The 3rd Experiment

Chapter 6

|Sunday, December 19, 1937|

I hear the train hiss as it pulls into the station and I look out the window to see Bucky, Steve, and my Mom. I grab my bag from my seat and rush to the door, waiting for the conductor to let us off.

As soon as he shouts to us, I run up to my group and smother everyone with hugs. They walk me back home and I set my bag at the door, listening for all of the little feet running toward the door. I scoop Lily up into a hug and swing her back and forth, feeling her feet hit my knees. When I set her back down, I turn to see Eve, waiting patiently for her hug.

"I missed you, Raya."

"I missed you so much, Eve." I whisper back

I let go of Eve and Will walks up to me, awkwardly standing in front of me.

"Hi, Will." I say with a grin on my face

"Hey."

I reach out for a handshake and when he takes my hand, I pull him into his very own hug.

"I missed you, bud."

After all of the hugs and hellos, I bring my bag upstairs and sit down on my bed. It feels so weird to sit here and look around at my childhood. I spent every night in this room up until this year and now I've forgotten about the posters on the walls, the blankets on my bed. It's all changed.

***

The next morning, Bucky wakes me up to walk to Steve's.

"Come on, we're dying to hear all of your college stories."

"Okay, okay, I'll be down in a second." I mumble,  pushing him away.

I get up quietly, trying not to wake my sisters and I get dressed, rushing to the kitchen to see Bucky.  We grab a bite to eat and start on track to Steve's.

The three of us walk around the city and talk for hours, soon tiring of the stories we have. I tell them all about my classes and my roommates. I show them the small NYC souvenirs I picked up for them.

They tell me about the convenience store and Steve's promotion to assistant manager. When we walk past the store, they wave to their coworkers.

***

Before I leave, I set a few gifts under our Christmas tree, one for each of my siblings. I say bye to everyone at the house and get on a 12:00 train back to the city.

|Sunday, May 22, 1938|

I listen for the hiss of the train, the same sound each time. I like to think about it like we're in a rocket ship, taking off. I stare out the windows, knowing my family won't be out there. I wanted to surprise them this time, come a few days early. I knew no one would be waiting for me, but I still felt a little lonely.

As I walk up to my doorstep, I notice newspapers sitting on the porch, a weeks worth. And I look down at my feet to see the same amount of time in the form of mail and letters.

I walk into the house, noticing the door isn't locked and I step into a messy kitchen with another pile of mail open on the counter.

One particular letter is set to the side and the note is addressed to my mom. I set my things down under the counter and pick up the letter.

Dear Mrs. Barnes and family,
This is one of the most difficult letters that I have been required to write. It is with the most hornfelt sympathy that I, as his commanding officer, write to you of  the death of your husband, Private George M. Barnes. ASN 34931754, at 5:30 in the evening of  13 May 1938.

I look up from the letter and start to get teary eyed. I come home early to surprise my family, and this is what I find.

George was killed in action by mustard gas during a routine bomb testing. He was assisting team members in testing our weaponry when the bomb went off prematurely-

I set it down and stop reading. That's when I hear  Bucky walk through the door. I sit down on one of the stools under our counter and wipe a few tears from my eyes.

"Raya? Raya, I didn't know you were home." He says. I almost hear a layer of excitement in his voice until he sees what's in my hand.

"Buck." I whisper, getting up and falling into a hug.

We let go and Bucky picks up the letter, folding it up and hiding all of the other mail in a drawer that used to be empty. We start putting away the groceries he brought home and we talk while we're working.

"So, I didn't know you were coming back so early."

"Yeah, I wanted to surprise you guys, I finished my classes early."

Just as we finish putting away the groceries, the door opens again and I hear Will, Eve, and Lily run in and I lean down for hugs.

|Wednesday, June 8, 1938|

I look in the mirror, flattening out the wrinkles in the skirt of my black dress. I hear Steve knock on the door quietly and I usher him in. He walks up to me and we fall into a hug.

Eventually, Bucky drives the family to the funeral home where we meet up with some of our other relatives. There's a beautiful service and Bucky gets up to speak about Dad and I just sit there, in my pew, even after everyone has left. Steve comes by to sit with me when everything is set up for us to go to the grave site.

"Why is this so difficult?" I ask, wiping tears from my cheeks

"He was your father, Raya."

"But he wasn't always a good father."

"That doesn't change how much it hurts."

I lean over into his shoulder and he brushes the hair out of my face. Bucky walks in and sits in the pew behind me, rubbing my shoulders.

"Hey we gotta go. We only have an hour with the hearse."