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Show hous e/ 4iy On Tuesday, I went with Brian to tell his mother _iat we must be married, with or without her blessing. She frowned. "You're too young," she said with the inality of a coffin lid. "But I'm old enough to fight a war!" Brian's voice as almost hysterical. But he had told me that this was the ay he and his mother always talked to each other. From things e had told me, I suspected that I was not the only reason he ad joined the Marine Corps. Perhaps she would have to share ;he blame with me - and in that case, she should certainly lelp us get married so that we could work together to keep him live. I looked at her, observing the set of her jaw and ;he way she stood, broad-hipped and broad-bellied, a hand on ler waist. She was as firmly seated as any of the granite Dromontories of the mountains above us. As I gazed at her, 3ven the soft folds of her jowl seemed to harden. And suddenly Brian's hysteria was communicated to me and my heart flooded with panic. This was a stubborn,'woman. We were trapped, for state law dictated that a man must be twenty-one or have his parents' permission to marry. But I could marry anytime, although I was only 'eighteen* three months younger than Brian - for this was Utah, where women are expected never to reach the age of accountability. In a few short moments, Brian's mother hag reaffirmed +v. . could wax we A. not get married, had threatened to expose our living arrangement to my parents, and had suggested that she could even have the ring repossessed. "I'll^du whatever I have to do to make you see what |
