Chapter 4

Inside she found a mass of musty old clothes. She sorted through them all until she came to a hard, heavy box at the bottom. She pulled it out carefully realising that it was her mother's jewellery box. She opened it carefully and inside she found a number of necklaces and lots of different sets of earrings. She searched through the trinkets until she found what she thought she'd lost a long time ago.

Kirsten wrapped their plates and cups in bubble wrap before piling them into a large cardboard box. Seth was perched happily on his father's knee in the living room. She stopped and watched her husband tickle and sing to their son. "Humpty dumpty sat on the wall… humpty dumpty had a great… FALL!" Sandy swung Seth around the room as he giggled and squealed. Kirsten turned back to her packing. Just then a squealing Seth came running into the kitchen, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Hide me! Hide me!" Seth ran behind Kirsten's legs in effort to hide from his father who was slowly making his way around their small apartment. "Where's Seth? Is he in the bathroom?" Sandy ran over to the bathroom and looked in, "No. Maybe he's in the kitchen." Sandy started to make his way into the kitchen and Kirsten straightened up trying to disguise her son. Sandy walked through the doorway and loudly exclaimed, "Let's see if Seth's in the kitchen." He looked over to his wife, "Does mommy know where little Sethula is?" Kirsten suppressed a smile and shook her head vigorously. Just then Sandy made a dive for Seth but Kirsten was too quick. She had already spun around and grabbed Seth under the arms. She picked him up and ran with him into the living room, "No you can't take him! He's mine!" she yelled while running through the house. Seth was laughing at the top of his voice and Sandy came thundering into the living room. "I'm gonna get you," He threatened but Kirsten kept running until she came to their bedroom. She quickly piled Seth under their duvet and sat in the edge of the bed trying to look nonchalant. When Sandy came into the bedroom he dove onto his wife. Kirsten shrieked loudly as Sandy attempted to tickle her, "Give it up! Where is he?" Kirsten managed to yell, "I'll never tell!" Just then Seth, thinking he was missing out on all the fun, emerged from under the duvet, "Here I am Daddy!" Sandy grabbed his son, "Hey I found you." He said out of breath. They all lay on the bed and closed their eyes. Seth was the first to speak, "I'm gonna miss this house mommy."

"Yeah honey me too. But your grandma needs help. That's why we have to leave. Are you gonna help grandma?" Kirsten asked as Seth snuggled in between both his parents. "I'll help grandma." He replied while trying to suppress a yawn.

Sandy set the last of the boxes down in their new bedroom. Caleb was waiting in the doorway. "Sanford." Sandy spun around, "Cal! Always good to see you." Caleb came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, "Look Sandy I really appreciate what you're doing for Kirsten… and Kelly for that matter. Thank you." He held out his hand and Sandy took it before stuttering, "Yeah well I wanna help. Let her spend as much time with her family as possible. But remember Cal, this isn't permanent. We're not staying in this… castle you call a home forever."

Kirsten carried the tray carefully as she slowly made her way up the stairs. Seth was by her side patiently waiting until they came to his gran's room. Kirsten looked down at Seth. His face was chalk white, "Seth honey I know I told you that she's sick but just remember she's the same grandma you always had."

"I know mommy but…"

"But what…?"

"But. If she's sick… I might hurt her."

"Honey of course you won't. Just treat her the same as usual okay?" Seth only nodded as he pushed open the room door. He found a small, frail looking woman sitting up in bed putting together a jigsaw. "Hey grandma."

"Seth. Hello darling. How are you?"

"I'm good grandma."

"And Captain Oats? Thank you Kirsten." Kelly replied as her daughter set the tray on her bedside table. Seth held his plastic horse up in front of his grandmother's face. "Captain Oats is great. We went exploring in the sandbox the other day."

"Oh that sounds like fun. What did you find?"

Seth and his grandmother spoke for a long time before he offered to help her with her jigsaw. Kirsten went back downstairs enjoying the peace.

