Life Assurances

Death Takes No Holidays

Grace
Dad called today and he told me mom died last night on the way to the hospital. She didn't tell anyone, but she had cancer and it was advanced. She was pretty tired the last time she visited the whole family. I tried to talk to her about getting a dr to look at her and she joked and said that I was looking at her. I should have pressed further, but it would have been a huge fight and I wanted her to enjoy her birthday.
Theodore
Madison kept going until she couldn't any longer. I found her sitting on the front porch in her favorite rocking chair facing the sunset, exactly where she hoped to die looking at. They revived her and took off taking me with them. I called Grace after I made all the arrangements for her funeral and spoke to her dr and let him know she had died. I fell asleep in the lobby and called Grace and asked to get a ride to our home to get the dress she bought just for her funeral. I need a shower and change of clothes. The will will be read shortly after the funeral she wanted it that way. There are things she wanted Grace to have and her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Carrick has it in his safe. I don't want to live in the house without Madison, so I found a caretaker for the place and bought a small home close to my family. Grace offered their pool house, but I don't want to live there and be reminded of my loss. If I live on my own with a cook and housekeeper coming daily I will be fine. I plan on visiting my family or they can visit me more often. Anastasia was the first to visit bringing Teddy with her. He is such a good boy, she brought me food and some treats her and the kids made for me. The funeral was huge, I think some just came to make social connections. We had friends and family, but not so many they turned them away at the door. I darn well know some of those women were there to get their claws into my grandsons married or not. Security had to escort them out after they tried follow Christian and Elliott to the restroom. Their outfits yelled gold digging sluts. You would hope they would show some respect but they didn't even have any for themselves so how would they have it for my dead wife. Grace really wanted me to stay with them, but I had everything moved by calling my grandsons and they had me moved in 24 hours time. I donated all of Maddie's things as she wished. Her jewelry was given to Grace along with other heirlooms. I kept our wedding photos along with things precious to us both. Our rocking chairs are sitting where I can see the sunset. I feel her presence each time I sit in mine that sits next to hers. I bring her shawl and blanket and place it in the chair every night. I now have my morning coffee watching the sunrise as well. My days are spent gardening and creating a place that reminds me of Maddie. My first night here my dream consisted of Maddie telling me she loved me forever and although she was gone her presence will always be with me in my heart and mind.
I see the new generation of our family and from one daughter we were blessed with so many great grandchildren. I finally decided to go to Thanksgiving dinner and I was spoiled by all my family. They knew what I liked and made sure I was paid a lot of attention. They took a ton of photos as usual. I played with my great grandchildren and told stories of hilarious things Maddie and I would get into. I can now tell the embarrassing ones. They need to know what a wonderful person she truly was and how imperfect even wonderful people can be. She lives on in all of us as long as we keep her memory alive.
Grace
Dad told us all kinds of stories that he has never told before and had us all laughing. I thought today would be sad, but dad made it one of the best Thanksgiving day ever. I could see it was as bittersweet for him as it was for all of us who had known my mom.
Carrick
Theodore is putting up a great show, but I see the hurt and sadness below his funny stories about him and Maddie. I know he is missing her terribly. I stopped by a few times to see him. Anastasia, Tia, Mia and Kate have all taken him food regularly. We just microwaved a few meals and ate in silence. We spoke and he said he wanted to sit and watch the sunset alone. The rockers were side by side with a small table nearby. He had Maddie's shawl and blanket and shoos me out the door.
Elliott
I visited grandpa to take him fishing with me, Christian, Teddy and Elliott jr. Raymond is joining us. Dad is in the middle of an estate battle, where twenty family members are trying to contest a will leaving everything to the guys new wife. A seventy year old man married his high school sweetheart a year after he was widowed and the family is calling her a gold digger and trying to overturn the new will. The newspaper's have been very aware of this fiasco. Dad is the executor of the man's will and he plans out the widow getting everything she was left. I find it funny how they called her a gold digging slut in the papers.
Christian
Teddy is so ready for this fishing trip and plans on bringing back fish to cook for meals. Anastasia is worried about him being on the boat, so I promised he would always wear a life jacket. Grandpa is so ready to teach Teddy to fish.