A Birthday and a Death Day

Mom had her birthday/retirement party. It was a fairly typical Shandie Bellingham affair, which meant lots of food, cake, dancing and lively conversation. Of course, now she prefers to refer to herself as "Shandra." Okay, mom. I get it.

I have to admit, I'm not entirely sure how to deal with the fact that mom is an elder. It is definitely something I have to get used to. I'm used to having her bound around here, with energy for three, doing everything. There isn't anything she doesn't do around here, really. She wrote children's books. She paints. She cooks. She gardens. She fixes the toilets when they break. I swear, I actually think dad wouldn't be anywhere near where he is if it weren't for her. Why? Because my dad is a space cadet and would forget his head if it weren't attached to his body.

Some old guy in coveralls asked me to dance. I knew I probably should have said no but, after having had some of mom's 'jungle juice' I said yes anyway. I glanced over at Noah dancing with Clarice.

But our joy would be short lived. For little did I know that the pictures above would be the last ones of dear Aunt Margaret alive.

She passed away that very evening, just as the guests were leaving mom's party.

I heard a noise coming from the upstairs bathroom, and sure enough, it heralded the arrival of the great Grim Reaper. That's the thing about the Reaper. He never announces his arrival until he's actually there.

I knew this day would come, I feared this day would come, but the less you think about these things, the less prepared you actually are for them when they happen.

She died as she'd lived, with a book in her hand. Something you have to remember about Aunt Margaret, she had as strong a passion for books and reading as my dad has for music. You don't write 26 novels and have a collection of books as varied as any library without some love of the written word.

Dad, of course, was completely devastated. Aunt Margaret was his only sibling, and as she was significantly older than he, didn't really spend much time with him as he grew up. But as time passed they became really close.

But, as these things happen, life does go on, and Dad went about the business of dealing with Sebastian. The little guy, he has no clue of what just happened. He needed his evening meal.