Ten reviews, for one ch.? A personal best! Thanx guys, hope you like ch. 13. WARNING: MAY BE EXTREMELY SAD, (may not)

CHAPER THIRTEEN: Grammy Ruth

"How much longer, Doc?" Mr. Stewart asked, fearing the answer.

"She's leaving us quickly, I'd bet on twenty-four-hours."

Miley cringed at the answer. She wanted to scream at him: You're a doctor! Why can't you save her??? But instead she bit her lip and kept quiet.

"Can we go and see her?" He asked.

"I'd advise one at a time."

"I'll go." Miley spoke up. It was around the tenth time she had seen her great grandma from the first day they got there, until now. It made Miley want to cry...how Ruth looked worse and worse each time she visited her. As Miley walked into the room she could feel her grandmother's eyes on her.

"Miley, is that you, baby?" she asked, barley audible.

"Yes, Grammy." Miley answered. Ruth was her mother's grandma; and since her mother's mom died, and her mother didn't have any siblings; Ruth was Miley's only tie to her mom.

"Miley, what does the doctor say?" She asked, yearning for the truth. Miley didn't say anything. "Honey, it must be bad. No one will tell me." She looked into her great grandbaby's eyes. "I won't pressure you to tell me then." Ruth slowly patted a spot on the bed next to her. "Sit here, darlin."

Miley sat where she was told. She didn't trust her voice at the moment. "Miley, I know I'm go'in, and soon. I want you to know that I'm ready. I've been longin to meet up with my hubbie, and my daughter, and your mother." She was silent for a while. "You look just like your mother, Miley. Your hair, it's identical. Honey, don't mess with your hair, it's a huge connection to your mother. Please, promise me you won't ruin your hair. Don't die it, or cut it way short, or anything. Please, promise me."

"I promise, Grammy." Miley choked.

"Miles, Jackson wants to visit." Called her dad from the door.

"Coming!" Miley got up.

"Not yet, Baby. Do you see that wooden jewlrey box on the table?" Miley nodded. "That's for you. Don't open it until your at home, among your closest friends and family. That's my only wish."

Miley kissed her grandmother's pale, old, wrinkled cheek; that lit up the old woman's dying face.

"Bye, Grammy." Miley said for the last time. "I love you."

"Good bye darlin. I'm proud of your singin thing. I'm proud of you. I love you, and I hope you know your mother did too, dearly. Goodbye." Miley took the box in her pale, trembling hands and walked out the door. She took one last look at her grammy's smiling old face, before she left the room. Miley stored that sacred memory deep in her heart and soul.

Later that day:

Mr. Stewart answered the phone. "Hello? Oh, hi, Dolly. Uh, hu. Okay, I'll tell them. Thanks for the call. I'll see you later." He turned to see the frightened faces of Miley and Jackson. "Kids...Great Grammy Ruth passed away."

Miley sniffed and swallowed. "When?" She asked.

"At three. My brother, your uncle James, was in there with her when she died. He says that she was ready, that she died peacefully."

Miley ran into "her room", and cried and cried. Then, she got her phone and called Lilly and coincidentally, that was the moment Lilly got the result from the test.

"Lilly!" Miley sobbed into the phone. "Grammy died!"

"Oh, Miley!" Lilly started crying, for her friend and herself. "I'm so sorry! Did she say anything to you...before..."

"Yes. My hair, my mom!" She cried, not making any sence to Lilly.

"Miley! I'm pregnant!"