Day 9

Start writing a story that…

Step 1: begins with this sentence: When they knew she had died…

Step 2: add a character who receives a gift

Step 3: include a dialogue that begins with: We have to go now

Step 4: add this word: shy
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When they knew she had died, they pulled out handkerchiefs and wiped cheeks, some wet and others bone dry. They sniffled and sighed and lamented her loss to the world.

Gregory, her nephew, consulted with the physicians to ensure that all paperwork was taken care of without bother to her children, now deep in their sorrow.

Her daughter Julia, Gregory's aunt, handed the head doctor a tie-pin that had belonged to her father. He tried to refuse, but she placed it in his palm and closed his fist around it.

"Mother would have wanted you to have it," she said. "I know she appreciated all that you did during these last few months."

She spoke loudly and the assembled family, about 20 people across three generations, nodded in agreement, echoing Julia's gratitude for the doctor's efforts to make their elderly matriarch comfortable in her final days. The doctor thanked everyone and briefly spoke of his patient's warmth and strength in the face of death, before leaving the room.

Left alone, the family looked to the body on the bed, then back and forth at each other. The sniffling slowly died down and everyone began to shift in their seats or shuffle from foot to foot, as if waiting for instructions on what to do next.

"We have to go now," Molly, Julia's daughter, spoke first. "The kids need lunch or I'll have a mutiny on my hands."

There were hugs and kisses from the family as everyone said their goodbyes to Molly and her two children. When they had reached the doorway, Molly stopped and looked around at everyone. They looked to her and waited. Molly's daughter, a shy 3-year-old  clinging to her mother's black pants, noticed that they had stopped and proceeded to pull her mother towards the doorway, but Molly stayed.

"I'm sure this is a terrible thing to say, but we're only in town for two more days, and it's not easy to fly all the way out from California." She stopped then to give others an opportunity to jump in, but they stayed quiet. Some looked at the floor while others continued to stare expectantly at Molly. When no one said anything, she rolled her eyes and spoke again.

"What I'm asking is, has anyone contacted Grandmother's lawyer? I'm just wondering how soon they plan to do the reading of the will. I don't want to sound greedy, but it's good to get these things settled."

"We haven't even buried her yet, Molly," Gregory said.

"I don't mean to be insensitive, but I know I'm not the only one thinking it. We've known she was going to die for weeks. I'm sure she got her affairs in order and would want us to benefit from her generosity."

Molly's daughter tried to pull her toward the hallway, but Molly pulled her leg away and stood in the doorway.