"Goodbye Mama"

Those were the last words Annalise said before she left her mother's grave...

Five days ago Annalise got the worst phone call of her life, her sister Celestine called to tell her that their mother Ophelia died in her sleep. Her sister said, that within the last month their mother's Alzheimers took a turn for the worst and her body and mind couldn't take it. Annalise was devastated internally, but oddly enough she didn't cry. She dealt with so much loss in her life, she was numb to the pain.

The last time Annalise saw her mother was when her parents came to Philly to see her while she was in jail. It was during that visit when she found out her mom was in the early stages of dementia. Before her parents went back to Memphis, she promised her mom that she would visit more often. She even planned to make a trip there within a few months to stay for a week, especially since her mom was sick, but Annalise never made it down there. After she got released from jail, she spent several months trying to get her life back together: looking for her own place, looking for a new office, looking for a new university to teach to. She was so tied up with her own life, she didn't make it down to Memphis to see her mother. Annalise didn't even call as much as she'd like, but when she did call, Ophelia didn't know who she was, and that hurt.

Once Annalise got off the phone with her sister, she immediately made preparations to fly down to Memphis to be with her family. First, she called Bonnie to tell her the bad news, and told her to pass the word around to Frank and the students. Annalise also phoned Nate to let him know. Her mom was very fond of Nate, and she was hoping he would be her son-in-law one day; Annalise knew that would never happen.

"Nate, my just passed, she died in her sleep. I just wanted to let you know because I know she took a liking to you, and vice versa."

"Damn, I'm sorry to hear that Annalise. How you holding up?"

"Surprisingly I'm okay, for now", Annalise said somberly.

Nate heard the sadness in her voice. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, Bonnie's going with me, but thank you for the offer."

"Okay, but keep me updated, and let me know if you need anything. Safe travels."

"Thanks Nate. Goodbye."

Annalise's flight was scheduled for the next morning. She tossed and turned all night, because she couldn't stop thinking about her mother. They didn't have the best relationship, and Annalise felt guilty about that. She also hated the fact Ophelia's last memory of her was her behind bars in jail with a murder charge. Annalise suddenly felt sick, she got up out of her bed, then ran to the toilet to vomit. Holding her stomach in a fetal position beside the toilet, Annalise whispered, "I'm sorry Mama", with a single tear coming down her face.

On the flight to Memphis, Annalise didn't say much, she just stared out the window from her window seat; she obviously had a lot on her mind. Bonnie, who was sitting beside her, was worried about her.

Bonnie grabbed her hand, "Whenever you're ready to talk Annalise, you know I'm here."

Annalise faced her, then nodded her head silently.

Bonnie continued to talk, softly rubbing her hands. "I've been through this before, losing a parent. Of course it's not the same circumstance, because I hated my father, but the guilt is all same, the wondering of what if things would've been differently. You'll find yourself asking often, what could I have done to change things. It won't be easy Annalise."

"I know, thanks Bonnie", Annalise said while wiping her eyes. It was the first words she said the whole flight.

In Memphis...

When they arrived in Memphis, Annalise's dad picked them up from the airport. Annalise introduced Bonnie.

"Daddy, this is my friend Bonnie, she works for me. I think you two already met when you came to see me."

"Hey there, I do remember you. Thanks for coming with Anna Mae, I never knew her to have much friends " Annalise cringed when she heard that out of her father's mouth.

"No problem, I'm sorry for your loss Mr. Harkness. Your wife was a very special lady."

"Anna Mae was just like her _"

Annalise had enough, she knew her dad was about to start telling embarrassing family stories, so she cut him off. "Daddy that's enough, turn on the radio or something. Lets not bore Bonnie with any stories".

"Whatever you say Anna Mae"

Annalise rolled her eyes, while Bonnie had a smirk on her face in the backseat. Mr. Harkness rode in silence for the rest of the way.

Annalise spent the next two days at the home where she grew up. So many visitors were coming and going, bringing food and flowers, and just offering their condolences. A lot of the visitors were excited and surprised to see Annalise back in town, giving her hugs, and some even taking pictures, it was like she was a local celebrity.

