Chapter Eight: Good things Happen
It was about lunchtime when Riley pulled a container of sandwiches out of the fridge, she took the lid off and placed the container in the middle of the table,
"Lunch is ready!" Riley announced, Josh's head sprouted up from the lounge before he stood up and walked over to the table. He again sat across from Riley and the two of them picked out a sandwich each and started eating. Maya suddenly emerged from the hallway,
"Riley you weren't in your room" Maya insisted,
"Sandwich?" Riley asked smiling at her
"Sure!" Maya replied walking over and sitting down next to her, she picked up a sandwich and started eating it.
"Maya" Josh welcomed
"Uncle Boing" Maya replied smiling at him, Josh chuckled.
"So Josh told me about you two" Riley insisted, immediately Josh dropped his sandwich as a cold shiver ran down his spine he went to say something but only strange noises came out. Maya with a guilty looked at Josh then slowly turned her head and looked at Riley,
"Bay window, bay window right now!" Maya insisted before they put their sandwiches down and ran off to Riley's room. Josh started to cry,
"Why niece, why?" He whispered, a short while later Lucas walked through the front door and closed it before noticing an emotional Josh sitting at the dinner table eating a sandwich.
"A crying Uncle Josh eating a sandwich at the dinner table, okay" Lucas whispered before continuing on his way. He walked over to the table and noticed the two unattended sandwiches on plates across from Josh,
"Huh, bay window?" Lucas asked,
"Bay window" Josh cried, Lucas sat down next to Josh and grabbed a sandwich,
"You're not really crying are you?" Lucas inquired,
"Oh no, I was just hoping they would hear me a feel bad!" Josh insisted cheering up almost immediately, "so what are you doing back here so soon?" Josh inquired.
"What's much happening at my place, Mum has work again tonight so she was about to go to sleep, but it was the way she looked at me. Like I was…"
"Like you were wounded?"
"Yeah"
"I know the feeling, and the look"
"You do?"
"Yeah, it's the look of fear parents give you when they almost loose you. They just want to wrap you in bubble wrap, box you up and keep you safe, fearing that if they don't, if they look away even for a second you'll break and be gone."
"Your parents nearly lost you?"
"Oh yeah, I was born prematurely and had a respiratory infection, nearly died. I would catch them looking at me like that from time to time, but during Middle School my parents and I got into a fight, you see, there was an excursion I really wanted to go on, my parents said no. I called up Cory asked him to come pick me up because I didn't want to be there anymore. He came, picked me up and took me out for ice cream. I told him about our fight, about the excursion, how I felt like they didn't love me and just wanted to keep me locked in the house. When I was done, Cory told me the truth about my birth, how close they all came to loosing me. I understood right way why they were so protective of me, and I started to notice that look, they care about you, but when they look at you that way. In that moment they remember how close they came to loosing you, or they remember how they can't help you forgot what happened to you."
"Wow,"
"Yeah" Josh said just before Riley and Maya walked back into the kitchen,
"Lucas!" Riley said,
"Hey Riley, Maya" Lucas replied,
"Huckleberry" Maya said as she and Riley sat down in their seats returning to their lunch. Josh and Lucas both grabbed another sandwich each and started eating them. Shawn and Katie suddenly burst into the Matthew's home overjoyed,
"Matthews we're getting married!" Shawn proclaimed loudly.
Shawn and Katie's wedding was the turning point for the group. A week later they found out that Murray unexpectedly woke up, while he wanted to firstly see Cory and Topanga, when the time came to go visit him they were all excited. Murray sat up in his hospital bed, he was pale, he had lost his charisma, his smile; they barely recognized him upon entering his room.
"Hey guys" Murray welcome slowly and panting, his Australian accent a welcoming reminder to them that this indeed was Murray. They all greeted him warmly and stood beside his bed. "You're all looking well" Murray insisted,
"So are you" Maya assured him, he slowly shook his head,
"Nah mate, I look like crap, but I've looked worse, schoolies will do that to you" Murray insisted.
