Thanks for the Memories

Chapter 4

Thanks For the Memories

Chapter 4

Misty Haven, Maine

2000

In the last few months, there had been very happy and very sad times. Emma, their baby girl, was all grown up and had just graduated High School. But it was bittersweet. During the months of Emma's senior year, Tessa became very ill. They had found a tumor in her brain and the prognosis was terminal.

The tumor was inoperable and the treatments would have made Tessa even sicker without changing the ultimate outcome. So she made the decision to discontinue treatment and spend her remaining months with the little family that had become her own.

They were sad, but Mary took to running the diner for her and hired extra help since she had just finished getting her teaching degree.

The three of them spent as much time with Tessa as possible and though she didn't say it, they knew she also missed her estranged daughter.

That's when David decided to use the available resources at the police station to track down Tessa's daughter, Tara Gray. It had been a lot of work, but he proved that he was good at finding people and contacted her to tell her that her mother was dying.

Despite her falling out with her mother, Tara came all the way from her new home in Portland Oregon to see Tessa.

Tara's first reaction to the people that had supposedly been living with her mother for the last seventeen years was not good. She was standoffish at best with David when he greeted her at the airport and the drive back to Tessa's diner had been quiet and uncomfortable.

It was just like her mother to take in strays and she was instantly convinced that these people had probably been taking advantage of her mother. But that was before she saw her mother with the two women she was told were Mary and Emma.

"Oh...I'm just so proud of you both. Emma graduating High School already. Stars, it feels like yesterday you were toddling around the diner while your mother waitressed," Tessa gushed.

"Tell me about it," Mary said, getting misty eyed.

"And you...getting your teaching degree. I'm just so proud. You'll be the most wonderful teacher," Tessa added.

"Thank you...but I could have never done it without the encouragement from my family, especially you," Mary said, as the tears started to fall.

"Oh child...it's all right. I'm gonna be okay," Tessa assured them.

"That's not what the doctor said, Nana," Emma cried.

"I know honey. I'm going to pass on from this life, but it's only the end of one journey and the beginning of another. I've had a very long, good life, so very good, these last years with you and your parents. It's time for me to go be with my beloved Reggie," she explained, as her girls cried. It was at that point that David knocked softly and they looked up, seeing the young woman there.

"Tara...is that really you?" Tessa uttered in amazement.

"Hello Mom," Tara said, as she came into the room.

"We should give you some time," Mary said, as she wiped her tears and was about to usher Emma out of the room. But Tara stopped her.

"No...you should all stay. It's clear that you're family as much as I am," she admitted. Mary smiled at her and leaned back against her husband, as he put his arms around her.

And with her family around her, Tessa passed away, just before midnight. The days following were sad days and they grieved together. The burial ceremony was beautiful and many who had frequented Tessa's diner over the years, attended.