“Jimmy, it is at your place.” As shaking and trembling as he was, he tried to run, but fell on the blacktop road. Someone helped him up. He didn’t know who. He couldn’t make it home. He was having a seizure. Someone helped him into their place and reached into his top pocket and put a pill into his mouth. She rubbed his throat to make him swallow. It finally went down.
He was at Henry’s trailer. Henry was telling him he couldn’t go home yet. He told him that the police wanted to do their investigation first before anyone came in. “Sleep here, Jimmy. You can sleep on the sofa for a few nights. You shouldn’t be alone now. All of your family is gone, I hate to tell you.
Your double-wide has to be cleaned. My wife, Gladys is friends with Brenda in space 23. She cleans houses. Gladys will talk to her about cleaning it when the cops are through. Blood is all over. My family is going to help you. Don’t worry. You have been a good friend.”
They did help him. Henry’s wife cooked and his five year old daughter happily spoon fed him. She said she liked feeding her dolls and now she could feed a real person. She was so sweet and patient when feeding him.
Jimmy had several calls to make. He kept his cell phone in his pocket so he had it with him. He got in touch with the Hefler’s, Susan’s family. With great pain they planned the funeral and resting place for all four of them. They were going to split the bill. Susan’s mother was going to pick out the coffins and buy them a cemetery plot next to theirs in Fayetville. They would get the word out to family and friends. That relieved Jimmy of that responsibility.
Next came the call to the newspaper were JD was going to work. He told them the whole story and they immediately sent a reporter to get the whole scope.
Then another phone call; this one equally hard. He called Bill and Gail and told them they lost their brother and his family.
Henry drove him to the bank where he made out cashier checks for the Hefler’s and got enough cash that he would need for the rest of his stay here in Minnesota. He asked Henry to drive him to a jewelry store and with his help made it into the store. He bought a red heart with rhinestones circling it that hung on a gold chain. He even had it gift wrapped. One more trip and that was to the rental store where he rented a wheel chair.
Jimmy said for them to stay parked because he had something important to tell him. “Henry, you have been a good friend to me. You are here in my time of need and I am so thankful to you. I have noticed that of our group of friends that you are the only one that doesn’t have a car. You bum rides to town hunting for a job and if you found one how would you get there. I was going to have my car shipped home, but why I ask myself. I can’t drive anymore. I want to give you my car, free and clear. Let’s go to the court house and get the paperwork straighten out. The title is in the glove compartment. We can do that now. What do you say?”
“What can I say that would be enough to show my appreciation. I am in such a deep hole that I saw no way out. Thanks just doesn’t seem enough. But I do thank you, Jimmy.”
“I will need a ride to the airport next week . You will bring me?”
“You know I will, friend.”
“There is something else I want to give you, a new pair of steel-toe work boots that was stolen from you. You will need them when a job comes thru for you. I’ll also need a ride to the funeral home and cemetery. You will bring me?”
“You got it. I’m planning on pushing you in that wheel chair, too.”
After leaving the court house with all the papers in order, the car was now in Henry’s name. Before heading home, Jimmy had one more request to share with Henry.
“Let me pass this to you and see what you think about it. My daughter-in-law only bought expensive clothes, and shoes and purses. The kids also had good expensive clothes along with my son. That’s what Susan liked to do was shop at the Malls. There is kitchen stuff and linen, too. What do you think of having a yard sale at the park to sell all that is in the double-wide. Who ever helps, gets an equal share of the profit. Her jewelry I will give to her mother. Put notices all over town so more people will come. What do you think?”
“That’s a very generous offer. I think I can get some to help. We will do that for you. You don’t want any of the profits for yourself?”
“No, you all will be doing the work so it belongs to who ever helps. I’ll be on my way home anyhow.” Now that was off his mind. All he had to do is go in there and get Susan’s jewelry.
They were now headed home. Gladys had a big pot of snap beans and potatoes cooked and there was little Sally waiting to feed him. In all the turmoil and heart-breaking loss that filled him, there was some goodness to be thankful for. He thought, I am going to miss these people when I’m gone.
After Sally fed him, he said, ”I have a present for you for helping me.” Then he handed her the present wrapped in red paper. The joy of receiving gifts were taken away from these children. He was happy to see the look of surprise on her face when she saw her present. “It is so beautiful. Put it on me, Mama.” Now wearing the necklace, she went and gave him a big hug and thanked him. That’s all the thanks he needed.
When the day came for the funeral, Henry pushed him to the four coffins.
Henry stood and kissed his son on his forehead. He whispered, “I love you son.”
He was shaking so much, that Sam came and helped Henry get him back in the wheelchair. They both stayed by him the whole time. He just looked over at his grandchildren, but never went to their coffins.
Chapter Thirteen
Henry drove him to the airport. All of his friends, Sam, Vincent, Bob went with him. They needed to tell him goodbye, too. There was curb service that checked him in and loaded his suitcases for him. A man came to the car and helped him into a wheelchair. He was looking forward to going home.
