Her Unspoken Love

Jen Alexandrescu, Laura Alexandrescu

Description

Follow Alexandra and her mother from communist Eastern Europe to Israel, Germany, and then to America in this story that celebrates the immigrant journey.
Laura was born in the 1950s in Romania, a harsh communist country. Her father didn’t want her, and her mother didn’t comfort her. Laura was uprooted over and over and taken from one country to another, all at the whim of her heartless mother. Laura left behind her cherished grandmother, her first love, her dear friends, and everything that was familiar. As soon as she started to get settled in a new place, her mother dragged her away, and she was once again, a stranger in a foreign land. Laura came to despise her mother, and as soon as she was able, she put as much space between the two of them as she could. Was it too late when Laura realized that love can’t always be put into words?

Sujets

• Love
• Love (disambiguation)
• Autobiography
• Biography
• Mothers and Daughters
• Coming of Age

Informations

• Publié par: LifeRich Publishing
• Date de parution: 22 avril 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781489728470
• Langue: English

Extrait

Her Unspoken Love




Laura Alexandrescu and Jen Alexandrescu







Copyright © 2020 Laura Alexandrescuand Jen Alexandrescu.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
LifeRich Publishing is a registered trademark of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

LifeRich Publishing
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
Edited by Shannon Medic Young
This is a work of creative nonfiction. The events are portrayed to the best of the author’s memory. While all the stories in this book are true, some places, names, and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of certain parties. For dramatic and narrative purposes, occasional embellishments, elements of fiction, and minor alterations have been made. The author in no way represents any company, corporation, or brand, mentioned herein. The reader should not consider this book anything other than a work of literature. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
ISBN: 978-1-4897-2846-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4897-2845-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-489-72847-0 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020905177

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 11/11/2022



Contents
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 Laura
Chapter 2 Sweet Childhood
Chapter 3 School Starts
Chapter 4 Growing Up
Chapter 5 Growing Up Too Fast
Chapter 6 Musketeers
Chapter 7 Boys
Chapter 8 Just Friends
Chapter 9 The Immigrant
Chapter 10 Home Sweet Home
Chapter 11 The Refugee
Chapter 12 Land of the Free
Chapter 13 Land of Opportunity
Chapter 14 Him
Chapter 15 Changes
Chapter 16 The Roller Coaster
Chapter 17 My Boyfriend’s Back
Chapter 18 I Do
Chapter 19 Mr. and Mrs.
Chapter 20 Pitter-Patter
Chapter 21 The Tragedy
Chapter 22 Love Never Ends

Epilogue
Afterword



To my mother, for her many sacrifices











A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world.
It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.
-Agatha Christie



Acknowledgments
I want to begin by thanking my loved ones for encouraging me to write my memoir, something I have fantasized about for years. What’s more, my near and dear ones displayed the utmost patience when I refused to let anyone have a peek at the book until it was finished. I decided to self-publish my book and was afraid that any feedback whatsoever, might deter me from going through with it.
I want to express my gratitude to my daughter, Jennifer. First, for having the courage to be honest with me. I can still remember that anxiety-ridden voice on the phone, trying to tell me ever so gently, that the final draft of my book could use some mino r editing.
Jennifer, you offered to glance through the book to correct any mistakes I may have missed. But you didn’t just correct my grammar and punctuation, you took pages and pages of snippets and stories from my past and eloquently wove them together to paint a passionate portrait of my life. You interlaced each chapter with your humor and sharp wit. You infused pure, raw emotion. You breathed life into my story.
I also want to thank Jennifer’s dear friend, Shannon Medic Young. As a writer herself, her editorial help and insight were invaluable.



