Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 15:18:50 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: The Castaway Hotel - book 6, Chapter 20
Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts.
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.
Don't read this story if:
**You're not 18 or over,
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.
The author retains copyright to this story. Placing this story on a
website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's
permission is a violation of that copyright. Legal action will be taken
against violators.
I wish to extend my thank you to Ed for his editorial assistance with this
chapter, and Art for his additional input on each chapter.
E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other `constructive'
comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.
* * * * * * * *
Although the boys in these stories have unprotected sex, I strongly urge
all of you out there to be smart and protect yourselves from various
sexually transmitted diseases by using condoms when having intercourse.
* * * * * * * *
The Castaway Hotel-Book 6-by BW (Young-Friends). Copyright 2000 by billwstories
Chapter 20 - A fitting farewell. November 2002
Now that I had made the arrangements with the funeral home, I was working
with the minister to plan the service at the church. After Brent died, I
wasn't thinking very clearly, and I made some mistakes that I didn't want
to repeat this time. The biggest of those mistakes was that I didn't
involve all the boys in the planning or service, and some of them had
mentioned it several times in the intervening months, letting me know that
they shall always regret that they didn't take part. This time, everyone
would be included, one-way or another.
I called Nick's parents' home, to let him know about Cody, and Nick wanted
to come back for the funeral, and delay his trip to Brazil. I told him to
think about it for a while, and talk it over with his parents, before he
made any decisions, but we would be fine with whatever he chose to do. I
told him everyone would understand, if he went to Brazil as scheduled, but
I didn't want to influence his decision, because I realized that this might
be a decision which could affect him for years to come. He said he'd let
me know what he decided, as soon as he knew himself, and I told him that
would be fine. A couple hours later I got a call from him, and he informed
me that he and his parents would be joining us for the service.
Since we arrived back home from Sloan-Kettering, Kevin had been spending a
great deal of time with Graham, helping him work his way through the
grieving process. Having gone through this when Brent died, he was the
most qualified for the job, and he took it upon himself to help Graham
through this, with no coaxing from any of us. I made sure to thank him,
one time when I could get him alone, and then I also thanked Vinnie, for
being so understanding and sharing Kevin with a needy brother. It is
especially heartwarming to see the boys go out of their way to help each
other, and it shows a certain amount of maturity on their part.
For the entire day after we arrived back home, there was nothing scheduled
to take place. The calling hours wouldn't be until the following day, so I
would use this time to work with the boys who wanted to do something
special for the service. When I spoke to Dion, he asked if he could sing
the hymns and other spiritual songs before, during, and after the service,
which I thought was a wonderful idea. Now I sat down with him to pick out
appropriate songs for this occasion. I also called the church, and spoke
to the minister, telling him what we wanted to do. He agreed to have Dion
sing the various songs we selected, and he'd have the children's choir back
him up. He suggested he could set up a practice for later that evening, so
we could get them all together and make sure they knew the various songs
and it all gelled with the pianist. We told him that would be fine with
both of us, and we thanked him for his help. I knew this would sound
beautiful and be perfect for this situation, and I thanked Dion for his
offer.
Graham and Trey had suggested that they both wanted to write something
appropriate for the service, and then read it the church. I told them that
would be fine, and I sent them off to compose whatever it was they wanted
to say, and then I would look it over later, offering suggestions and
helping them polish it up a bit. They both thought that would be a good
idea, so they went off to consider what they were going to write. Andrew
had also come up to me, asking if there was some way we could use the
picture he drew of Cody, and I told him that I'd have it framed and placed
beside the casket. He smiled when I told him that, and asked if he could
do another picture too, but this one in color. I told him he could, but
reminded him that he didn't have much time to complete it in, just in case
he wanted to reconsider. He said he could do it anyway, and he raced off
to get started on it.
