Title: The Final Chapter of the Great Gatsby
Author: Bloodsuckers37
Disclaimer: This story isn't entirely mine. It's either an additional chapter to The Great Gatsby or a rewritten final chapter. At any rate, the characters belong to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Summary: It's the final chapter of the book the Great Gatsby. If you haven't read the book, I suggest that you skip this spoiler. If you have read the book or just don't care, be my guest.
The Final Chapter of the Great Gatsby
I called Daisy about a half an hour after we found Gatsby dead in the pool. Tom answered.
"Hello!" he said very worried and anxious.
"Hi, this is Nick. Is Daisy there?"
"No Nick. She disappeared, and I have to go look for her. Could you take care of my daughter?"
"I'm handling Gatsby's funeral…"
"Excellent," Tom interrupted, not even giving Nick a chance to finish his thought. "I'll drop her off. Are you at Gatsby's?"
"Yes."
Then he hung up, just like that, gone! Within a matter of fifteen minutes, Tom arrived at my house. He just dropped her off. He must have just left because she did not bring anything with her. Tom gave me a key to his house to get anything from his house that his daughter needed. Then I began my journey to find someone for Gatsby.
I had a failed attempt to call Meyer Wolfshiem. Gatsby's butler gave me his Broadway address. By the time the operator was able to give me the number and connect me; it was after five and no on was there. I felt it was very important to get a hold of Wolfshiem. He had to have known Gatsby better than I did. I wrote Meyer a letter and sent it with the butler the next day. The butler brought back an answer that said Wolfshiem could not get involved. Amazing, one of Gatsby's best friends would not even come to his funeral! I called everyone that I could think of, and no one knew his family and no one cared to come to the funeral.
I felt useless, until I received a telegram from a Mr. Henry C. Gatz from Minnesota. It simply said to hold the funeral until he came. A few days later this Mr. Gatz came to Gatsby's house. Mr. Gatz was Gatsby's father.
"Mr. Gatz, I'm sorry I couldn't contact you. I had no idea how or where to find you."
"I saw it all in the Chicago newspaper. Where's my boy?"
"Let me take your coat and hat first," I said reaching for his coat as he took it off.
I took him to his long forgotten son. He came back as if he had seen a ghost. Then, the tears began to flow. I took him to a room upstairs. I felt that Mr. Gatz needed some time alone.
"I didn't know what to do about the funeral arrangements," I said on the way up the stairs in an attempt at making conversation.
"Were you one of my son's friends, Mr. ?"
"Carraway. Yes, we were very close."
"He had a big future and he knew it. That's why he came out here. You know, he could of helped build this country." Mr. Gatz laid his head on the pillow and fell fast asleep. I suppose that the whole situation was really tough for him. It would be for anyone.
Having Mr. Gatz and Daisy's daughter in Gatsby's house was kind of strange. I had to lock the music room to keep her out of it and away form Gatsby's body. That was not something that a two year old should see. She was very well mannered and cooperative. If I asked her to do something, she did it. I did not have to fight with her to do things. Having her around was nice. She brought a pleasantness about the house in a time of great sorrow. She was so carefree and happy and had no worries to drag her down. She brightened everyone's day.
That night, after I put Daisy's precious daughter to bed, I received a phone call. It was Klipspringer, Gatsby's boarder and resident piano player.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Klipspringer, Gatsby's boarder."
"Hello, this is Nick, Gatsby's neighbor. The funeral is tomorrow at three o'clock at the house. Could you tell anyone who would be interested? Can you make it?"
"I really don't know of anyone who would like to come to Gatsby's funeral, and I really can't come myself. I'm staying with these people and they really want me here tomorrow. I'll try to get away though. What I really called about was a pair of shoes that I left there. Could you have them sent to me? My address…" I hung up the phone. I did not even listen for the address.
The morning of the funeral, I took a train to New York City to go to Wolfshiem's office. This was my last chance to persuade him to come to Gatsby's funeral, another failure. First, his secretary lied and tried to convince me that Wolfshiem was in Chicago. Then, he simply said that he could not get mixed up in it. I thought that Wolfshiem would at least come up with a better excuse. Frustrated, I left Meyer's office. On the train ride home, it began to drizzle, poor Gatsby.
All four of us got into the limousine: the minister, Mr. Gatz, Daisy's daughter, and me. Mr. Gatz showed me the picture of Gatsby's house. He point out every detail. I just smiled and agreed.
"Jimmy sent me this picture. Look here. I think it's very pretty."
"Yes, the picture captures the house well," I replied. Mr. Gatz held the picture, lingering for a moment, and then he put it away.
At about five o'clock, our procession reached the cemetery. As we started towards the gate, another car pulled up. Owl Eyes showed. A bit of relief came over me knowing that someone did come, someone did care.
"I couldn't make it to the house," Owl Eyes said.
"Neither could anyone else," I said.
"Really? That's a shame, considering how many people came to his parties."
We were walking together to Gatsby's plot when I heard another car pull up, a white car, Daisy's car. She came! I could not believe my eyes.
After the burial, Daisy picked up her daughter and held her in her arms.
"Nick, I'm going to turn myself into the police and tell them everything I know. I went away to think about the accident, and I decided that this is the right thing to do."
"Are you sure?'
"Nick, when I saw that man's face and the pain he felt, I couldn't hide the truth any longer. Could you watch my daughter until Tom gets back? I'd really appreciate it."
"All right."
"Good-bye Nick. Good-bye my precious," she said as she gave us both a kiss on the cheek. Her daughter just stared. I really don't think that she understood what was going on. Daisy turned around and left.
We all went back to Gatsby's house, changed, and went to bed.
The next morning I received a phone call form Daisy.
"Nick?"
"Yes?"
"I received word yesterday that Tom is in an asylum in Ohio. He had a nervous breakdown looking for me. Romantic, isn't it? Anyway, he won't be out for awhile."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Where are you calling from?"
"I'm in jail. I was charged with vehicular manslaughter. Exciting, isn't it? However, this isn't what I called to talk to you about. I want to give you guardianship of my daughter, if it's okay with you. It's just until I get out. You are a good person all around, and I want my daughter to be around that."
"Well, uhh…"
"Please Nick!" Daisy begged.
"Yes. I'd like that."
"Wonderful! Thank you, Nick! Good-bye."
"Good-bye."
I had to get away from the east. Without Gatsby's parties, life was to quiet and lonely. Jordan became engaged to another man. I didn't have any company other than Daisy's daughter, not that I did not want her company. Life just was not the same; therefore I decided to move back west. Daisy did not mind me taking her daughter with me. Daisy had a hard time having her daughter come and see her in prison. In fact, Daisy preferred that her daughter did not see her. Daisy felt that it would traumatize her daughter, and Daisy did no want her daughter to think that she was a killer.
We were all westerners that weren't ready for the east, or maybe the east just wasn't ready for us.
The End.
1998