Chapter 1
The closed drapes kept the sun from shining into my grandmother’s bedroom. I sat in the rocking chair, the same one she had rocked me in when I was a little girl and thought about the last few weeks and how quickly they’d past.

It was three weeks ago today, Doctor Jones told us there wasn’t any more he could do, the cancer she fought, had won. He said there wasn’t much time and advised her to get her ‘house’ in order. I remembered I’d laughed when he said that and tried to fight the tears that threatened to spill. That would have only led to her scolding me too. ‘There’s only one way outta this old world, child. So there’s no use crying’ about it’, she always said. Instead, the doctor received the tongue-lashing. ‘Dagnabbitt it, Drew. I thought you knew me better than that. My house has been in order for years. The good Lord will come for me soon as he’s ready; so there’s no use in you worryin’ how much time I got’. Doctor Jones gave a little laugh but didn’t reply.

My grandmother was a feisty little woman, stubborn too, as granddad always said. When I went with her to make all of the funeral arrangements, she said it would be wasteful to spend my inheritance when it came to ‘planting her in the ground’. She said it in a teasing manner but I knew she was serious. Later, I returned and selected a better casket than the one she picked out.

She wasn’t one to let others do things for her either. The very day the doctor gave her the news, she contact Josh Turner to see if he wanted to buy the land. ‘He’s worked it since your granddad took ill, it’s only right he should have first pickins’, she told me as she dialed his number. Of course, Josh jumped at the offer. She gave him a good price; with anyone else, it would have doubled.

Each day I saw her growing weaker, and I know she felt it. Three nights ago, before she went to bed, she called me into the kitchen. ‘It’s time we had a chat,’ she said. ‘I want you to think about sellin’ the house. It’s time for Kelsey now. You’ve done more than your fair share. You stopped liv’en after Chad left you. I know you don’t think so, but hell’s fire, child, you’ve locked yourself away in this old house and taken care of us. Now it’s your turn. Go find someone to make you happy and don’t you grow old here, Kelsey.’ I just nodded because I refused to think that far ahead.

The next morning grandmother didn’t feel like getting out of bed, said her bones ached. I called the doctor. He wanted her at the hospital, but she refused. ‘I wanna die in my own bed if you don’t mind’, she cried, and I didn’t have the heart to go against her wishes.

As word leaked out into the community that my grandmother’s time was short, her friends started making their pilgrimage to our home. Yesterday the house was full of friends telling me stories about her; today, it was quiet.

“Kelsey?” my grandmother called bringing me back to the present. Her voice was weak and I quickly sat on the side of the bed so she could see me.

“Yes, grandmother. I’m here.”

“What time is it?” she asked.

“A little past two in the afternoon. The sun is shining. Would you like me to open the drapes?”

“No child,” she said as she looked at me. “Why do you look so sad?”

I took her hand and fought back the tears. “I’m not ready for you to leave me.”

“We don’t always get to pick our times, child. Just be thankful we’ve been given time to say our goodbyes.”

“I don’t like goodbyes, grandmother. You know that,” I quietly said.

She squeezed my hand. “You weren’t dealt a very good hand, were you Kelsey?”

“Oh, that’s not true grandmother. You and granddad gave me a wonderful life. Don’t think that way.”

“We done you wrong, Kelsey. Maybe I should have told you long ago, but my fears kept me from telling you. I was afraid we’d loose you…”

“What are talking about? Loose me…never grandmother.”

“The necklace…you promised to always wear it, remember?”

“Yes, and I’ve never taken it off. You and granddad made such a point in stressing that…”

“You were such a good child.” She smiled; her eyes sparkled with moisture. “I’ve kept a terrible secret from you. In the bottom door of my dresser, there’s a box. Would you bring it here?”

I was afraid to leave her side, even to go to the dresser that was only a few feet across the room. She squeezed my hand and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

“Please, get the box.”

“Alright.”

I went to the dresser, opened the bottom drawer, and pushed the clothes aside until I found a box and then went back and sat on the bed facing her.

“Is this the one?”

“Yes, open it.”

The small box held papers, old birthday cards, a two small pieces of waxed paper, and a few pictures.

“Okay, I’ve opened it.”

“It’s all there in the papers. The truth.”

“What truth?”

“Your parents didn’t die when you were little…”

“What are you talking about? They died in the fire; remember? Grandmother, you told me when I was little…”

She struggled to shake her head no. “All a lie. I’ve written it all down. Don’t hate me for what we did. You need to find them. I’ve saved everything. Promise me you will never take that necklace off child…they said terrible things…would happen.” She lapsed into a coughing spell loud enough to bringing the nurse that had come to take care of her into the room.

I tossed the box to the floor, contents spilling everywhere and grabbed her hand.

“Grandmother?”

“I love you…Kelsey.” She barely got the words out as her last breath left her.

“Nooo,” I cried as I looked into the dull, lifeless eyes of the woman that was not only my grandmother, but also my best friend.

The nurse felt for a pulse. Slowly shaking her head, she looked at me, and I looked back at her with pleading eyes not to say what I knew she was going to say. “I’m so sorry, but she’s gone.”

Tears spilled from my eyes as I finally gave into my sorrow. I shook my head in defiance of those words. “No, she can’t be gone. I wasn’t ready for her to go,” I yelled at the nurse.

“It’s okay,” she soothed. “She went peacefully.”

I drew my fingers to my lips and gently tapped them as I stared down at my grandmother until I gained some control and then I looked back at the nurse with all the emotion of child and sobbed, “It’s not okay. I didn’t want her to go.” I laid my head on her my grandmother’s chest and cried.