Bonnie stayed to herself in the guest room most of the time, every now and then she would come out and sit in the corner in the living room amongst the guests.

Annalise went to go check on her in the guest room. "Hey, just checking in, I know you don't like crowds."

Bonnie looked up from the book she was reading, "I'm good, How are you doing is the question.

"I'm okay", Annalise lied.

"Are you really okay Annalise?"

The truth was, Annalise was not okay. She was overwhelmed by everything. Tomorrow was the funeral, and the closer time moved forward, the more Annalise started to get anxious and become emotional.

"I need to clear my head. I'm going on the porch to get some fresh air."

Annalise went outside and sat on the rocking swing, she pulled out her phone and saw that she had quite a few voicemails and text messages. The K4, Oliver, Frank, and Nate all either texted or called with their condolences, that warmed her heart. "Maybe they do care about me" she thought.

However, Annalise was only wanting to hear from one particular person, but that person never reached out, and that crushed her. But it wasn't like she actually reached out to her to let her know about what happened.

The next day (after funeral)...

Annalise threw the red rose down on to her mother's grave with tears streaming down her face. Bonnie, who never left her side, handed her a kleenex and rubbed her back, letting her know that everything would be okay.

Shortly after, Annalise heard a familiar voice calling her name, "Annalise...".

Annalise's heart skipped a beat because she knew that voice all too well. She turned around to see Eve standing there dressed in all black with a somber look on her face. The two ex lovers greeted each other with a tight, warm embrace. She was now in the arms of the person who she trusted the most, who knew her the most, and the one person she was waiting to hear from.

Annalise broke down in Eve's arms, it was her first time breaking down since her mom's death. "I can't believe she's really gone", she cried into Eve's shoulder.

Eve patted her head and comforted her, "Shhh, it's okay, she's at peace now."

Annalise finally got herself together and calmed down, "Look at me, I'm a mess", she said half jokingly.

Bonnie looked on and felt out of place, "I'll give you two some space."

"Bonnie, you can ride back to the house with my family, I'm going to hang around and chat with Eve."

Bonnie nodded, and walked off to catch up with Annalise's family.

Annalise broke the embrace, but she was still holding on to Eve's hands. "What are you doing here?" She tried to play it cool, but she was elated to see her.

"What do you mean what I'm doing here? I'm here for you. Do you want to go somewhere so we can talk in private?"

"Yeah, theres a park up for the road, we can go there."

The ladies got into Eve's car and rode to the pond side park: a quiet, secluded area with a good view of nature. Once they were there, they got out and sat under the gazebo.

"Okay, now tell me, how did you find out about my mom?", Annalise questioned.

"Since you must know, Bonnie called me and told me. She said she knew you were hurting, so she thought you would want to see me."

"She's right", Annalise confirmed.

"Why didn't you just call me yourself?", Eve asked, grabbing Annalise's hands.

"I didn't want to interrupt your life in California, I'm not your concern anymore."

"Don't ever talk like that, you will always be a concern of mine, and I hope I will be for you."

"You will be", Annalise assured her, which made Eve smile. "Okay, I'm over being sad, Mama wouldn't want me to have a pity party over her. She always said, 'Baby, if something ever happen to me, I want y'all to celebrate. Don't cry over me'" Annalise said in her best country accent.

Eve chuckled. "Miss Ophelia was an amazing woman, even though I only met her a few times" *cough cough*

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Mama liked you, she always treated you kind when you came around. I remember the first time I brought you to Memphis, Mama said, 'Anna Mae, who is this long legged white gal you got with you?', Annalise laughed.

However, Eve wasn't laughing, she was a serious, with a stern look on her face. "And you introduced me as your roommate, your friend from college."

"What? You were my roommate. We lived together, didn't we?"

"You never told your mom I was your girlfriend, did you?", Eve raised her voice.

"Eve, drop it please, I'm not in the mood for this today."

"Why didn't you tell her? Were you ashamed of me?", Eve continued to push.

