, she tried and failed to get back up. A sharp pain came over her belly and she leaned forward and tried to breathe through it.

“Oooh, Larry, I think I’m having contractions.” Betty hollered, as he hadn’t come back out yet. 

 Leaving the glasses he’d just poured on the counter, Larry ran out the door and grasped Betty’s hands to help her up and back in her chair.

“Goodness, okay keep calm Betty. Imma gonna go next door to Earl’s and use his phone to call Dr. Franklin.” He rubbed her back for a brief moment before it hit him that this meant the baby might be coming. Larry ran next door and banged on Earl’s door as though a pack of coyotes were chasing him.

“Earl, Earl! I needs to borrow yer phone! Betty’s havin’ the baby! Earl!” Just as he was about to bang again Earl’s wife Mandy opened the door.

“Alright Larry you know where the phone’s at. You just go on in and use it. I’ll go see to Betty while you do.” Mandy grinned as Larry not so politely barged paster her before she had even finished speaking. She could hear Earl asking in the background what all the hullabaloo was about as she headed over to check on Betty.

A few minutes later Larry came running out of Earl and Mandy’s house back over to Betty who was now sitting and laughing with Mandy.

“Doc says he wants me ta bring ye into da hospital Betty.” Larry said trying not to let his anxiousness show. 

“Now Larry, you can’t take me in all covered in dirt from digging. You go in an shower and get proper dressed first. Mandy here will keep me company until your done. Ahh…oof!” She gasped as another contraction tightened her belly.

“Nows don’t go bein’ silly Betty we don’ gots time to waste for me showerin’. Mandy would ya min’ grabbin’ Betty’s bag she gots all ready? It’s sittin’ by the door. An then’ if you could give her ma and pa a call an let im know where’s were headed? Now Betty ye just lean on me ans we get you inta the truck.” He helped her walk over to the truck slowly, stopping once as another contraction encompassed her.

“Hang on a sec larry,” Earl had come over to see what all the fuss was about finally “I’ll get that tree you got sitting in the truck planted for ya while you’re gone. Where would you like it?” 

“They ain’t got time to wait Earl! She’s having a baby!” Mandy chastised as she swatted Earl on his shoulder.

“Nah, its alright Mandy. Sure tha’ be mighty fine of you Earl. I was thinkin’ to put it in the center of the back yar if ye don’ mine.” The gratitude he felt for his neighbors being there for them in this time was overwhelming.

The moment Earl stepped back from the truck with the tree, Larry pushed on the gas and headed to the hospital. 

“Slow down a bit Larry, you’re making me nervous!” Betty said through gritted teeth as she endured the latest contraction.

Larry eased off the gas, just a bit, but he couldn’t help going just little over the speed limit the rest of the way. He couldn’t help wondering if Betty would be alright, and how the cherry tree would always be a reminder of their child’s birth.

Seven hours later, Larry found himself holding his newborn son in his arms. Little Henry was a healthy seven pounds and eighteen inches long. He gently rocked the baby as he watched Betty dosing in her hospital bed. It had been a fast but rough birthing for her. Dr. Franklin had taken him aside and told him that some damage had been done and she wouldn’t be able to have any more children. Betty had always wanted a large family and Larry felt devastated for her. 

A few days later Larry finally brought his family home. Betty took the news surprisingly well, but he wondered at the wistful sadness he would see in her eyes from time to time. 

“Betty, I’m sorry ye won’t have more kids. Buts me an’ Henry and ye, we’s a family. Ain’t nothin’ gonna change that. I loves ye and I hope that ye can find Henry an’ me enough for ye.” Larry said as he held her close one evening as they watched over Henry in his crib.

“Oh Larry, that’s not what’s making me sad my luv.” She said as she squeezed him back.

“Wha’ is it then? Wha’s got ye so ferlorn?” Larry asked in surprise.

“My ring Larry, I lost my wedding ring. I don’t know where it is! I haven’t seen it since the day Henry was born.” Fat tears slid down her cheeks as she began to cry.

“Ah now, don’ go worryin’ about yer ring. I can get ye another one.” Larry promised.

“No Larry, you’ll do no such thing. We’ll find it eventually. I feel bad because it was your grandmother’s ring and both your parents were there when you proposed. One day our son Henry will give that ring to the woman that he wants to marry. I truly believe we’ll find it.  I’m just missing it right now.”

A few days later, old farmer Jed stopped by to give his congratulations. 

“That’s a mighty fine young lad you’ve got yourself there Betty and Larry. Got a good set of lungs on him too.” He chuckled as the babe began to wail for his mama. Betty picked Henry up and comforted him.

“Mr. Jed, I…”Larry began before farmer Jed interrupted him.

“Awe now just Jed is fine son.” Farmer Jed corrected with a smile.

“Well Jed,” Betty said, as Larry looked stumped for a moment, “Larry told me that you gave us the Maple tree as a gift for little Henry.”

“I did ma’am, indeed.” Old farmer Jed replied.

“Well, Jed. I just wanted to say thank you for that. I’m sure Henry will have lots of good memories with both those trees.” Betty smiled with gratitude.

“My wife loved them Cherry trees. You know, I planted a new one each year fer her. Now she’s gone, it’s nice to remember her by still doin’ so.” He smiled and headed home.

