Shaggy woke with his head pounding. He thought back to yesterday and all that had happened. It had been a rough weeks or so, but he was now standing on the other side…or at least he hoped so.
He thought back to having Jasmin Jones grab his hand and how that had broken his own dam. He hadn't been able to take anymore. And he had run. Everyone else deserved to mourn in their own way, not influenced by his pain.
So he had run out into the rain. He had not cared what happened to his suit and clothes. He had just run. As far and as fast as his legs would carry him. Finally about an hour later, Shaggy found himself standing just outside of the graveyard. It was not at all where he had expected to be. He wasn't even sure it was where he wanted to be. But his feet had brought him there.
So Shaggy had stumbled forward, step after frustrating step, until he was standing in front of the three graves. Each one was there. He could almost feel them staring at him. And it made Shaggy think back over the past few years. The gang had seen each other so often, even while not traveling. While Shaggy loved his parents and sister, he was closer to this group than anyone else. And losing these three, he felt like it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to him. It wasn't fair to their families. It certainly wasn't fair to Jasmine.
"I'll miss you guys. More than you'll ever know. And I love you."
But fair didn't change things. So Shaggy had collapsed and cried. When he noticed the time again, it was when an umbrella appeared over his head. He had been gone for nearly two hours. Shaggy looked up at the woman holding the umbrella. She offered a sad yet comforting smile his direction, offering him her hand. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Shaggy reached up and took it.
"Thanks."
"No problem, you looked a bit wet." This nearly got a smile out of the man.
"Just a bit. Tends to happen when you decide to work out in a suit during a rainstorm." This got an actual laugh and smile from the woman.
"Any chance you are up to heading back? The party is calming down and the lawyer just arrived."
"Lawyer?" Catching the sudden fear in Shaggy's voice, the woman reached over and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
"Just about their wills. Time to go see what is going to happen to Jasmine. You want to know, don't you?" Shaggy felt a shudder run down his back. He remembered the look Jasmine had given him as he ran away. He couldn't do that to her. She had just lost several very important people in her life and he would be damned if he was going to run away from her too.
"No, you're right. Let's go."
"Great. Mind if we drive? I'm not really up to running that far back." Here Shaggy let out an actual smile.
"Whatever you say. Let's get going."
The two had gotten into her car and driven quickly back to the reception hall. From the outside it still looked like a party was going on, but as he entered, Shaggy saw that things were actually very quiet. As he walked in beside her, Scooby came running up. The dog had a concerned look on his face, but smiled back when Shaggy offered him a smile.
"Don't worry pal, I'm not running away. Just needed to say my goodbyes."
"Reah, rell relcome rack!" (Yeah, well welcome back!)
As Shaggy scratched behind the Great Dane's ears, everyone's attention was drawn to a lawyer standing at the other end of the room. The older man cleared his throat and everyone turned to face him.
"Good Evening. My name is Mr. Riles. While I do wish it were under happier circumstances, thank you all for being here." Shaggy felt himself groan a bit. He knew the man had a hard job, but it didn't make Shaggy any happier to consider what was coming. The giving away of Fred, Daphne, and Velma's possessions. Like they were gone.
Well…they were.
Then there was poor Jasmine. She couldn't just be given away like a possession. She was a human being.
Shaggy felt a hand on his shoulder as the woman offered a gentle squeeze. Only then did he realize that his fists had been clenched. He released his hands.
"Now then, first for Miss Dinkley's will."
Shaggy felt himself shut down as the reading of the Will's began. He really didn't want to hear this. But he knew he needed to. His eyes shot up as he heard his name.
'…To my dear friend Norville Rogers, I leave all the notes of our memoirs as well as my bookstore." Shaggy took that in. She had left him her business, which she had worked so hard to start. On top of that, she left him all the notes and memoirs from the mysteries. Each a tale of a story. A painful memory? Shaggy felt a tear run down his face as he nodded to the lawyer that he had heard him.
And the continued through Velma's will. Next Came Fred and Daphne's. He heard what they left to Velma, which he assumed would go into an estate. Finally came him.
"To Norville Shaggy Rogers, one of our oldest and closest friends. He and Scooby were always the glue that held the gang together. To them, we leave the mystery machine…."