"Because I didn't have to!", Annalise shouted. "She knew, deep down she knew, a mother always knows."

Annalise started to tear up. "She would always question me, 'Anna Mae, why you never bring a man home? You always bring that white gal around, people gonna start thinking something after while.' 'Anna, you dating yet?' 'I wanna have grandchildren one day.'" "When I told her I married Sam, she was so happy, but when she found out he was white, that changed. 'I wanted you to get married, but I didn't say go marry a white man.'"

"That's why she loved when Nate showed up to Memphis last year. 'Anna Mae you finally got you a chocolate man.' She loved her some Nathaniel, as she called him."

"Wait, Nate was with you in Memphis? And your mom liked him?" Eve was jealous. "Just one big happy family, huh?"

Annalise tried to stay on topic. "Anyways, after I got married, thats when I distanced myself even more from my family. I felt like, if you didn't like my husband, you didn't like me. Foolishly, I chose Sam over my family. Things were so bad, Mama never knew I was pregnant until I told her last year, she never knew about Baby Sam. I wasn't a good daughter Eve, and now it's eating me up inside. I wish I could chage things, but it's too late, it's too late." Annalise was bawling.

"Annalise, I'm so sorry. Come here." Eve held Annalise and rocked her. '"Your mom loved you, whether you were gay, straight, or married white, her love didn't change. She just wanted the best for you." Now Eve was shedding tears.

After Annalise calmed down, Eve asked her if she was ready to go back to her family's house, Annalise wasn't ready yet. She was enjoying the alone time with Eve and being able to grieve. Annalise started to reflect, staring out at the peaceful pond in her view.

"You know Eve, it seems like everyone I love leaves me. First, Baby Sam, and within a two year period I lost, Sam, Wes, and now Mama. Is this my karma? I just don't understand, I know I'm a horrible person, but I don't deserve this."

"You're not a horrible person, stop saying that."

"You better not die on me next. I can't take another death, I swear to god,"

"I'm not going anywhere", Eve reassured her.

"Well it's bad enough you are all the way across the country."

"Again, I'm not going anywhere. Besides, you have Bonnie, she takes good care of you. She's not taking my spot, is she?"

"Please, of course not! She's like family to me. Speak of the devil" ,Annalise then got a text from Bonnie asking her if she was okay and if she needed anything.

"See what I mean!", Eve teased.

"My family is probably talking her poor head off, I know she's ready to go."

Eve wasn't done with her questioning, "Is Nate still taking care of you?", she asked with her fingers doing the quotation gesture.

"We're not as close as we used to, but he offered to come down here with me."

"That was nice of him. I can't be mad at that."

'Eve, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, I would love if you would go back to Philly with me."

Eve sighed, "That would be great, but you know I can't. I have a life waiting for me back in California, thats why I'll be leaving in the morning."

"So soon? I was going to invite you back to the house to see my family tomorrow. We're having a barbecue repass in honor of Mama"

"This was just an in and out trip for me. I wanted to be here for you, pay my respects, then be on my way. Thanks for inviting me though. I booked a hotel outside of town. You're welcome to stay the night with me there, and don't worry, it has double beds."

"You're the one that should be worried", Annalise quipped. Thanks for the offer, but my family and Bonnie would be looking for me. I just want to say thank you for coming out here for me, you made me feel a whooole lot better. I don't know what I would do without you in my life."

Eve gave her a long hug and a kiss on the cheek, "I love you Annalise".

"I love you too Eve."

Two days later...

The time had come for Annalise to head back home to Philly. Before she left she stopped by her mother's grave.

"Mama, I will remember everything you taught me growing up. Although we didn't always see eye to eye, I am thankful and grateful for your wisdom and the times we shared together. Mama, I want to especially thank you for burning that house down, killing that monster, knowing what he did to me; that meant more to me than you know. I hope I made you proud as a daughter. The last time I saw you, I told you I was free, and now, you're free. I love you so much, take your rest. Goodbye Mama." Tears softly streamed down Annalise's face.