Bennett

Ring! Ring! I answered the phone before the third ring. “Bennett’s Books, this is Marina how can I help you today?” I say as I turn to the computer at my desk. A voice, thick like honey, spoke on the other end. “Yes, I was wondering if I could pre-order Camille Rose’s new cookbook?” I type in his information and get the preorder set. “You have enough in your account for the preorder Mr. Blackburn, I’ll go ahead and use that to secure your new book. However, I will need you to come in when you have time to finish the transaction.”  After hanging up the phone, a wave of emotion hit me. Running the bookshop was great and all, but it’s hard. Tears start to pool in my eyes as I glance around the store. It felt so much like home, but at the same time it felt so… different. Without Grandpa Sam around, the place felt empty.  A bell jingled as the front door opened, “Mari dear, I’m here!!” Elaine burst through the door with an iced latte in her hand. I wiped my eyes and attempted to regain my composure before she made it to the desk. Unfortunately, it was a little to late. “Marina sweetie, are you alright?” I didn’t know how to answer her question, but my silence spoke enough for her to understand what I was going through. She set her drink down and embraced me. “It’s okay Mar. I miss him too.” When she said those words the emotions I had been holding in suddenly overflowed and I was in tears. I couldn’t breathe. I think what pains me the most was that I wasn’t here to say goodbye. __________ I was out of state helping a friend set up a new program for one of their upcoming stores. My phone kept ringing and eventually I answered. It was a Elaine. “Finally, I’ve gotten through to you Mari!” She sounded out of breath, like she had been crying. “Its Gramps, I need you to get here as soon as possible . He’s been in the hospital and has gotten worse over the past couple of days.” Wait, what? I heard what she was saying but I couldn’t process what she was saying. “Mari, he signed a DNR today. I tried to convince him not to, but he says once its his time to go he doesn’t want to be on a machine barely living.”  So much was a blur after that. I found myself on a plane back home. Grandpa Sam was like a father to me. He raised me after my parents passed, and he meant so much to me. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Elaine met me at the airport even though I told her not to bother. I planned on heading straight to the hospital. I asked her why she was there. “Mar…” She never got past my name before she broke down in front of me. However, that was enough for me to understand. I didn’t make it in time. Gramps was gone and I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t get to tell him how much I loved him, and how much he meant to me once last time. I never got to thank him for all that he’s done for me. I broke down. Dropping all of my luggage, I embraced Elaine and cried with her. I had to be strong. There was still so much more we needed to do.  The next few days flew by. We had a small get together to celebrate Grandpa Samuel’s life. He always told us that when it was his time to go he wanted to be cremated. It was the cheaper option, and we could always have him with us. Elaine requested that we keep him at Bennett’s Books. She even got us necklaces to put some of his ashes in, so we can always have a part of him with us. I found a portrait of Gramps in the attic of his house. Elaine and I hung it in the store and placed his urn along with a plaque on a shelf under the portrait. This way we could see him everyday.  A week or so after Grandpa passed, we were contacted by his lawyers concerning his Last Will and Testament. He left me the bookstore under the condition that Elaine works there with me. Elaine was left his house and we each got a trust fund. The lawyer handed me Gramps copy of the keys. Later I found out that Grandpa Sam owned the entire building Bennett’s Books was located in, the first floor was the store. The second floor was a storage area. Finally the third floor was an apartment he had fully renovated and intended for me to live in. Gramps knew me well. I had told him that I had never wanted to own a house, and this was the best thing he could have done for me. Ever since I was little, I always knew that I would take over the book store. Thanks to my grandparents I had loved all books old and new. I did have another passion, computer programming. Luckily, it could be from anywhere considering I only ever went to see my clients in person if it was a huge project. Honestly, this was a win-win situation for me. I just wish Gramps was here with me.