The Liberty War || Infinity War & Endgame

Chapter Forty-Seven: No Regrets

Music is "Atlas: Nine" by Sleeping At Last.

Picture is Tatiana Maslany as Emma Barnes.

·•·•·•·•·•·•·•·•·•·•·

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: No Regrets

{December 8, 2007 -- Sixteen Years Ago}

K E N T U C K Y

I can hardly count the number of times I've been to Kentucky in the last fifty years. Ever since Timothy Dugan came into our lives, it's been a home for Rose and their children and grandchildren. And even though Rose will always say Brooklyn is her home, I can see why she stayed here all those years to raise her family. The sprawling fields cradled by the Appalachian Mountains, the crisp aid of December that just begs for the holiday season, the way the people here still live in harmony with the land and the animals -- I know I could easily spend the rest of my eternal days here.

I hate that the reason we're all here is to bury one of our own. Just as Peggy told, Dum Dum's health drastically declined over the last year. It took less than twelve months for him to go from happy and healthy to on his deathbed. Luckily, it wasn't until the very end that his quality of life was impacted. Less than a week ago, he passed peacefully in his sleep at the age of ninety-three.

The last we had spoken, he just smiled at me, wrinkles around his eyes, and say, "Darlin', if I died tomorrow, I wouldn't be envious for another damn day. I got the best outta life. Not everybody can say that."

And he made us promise to bury him on his family land, like the true Kentuckian he was.

The graveside funeral was small and quiet, but not all that depressing, which is another thing he made us swear to not do. The Dugans are lively folks; to have a sad funeral where all you did is cry and talk about how much you miss them -- without a word of laughter or stories about the funny times -- it would probably be enough to have Timothy Dugan rise from the casket in front of me.

Winnie stands in front of all of us. The de facto head of the family as the head of the Dugan family farm, she's dressed in black, but she holds her father's beloved bowler hat in her hands. She looks so much like her father, down to the wavy strawberry blonde hair he once had and a constellation of freckles across her face, but even her hair is turning white at her age. Beside her, her husband Keji has his arm around his wife's center out of support. Their adult children flank around the casket as well; Frankie with her twelve-year-old son Roland, Jasmine with her long-time partner Amaya; and the baby of the family Marilyn.

To my right, Denis Dugan stands opposite his older sister. His demeanor is somber, but even still he has his father's eyes and mother's hair. He also has her talent for machines and has flown all the way from California and the Stark plant there to be with his family. Beside him are other members of the Dugan family. His mother stands between him and me. Each of us has an arm around her as she wipes tears from her cheeks. On my left, Peggy stands tall, hand raised to her brow in a final salute as our friend is lowered into the earth.

Eulogies are given at the site by several members of the family, and when my turn is up, Grant squeezes my hand. I glance down at him for strength, and the small child's smile gives me all I need.

"I've known Timothy for as long as I can remember," I begin. "We met when the world was at war, and ever since, I've known he was one of very few I could rely on or go-to for anything. And I did. Over the years, he and Rosie have helped me out of some situations that were dire at best and downright impossible at worst. Their companionship, friendship, and love carried me out of one of the darkest times in my -- albeit prolonged -- life. Everyone here knows what I mean but that, and when I say that Dum Dum Dugan was one of two I count as my brother. And now...now we are burdened to say goodbye."