He took his medicine and it helped him to control his movements. He was thankful that his son brought him to the doctors. He is going to miss him and even his grandkids that were basically good before the economy hit bottom.
When the plane landed at Gulfport/Biloxi Airport, someone pushed him in the wheelchair into the waiting room. There before him was his youngest son, Bill.
“It’s good to see you, Dad.”
“I heard your good news. I will soon have a new grandchild. Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a girl. We will let you name her.”
“What an honor. I have to think about that. Now tell me about Gail. How is she feeling?”
“Not too good. This pregnancy is hard on her because of her age. She is bedridden most of the time.”
“She has got to do good. I can’t lose her, too. I know I’m not in any shape to help anyone, but I would be happy to take care of her while you are at work. You don’t realize what a wonderful wife you have. After living with Susan, it made me appreciate Gail a lot more. Hope you realize that.”
“I do.”
“You are a lot worse than I realize. JD told me about you having Parkinson Disease, something I am not familiar with. How can you get the food to your mouth without spilling it and that goes for a drink also?”
“I can’t. I need someone to feed me.”
“I didn’t expect this.”
He was so happy when he saw Gail. “Let me look at you, pregnant and all. You are going to have a big baby. What do you think of naming her Emily, after her grandmother?”
“Wonderful idea. Yes, I would like that; it would be a name she would be proud of.”
A week went by and Bill could see that there was no way he could handle his dad and Gail and take care of everything by himself. I wonder what he would think if I put him in the same nursing home that I put Mama in.
“Dad, first I want your opinion about your situation. How can we solve this problem of caring for you?”
“I was giving it a lot of thought,
too. I think I would be better off at Roseland Personal Care Center where your mother was. She got good care. There will be someone to feed me and help me get around. I think that is where I should be.”
“Alright, that is what I was thinking, too, but I wanted your opinion first. That’s what we will do. I’ll make some phone calls first and see if they have room for you, if so then I will take off and get you there.”
Bill got him a double occupancy room with a man who quickly became his close friend. He was more of a listener than a talker, and that is what Jimmy needed at this time. He was so burdened with loss and needed someone to talk to. He had the loss of his wife, then his new solemate, Anna, then his son and his family. It helped him to clear it all out of his mine to his new friend. He also told him of his friends in Minnesota and he couldn’t have dealt with his grief it was not for them.
Gail couldn’t visit him because she was bedridden. Bill hired a nurse to stay with her and also a house keeper. She only had one more month to go and would be so glad when her little girl, Emily Jane Williams would arrive in this world. She called her father-in-law everyday. It was so good to be home and to talk to her. She didn’t realize how much he admired her. The new Emily Jane would have a good mother, he was sure of that.
As a month passed, found Bill and Gail rushing to the hospital in Picayune. He was in the delivery room when his baby was born. He was so worried about his wife, but was elated with joy to see his baby girl enter the world.
As Gail held her in her arms, Bill bent over and kissed Gail first and then his baby. He was so proud.
The first call went out to the Roseland Personal Care Center to room 16. Jimmy was anxiously waiting to know if everything went as scheduled. “They are both well”, Bill told his dad. “You now have a beautiful granddaughter. Gail is doing good for all she has been through. This is a happy day for all of us. See you soon, Dad.”
It was six weeks before Gail felt she could handle taking the baby out to see her grandfather. Jimmy was elated as he looked at her. He said “She has her grandmother’s big brown eyes. She is beautiful. I know I can’t hold her, but let me kiss her on her forehead. Look at her smiling. She knows I love her.” That was a special moment for him.
Chapter Fourteen
Anna went walking with her friends even though she did not feel well. When she got home, she fixed herself a salad with a glass of milk. She thought if she ate something she would feel better. She didn’t. She laid down on the sofa for a while and thought that would help. She could feel her heard racing. Reaching for her medicine, she felt so weak. She decided to call Lilly and told her she did not feel right and could she come over. It didn’t take her but ten minutes and she was walking in Anna’s house.
“Tell me how you feel.”
Anna went through all her symptoms and ended with her decision. “I don’t think I should be staying here alone anymore. I am going to check myself into the Roseland Personal Care Center. What do you think?”
“Personally, I don’t think you should be living here alone either. Things can happen so fast. At least at Roseland, all you would have to do is push a button and you would have immediate help. I know I would feel better if you were there instead of here by yourself.”
“Then that is settled. I will call them tomorrow and see if they have a private room available. I don’t want to share a room with anyone.”
The call was made and yes, they did have one private room, room 18. She told them to hold it for her. She was having a friend drive her there today. She told them of her health symptoms, that it was her heart she was having problems with.
“The room will be waiting for you, Anna. This is Amy’s mother. You helped her when she fell at school and busted her leg with a long cut. I remember you.”
Lilly brought Anna to Roseland. She brought the clothes she wanted there along with her personal things.
