“Very ladylike, she said as I closed the door and put my seatbelt on. “I am very impressed Beth. May I ask you a somewhat personal question?”
Uh-oh, here it goes I thought as replied, “Sure.”
Where did you come up with the name Beth? It is probably very proper for the era and the like, but why Beth?”
“Well I guess you could call it a nickname of sorts,” I said as I lit up another cigarette. “I go by Beth but my name as you see me is Elizabeth, Elizabeth Joanne.
I could see the tear swell up in her eye as I told her my “name.” Elizabeth had been my grandmother’s name, her mother and Joanne was hers. I knew that she and her mo9ther had been very close.
“Very pretty name,” she said as she fought the tears.
“I thought about names a lot when I started to get more deeply involved and going out and even went through a few,” I said as I reached into my purse for a tissue and handed it to her. “I guess I decided to name myself after the two ladies who most epitomized femininity as I wanted myself to be seen as well as the two I love the most.”
“That is so sweet, your grandmother would have been proud and I know I am to be honored as this,” she said. “When I was pregnant with you your father and I debated about what to name you, obviously you know what we decided if you were a boy but if you had been a girl we debated between Donna Joanne and Donna Elizabeth and Donna Elizabeth won.”
“I never knew that,” I said.
“I know,” she said. “Had I been able to have more children and had been blessed with a daughter she would have been Donna Elizabeth. I guess I can live with having one named Elizabeth Joanne.”
“Thanks Mom.”
“May I ask a question?”
Sure, ask me anything Mom, it is time you got to know your daughter.”
“Well this isn’t that kind of question although God knows I have a million of those and I am sure we will get through all of them. This is more of a favor.”
“Ask away,” I smiled as we pulled into a parking lot.
“Well your grandmother always went by Elizabeth, may I call you Elizabeth rather than Beth?”
“Of course you can,” I said as I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Bear in mind I have gone by Beth I may not respond right away until it sinks in but please call me Elizabeth if it makes you happy.”
“It does Elizabeth, thank you.”
It was obvious when we got inside the restaurant Mom was at least a semi regular here as both the Hostess and waitress knew her by name. She made a special point of introducing me as her daughter Elizabeth to both of them. Dinner was excellent, I had my favorite Veal Marsala, as were the couple of glasses of wine. We ate and returned home, by now it was after 9 and I had to admit I was a bit tired from the drive not to mention my poor sleep last night so I suggested calling it a night. I brought my suitcases in and went to the guest bedroom, pulled on my nightgown and crawled under the covers satisfied Mom was trying and I was so happy she was.