PAGES OF LIFE 12 DAY CHALLENGE | a moment that gave you feelings
[ Well this has never actually been posted, but a few weeks ago I was researching a bit about the Caulfield family, and originally Holden was simply a deceased brother to Vincent, or later renamed D.B., who had died in World War II. After a bit of discussion, Anne Elise and I came up with this headcannon, which nearly killed me. ]
Holden Caulfield died at the age of twenty. A year later after returning to New York City after graduation, Jane announced her pregnancy and their daughter Ruth — named after a classic film theatre marquee showing the film Dear Ruth they saw shortly before her birth, which happened to be only one of the films Holden ever enjoyed — was born only a few months later. Shortly after her birth, Holden enlisted in the military just as his brother D.B. had. Although upset by the decision, Jane wrote endlessly to Holden while he was away — whether it be declarations of her love or photographs of Ruth wearing the old red hunting hat she had found while cleaning out the attic. Holden wrote faithfully to her for a full year after his deployment until one day the letters simply quit coming, and Jane — ever hopeful — simply told herself that something had come in the way of their delivery until the final letter came one day. He had been missing in action and was presumed to be dead. The family was hopeful of his return, and it wasn’t until years later that the funeral was held. By then, Ruth was of age to understand what had happened to the father she never knew and it was rather difficult on the family. Mr. and Mrs. Mary Moriarty-Caulfield both wished to have flowers at the funeral, but in honor of Holden’s wishes, D.B., Jane, and Phoebe all protested against it and thus their decision was made. His plot sits next to his little brother Allie’s on the grassy hill at the end of the cemetery.