"How are you feeling?" Riley asked,
"I've felt better" Murray answered. He looked down at the end of his bed where Isaiah stood, "So Zay, how's the whole talking, humor, visibility issue going?" Murray inquired,
"Oh well you know, I've learnt to keep my mouth shut a little bit more. But I don't care if I'm not visible to everyone anymore, only that I'm visible to those who matter to me" Isaiah explained smiling at his friends, Murray smiled at him,
"Well done," he said, looking next at Farkle and Isadora. "Well Farkle, Smackle?" Murray continued,
"We aren't just smart, we are so much more. That is evident by the friends we have surrounding us." Farkle insisted,
"To the world we might be geniuses, but to our friends and to ourselves, we are simply Farkle and Smackle. We don't know everything but one day we may, and one day we may take over the world." Isadora explained
"But only if our friends are there to keep us on track" Farkle concluded,
"With the friends you have, and at the rate you're going, you'll both be the smartest rulers of the world in no time" Murray assured them. He looked onto Maya,
"I'm okay, and I've grown up. The past is out of my control and behind me, there is no point lingering there letting it hold me back. So I'm moving on, I'm hopeful now, knowing that I can do and become whatever I want as long as I work hard believe in myself. Keep my friends close." Maya explained happily,
"And Josh, how are things with him?"
"Good, we're connecting just as you said."
"He seems like a smart boy, he'll see the best of you and he won't want to let you go" Murray assured her. He looked at Riley who smiled down at him, "You know what? I think that's the first time I've seen you truly smile, tell me why" Murray stated,
"Because I'm finding who I am. In truth I haven't discovered who I am entirely but I'm well on my way. With recent events they've made me see what's truly important, given back the best part of me, my friends, they've always been the best part of me. So far I like the new me and I can't wait to find the rest."
"Finding your true self isn't something that you can do in a few days, weeks or months. It takes years, it's a journey you begin and sometimes you get lost along the way, but sometimes getting lost means that you're so close to being found, or finding what it is you're looking for." Murray explained and finally looked at Lucas who stood closet to him,
"I'm in control, of me, my demons and my anger. They don't control me and my friends help me control them, so I don't fear about moving again because I know I won't let my anger take over again. This is my home, this is where I want to be, and we'll protect each other from all that life has to throw at us as we go out and meet the world."
"And have you and Riley made it official yet?"
"What? No, we are taking it slow"
"Oh slow my ass, you've been taking it slow since she fell into your lap on the subway. We all know it's her; it's always been her. Love doesn't need a story, a chapter or a page, it doesn't need a sentence, and it doesn't always need three words. Sometimes all it needs is one, and my notes are littered with 'Hey' and 'Hi' and the smiles I'm sure you give one another should be evidence enough of how strongly you feel about one another. Now for God's sake put us out of our misery and make it official will you!" Murray commanded, Lucas opened his mouth and went to say something. "I swear Lucas if the next words out of your mouth are an excuse I will get up from this bed and kick your ass, and in my state it will make for a great story someday." Murray insisted still panting, Lucas and Riley turned and faced one another,
"Riley, would you want to be my girlfriend?" Lucas nervously asked, she smiled warmly at him.
"Yes" she insisted, Lucas smiled at her before the two tightly hugged their friends cheered while Murray looked up and mouthed 'thank God' then looked at them and smiled.
"Now listen you lot. You've all grown up so much since the first time I met you. And we've been through so much, our darkest hours they bring us together. You're all closer and stronger friends compared to when we first met, and I'm proud of you all, you are all unique and beautiful individuals. Together you shine brighter than any star in the night sky. Since I can see the rings on all of your fingers, I know that you'll never let that light fade, we're all stories in the end and one day we will have to tell them, make it a story that you'll be proud of, one that will make you smile and happy. But you can't do that in here, so go on out there and continue writing, and when I'm ready to get out of here and rejoin be there waiting for me okay?" Murray requested, they all smiled at him and agreed "also have an extra piece of wedding cake for me, now get going" Murray instructed, they each took turns hugging him before walking out of the room. They walked into the waiting room where Cory Topanga, Shawn and Katie were all waiting, Lucas and Riley walked up to Cory who glared at them.
"Dad" Riley innocently said,
"Mr. Matthews," Lucas warmly greeted,
"Save it the both of you, Murray warned me what he was going to do" Cory revealed,
"You don't have a problem do you?" Riley asked,
"I'm your father of course I'm going to have a problem with it, but are you both happy, and is it real this time?" Cory replied both Riley and Lucas nodded their heads.
"Then I cannot have such a big problem with it, I can be happy, I mean despite it still being him; he isn't that bad of a guy." Cory insisted,
"Did everybody just hear that, I think Mr. Matthews just complimented me, was that a compliment, it was a compliment wasn't it?" Lucas joked,
"I've changed my mind, I don't like it!" Cory stated, Topanga stood up and hugged Riley and Lucas, "Topanga!" Cory hissed,
"What? I'm happy for the both of them" Topanga insisted.
