Chapter 39: My Dearest Kelly

Kelly read the letter from Muriel with trembling hands. They had flown back to Charlotte right after Todd had sat her down and broken the news to her as gently as he could, which would, could, never be gentle enough. The woman she had taken to calling 'Grandma' had died.

It was a heart-wrenching day for Kelly, and her eyes showed the wear of the many tears she had shed from the time she had gotten the news. Red rimmed and puffy, Kelly wiped at the last dry tears, trying to focus on the letter.

Muriel had, of course, prearranged her own funeral, and it was a closed casket at her request. She had wanted to be remembered as being alive and not as the shell that rested in the solid oak casket.

It was a quiet affair and dignified, though there were few in attendance. Muriel had no family, and with the exception of a few staff members of Lakeview, the only ones in attendance other than the minister and another man who nobody seemed to know, were Kelly, Laura, Todd and Cara and Ami to pay their last respects, along with some of Todd and Kelly's friends.

The service was simple and the minister adequate, although Kelly realized that he didn't really know Muriel. He had gone on and on about what a wonderful full life Muriel had and how everyone was richer for knowing her, but she was much more than that to Kelly, and now that tie had been severed.

Sheila handed Kelly the letter right after the internment at the cemetery.

"It was the last thing she said to any of us before she went to sleep that night," Sheila had said. "Give this to Kelly after I am in the ground."

Sheila sniffed back a tear of her own. "Of course we thought she was just being Muriel," Sheila said. "She had finished the Christening blanket for your baby early that morning and left instructions for it to be boxed and packaged, and later that afternoon she sat down to write this letter. We weren't even sure that she knew what she was writing. She folded it all up and asked for an envelope and then told me to make sure that I gave this to you after her casket was in the ground. I swear Kelly, I had a cold chill run down my spine when she said that, but I never thought that she would die later that same night."

Muriel had died in her sleep at the age of 104.

Kelly tried to start reading the letter again at the studio, her legs folded under her, her black dress scrunched around her butt.

"My dearest Kelly,

"I so wanted to wait and put off this moment until after you were married, but Johnny told me that you were loved and had enough support to see you through this. 104 years is a long time for anybody, and I want to be with my Johnny again. It's been so long since I've been able to wrap my arms around him.

"I could tell you not to cry, sweet thing, but I know you better than that. Just be assured that I'll be keeping an eye on you and looking in from time to time. You've been such a blessing to me these past five years. I so enjoyed our visits and the time we had to spend together, although I realize that I wasn't always quite there with you in mind as much as spirit.

"I have so much to tell you, and you'll have to excuse my chicken scratching. My penmanship isn't what it used to be.

"I had a young girl come to visit me last week. She was part of a group that came to the nursing home, and she was such a joy. Just a wee thing, Suzie, I think her name was. Such a pleasant afternoon we spent together. She got so excited when I told her about the first time I saw an airplane in the sky. She couldn't imagine a time when the skies weren't full of airplanes, and she really laughed when I said there were more airplanes in the sky now than there were cars on the road when I was her age!

"When she left, she said she was going to write a report on everything that I told her so that other people could learn about what life was like when I was younger. I thought that was so precious, but it made me curious - especially when some of the other ladies discussed their visitors later that evening. I asked one of the nurses about it and convinced one of them to make a phone call for me. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to find out that this was all part of a new program that was started by you and your young man."

Kelly stopped reading long enough to wipe her nose and remember back to when Todd had come up with the idea to teach the young by getting them to visit the elderly. They hadn't gotten a report yet from Robert as to how the visits were going, but this letter from Muriel was good enough for Kelly.

Todd had been there for Kelly from the moment he'd had to deliver the sad news. He had called Chris right away, arranging for a plane to come and pick them up. Laura had taken care of the suite and explaining to the Hampton the reason for their abrupt departure. Laura also called Al and their new found friend, Ray. Cara and Ami helped Laura pack, and they had driven out to the airstrip in their new Argo.

For once, Kelly didn't seem to be bothered by the flight, spending most of her time crying on Laura's shoulder. Muriel was the closest thing she had to real family and had been there for her before she had found her true loves in Laura and Todd. It had been Muriel who had told her that her love of both was all right and that had been all the blessing that Kelly had needed.

Todd had been as supportive as the girls were when they went to the funeral home the next day. Todd had put on a brand new suit, a dark blue pinstriped three piece, and had worn a tie and brand new shoes. Kelly had worn a simple black dress as did Laura and the girls.

Laura's quick call home had galvanized the Williams' into action and at the funeral itself, the Williams and the Weavers showed up to pay their respects to the woman whose name graced the building they now lived in. Captain Walker had shown up as well, accompanied by Annie. All the policemen wore their best dress blues. Robert had talked to the younger Williams sisters, and at the cemetery Laura and her sisters had sung Amazing Grace as the casket was lowered into the ground. After the service, everyone had gathered at the office of TKO for a small, respectful reception. Annie Prince had put together platters of fruit and vegetables and small sandwiches, something that Kelly was eternally grateful for as she didn't have the strength to do it herself.

Sheila had given her the letter at the cemetery, where Kelly once again noticed the quiet young man standing respectfully outside of the cemetery gate, quietly in the background. She had introduced herself to him wondering if he was some distant relative, though with all the talks she'd had with Muriel, she was sure that there were no living relatives. The yarmulke on his head confirmed her belief, and he replied he was a long-time family friend of Muriel's. He declined the invitation back to the studio but did say he would be in touch with her in a few days to settle some unfinished business regarding Muriel's last requests.

"During all our visits, Kelly, you never asked me anything about my personal life, except of course about my birthday. You never tried to pry into my personal business, and since nobody here knows, I know you weren't visiting me for any reason except that you wanted to, which I really appreciated. I know I wasn't always totally coherent, but right now, my mind is as sharp as a tack, and I remember everything. You must have the patience of a saint to have put up with the ramblings of an old woman during those times when I wasn't totally here.

"I do have to try to stick to all the things I want to tell you, but there is just so much. The most important thing is that I want you to promise me you won't name your little girl, 'Muriel!' I hope I didn't spoil any surprises for you, but this is just too important! I can tell you that you are going to have a healthy baby girl, so there's no need for you to worry about her. But, I didn't want to take a chance of having you saddle your baby with a name that is older than I am. It's a nice name for a building, and you were so sweet to name the new retirement apartments for me. You've done so much for me in the last five years, and you never thought of anything for yourself. I always loved it when you brought me flowers, but for me it was more important that you came. The singers who came last month, that was just so wonderful, those girls really have beautiful voices. Sheila told me that they were doing all the old folk's homes in Charlotte, and Johnny told me that it was you and your friend who were picking up the cost. It makes me happy that I made the decision I did.

"I love my country, Kelly, I really do, but there's nobody on either my side or Johnny's side that we can leave our money to, so I've left instructions for it to be turned over to you. You've spent your own money so selflessly that I want you to take it. If you don't, then it goes to the government, and Johnny and I already paid our fair share to them."

Kelly stopped and lit a cigarette, smiling. She made a silent vow to Muriel not to name her baby after her 'honorary great grandmother, ' and thanked her for the gift.