1
Laura
Laura was born in 1952 in Romania, a communist country in Eastern Europe. It was nearly autumn the day Laura came into the world. It was unusually hot and the heat from the sun made its way through the paper-thin walls of the dilapidated hospital. Laura’s mother, Miora, did not notice the sweltering temperature in the room or the paint peeling off the walls. She paid no attention to the bloodstained garments that belonged to the preceding patient that had been thrown haphazardly into the corner of the room. Laura was in her arms and nothing else mattered. She stared in wonder at her little girl’s big green eyes and dark, almost black hair. Frankly, Miora was so accustomed to deplorable conditions and deprivation that she wouldn’t have noticed the poor condition of the hospital even if she was there just to check it out.
Miora only recently had been introduced to Laura’s father. When they met, Miora was desperate to escape her parents’ grip and the suffering she endured as far back as she could remember. It was a desperately toxic environment. Miora was sinking fast and gasping for air. She had to put her oppressive childhood behind her and put distance between herself and the cruel individual she repugnantly addressed as her father.
That being said, Miora did not hesitate to marry the man she met only a brief time ago. Miora wasn’t concerned with receiving the love, stability, and support she never had; she was merely trying to save herself from drowning. Although inconsequential in her haste, he seemed considerate and dependable. He promised to always protect her and take care of her, and she believed him…he was 21 years older than her after all.
It wasn’t long before things started changing. When Miora announced her pregnancy, her husband coldly responded that she better be having a boy. Miora’s excitement drained from her body she wondered if she made the wrong decision, to leave her father by marrying this man. She tried to wave it off, but throughout the pregnancy, he continued to make flippant comments about how worthless daughters are.
Miora was uneasy while she waited for her husband to arrive at the hospital because of his prior remarks. Nonetheless, she was convinced that when he held his daughter, his heart will melt. He will transform into the father Laura needs and deserves. Unfortunately for Miora, things rarely turned out as she hoped.
When Laura’s father walked into that hospital room and was introduced to his daughter, Miora saw rage rushing over his face, working its way through his entire body. He clenched his jaw so tightly that his face became distorted. His eyes narrowed until they were obscured by his furrowed brows. His lips curled inwards, and his breath was rapid. When his face became flushed and his nostrils flared, Miora half-expected him to start breathing fire. Instead, he uttered profanities and stormed off.
There was one bright spot amidst the drama. Laura had another visitor at the hospital, and unlike her father, this visitor was beyond elated to meet her. When Miora’s mother met Laura for the first time, tears of joy cascaded down her face.
Laura’s grandmother eagerly welcomed her first grandchild into the world and into her heart. Grandma was just in awe and told every nurse, or more precisely, every passerby, how much she adored her sweet granddaughter. Grandma was so consumed with affection and love, that the nurse had to tell her three times that visiting hours were over. Grandma finally came out of her ‘baby-trance’ and acknowledged the nurse. Of course, Laura did not know it at the time, but a strong bond was already forming between her and Grandma…a bond that will last for the rest of their lives.
Miora’s mom was as captivating in appearance as she was in character. She and her husband were performers. They were singers, dancers, magicians, and comedians. They traveled from town-to-town entertaining everyone that attended their shows. They made a meager living but loved bringing laughter, amazement, and inspiration to people.
It had only been three or four years since Grandma stopped traveling to stay behind while her eldest child, Tony, fought an extensive two-year battle with tuberculosis. Grandma and Grandpa’s beloved son, who was just 21 years old, lost his fight a short time before Laura was born. It was devastating for Grandma and Grandpa, and they were still reeling from their loss. Although Laura could never replace Tony, when God sent that little bundle of joy less than one year after his death, it alleviated a bit of Grandma and Grandpa’s grief.
Miora and Laura rested at the hospital for two days. When it was time to bring Laura home, Miora’s husband was nowhere to be found. With her baby in her arms, Miora walked at least a mile to the nearest street trolley. The trolley shook violently beneath her feet for 30 minutes while she held onto the wall with one hand and onto her baby with the other. After finally making it home, she found her husband passed out drunk on the floor.
The next several months were incredibly difficult for Miora. Not only was the man she married an awful father…he quickly became an equally lousy husband. Consideration turned into disregard and protection turned into control. His hobby of attending horse races was now a profound gambling addiction. To finance his compulsion to place bets, he used his entire paycheck. He traveled to various cities, near and far, only to come home empty-handed almost every time.
Miora constantly begged him to save hi