I also spoke to the other boys, deciding which of them would be pallbearers
and which of them would assist with communion. Although communion isn't
normally a part of the funeral service, I had requested that it be done, to
help remind the rest of us that someday we would all be reunited in God's
presence, as promised by the sacrifice that Jesus had made and signified by
this sacrament. The minister had agreed that we could do this, and I told
him I would have four of my boys assist him with this portion of the
service. Now I had one more thing to take care of, and I approached Vinnie
to discuss this with him. Seeing he used crutches to get around, I
obviously couldn't have him be a pallbearer. I also couldn't ask him to
help with communion, as that would require him to help pass out the
appropriate items. Therefore, I asked him if he would be willing the read
the twenty-third psalm during the service, and he said he would be pleased
to do that. Now everything was set.
I understood Graham slept snuggled in between Kevin and Vinnie that
evening, as the duo served as a buffer for him, protecting and comforting
him at the same time. I, on the other hand, was still not sleeping very
well, even in Jake's reassuring embrace. I not only still had Cody on my
mind, but I was worried I had forgotten to take care of some important
detail, and I was concerned about how everyone was dealing with Cody's
passing. I would lie awake in my bed, listening to every little noise in
the house, seeing if I could pick up any clues as to anything unusual going
on. I would also get up and make my rounds around the house, checking in
on all of the boys, just to make sure they were all still all right. Jake
often woke when I got out of bed, but I'd tell him to go back to sleep, as
I just needed to walk off some of my nervous energy. He would just turn
over as I left the room, though at first he would question me further, to
see what I was up to. Seeing he always got the same response, he finally
just gave up asking, and now he just went back to sleep as soon as I told
him to.
When we got up the next morning, everyone was still not their normal cheery
self, but they were holding their own and not letting their grief overwhelm
them. I took some time to speak with Graham in private, just to see how he
was holding up, and he seemed anxious to get to the funeral parlor, so he
could see Cody again. He even asked me if the two of us could go in alone
first, so he could make sure Cody looked all right before anyone else went
in. I told him that would be fine, and he thanked me for allowing him to
do that.
While the other boys were getting ready, I told Jake what I had promised
Graham, and then I asked him to keep the other boys outside, until I
signaled them to come in. He said he would do that, and I thanked him for
his assistance, and then we finished getting ready ourselves. Once
everyone was prepared to leave, we got in the vehicles and set out for the
funeral home.
As soon as we arrived, Graham and I got out of the car and went inside the
building, telling the funeral director we wanted to check everything out,
before the visitors arrived. He agreed to allow us to do that, and we were
led into the room where Cody's body was. Outside, Jake had called the rest
of the boys together, explained the situation to them, and asked them to be
patient until I signaled them to join us. No one seemed to have a problem
with this, and they stood around patiently in their suits, waiting for us
to finish our inspection.
Graham and I went into the room, and we immediately spotted the casket. As
we looked in its direction, we could see Cody's face, even from this
distance. We walked forward, getting the full impact of what we saw as we
moved toward it. It was a powder blue metallic coffin, with a white silk
lining, and there was a large bouquet of flowers covering the closed lower
half. This bouquet had a ribbon across it, which read `son', and it was
the arrangement I had sent from Jake and me. There was another large
arrangement at the head of the coffin, placed in a stand, and this one
reading `brother'. There was also a floral cross placed against the inside
of the lid, which had the word `uncle' attached to it. In addition to the
flowers, there were also two pictures placed on stands in front of the one
bouquet from the boys. They were set in gold-plated frames, and the first
was the charcoal sketch Andrew had done of Cody, and had won a ribbon for
him at the art festival. The other was a watercolor of Cody, done using a
slightly different pose than the other one, but this one showed off Cody's
blond hair, his clear blue eyes, and highlighted his wondrous smile.
We walked up and looked at Cody for a second, and then Graham grabbed the
comb out of his pocket and started doing something with Cody's hair. When
he was satisfied his hair was done correctly, he stroked the back of his
hand against Cody's cheek, before he bent forward and kissed him, first on
his nose, and then on his lips. I wasn't sure he'd do that, after his
reaction in the hospital, but he did, proving that his love is stronger
than any uncomfortable feelings he might have had. When he was through
primping Cody, I also gave Cody a kiss, but a fatherly kiss, on the
forehead. Then Graham and I talked for a few minutes, noticing all the
other bouquets that had been sent there, and seeing who had sent each one.
