Prologue: Holding Things Together

A prologue for the short story "Holding Things Together" by Anne Tyler. The original story follows Lucy Simmons and her life with her husband Alfred. Lucy is very unhappy that she has to take care of everything around the house, while her husband is inept at basic tasks. The story deeply touches Lucy's emotions of needing to depend on someone, as she was raised with a loving and able father. This is a flashback/prologue to her parents' experience five years before when Alfred asks for Lucy's hand in marriage.

Prologue

By Valerie Phillips

Hearing footsteps in the nearby hall, Martha Tory glanced over the rims of her reading glasses to watch her husband’s familiar shadow announce his arrival. As soon as his broad shoulders were framed by the door she could tell by his stature that he was troubled. Gently placing her book down on the coffee table, she rose and approached her husband who had begun pacing the living room floor.

            “George darling, what’s the matter?” She spoke soothingly as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Ceasing his agitated movement, he stopped and turned to face her. Releasing a deep sigh he glanced back towards the door then finally spoke.

            “It’s a mess Martha dear, a real mess. You’d best sit down while we talk it over.”

            Locking hands, the couple moved to the loveseat near the crackling fireplace and Martha fixed her eyes on her husband. Whatever was upsetting George was reason for her to worry too.

            “Today Alfred Simmons came to see me privately.” George met her gaze seriously.

            “What about dear?” Martha replied, shifting her weight and unwittingly gripping her husband’s hand a little tighter.

Ever since Alfred Simmons had entered their daughter Lucy’s life, the Torys had had reason to be concerned for her future. Lucy had just received her teaching certificate, and had always been an intelligent, responsible, and respectful young lady. But her decision to allow Alfred to steadily court her left them with furrowed brows. They had raised their daughter to be prepared for a bright future; she had detailed knowledge in many practical areas, and wisdom far beyond her young age of twenty, thanks to their meticulous instruction and desire for her to succeed.

            But lately their hopes were becoming uneasy as they watched their daughter fall in love with a man so totally different from their expectations. It was not that Alfred was an unpleasant man, quite insecure and unkempt perhaps, but nothing to overly begrudge him. The Torys’ concern with him lay in his being able to practically care for himself and for Lucy if their relationship continued to a more serious level. Since Lucy had moved up north, they had not seen her nearly as often as they would have liked, and they had only met Alfred several times when he accompanied Lucy for the occasional weekend visit. This distance between the two of them and their daughter had made both of them very unsettled, being quite unimpressed by their daughter’s beau.

            Having grown up without a father, with no other male influences in his life could have caused Alfred to be the man he had become, rumpled and disheveled. But no matter what the reason, Martha had spent far too many nights lying awake wondering about Lucy’s future should she continue to be courted by a man who seemed so inept at basic manly duties.

            “There’s no easy way to say this Martha… that man has asked for Lucy’s hand in marriage.” George’s eyes had a defeated sense to them, as he stared at their interlocked hands.

            Martha echoed her husband’s previous sigh, and gazed across the room to a picture of Lucy from her high school graduation placed proudly on the piano top.

            “We knew this was coming George, there’s nothing we could’ve done to prevent it.”

            “Yes, we knew it was coming, but I had always hoped that I wouldn’t have to face giving my daughter away to such a man.”

            “We raised a strong girl. We taught her to make good decisions, but she’s on her own now. She has to make her own choices in life…” Martha reminisced.

            “But it is so hard watching her make one I know she will end up regretting.” Martha watched George’s tortured eyes as he leaned forward towards the coffee table.

            “So what did you say to Alfred when he asked you?”

            George looked back to her and exasperatedly replied as he began to rise from the love seat.

            “I told him yes. Like you said Martha, we’ve raised Lucy to make her own decisions, and I can’t stand in the way of her and Alfred getting married if that’s what they really want to do. It’s easy to see they’re truly in love…” George knotted his hands behind his bowed head as he faced the fireplace. Martha stood up from her perch and walked to stand beside him and spoke for both of them.

            “But the whole time all you could think about was our precious girl and how lacking Alfred is to take care of her. It distresses you to give her over to a man who will not strongly provide for her and look after her as you have. And its tormenting me to watch, knowing I have you and knowing all she will have from now on is him.”

            George reached his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as she slid her arms around his waist. She felt his warm kiss on her hair as they both stood there motionless, staring into the fire.

            “He’s a grown man of thirty-five and he doesn’t even understand how to mow a lawn or take charge of basic household responsibilities Martha. How can we let her marry such a man? It feels like I’ve failed her in some way.”

            Martha pulled her hands up to cup her husband’s face, catching his eyes.

            “You haven’t failed. And we haven’t failed as her parents. We’ve taught her what she needs to know, we just need to trust now that she’ll be able to hold things together. All we can do is love her and let her go, and we’ll be here along the way when she needs us.”

            George pulled her close and kissed her. Despite both of them feeling anxious and unsure, Martha felt the familiar sense of love, security, and stability as she relaxed against her husband’s chest. It felt so right somehow, having George there to depend on, to face life with. She could always trust that he was looking after her and their family, and the day-to-day workings of the household. They had gone through their twenty-two years of marriage because their partnership in lovingly parenting their two daughters and carefully managing their home brought peace and confidence.

            Still holding tightly to George, Martha looked over his shoulder at Lucy’s picture once again, and desperately wished the impossible, that their daughter would never have to feel otherwise with her soon-to-be husband.

Author's Note

I would love to hear what you think, even if you have not read the original short story that this is a prologue for, can you understand the emotions the parents are feeling? Can you get a sense of foreshadowing for what will happen in the story? Does it flow well and is it enjoyable to read? Thank you :)