Shaggy scoffed a bit at this. The machine had been totaled and he wasn't sure he would every get that. He began to drop his head and walk away when he heard words which would change his life forever.
"…And we ask that he become the legal guardian of Jasmine Rhea Jones."
Shaggy stood frozen in his spot. He couldn't turn to look at anyone, but he could feel the eyes of both the Jones' and the Blake's burning into him. He took a gulp.
"Excuse me?"
"It is quite plain here, Mr. Rogers. You have been asked to become Miss Jasmine's legal guardian. The choice is of course entirely up to you." With that the lawyer put the papers back into his case. As he moved over to Shaggy, the room still sat silent.
"No please think this over. I will not need to know for a few more days. Contact me when you have decided so we can make any appropriate preparations. Do not worry, The Jones' estate will cover the cost for caring for her." With that Shaggy snapped.
"STOP!" The whole room jerked their attention in his direction.
"I'm sorry?" Mr. Riles seemed flustered at Shaggy's reponse.
"I'm sorry, but please stop for now." Shaggy continued in a much softer tone. "My friends were just buried and these decisions are not ones I can easily make right now. So please, stop."
Seeing the look in Shaggy's eyes, Mr. Riles relented.
"So be it Mr. Rogers. I will need your answer by Friday. That will give you a week. Until then we can place her in someone else's care."
"No, please don't. She can stay with either I or her family until then." Mr. Riles gave the younger man one last look.
"So be it Mr. Rogers. I look forward to hearing from you."
With that he was gone and out the door, leaving Shaggy and the rest of the guests dumbfounded. It was decided that sleep was best for everyone. The Blakes had decided to keep Jasmine for the night.
VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX
So here sat Shaggy, considering all that had happened. He stood and Scooby slowly shifted from his slumber at the foot of the bed. As the dog yawned, he noticed Shaggy staring at the window.
"Rhats Rong Raggy? (Whats Wrong Shaggy?)" Shaggy felt the Great Dane's eyes on his back.
"I'm not sure what to do Scoob." He stopped and slammed his fist down on the window sill. "I don't know if I am good enough to raise Jasmine." Scooby came over and nuzzled his head once more under Shaggy's hand.
"Re'll Rigure rit rout." (We'll figure it out.) Shaggy couldn't help but smile at the dog's confidene. He stood to get dressed. He was going to have to discuss Jasmine's future with both the Blakes and Jones for sure. With a groan he opened the door and stepped into the hall. He and Scooby were at a hotel just a block down from the office where Mr. Blake had agreed for everyone to meet this morning.
Shaggy and Scooby settled down for a quick bite at the continental breakfast before heading over. Only then did Shaggy realize how long it had been since he had actually eaten. And he realized that food may never again carry the same kind of fun it had previously. He dropped the slice of bread back on his plate and dropped his head into his hands.
Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up once more into those familiar eyes and almost felt himself smile. She offered a gentle smile in return.
"How are you doing?"
"I've been better." She settled into the seat across from him, slipping her hand down till it held his.
"I can imagine."
They sat together in silence for a bit. The only noise was from other patrons, but Shaggy didn't notice any of that. All he saw was her. She seemed so confidant. So sure. He wasn't sure he would ever be that again. Then her words broke his thoughts.
"So what are you going to do?"
"Hmmm?" He snapped his eyes back into focus. She really was gorgeous. And she had been so nice to him since all of this had happened.
"What are you going to do?"
"Well, I'm going down to meet with the Blakes and Jones."
"Not what I meant."
"I know."
Another silence fell, but there was some tension in this one.
"So?"
"To be honest I'm not sure. I absolutely adore Jasmine, but I'm not sure I can handle taking care of her. I can hardly manage for Scooby-Doo and myself." This got a bit of a smile from her before her face was once again serious.
"Just take your time. You need to make the right decision for Jasmine. Fred and Daphne believed in you." Here she stopped, looking down at where her hand was still on his. She drew it back and stood up. As she moved over, she put her hand back on his shoulder and gave him a peck on his cheek. "And I believe in you." Then she walked away.
Shaggy sat stunned for a moment, unable to process what had just happened. He moved a few seconds later.
"Sally, Wait!"
But it was too late. Thorn was gone.
And Shaggy didn't know why her being gone made him so sad.