When he agreed everything was ready, I went out and signaled the rest of
the family to come in.
The other boys each took a turn going up and saying a final good-bye to
Cody, some more emotionally than the others, but that didn't mean the
missed him any less. Their show of emotions, or lack thereof, didn't mean
they loved him more or less than any of the others. Instead, it was merely
their way of dealing with a situation such as this. When we were through
saying our final farewells, I told the funeral director he could allow the
other visitors in, and we formed a welcoming line to greet them.
Among the first to arrive were the members of our extended family, and then
some of Cody's friends from school arrived as well. Some of them had a
parent or two with them, probably for moral support, as this was most
likely the first viewing they had attended for someone from their own age
group. There were plenty of tears flowing as they passed by, with many
kind words said, and we thanked each and every one of them for coming.
There were also some teachers in this group, some who had had Cody in one
of their classes, but others who came just as a show of support for the
rest of the family. It is nice to know that you have such loyal friends
and colleagues.
The evening viewing was much the same, with more of each of those various
groups returning, and some people even came back for a second time. My
older children arrived during the second viewing, and my two oldest
grandsons were with them. Seeing those two had spent more time with the
boys, we thought they should be allowed to come, if they wanted to, and
both had expressed an interest in being there. They both stayed close to
me, asking me many questions about what happened to Uncle Cody and why he
had to die when he was so young, and I answered them as best I could, but
I'm not sure anyone could answer those types of questions to their
satisfaction.
After the final viewing concluded, we went back to the house, but things
were still pretty somber. The funeral would be tomorrow, and it would
start at 11:00, and I knew that it would be another night of very limited
sleep. Actually, I was surprised I was still going after all of this, but
I knew my body was just functioning on instinct and adrenaline, and I knew
there would be a big crash ahead of me, once this was over. I hoped it
wouldn't wipe me out completely, or cause other problems for me, like
health related issues after Brent's funeral, but there was nothing I could
do about that now.
We all turned in fairly early that evening, emotionally drained by the
events of the past few days, and we knew we'd also have another big day
ahead of us tomorrow. I did fall asleep for longer periods than the
previous two nights, but I still didn't have what I'd call a good night's
sleep. I still had one more day to get through, and I wanted to make sure
that this one went off perfectly, and without a hitch. I was nervous, but
I knew all the boys would do their part, so this helped to allay my fears
somewhat.
After a quick service at the funeral home, the casket was going to be
closed and moved to the church, where the religious service would be
performed. As was my custom, I planned to be there when the casket was
sealed, but Graham told me he wanted to do something in private, before
that happened. When I inquired as to what that was, he said he had
something he wanted to put in the casket with Cody. I told him that would
be fine, and then I made arrangements with the funeral director for this to
take place. I had Jake take the other boys into one of the other rooms, to
wait until we were done. Once Graham and I were alone with Cody's body,
Graham walked up to the casket, reached into his suit pocket, and pulled
something out of it. It was a ring, and I recognized it as one I had given
him for his birthday a few years ago. He looked up at me and said, "I hope
you don't mind, but I thought this would show Cody that I will love him
forever."
I couldn't speak, as I was so choked up at that moment, so I merely nodded
my head, to let him know I had no problem with what he was doing. Seeing
that, he turned back toward Cody, placed that ring on his finger, and then
kissed him one final time, once on the nose and then on the lips, and then
I had him leave and join the others, while I watched the funeral director
seal the coffin shut.
Now the pallbearers were brought into the room, so they could carry the
coffin to the hearse. Ricky, Danny, Dustin, Kevin, Frankie, Nick, Cole,
and Pat were to perform this job, and they picked up that small coffin,
with that fragile body inside, slowly lifted it, and then slowly exited the
building. Once the casket had been placed in the back of the hearse, the
boys walked over to the Suburban, for the ride to the church. They would
go with Mark, who'd be driving that vehicle, while Brandon would drive the
rest of the family, using our van. Jake and I were told we should ride in
the limo, that would follow the hearse, but I made sure Graham was in with
us, as well as my two grandsons. I thought this might mean more to them
and let me show them some affection, as we took that short ride. Soon the
limo came to a stop, in front of the church, and we got out and waited, as
the pallbearers pulled the coffin out of the hearse. We followed them into
the church, and as we passed through the main doors, I heard the music
begin, and then I heard Dion's beautiful tenor voice sing out the words to
the first song, `Take My Hand, Precious Lord'.