“There are sad memories here when I lost Joe, but I will adjust. I feel I am doing the right thing.”
“I know I feel better with you here where you can get immediate attention.”
“If you need anything you will let me know, right? With Jake retired, he takes a lot of my time, but he will not take any time away from when you need me.”
She stayed in her room for the first few days, just needing to rest. She still felt the lost of Joe, but she also felt the lost of Jimmy. Her first time out of her room, she walked down the long hall to the glass room. She loved it here. She loved seeing outside especially on a full moon night. But this night, rain was sliding down the glass slowly, like worms making their way to the moist earth. The trees were also dripping water making puddles for the crickets to sing and frogs to flop in. She saw it all. It was her joyful time to be here at night, not to be outdone by the view of the daylight hours. That’s when she enjoyed watching the birds whishing back and forth in the birdbath trying to clean themselves or maybe just to feel cool. So many birds here, so many different species, so many colors that it was delightful to watch them. She remembered the red birds that kept the secret of the bell shape honey coated seeds. It’s gone, to her dismay. She loved watching the male secretly pecking off a piece and bringing it to feed the female.
She started to feel tired and decided to walk back to her room. The workers here were so kind to bring her food to her room on days she wasn’t up to going to the lunch room. She got ready for bed and tried to read to relax herself, but always in her mine were the two loves she lost.
Weeks went by; one day was the same as the next. She thought about the people that was here when Joe was here. Zea that watched the door, had died. Homer, that chased the ladies, died also. But she did see the young lady still holding her doll. How sad to lose a child. She never saw her two babies that she carried for a few months. It wasn’t meant to be. I was just not meant to have a baby to love. They say all things work for the better, but she wondered if that was true. She thought of Jimmy. I hope you are happy, my love. She drifted off to sleep, but in her dream, he was snuggling up to her and how wonderful it felt. But it was only a dream.
Jimmy had someone push him to the lunch room. The workers took turns feeding him all his meals. He still drank out of his baby cup only now he was use to it. He noticed others there were also using the baby cups. It was a large room that was also a part of a sitting room with a television. A football game was on and his thoughts went back to when Anna would watch the game with him. They would nestle together and get so excited when their team made a touchdown or won a game. Those were fun times. Better to have and lost then never to have at all, so the saying goes. He wondered if that was so. After he ate he had someone push him back to his room and just sat in his wheelchair starring out the one window he had.
He knew Gail was coming to visit with him. She always brought the baby with her. She knew how much that little bundle of joy meant to him. He was waiting.
Anna was sitting on one of the sofas watching the football game. Gail passed in the lunch room then the living room looking for her father-in-law when she saw Anna. She had to look twice. She walked up to her.
“Miss Anna, is that you? I haven’t seen you in a while. Are you here to visit someone?”
“Gail, how nice to see you. That’s your little baby?”
“Yes, she is only three months old now and a handful.”
“May I hold her? She is so beautiful. What is her name?”
“Emily Jane.”
“Emily, that was Jimmy’s wife’s name.”
“Yes, he named her.”
”Did he see her yet?”
“Oh, yes. He loves to visit with her.”
“Is he in Picayune?”
“Yes, he came home.”
“Alone?”
“Yes, alone. Miss Anna, are you a patient here?”
“Why yes, I am. It wasn’t good for me to live alone wit
h my heart condition.”
“Are you feeling alright now?”
“Yes, this is one of my good days.”
“Would you mine holding the baby for just a little while?”
“No, I would be happy to hold her.”
“Here is her bottle if she starts crying. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
She ran down to room 16 and saw her father-in-law looking out the window.
“You didn’t bring Emily?”
“Dad, I want to ask you something. Do you know anyone here, besides your roommate?”
“No, that is all.”
“I am ashamed to tell you this, but you need to know the truth. Your sons lied to you. Remember when they told you Miss Anna had a new man in her life. And at the same time I thought they were telling the truth so I believed them. They wanted me to tell Miss Anna that you weren’t coming home because you found someone you loved up north.”
“Wait a minute. You told Anna that I met someone I loved and wasn’t coming home?”
“Dad, they lied to me. They told me to tell Miss Anna that. I believed them. You know I wouldn’t have told her that if I knew it was a lie. She got so sick when I told her that an ambulance had to get her and bring her to the emergency room. They kept her there for weeks. She couldn’t bear to lose you. And I am the one that told her because I didn’t think Bill would lie to me and make me tell her. I’m sorry, Dad.”
“And JD told me Anna met someone new and he was living with her and that was that a lie, too? I didn’t want to live without her. And she thought I had someone else and didn’t love her anymore. How cruel can my sons be to destroy both of us?”
“I want you to meet a patient here. Will you come with me now?”
“If it is important to you than I will.”
She hurried and pushed him into the living room section. His eyes couldn’t believe who he was seeing. “Anna, is that you? Are my eyes deceiving me? You are holding my granddaughter. It must be you.”
1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe Page 8