All attention went to the wedding. Shawn had secretly been planning the wedding for a while now meaning there wasn't much to really plan as he had taken care of it all. Time seemed to have flown by and the Wedding day arrived. Shawn and Katie stood at the alter and said their vows to one another, she in a flowered white dress, he in a black tuxedo, with a black bowtie and white undershirt. It was a small simple ceremony just how they both wanted it. All the Matthews were there, Mr. Feeny, Jonathan Turner and his wife, Jack Shawn's brother, Stewart and his wife, Maya and her friends, and a few friends and family from Katie's side. Moving on from the beauty and emotions of the wedding, they moved to the reception and just in time as it starting raining heavily outside. The speeches were short and quick just how Shawn wanted them, he didn't want things to get too sentimental and bogged down. After all they were all hear to celebrate, after the cutting of the cake a slow dance was called out, it was then Cory received a sudden phone call. Riley watched as he had a quick word with Shawn "go!" he mouthed, Cory ran over to his Dad, Riley's Grandfather having a quick talk with him. Within moments both Cory and his father were hurrying out of the room. Riley's focus was broken when Lucas sat down next to her,
"Coke, they didn't have grape juice, or any juice," Lucas explained.
"Thanks" Riley replied taking the glass and sipping from it while watching Shawn and Katie slowly dancing.
"He did a pretty good job" Lucas complimented,
"Yeah, I can't believe he's been planning this whole day behind her back" Riley agreed. Josh walked up to Maya who was seated at her table watching the dance,
"Hey you," Josh said,
"Hey," Maya replied.
"You just going to sit there or would you like too dance with me?" Josh asked,
"Do I really have a choice?"
"No not really!"
"That doesn't seem fair,"
"Well I'd be checking something off my bucket list"
"Oh really, and what would that be?"
"Dance with a gorgeous girl at her Mother's wedding" Josh insisted, Maya smiled and blushed, "come on" Josh insisted offering out his hand. Maya happily took his hand and by his side walked over to the dance floor. Shawn and Katie both smiled at them, Josh brought Maya in close and together they started to slow dance. Meanwhile Cory arrived at the hospital and hurried through the corridors heading for Murray, he found Murray laying there in his hospital bed looking no better then the last time he saw him.
"Hey mate" Murray panted as Cory walked into the room, closing the door behind him and sitting down in the chair next to his bed.
"Hey Murray" Cory whispered,
"I'm sorry I dragged you away from the wedding" Murray apologized,
"Don't worry about it, Shawn said you should come for a drink" Cory insisted, Murray coughed a little.
"I'll have to take a rain check on that"
"I never knew Aussies could pass on a free drink"
"Ha-ha, that's a stereotype there is much more to us than drinking" Murray assured him. At the wedding more people had joined in and were slow dancing.
"That's it, come on" Lucas insisted jumping to his feet and offering his hand out to Riley,
"Huh, what?" Riley stuttered,
"We are dancing let's go" Lucas again said, Riley smiled and took his hand, they walked over to the dance floor and joined in,
"You remember in Middle School when we danced like this?" Riley asked and Lucas chuckled.
"Yeah, how great we were and how everyone was copying us," Lucas remembered and Riley also chuckled
"It's scary to think about how much we've grown up."
"Well then, let's not think about it" Lucas insisted, Riley rested her head on his chest. Meanwhile Josh and Maya were still dancing and couldn't take their eyes off of one another, Josh smiled at her.
"What?" Maya whispered,
"I'm just trying to remember why I kept pushing you away for so long" Josh wondered,
"Three years Maya, rah, rah, rah" Maya said attempting to mimic him, Josh chuckled
"I don't sound like that Uncle Boing" Josh stated trying to mimic Maya.
"Oh please that was terrible!" Maya insisted trying not to laugh,
"I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you" Josh insisted,
"How?"
"Go out with me?" Josh asked, Maya's eyes opened wide as she blushed,
"What?"
"Well I like you a lot, and I don't want to miss my opportunity"
"You, you like me?"
"How couldn't I?"
"So when you say go out with you, do you mean like on a date or boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Eh both, I mean boyfriend and girlfriend would be the eventual conclusion of going out on dates. I'm ready and willing to start where ever you are."
"Why?"
"Like I said, I like you, I don't want to miss my opportunity. I don't want to wait and have some other guy come in and steal you from me because I was too slow, so?"
"Yes"
"Yes?"