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
When my way grows drear, precious Lord, linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
It was so beautiful, and so sweet, that tears were filling my eyes as I
took my seat. As we sat and waited for everyone else to enter the church,
another song began, but this time it was `Whispering Hope'.
Soft as the voice of an Angel
Breathing a lesson unheard
Hope with a gentle persuasion
Whispers her comforting word
Wait, till the darkness is over
Wait, till the tempest is done
Hope for the sunshine tomorrow
After the shower is gone
Whispering hope (whispering hope)
Oh, how welcome thy voice
Making my heart (making my heart)
In its sorrow rejoice
If in the dusk of the twilight
Dim be the region afar
Will not the deepening darkness
Brighten the glimmering star
Then, when the night is upon us
Why should the heart sink away
When the dark midnight is over
Watch for the breaking of day
Whispering hope (whispering hope)
Oh, how welcome thy voice
Making my heart (making my heart)
In its sorrow rejoice
By this time, everyone was in the church, and the service was ready to
begin. Cody's casket had been placed in front of the altar, with one of
Andrew's pictures placed on a small stand on either side of it, and the
minister was ready to begin. After greeting everyone, and sharing his
introductory words, he next had Vinnie come up and read the twenty-third
psalm. After that, he called Trey up, to read what he had written for this
occasion. As Trey walked up to the lectern, he pulled out the sheet of
paper he would read from, and then he began to speak.
"Be not fearful of death,
For it is not the end of life, but merely a new beginning.
Death is not the conqueror that vanquishes all,
But it is the liberator that sets us free.
Though death may terminate our mortal existence,
It gives us the opportunity to explore a realm that we have never
known.
Death is not the closing of a door and the ending of a life,
But it is the opening of a door, and the beginning of a new
existence.
Though death may for a time, separate us from those we love,
It will also serve to unite us with all those who have gone before.
It is not the harbinger of eternal rest, or a journey into
nothingness,
But it is our birth into a new plane of being, where we shall
reside with our creator.
Though death's sting may be sharp for a time,
The pain it causes lasts but for a short time.
Although we shall forever miss the loved one who has passed,
The pain of his passing shall be only a temporary thing.
Eventually it will be replaced with a feeling of joy,
From the knowledge that we were blessed by his presence, no matter
how brief that was.
So fear not what death shall bring,
But rejoice in its eventual arrival.
Though our brains may not be able to understand its true meaning,
Please understand that it is more than our last breath or final
repose.
Death be not proud, nor should it be humble,
For it is but one more step in the evolution of our souls."
As Trey made his way back to his seat, I could see his message was well
received, and everyone was asking if he wrote that himself. Though it
didn't refer to Cody in specific, as Graham would do, it was still
comforting to know that there might be something more after death. Now it
was Graham's turn to go to the lectern and share his thoughts with us.
"Cody was not only my brother, my best friend, my companion, and my
soul mate,
He was also one of the best things to ever happen to our family.
Though I will miss him and mourn the fact that he is gone,
I will never forget all those things that made him so very special.
I will always see his loving and mischievous smile,
Which could fill the gloomiest days with sunshine and warmth.
I will always hear his melodic and gentle voice,
The very sound of which could make me forget whatever troubled me.
I will always feel his gentle and caring touch,
Which could ease my pain and make my spirit soar.
I will always remember his good nature and easy-going way,
And how he could turn any frown into a smile.
I will always cherish the pranks he used to play,
To make us laugh or help distract us from our problems.
Until the day I too shall die,
I will carry his memory, like a treasure within my heart."
As Graham returned to sit beside me, I looked around the church and noticed
many people wiping their eyes, as his words had moved them very deeply. I
hugged him as he returned to sit beside me, but I knew it was my turn to go
next, and I wasn't sure if I could top what my two sons had already said.