Three months had passed and Kirsten was tired out. She hadn't slept in three days and Seth was becoming bored without all of his Berkeley friends. No one in Newport had seemed to accept him yet. Sandy was working at the PD's office and Caleb was always at the office. Kirsten stared out of the window as Seth played with Captain Oats on the floor. She heard her mother coughing and she spun around. She was reaching for the basin but it was too far away. Kirsten ran to her side with the basin in her hand. She rubbed her mother's back trying to soothe her but when she sat back up Kirsten saw the exhaustion etched on her mother's face. "Thank you Kirsten." She croaked. Kirsten set the basin on the floor and wiped her mother's hair from her face. "You're welcome." Kirsten got up to empty the basin but he mother grabbed her hand, "Honey. I know my time's almost up and…"

"Mom please don't."

"But darling I have to. I just wanted you to know that you have been a wonderful daughter. I love you and your sister very much and my life has been so fantastic with you two in it. You gave me my first grandson, I wouldn't mind another by the way, and now you're here taking care of your old invalid mother," Kelly smiled and wiped away the tears that streamed down her daughter's face. Kirsten leaned in and embraced her mother holding on as long as she could. "Mom?"

"Yes dear?"

"Are you scared?" There was a pause before she replied, "Yes."

"I don't want you to leave me… I mean… what are we all gonna do without you? Dad'll climb the walls and us… well Seth needs his grandma. I need my mom."

"Oh darling. You'll always have me. Forever. You may not see my body but my spirit will live on in every one of you. Just promise you'll never forget me?"

"I promise. I could never." Kirsten whispered through soft sobs. She looked up at her mother and saw the fear set deep in her eyes, "Nobody loves you like I do."

"I know honey. I know." Kelly slipped her wedding ring off of her finger and placed it in her daughter's palm. "This is yours." Kirsten shook her head and slid it back onto her mother's finger, "No. You keep this."

"When I go I want you to have it. Okay?" Kirsten nodded and placed her hand on her mother's.

Kirsten woke up feeling refreshed. Yesterday was the first good day in four months. Her mother had been laughing and joking with her family. She didn't throw up and she said she felt perfectly normal. She looked over at her husband who was being woken by their son, "Daddy, get up. Come on it's almost nine thirty. Don't be a lazy bones." Kirsten laughed and joined Seth in trying to wake Sandy. She shoved his shoulder, "Yeah lazy bones get up." Sandy grunted and pulled the duvet over his head. Seth stood on the spot defeated but Sandy reached out of the covers and pulled his son under with him, "Let's tickle mommy." Sandy whispered. Seth nodded and they both grabbed Kirsten and began to tickle her. She screamed out loud and Seth instantly stopped. He grabbed his father, "Stop Daddy you're hurting her!" Sandy turned to his son and Kirsten sat up, "No he wasn't I was just laughing silly… hey why don't you go check on grandma?" Seth jumped off the bed and ran down the hall. Sandy turned back to his wife, "Good morning." He leaned down and kissed his wife gently on the lips, "Good morning." She replied. They were startled by a loud yell coming from own the hall, "DADDY! MOMMY! SHE WON'T WAKE UP!" Kirsten leapt from the bed and tore down the hall. Sandy was faster. He grabbed Seth and led him to his room. He told him not to leave until he came back to get him. Kirsten ran to her mother's side. She just looked like she was sleeping but when Kirsten held her hand she was cold to the touch. "Mom? Mom please, wake up." Kirsten sobbed, "Please mom. No don't please." Kirsten placed her head onto her mother's cold hand and wept. Sandy came up behind her and kneeled next to her. Kirsten spun around and wrapped her arms around her husband. "She's gone Sandy. She's gone." Sandy stayed silent. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he comforted his wife.

Kirsten studied the gold band in her palm. She slid it onto her finger in place of her own wedding ring. It fitted perfectly. She took it off and put it in her pocket. Just then she heard voices coming from the bottom of the stairs. She saw a head of sandy hair pop up through the opening. "Hey we thought we'd come help."

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