Over the years, Perry had started to slow down. Della had been preparing herself for the inevitable. Their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren started spending more time with him. That was hard to do because there wasn't a day when Perry and Della didn't see or hear from them. Maureen and Paul never moved out of the house. Their girls did eventually, but not them. Della did her best to stay composed and keep everything normal for her husband. After he went to bed, she'd usually go to the backyard and cry. Everyone was at the house on that fateful day.

"I don't know if she can survive this," Vince said.

"They've been together for fifty-four years," Max added.

"I feel like she has a better chance at surviving than dad would if it were her who went first," Peggy added.

"Oh, dad wouldn't last a week if he'd lost mom," Maggie said.

"I think we'll still have mom for a while," Nicky said. "She'll be broken-hearted, but if we're here for her like we always are, she should be okay."

"The kids have all taken their turn, maybe it's time we took ours?" Vivian added.

"Youngest to oldest?" Violet asked.

"No," Nicky said, "Maureen should go last."

Vince volunteered to go first. He walked in and relieved his mother who hadn't slept in days. Perry was still conscious, but he slept a lot. "So," Vince said as he sat down, "what's new?"

Perry chuckled, "idiot."

Vince joined him in laughing, "I thought I'd open with a joke." He paused for a moment, "you are the best role model, we could have asked for. You taught us how to treat the women in our lives, how to be great fathers, and how to stand up for what's right. I'm the man I am because of you. Now, that can be good or bad depending on what you think of me," he said as Perry smiled, "but I think it's pretty damn great. I've always thought that."

Then it was Max's turn, "I'm sure that Vince said how we're lucky to have had you as a role model and how you're the reason we're the men we are today. As if we had no say in who we became," he joked and Perry smiled, "I did choose to follow your example. I've seen pictures of mom when she was younger. You got a girl out of your league and I was determined to do the same. I got that girl too. Mom's still out of your league and Kim's still out of mine, but I won't tell them they settled if you don't."

"My lips are sealed."

"Good," Max said, "you're the best. Always have been, always will be."

Violet walked in after Max had left. Her brother had sat on a chair by the bed, but she sat on the edge of the bed. "I know that I'm the 'mama's girl,' but I'm secretly a daddy's girl too. I just felt that mom needed more from me. You never let me down and you've shown me how I should be treated by a husband. You helped me realize what I deserved and what I was worth. That I should never settle. That I should always be true to myself. I love you, daddy," she kissed his cheek.

Maggie walked in and sat on the edge of the bed after Violet left, "when it comes to being a mama's girl or a daddy's girl, I'm neutral," she said making her father smile. "You're both okay, but if I'd become attached to one of you, I'd struggle to be my own person. At least that's what I thought. I inadvertently became attached to both of you. You were the best example of a husband that we could have asked for. I didn't settle because you taught me to never do that. To fight for what I deserved. You've always been there for me. I love you, daddy." Maggie gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

Vivian walked in and took Maggie's spot. "A lot of second-born kids might feel that their parents don't love them as much as the firstborn. I never felt that way. I knew the difference between a special relationship and love. You love us all equally. I've never felt that you gave me less. I just needed less. You were there when I needed you the most. You've always been a calming force in my life." Vivian gave her father a kiss on the cheek, "I love you, daddy."

Peggy took her turn and Vivian's spot on the bed, "I didn't know who I was when I walked into your office that day. When you left Westcroft, I thought that was it. Not only did you find out who I was, but you also made me a part of your family. There were times that I had forgotten that I was adopted because I've always felt like your daughter. You love me as much as the children you're genetically linked to. I'm so grateful to you for everything. I love you, daddy," Peggy kissed his cheek.

Nicky walked in and sat in the chair, "I had no idea when I walked into your office to ask you a hypothetical question, that I was meeting my father. You are the best man, husband, father, grandfather, friend, and lawyer there ever was. I'd had a father figure in pops, but you gave me this big family and took in pops with me. It was the happiest I'd seen him in a long time. It was the happiest I'd felt. You inspired me to become a lawyer. You showed me what a good man is. Everything I had was made possible because you took a chance on a fourteen-year-old kid. I'll always be indebted to you for that. I love you, dad."

Soon after Nicky left, Maureen walked in. She walked over to the other side of the bed and crawled in before snuggling up to her father. "You never gave up on me. You've always loved me and believed in me. You've helped me through the most traumatic times in my life. I'd mess up and you'd forgive me every time. I wanted to find a man like you, but that was impossible. Instead, I found the next best thing. He's pretty great, but he's no Perry Mason. I love you so much, daddy." She kissed his cheek and the two laid there for a while. Then, the other children joined them with their spouses and Della.

"Max, Vince, I have one request," Perry said.

"Sure," the boys said.

"Don't open me up after and switch my parts with someone else."

Everyone started laughing. "Damn, we were going to combine your parts with the parts of a hawk," Max said.

"I voted for the bear," Vince added.

"That was so gross," Maureen said.

"Gross? It was disturbing," Nicky added.

"I thought for sure you two would be sociopaths," Maureen said.

"Didn't you scar dad with your rebellious, prostitute dressing phase?" Vivian asked.

"I only did that to irritate mom. Dad was an unintended victim."

"I am scarred by some of those outfits," Perry said.

"I'm not the one who witnessed a murder and had to testify at eight years old," Maureen said.

