Author's note: Jenny, Sean, Tris, and Dash belong to the writing team of Mary and Amanda, under their various pen names. All other characters, Gull Cottage, and Schooner Bay belong to the original series and whoever has the rights to that. This takes place shortly after the flashback scene in When the Stars Come Out. Thanks to Mary for beta-ing and for asking for a Mother's Day story. Warning, there is angst here. Dedicated to all kids, of any age, who are missing their Moms or Dads, on any day. Especially holidays.
May 8, 1977
"Thanks for letting Jonathan and me use your office to wrap Mom's gifts in, Captain," Candy Muir grinned at the spirit.
"Not to mention hiding them," her brother added.
Daniel Gregg smiled at the two young people. "It is no hardship. They did not take up much room at all, and your mother certainly deserves them."
"Got that right, but why do we have to give Martha the day off from cooking tomorrow?" Jonathan groused.
"Because she's- like our - bonus mother," Candy rolled her eyes. "Or grandmother, but that's still a mother, just not official. And Jenny and I can cook pretty good. Er- well."
As much to head off the spat as anything else, Daniel interceded, "Speaking of Jenny, I haven't seen her all day, and I would say she's been rather - off, but she has not been here long enough for me to be certain of that."
Jon shrugged. "She's not as much fun as Candy. Quieter."
With effort, Candy restrained herself from socking her brother in the arm. She was TRYING to be more ladylike, but sometimes, well, Mom was wrong. It did hurt to be nice occasionally. "Tomorrow is Mother's Day."
"We know THAT, Candy," Jonathan said. "We just talked about it."
"Jonathan, Jenny's mom is - dead- and Cousin Laura is not a ghost."
"Oh." The boy's face turned red.
"She has fit in so well," Daniel frowned, pulling his earlobe thoughtfully, "that I suppose I just assumed the worst was over for her. But, of course, this first mother's day being without her own mother would be difficult."
"Captain, you were an orphan," Jonathan stated, "was it tough for you on holidays like this?"
The ghost shrugged. "I did have my parents the first eight years of my life, and time to build good memories. Aunt Violet was an excellent- bonus parent, and Sean's foster father did fill some of the gap. There are things a young man can't discuss with his mother, or aunt. But, we did not have this holiday until the year after I kicked the blasted gas heater with my blasted toe."
"I don't want to skip Mother's Day," Candy frowned, trying to work out how to deal with it.
"No, of course not. Your mother is a queen among mothers, and deserves recognition, and the lack of celebration would only rub salt in Jenny's wound," Captain Gregg advised. "I believe it would become as the saying goes, the elephant in the living room."
The Muir children looked at each other. "So, what can we do?" Candy finally asked.
"Just be there," the ghost suggested. "I realize that is not much help, but grief is a strange emotion. It works out differently in every heart."
After Candy and Jonathan had left the attic, the ghost popped down to see his lady. "Good afternoon, my dear."
"Hi, darling," she replied.
"Where did that flower come from?" the ghost asked. "Do I need to be jealous?" He glanced at the yellow rose in a bud vase that had newly been added to her desk.
"Tris," she smiled. "He said I wasn't his mother, but he really could not remember his, and since he did not want to infringe upon my children's celebration, he was giving me an un-Mother's Day friendship rose."
"He's a kind soul, underneath the exuberance," the Captain noted. "Looks like he got it from Dash's garden. I remember his wife had spectacular roses."
"He mentioned that his lordship had given permission to pluck a blossom, since it was for me."
"As long as it is not a RED rose," the Captain remarked. "Unless it is from myself."
Coloring slightly, Carolyn dropped her eyes, then lifted them again. "So, what can I do for you, Daniel?"
"Simply be yourself, but I will admit that I have some concern about Jenny. She's been rather withdrawn of late; the children are in accord with me on this matter."
Carolyn sighed. "I've noticed too, but, really, Daniel, I expected such a feeling to happen sooner than this. It can not be easy to lose both your parents, then pull up stakes and move, not to mention it being right before graduation."
