No Holding Back

Ch 5

It was evening and in Seattle fashion it was cold in May. The family stood outside with balloons, candles and they had Amazing Grace playing on the phone as they did a memorial in honor of Elena Bailey since they never got to have a real funeral the way she would've liked.
They all stood a little apart from each other but Miranda and her dad held each other's hand and William was the first to say something.

"Elena....you have been the love of my life all of my life and you will be for the rest of my life. Even though you are no longer with me, I will think of you everyday and do things exactly how you would do them just so that I can constantly be reminded of you. I miss you so much and I will always love you."

Miranda wiped her tears as it was her turn to say something. "Mom my whole life you taught me to how to be a kind and compassionate person. Of course life happens and I had to learn to be more tough.  But I promise to be the sweet, kind and compassionate woman you raised me to be. I will miss our talks and how you always encouraged me and found a way to make me laugh. Even as a woman in her 40s you made me feel like a little girl. I will cherish that forever, I love you mom."

Tuck lowered his head as he began to speak, "Grandma you always made sure that I had everything that I wanted and made me feel like the best grandson in the world. But you were the best grandma in the world even though you were miles away. Like mom said, thank for calling to encourage me about school and making me laugh. I love you and will miss you."

Ben put his arm around his step son's shoulders as he leaned into him , "Elena you literally were a breath of fresh air for me bonce I met you because for the first time in years I felt that feeling of being a son to a mother. You made sure that I felt like I was your son and that has meant the world to me. So it crushes me to lose you too, I will miss you tremendously."

Joey just looked at everyone because he didn't get the chance to know Elena like everyone else. "Just from all the kind words that everyone has said and finally having a family after such along time of being without one, it makes me sad that I didn't get to know you. But I will look at your pictures and continue to listen to the stories and visualize the memories we could've created if we would've had the chance."

One by one they released white balloons and watched them float away before blowing out their candles. After the Memorial and having dinner Miranda and her dad sat on the porch swing wrapped in a blanket.

"It doesn't make since to me how it can be nice here one day and then cold the next," William said.

Miranda smiled and shook her head, "It's definitely something to get use to but I kind of like it," she replied.

"I think that I should get my own apartment," William said.

Miranda's head spun quickly, she wasn't putting him back in another facility for something like what happened to her mom to end up happening again.

"It doesn't have to be in another assisted living facility but I don't want to stay here and be a burden on you and Ben when you already have Tuck and Joey to attend to. Just get me a regular apartment close by and  get me a nurse aid to come and check on me every other day and I will be fine," William said.

Miranda nodded her head as she held back tears before laying her head on her daddy's shoulder.