Even though I had seen their pieces in advance, and helped them to polish
them up a little, those words had come from their hearts, and now I worried
that my words might sound shallow after what they had said. However, I
didn't have time to worry about this further, as I received the signal that
it was my turn to go next. As I made my way from my seat, I took a deep
breath and walked to the lectern. I pulled out my cheat-sheet and began to
read.
"I know mankind has often questioned why good people seem to die so young,
and I've asked that same question before too, but I'm still not sure if I
have an answer for it. All I can think is that a person has a specific
role to fulfill in life, and once they have fulfilled that role or they
have reached a certain level of perfection, they are then free to leave
this temporal plane. The rest of us, however, must still strive to reach
this same level, before we may also move on to something better.
"Take Cody, for example. In the short time I knew him, I was impressed and
amazed by his positive approach to life, even in the face of great
adversity, and I can only think of the phrase, `a little child shall lead
us' to explain his role. Yes, lead us he did, and by example, not merely
with words. Words are easy to manufacture, and can often be hollow, but
Cody demonstrated how life should be lived. Although life dealt him many
harsh blows, beginning with the circumstances of his birth, his unhappy
childhood, and the disease that eventually took his life, his spirit never
faltered. In spite of all those hardships, Cody remained optimistic,
happy, and placed his concern for others before his own well-being.
"How many of us complain and gripe about the little things in life that
don't go exactly as we wish? How many of us have complained about minor
setbacks that we have had to face, or griped about those few miserable
people we've had to deal with? If anyone had a RIGHT to complain, it would
have been Cody, yet he always faced life with a smile, a cheery
disposition, and a genuine concern for others, right up until the end. How
many of us could have, or would have, been able to do the same?
"Maybe Cody was placed on this earth to teach us how to accept life as it
comes to us, and how to make the best of even the worst situations, so we
could pass this lesson on to others. Maybe he had reached the level of
perfection required to leave this plane, where it takes the rest of us much
longer to come to the same realizations. Maybe because he endured the
heartaches of life with a grace and dignity, he was allowed to move on, so
he could receive his reward in heaven.
"Whatever the reason for his passing, he is gone from us now, but only in
body. His spirit shall continue to live on, in those of us whom he has
touched so deeply, during his brief stay among us. Hopefully we shall all
be able to emulate his saintly example, and move on to join him, at some
point in time.
"I know some of you might be questioning if there is a curse on our family,
as we lost Brent and Cody after such a very short time, but I'd argue that
we aren't cursed, but blessed. We were blessed to have had them in our
lives, even if it didn't last as long as we might have wished, and we
should be thankful that we had found each other and were given the
opportunity to share the time we had together. I know I, for one, shall
always be richer for those experiences.
"Cody, I shall never forget you, and I will always be touched by memories
of you. I feel confident that your brothers feel the same way, and I look
forward to someday being with you again. I will continue to send you my
love, in ways I hope you can appreciate. Thank you for being my son, and
may God now grant you the blessings and love you have always deserved."
As I made my way back to my seat, I could hardly see where I was going, as
my eyes were filled with tears. Luckily I was sitting in the front row, so
I didn't have far to walk, and somehow I managed to take my place between
Jake and Graham. Now the minister explained that communion would be given
next, as per my request. Sammy, Mark, Brandon, and Jay were going to help
with this, so each of them made his way forward, so he could do his part.
As they began to move from their seats, the music started once again, but
this time we heard Dion's tenor voice sing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow",
which lasted through most of the communion process.
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely,
And long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion
My constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me.
Let not your heart be troubled
His tender word I hear
And resting on His goodness
I lose my doubts and fears
Though by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me.
Whenever I am tempted
Whenever clouds arise
When songs give place to sighing
When hope within me dies
I draw the closer to Him
From Care He sets me free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me.
As the minister finished up with communion, and while he put everything
away, Dion and the choir began to sing, `Just A Closer Walk With Thee',
which they would continue until the minister was ready to begin his sermon.
I am weak, but Thou are strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Precious Jesus, hear my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Precious Jesus, hear my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
As the final notes of the song faded within the church, the minister
stepped up to the lectern, ready to give his sermon. "Normally I would
take some of this time to talk about the dearly departed, and tell you a
little about who he was, but I think that has already been done far better
than I could ever have hoped to do it. Instead, I will offer words of
comfort to those who remain behind, to help them cope with their grief.