"She had adjusted rather well. You think it will pass?" the ghost asked.
"If it doesn't, and soon, we will try to do something, though I don't know what," Carolyn said. "I suppose we could invite Blair back so you and Tris could run him off again. That seemed to amuse her." Her lips quirked into a tiny smile.
Daniel blew out an indignant snort. "I do not need the boy's help in running off anyone, and - "
"Hush. I have no intention of inviting him over," Carolyn assured him.
"Good."
"You lost your parents young. How long did it take to get over it?"
Captain Gregg's brow furrowed, considering the question. "To be quite honest, my dear, I am not certain. I'm not certain that I ever let myself truly mourn them. There were certain - expectations- of a young man, demands that he be brave, and so forth."
"Sounds like something Ralph Muir would say," slipped out before Carolyn could stop it.
The ghost's brows lifted. "Perhaps. I did feel it though, and the pain of it never has completely left. Not for them, nor for Aunt Violet, or a hundred friends over the years. How I have wished she could have met you and the children, or wondered if perhaps she would be the one woman Dash couldn't charm the socks off of. And, when I first met Tristan, felt badly that he had no Aunt Violet figure in his life."
"Even after over a century?" Carolyn asked softly.
"Sometimes, even more so after a century."
"I'm so sorry, Daniel."
"It's of no consequence. The agonies of life are part of who I am, as much as the joys."
Rising, Carolyn stroked his dear face with one hand. "I'd tell you how wise you are, but I know you are too modest to believe me."
"Impertinent, aren't you?"
The two shared a smile, then jumped when the back door banged shut. "Mail call," Martha Grant sang out. "Where's Jen? There's a letter here for her."
"Up in the girls' room, I think," Carolyn said. As the housekeeper went upstairs, Mrs. Muir grinned, "I can't hardly believe Ed finally asked her to marry him."
"I was beginning to give up on him," Daniel agreed.
For a few minutes, the two chatted companionably.
"We haven't seen Sean for a few days. Where is he?" Carolyn asked.
"Ah, he heard that an old friend might be up the coast a ways, and went to see," Daniel began to explain when steps clomped into the room. They turned to see Jenny standing in the door, her eyes furious.
"How did we land in the same family as Harriet and Hazel?" she demanded hotly. "Sheesh. I am not a saint, or even Catholic. My hair is way too long, I don't speak French, and the only British I've seen attacking anything around here are when Uncle Dash and Tris fight over who gets the chocolate."
It took a second, then Daniel turned to Carolyn. "My dear, I think you have been usurped in your role as Joan of Arc. Wasn't that who your snoopy cousin kept comparing you to, ad nauseum, on her visit here a few years ago?"
Mrs. Muir giggled. "Harriet, yes. Is she still on that kick?"
"Oh, yeah," Jenny sighed. "Darn it, there's no where I'd rather be, if my parents can't be ... "
"Have you been missing them more?" Carolyn seized the opportunity.
The young woman's eyes dropped. "Sorta, yeah. I- bought Mom's card early, a friendship card that was more perfect than any Mother's Day card I ever found. And, I found it in the last sorting spree. I- feel like a third wheel on days like tomorrow." Sadly, she dropped to the sofa.
"You are not a third wheel. I'm not Laura, but, honey, you are as much a part of our family as ..."
"I know. Sometimes, it just hurts more." She forced a little bit of a smile. "I guess I'm grateful to Harriet and Hazel. Getting mad felt a lot better than being blue."
"I have always found that anger is an easier feeling to experience than sorrow myself," the ghost nodded.
Jenny's smile grew a bit. "Uh- I don't- I can't give you what I got Mama, but- do you think Candy and Jon would let me help with their plans, or am I too late?"
"I am certain they would welcome you," Daniel assured her.
"I'd better get it in gear, then. Thanks."
She got up and turned to go in search of her heart siblings. The grief was not gone, but she had found a way to deal with it, for now.
The ghost and Mrs. Muir's eyes met. One more parenting crisis handled.
And so, thanks to all of Carolyn's children, including the one she had not given birth to, the next day was a special one.