Love Medicine: Lulu’s Boys Summary & Analysis

On the last day that Lulu is Henry Lamartine’s widow, she sits drinking beer with Henry’s brother, Beverly. Beverly is a large man with huge muscles bursting from everywhere. As he has a rather feminine name, Beverly has always nipped any snide remarks in the bud by being big and intimidating. His arms are covered in tattoos, just as Henry’s had been, and Lulu is reminded of her late husband as she stares at Beverly. She knows he has a tattoo of a bird, and when he flexes his arm, it appears to be flying.

Lulu hasn’t seen Beverly since Henry’s funeral seven years ago. Henry died in a car crash after driving drunk onto the train tracks and getting struck by a train. “She comes barreling through, you’ll never see me again,” Henry had said before he died. Others had thought he was talking about Lulu, but she never complained about his drinking or anything, so it was pretty clear he had been talking about the train.

Lulu has always been known as a “flirt,” and many people in town say terrible things about her. She has eight sons; her three oldest are Nanapushes, although they have her maiden name; the middle sons are Morrisseys, but they are each named Lamartine; and the youngest Lamartines are each red-headed or blond, and they look nothing like their brothers. The youngest, Henry, Jr., was born just nine months after Henry’s death, but Beverly is certain the boy is his, and he has come to take him home.

Beverly lives in the Twin Cities, where there are plenty of opportunities for Native Americans. He has made a decent living for the last 18 years selling after-school study books door to door, and he is the best salesman in the entire area. The secret to Beverly’s success is a picture of Henry, Jr., which he shows to his customers. He creates elaborate stories about his son, Junior, who plays baseball and has better marks than anyone else in his class on account of his father’s after-school study guides. Each night, Beverly goes home to his wife, Elsa. Elsa has never much wanted children, but Beverly “adores” her, and he is hoping that she will help raise his son.

Sitting across from Lulu in her kitchen, Beverly can’t believe how long it has been since Henry’s death. He looks around Lulu’s immaculate house. Even with eight sons, Lulu’s house is always spotless. He asks her if she remembers playing strip poker with him and Henry before she and Henry were married. Lulu laughs and tells Beverly that after she took his shorts with a pair of twos, she knew who she wanted to marry. Some men “react” in such circumstances, Lulus says, and she had been looking for such a “reaction.” Beverly is quiet. Lulu got a “reaction” when she wanted it, he thinks to himself.

Henry, Jr. comes in and asks Beverly to make his bird tattoo fly. Beverly rolls up his sleeve and flexes his arm, creating the illusion of a bird in flight. The boy runs back outside, and Beverly can hear gunshots. The older boys are teaching him to shoot, Lulu says. Lulu’s boys are like “a kind of pack” They are always together, like they have “one soul” or belong to same “organism.” Beverly watches as the older boys fuss over Henry, Jr., helping his aim and shoot the rifle, and he knows nothing will ever come between them.

By that evening, Beverly has completely abandoned his plans to take Henry, Jr. back to Minneapolis. Beverly watches Lulu as she readies dinner for her boys. She is so efficient and skilled that the meal seems to make itself, and she makes quick work of the mess as well. Beverly thinks of the night he and Lulu shared seven years ago, and before he knows it, he has fallen in love with Lulu. She finishes her work and goes to her bedroom, leaving the door open a crack. Beverly thinks about Elsa and his life back in Minneapolis. He loves Elsa and his life in the city, but he slips quietly into Lulu’s bedroom anyway.