Our Lord let us know that there was a reward beyond this life, as he told
his disciples in the Gospel according to John, chapter 14. `Let not your
heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also.' This was his promise to his followers that there would be eternal
life for all those who believed in his name.
"In the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 10, verse 14, he also told us to
`Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such
is the kingdom of God.' I think this lets us see that children have a
special significance in heaven, and a special place with our heavenly
father.
"In his sermon on the mount, Jesus taught us many things, and as reported
in the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 5, we learn the following
things. `Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed
are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who
hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are
the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart:
for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
called the children of God.'
"Our Lord gave us even more hope, when after raising Lazarus from the dead,
he told us, `I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die.' Carry this with you, now as you depart, to know
that we share the promise of eternal life, and we shall all be together
again, in a better place, at another time."
After he finished his sermon, he offered a prayer, and then Dion and the
choir began another song, this time the musical version of "The Lord's
Prayer".
Our Father which art in haven, Hallowed by thy name
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.
Now it was time for the pallbearers to carry the casket to the hearse once
more, this time for its final trip to the cemetery. As they moved down the
aisle, leaving the church, everyone filed in behind them, as Dion and the
choir sang their final selection, "I'll Fly Away".
Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away.
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away.
I'll fly away, O Glory,
I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.
When the shadows of the life have flown,
I'll fly away.
Like a bird thrown, driven by the storm,
I'll fly away.
I'll fly away, O Glory,
I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.
Just a few more weary days and then,
I'll fly away.
To a land where joy shall never end,
I'll fly away.
I'll fly away, O Glory,
I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.
It was a short drive to the cemetery, and the casket was placed above its
final resting place, as the minister offered his final words of hope to
those assembled. Once the ceremony had concluded, and the others had
wandered away, I stayed to watch them lower the coffin into the vault and
seal it shut. Again, this wasn't something the cemetery crew liked to do,
but it was something I insisted on doing, so begrudgingly they gave in to
my request. Graham had returned to join me, and even though I tried to
talk him out of it, he insisted he wanted to stay, so I allowed him to be
there with me. Once everything was done, and they were ready to fill in
the remainder of the hole with dirt, we turned and began to walk back
toward the limo. When we were about halfway there, Graham stopped, turned
back toward Cody's gravesite, so I stopped too, and waited beside him.
After a brief backward glance he turned to me and spoke.
"He's all right, Dad. I just saw him standing next to Brent, and they had
their arms around each other's shoulders. They were smiling at me, and
behind them stood your wife, Ricky's mother, Sammy and Andrew's mother and
father, Trey's parents, and Vinnie's mom and dad. There was also a woman
standing behind Cody, and I think that was his mother. I'll bet she wants
to do the things for him now, that she didn't do for him when she was
alive. He's okay, Dad, and I don't feel so bad now."
As we finished walking to the limo, I knew he was right, and someday we'd
all be there with them too.
The End
Book 6
* * * * * * * *
Editor's note: Some of you may already be aware of this, but the character
of Cody was based loosely on a real life Cody. He too had a very rough
life, never knew who his father was, and he too was eventually adopted into
a very loving home. His new father is a friend of mine, and they were both
so excited and happy when the adoption was finalized. Unfortunately, that
Cody was also diagnosed with A.L.L., and even though he also put up a very
brave fight, he too could not beat that disease. When Cody's father told
me that Castaway was Cody's favorite story, I couldn't think of any better
way to honor him, than to include him in it. Therefore, this book has been
dedicated to that little blond angel, who graced our lives for such a short
time, but taught us the meaning of life, better than any other teacher
could. Cody, I hope somehow you realized how much you meant to all of us,
especially your father, and that you can somehow appreciate being a part of
this particular story.
Cody, our little angel, we shall never forget you. Love, Bill
* * * * * * * *
If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me
by clicking on the Nifty author link and scrolling down to "BW". This will
give you the links for everything I have posted there.
E-mails may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.