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- 11/02/2023
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
ARROW - 228. Chapter 228
With Roger’s passing, I realized that not only were we getting old but our family was getting old as well.. I didn’t like that, Mary was 25 years older than Colin, and mom and dad were of the same generation as Mary. Marie was ten years younger than Mary. Pat was a few years younger than Mary. When Carl got his bachelor’s degree in art, he and Carla got married. We chuckled at their wedding when he said he could now paint her in the nude. I asked him to move in with my mom and dad, Carla went to help Mary at the gallery.
I remember the dinner we had at the club with Mary and Marie. She said something I thought was strange. We were talking about our summer vacations in Europe. Mary asked if we missed it.
“Yes in a way. A lot of the people we visited are no longer with us. But the memories still exist.”
“Do you remember our trip to Paris and Colin and John had to return? We stayed there, I miss John.”
“We all do. Mom/“
There was something in her voice that didn’t sound right. That evening I told Marie to keep a close eye on her.
Two months later, Marie called. She was hysterical, “Armand, come quickly. I can’t wake Mary.”
I rushed to Mary’s apartment to find Marie crying. “I can’t wake her.”
I checked for a pulse and there wasn’t any. I called Colin and told him to meet me at the gallery.
“What’s the matter? Why are you crying?”
“Colin, your mother is with your dad.” How do you tell your best friend and husband his mother is no longer on earth? I watched as he processed what I said. I hugged him as his tears were absorbed by my shirt.
I walked with him to Mary’s apartment. Marie was still there, crying. I told her to call the boys.
We sat beside her bed, Colin held her hand as he cried.
Ronnie was the first to arrive, he took charge.
I took Colin home.
Three hours later Ronnie showed up. He brought us up to date. Arrangements would be made for her interment next to John. Colin was very upset. I thanked Ronnie for taking care of the arrangements. Now I had something else to worry about. My mom and dad were Mary’s generation.
The viewing was held at the funeral home. It seemed so impersonal, no one had said anything about her life and what impact on their lives. I started to tell stories then the boys, with tears in their eyes spoke about her. Tommy told about how she comforted him when he would visit the gallery. All of our boys had some remembrance of her that they shared. She was loved and even with tears in his eyes, Colin smiled as he remembered her from the boy's stories.
For the next several weeks, Colin would stop at the golf club. Ronnie said he would sit at the memorial.
Acceptance is hard but GG brought John and Mary to Colin. I always knew when she did that. He would wake from his sleep with a smile. In time, we become ourselves again. Losing a parent and being the only child, brings life and the realization we do not live forever. I was aware that I would also have to face the loss of my parents.
Six months after Mary passed to be with John, Tommy called. “Dad, come quick we can’t wake Pat.”
I called and told Colin, he said he would meet me at the Home.
Arriving at the Home, Tommy met me in the kitchen. “Where is she?”
“In her apartment.”
I rushed to her apartment and she was in bed. Pepe was there and holding her hand. “Dad, there isn’t any pulse and she is cold.”
I knew she was with GG, Roger, and Mary. Colin rushed in, he took one look, with tears he went and phoned the police. Pat had left us. I hated getting old, all of our friends were leaving us behind
Pat was placed next to Roger. Carl had painted an angel on Roger’s bed. Now he would need another on Pat’s bed.
There was a gloom that hung over the Home. Aunt Pat went to join the Angel.
I started to paint a picture of Pat. I remember her from the original orphanage and that is how I painted her.
Her portrait was hung in the living room over the fireplace. I noticed the young children would stop, look at the portrait, and say. “We miss you, Aunt Pat.”
Life goes on but the ache in your heart never goes away. In some ways, I was lucky. GG would give me glances of these loved ones and I knew they were happy. But even with GG, there was a pain from missing them. Little things kept reminding me of them, a critique of a painting and I would reflect on something Roger would say or Jean about a new artist. Pierre was a constant reminder of Arnaud. Someone would make a comment which would bring back a memory.
I have concluded. Life ends on earth but continues with the Angels. They will be with you forever until you join them. Little things which didn’t mean much when they occurred, now became important.
I had no siblings, if something happened to my mom or dad, I would be devastated. I realized that is how Colin must feel. I started to spend more time with him. I’d go to the club with him. Stopping at the office, sitting in the roof garden with our coffee, reminiscing about our time together. I wanted to be a young man again with Colin by my side.
Small things became important. I would look at him remembering the times when we were first married. Remembering his excitement on our first trip to Europe. I decided if Colin was taken from me, I would find a way to join him.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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