"I'll be your girlfriend"
"Awesome!" Josh stated and they both smiled at one another, "If you want, this could be our first date" Josh continued,
"And" Maya whispered
"And?" Josh asked, Maya grabbed his tie and pulled him in close kissing him on the lips. A warm tender feeling, something she had wanted to do for so long now and in his moment she did, and she finally understood just how right Murray was, it was never Lucas, she never had this feeling or desire to do this with Lucas; for him it was always Riley, but for her it was always Josh. Good things were happening. Maya and Josh gently pulled away from one another and stared into each other's eyes before smiling and returning to the dance.
In the hospital Cory sat comforting Murray who was coughing.
"You alright?" Cory asked, Murray nodded as he caught his breath.
"I'm sorry for pushing Riley and Lucas together" Murray whispered,
"Don't be, it was bound to happen we all knew it" Cory assured him,
"I wish I had allowed myself to love, have children"
"You still have plenty of time for that Murray"
"Nah mate," Murray insisted but paused for a moment and closed his eyes, "can you hear it?" Murray asked,
"Hear what?" Cory inquired,
"The music they're dancing too, it's so peaceful"
"Yeah I can hear it"
"I can see them, dancing together like flowers in the breeze. They're happy"
"They are, because of you Murray" Cory insisted and Murray smiled warmly. He opened his eyes and looked at Cory offering up his hand, Cory took it immediately. Murray was trembling,
"I'm going to die Cory" Murray whispered,
"Hey don't say that,"
"Our lives have become so busy, we are always running when we should be walking, blinding ourselves when we should be seeing. We disconnect ourselves from others, denying ourselves true happiness so that we can work harder in our jobs. We have become so dysfunctional that we've forgotten what is important, I had forgotten, for so long I had, but helping Riley and her friends, getting to know them I've remembered so much, and in my final moments I've found peace because there is no point regretting. I can't change my past, nor will I have a future, but seeing them together again, happy and dancing it makes me feel accomplished like I was able to make p for my mistakes and do good by others. Thank you Cory Matthews for giving me this case" Murray explained, he gripped Cory's hand tightly before the monitors he was connected too started beating rapidly.
"Help! Somebody please help!" Cory cried out with tears in his eyes. Hospital personnel poured into the room, the sound drowned out and all that could be heard was the music in his heard, Cory could picture everyone back at the reception slow dancing, holding one another close. And so could Murray, with a warm gently smile on his face he let go of Cory's hand, his head rolled a little to the side and as the last of the breathe left his body his eyes slowly closed, the last thing he saw was them dancing to the music playing. To Cory's horror the music playing in his head was now backed up but a relentless and horrifying 'beep'. They were all dancing, Shawn and Katie, Maya and Josh, Riley and Lucas, Farkle and Isadora, everyone was happy, but in Cory's head he could only imagine them dancing to the sound of that 'beep'.
The night came to an end, only a few waited back for Cory and his father. Only those who Cory needed to stay back. They were all laughing, bright warm smiles on their faces, sharing stories of the night, celebrating Maya and Josh's news. All their happiness seemed to have faded when they saw Cory and his father walking towards them, Alan had an arm around Cory who had clearly only recently stopped crying,
"Dad" Riley whispered,
"Matthews?" Maya followed through with as they both stepped out from the group and approached him. Cory hugged them both tightly and Alan walked over to Amy hugging her,
"Cory, what happened?" Shawn asked but everyone had already put it together they just all needed to hear Cory say it.
"Murray passed away" Cory began, immediately everyone's eyes filled with tears. "His body just wasn't strong enough to heal and it shut down," Cory explained. After hugging him tightly Riley and Maya backed off heading to Lucas and Josh as Topanga quickly replaced them and hugged Cory. How quickly do tears of sorrow wash away the smiles of good things not long since happened.
"Tonight shall be the night, I lay down my weary head, and to the stars I go, to a quiet place called paradise. Do not mourn but remember me, I am at peace now, in a place where suffering shall no longer be a feeling I feel. Oh this place, they say there's no such place, despite that some will search till the ends of the Earth, only to find that there's nothing there. How far they'd walk to find it, yet it's always down the same road to nowhere. If only we lived our lives in the moment, saw the beauty of our own world and the people in it, I wish I had sooner. But I'm happy with what I saw, so now this road comes to an end and as does my story, but in the end I'm proud of it, it makes me smile because I know how to end it. Simply, Here and now I wait in the fields of paradise, write your stories and one day search for Paradise, and when you find it, find me, take a seat in the fields with me smile and we shall welcome each other as old friends, and there tell me your story, there in the fields of Paradise." – the last words of Murray Farring, found on a piece of paper by his hospital bed.