As the years passed, the Cherry tree grew and blossomed every spring. Old farmer Jed came each spring to check on the trees to make sure they were healthy, and when Henry was eight years old, farmer Jed helped him to hang a swing from the perfect branch on the Maple tree. Each spring when the Cherry tree bloomed Larry would say to Betty that he would get her a new ring and every time she would tell him no, because she believed it would be found. 

When henry was thirty years old, Betty passed away after having saved Earl and Mandy’s granddaughter from drowning in the frozen pond out back of the houses. She had been looking out the window and saw the girl fall through the ice, hollered to Larry to grab some rope then ran straight out. She got hypothermia, then pneumonia before passing away during the night two weeks later. That year Larry was lost without her, he grieved every moment. When the cherry tree bloomed, he recited the story of Henry’s birth to Henry and his girlfriend one day while they had come to visit and told them how every year he would offer to buy her a new ring and how she would say no because it would be found. Larry cried as he told them, they never found the ring that she so believed they’d find, and how that he felt he had failed her in that.

Time passed and Henry came to visit his father in the fall. It was clear his father was depressed, the lawn was covered in dead leaves and overgrown grass. The neighbor’s yard just as downtrodden since they had moved out that summer. Their guilt over Betty’s death in saving their granddaughter made it hard for them to stay there even though Larry had assured them it wasn’t anybody’s fault.

“Hey dad! I just wanted to come by and talk to you.” Henry said as he stepped inside his childhood home.

“Hello Henry! It’s good to see you son.” Larry welcomed his son into the living room where he was watching the Price is Right on tv. He turned the volume down as he asked, “what’s on yer mind?”

“Well you know I’ve been dating Catherine for about a year now.” Henry started.

“Yes, I guess ye have at that. She’s a nice one she is.” Larry chimed in.

“Right, well dad, I … I want to ask her to marry me. I wondered if you would help me pick out a ring for her?” Henry asked, unsure if this would be a good thing to ask or if it would cause his father more sadness.

“Is that so? Well, I’m happy for ye son! Truly. An I’d love to come see what yer pickin’ out.” Larry said with a small smile.

“Fantastic. Why don’t you go shower and get dressed. While you do that, I’ll go tidy up your front yard a bit for you.” Henry said as he stood up.

“Awe yer a good son, Henry. Thank you. I’ll go do that.” Larry turned the tv off and headed upstairs.

Henry made his way to the shed out back and got the rake. He raked the whole yard, and eventually bent over to rake under the Cherry tree. Beneath the tree the rake pulled up some rocks, dirt, and leaves that all got stuck. He stepped back and pulled the rake up so he could pull the debris from it. He saw something round stuck on one of the rake’s pines. He pulled It off and rubbed the dirt away from a part of it. He could not believe his eyes! It was gold, and when he pulled more of the dirt away, he saw it was a ring! Henry dropped the rake and ran inside to his father to tell him what he found. 

“Dad! Dad!” Henry hollered in excitement as he entered the house. Finding his father sitting on the hall bench putting his shoes on, “Look!”.

Henry put the ring in his father’s open hand and Larry looked down at it in confusion.

“Wha’ are ye on about son? Wha’s this?” Henry poked at the object covered in dirt in his hand.

“I found it under the cherry tree while I was raking! It’s the ring, it must be! Mom’s ring!” Henry said in excitement, talking fast with shaking hands.

“Well now son, tha’s not very likey, I don’t thin’. I’ve raked under that tree these past thirty years and nev’r foun’ yer ma’s ring. Likely someon’ dropped it while walkin’ by one day.” Larry said after a brief moment of hope passed his eyes.

“Well, let’s clean it up and get a good look at it. Just in case.” Henry suggested.

“Yer right son, whoever lost it will be wantin’ it back an’ it’d be nice if I could do fer them wha’ a couldna do for yer ma.” Larry replied. He got up and took the ring into the kitchen, plugged the sink so that it wouldn’t fall down the drain then ran some water. Slowly and with care he washed away years of dirt and grime from the ring. As Henry watched on, he saw tears role down his father’s face and a smile that had not graced his face for months was bursting forth. 

“Is that, is that mom’s ring? The one you always talked about each spring?” Henry asked as shivers ran up his spine.

“Yes Henry, it’s yer ma’s ring. After all these years ye foun’ yer ma’s ring!” Larry’s body shook with tears of joy and sorrow combined.

Eight months later, Larry found himself watching his son Henry place Betty’s ring on his own fiancé’s finger during the ring ceremony for their wedding. He thought he could feel Betty’s presence beside him where they had left an empty chair in her honor between him and his old neighbors Earl and Mandy. Blossoms from the cherry tree filled the yard with a sweet aroma, and some had fallen to the empty chair.

“Ye always said we’d fin’ the ring, Betty. I should no’ ever doubted ye. An’ just like ye said, our boy has given it ta his lady-love.” A feeling of joy and warmth suffused Larry and he could have sworn he smelled Betty’s perfume.

Later, Larry was congratulating and welcoming Catherine to the family when Henry joined them. 

“Old farmer Jed couldn’t make it as he’s in the hospital, but you know what dad? He had his nephew bring a yearling Cherry tree as a gift to us. Isn’t that something? Mom sure would love it! I just wish mom could’ve been here today. I miss her.” Henry said sadly.

“She was son, believe me, she was”. Larry replied with a soft smile.