"No, but you did have to testify," Vivian clarified.

"Neither of you had to call dad when mom was shot," Maggie said. She turned to her mother, "thanks for that by the way."

"Oh, because I really enjoyed it," Della said.

"I'm the one who kept the love of dad's life from bleeding out," Violet said.

"I'm the one who made them grandparents," Nicky chimed in.

"You're also the one whose daughter made them great-grandparents in their sixties," Peggy said.

"Hey, they were down for that. They just wanted more grandchildren. Didn't matter how they got them," Nicky said.

"That's true," Perry said.

"I'm not the one who thought they broke mom on their birthday," Nicky said.

"It's not my fault she's irresponsible," Peggy said. "I was still new and didn't know that yet."

"Has anyone else noticed that Della is the common denominator when there's trouble?" Paul asked.

"I never had trouble with her," Nancy said.

"Your daughter called her from a party, drunk. Plus, Della was the first one said daughter revealed her pregnancy to," Paul said.

"Oh, yeah," Nancy said, "but I didn't hide my kids from them."

"Don't look at me," he said before pointing to Maureen, "blame her."

Oliver looked at Perry, "I remember asking you for your blessing to marry Peggy. I'd never been so terrified in my life. I was so afraid I'd nearly peed myself."

"You didn't?" Perry asked.

"No," Oliver said.

"All these years I thought I had done my job right. If I had, you'd have been scared enough to pee yourself. I guess I'll have to haunt you."

Oliver looked at him a bit scared, "please don't."

"We were all terrified to ask Perry for his blessing to marry his daughters," Jack said.

"Except Paul," Thomas added. "He was a Drake while you and I were the sons of his nemeses."

"We never felt he disliked us because of who our fathers were," Kimberly said.

"Of course not," Thomas said. "He felt sorry for the two of you."

"He did not," Cassie said, "I helped save Della and the boys. He was grateful to me."

"I also couldn't believe that someone so attractive came from Tragg," Perry said.

"Hey?" Jack and Richard said.

"He's always liked the daughters-in-law more," Richard said.

"That's because he couldn't believe that we could get these women out of our league to marry us," Max said.

"Although, we did learn from him about how to do that," Nicky said.

"Since we're his sons, he was more proud of us for marrying women out of our league than he was when you guys did," Vince explained. "Mom is out of his league. Our sisters are a part of our mom. Ergo, they're out of your league."

"Well, he set me up with Nicky," Nancy said.

"During my cancer treatment?" Della pointed out. "I was in the car feeling exhausted and sore while the two of you stood on the sidewalk, flirting."

"I cracked a window," Nicky said making everyone laugh.

"Dad, you were never afraid to do girly things," Vivian said.

"You always had tea parties with us and wore girly hats," Maggie added.

"I remember when I saw him wearing the same hat while having his first tea party with Faith and Grace," Maureen smiled.

"He also was more than happy to play dolls," Peggy said.

"And watch princess movies," Violet added.

"Like I said, best dad ever," Vince said.

They all talked for a few more hours. As they saw Perry begin to slip away, they all left so that he and Della could be alone. "Are you mad at me?" he asked his wife softly.

"No," Della whispered, "I always thought I'd go first."

"For a while, so did I," Perry said.

"I remember when I was on that stage and saw you for the first time. I forgot the words to the song I was singing. You were the first man I'd ever felt truly loved me."

"Wasn't hard to do."

"I almost married you that night too. Part of me wishes I had. Then we would have had another year together as husband and wife."

"We were still together. We also fooled around too," he gave a slight smile.

Della chuckled through her tears, "yeah, we've kept that a secret for fifty-five years."

"I told the boys," Perry said.

Della laughed, "I told the girls."

"Well, looks like that was the worst kept secret ever."

"Perry," Della got serious, "never in my life did I ever think I'd find a love as great, as amazing, and as wonderful as the love I've found with you. You've always held my hand, had my back, and held me when I needed you the most. I know I gave you a hard time after I got pregnant with Maggie. The truth was, I wasn't sure I could be a good mother to more children. I wasn't sure I was a good mother to the ones we already had. However, you always reminded me that I was doing great. When many husbands would have sent their wives to a psychiatric hospital, you got me real help. You've taken care of me our entire marriage. I know you tried to catch up, and you almost did. You're the most wonderful man I've ever met. I'll be forever grateful that I've had you as my partner in this crazy, wild, joyful, incredible life. I'm proud to be Mrs. Perry Mason."

"Della, you'll never know how terrified I was to propose to you. I wasn't so sure you'd say yes, and I knew I couldn't live without you. You're the most amazing human being I've ever known. You've been through so much, and though at times it was hard to keep going, you did. You're still standing. You're the strongest person I know. I'll wait for you for as long as I have to. Don't rush, darling. You have an opportunity to have more time with our family. Take it," he said, "I've always been proud to have you by my side."

"I love you," Della said as she kissed her husband.

He opened his arms and she laid down in them, "not as much as I love you."

Della sniffled and took a deep breath, "I'll be loving you, always. With a love that's true, always. When the things you plan, need a helping hand. I will understand, always, always. Days may not be fair, always. That's when I'll be there, always. Not for just an hour. Not for just a day. And not for just a year, but always." Della felt the moment her husband was gone. He died peacefully with a smile on his face, and the love of his life in his arms. He stayed alive to hear his beautiful wife sing him their song one more time.