Chapter Nine: Fare thee Well
The rain pelted down the following day, Riley and her friends sat quietly in her room. Josh, Maya, Riley and Lucas all sat next too one another in the bay window while Isaiah sat in a chair, and Farkle and Isadora sat on the edge of Riley's bed. They all knew what they wanted to say, they just didn't know how to say it, not now, not in a moment such as this, and they all shared a feeling of numbness as tears rested in their eyes. The sound of the rain outside brought some feeling of gentle peace to them, but not enough to help them through this storm. Maya rested her head on Josh's shoulder while he put his arm around her resting his head on hers. Lucas and Riley simply held one another's hands tightly. In the silence of the room they heard the front door open and soon close, Josh stood up
"I'll go see who's home" Josh insisted before quietly exiting the room. Josh walked out to find Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Katie putting their umbrellas down and taking off their raincoats. "Hey guys" Josh welcomed,
"Hey Josh, how are they?" Topanga asked,
"Well, they've been in there all morning and have not said a word. And Auggie is still at Ava's," Josh informed them as they walked over to the dinning table and sat down.
"Well it's all planned for Wednesday," Cory sighed standing next too Josh who turned and looked at him,
"You should go talk to them Cory, they could use a lesson right about now" Josh insisted, Cory simply nodded and walked off, Shawn turned around in his chair.
"Hey Josh" Shawn said curiously,
"Hey Shawn" Josh replied suspiciously,
"How are things?"
"Oh, you know, not, not bad, could be better"
"Oh yeah, and how's the girl situation going Josh?"
"W…well, umm you know, because Maya I presume told you" Josh nervously insisted, Shawn sat in silence for a moment simply nodding his head.
"Yeah" Shawn replied slowly drawing it out,
"We, we cool Shawn?"
"I don't know, are we?"
"Well I mean you'll always be cooler than me Shawn"
"Don't try and suck up" Shawn insisted and Josh just nervously smiled at him. Cory opened the door to Riley's room and quietly stepped in, closing the door behind him,
"Mind if I join you?" Cory asked, he leaned on Riley's desk and joined in on the silence.
"You got anything for us Matthews?" Maya suddenly asked breaking the silence, they all looked at Cory wounding him deeply, as their pain was clear as day in their eyes. Cory slowly nodded a few times,
"There isn't anything I can say really that will make it easier, or hurt less. Know that it will get easier thought, as time moves on the wound heals, but the hardest part about loss is the heartbreak. Because as you walk down those same corridors, pass the places where you use to see him and meet him, you'll look for him and he won't be there. You have to remind your heart, convince it that he won't ever be there, and then there will be those times when you remember the good memories, the happy ones you had and you will feel the pain again but only for a moment. Just don't forget him, or the memories you have of him because he may be gone physically, but that doesn't mean we have to forget him" Cory gently explained to them, in that moment he could see a little of their pain fade. Cory quietly went to walk out of the room,
"When is it Mr. Matthews?" Farkle asked and Cory turned around and looked at him,
"Wednesday" Cory answered,
"Is it bad that I don't want to go back to school?" Isaiah suddenly asked,
"Not at all, it's natural. But don't worry; no one is going to force you to go to school, all of you just take your time and when you're ready to go back to school, go." Cory explained,
"How do you go back, what if we never can go back?" Isadora asked,
"You will Isadora, give it time and you will be ready to go back" Cory answered
"But how Matthews, how do we go back. We saw him every day, he became such a big part of our lives, and how do you move on after this?" Maya asked,
"Together" Lucas said suddenly before Cory could say anything. "We go back and we move on, together because we are strongest when we are together, I know that as long as I'm with you guys, I will get through this." Lucas continued, Cory saw how that seemed to have comforted the group.
"And you will all stay together I know, because that's where you feel safest, you are all welcome to stay for as long you want. There are plenty of spare blankets and pillows if they're needed." Cory explained before quietly walking out of the room, Riley rested her head on Lucas' shoulder as they hands still tightly held onto one another. Riley then with her right hand reached over and grabbed hold of Maya's left hand, holding it tightly.
Cory walked out in the kitchen and sat down in his seat where a hot cup of coffee was waiting for him. Topanga and Josh sat to his right while Shawn and Katie sat to the left of him.
"How are they doing?" Shawn asked,
"They'll be okay, as long as they're together through this they will be okay" Cory answered
"You know they'll probably crash here again" Shawn pointed out
"Yeah I know" Cory insisted,
"You two okay with that, I mean we can take them home if you want?" Shawn insisted,
"We don't have a problem with it, they should be together" Topanga softly stated. Katie looked to Josh,
"When she comes to you, and I know she will, take care of her, comfort her" Katie instructed, Josh nodded slowly
"Don't worry I plan on it" Josh assured her, Katie rose from her seat,
"Right well, I might go get some food from the café and bring it up." Katie insisted,
"I'll help you!" Topanga said also getting up from her seat. They walked over to the droop and grabbed their umbrellas before leaving the apartment, and when the door closed behind them the kitchen fell silent.
"You are failing in your job boyfriend" Shawn stated looking at Josh,
"Huh?" Josh insisted,
"Maya needs comforting, she needs you to be there so go!" Shawn instructed,
"But she is with her friends" Josh pointed out,
"And you're her boyfriend" Shawn repeated.
"Josh" Cory calmly said and Josh turned and looked at his brother, "you're Maya's boyfriend, Riley's Uncle, you're apart of their group as well now, so it's okay for you to go and be there with them, with her" Cory explained,
"Go, take care of her Josh" Shawn whispered gently both he and Cory gave Josh a reassuring smile. Josh nodded, stood up and hurried to Riley's room, he opened the door and quietly walked into the room closing the door behind him, he gave Isaiah a comforting pat on the shoulder on his way passed. He sat down in the bay window next to Maya, they smiled at each other warmly, grabbed hold of each other's hand before Maya rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his head on hers. Back out at the kitchen Shawn and Cory sat there smiling at one another,
"We've grown up," Cory said,
"We've grown up quite a lot haven't we?" Shawn followed up,
"Do you miss it?"
"What?"
"Being a teenager, back when we were kings"
"Yeah sometimes."
"Ever wish you could go back?"
"No, my life is way better now, do you?"
"No, and yes. I just wish I could've learnt so much more, prepared so much better for this."
"Yeah they didn't prepare us for this."
"Dammit Feeny"
"And don't forget Turner!"
"But then again, could they have really prepared us for this?"
"Can you ever really be prepared for this?"
"I don't think so." Cory insisted and the pair returned to the silence for a short while.
"Do you think you could've saved him?" Shawn asked,
"What?"
"Is that what you're beating yourself up about, you think that maybe, if you had gotten there sooner or done something differently you could've saved him?"
"It's crossed my mind I won't lie to you"
"You can't lie to me Cory, it's me" Shawn insisted staring him down.
"Okay, yes, I keep running through the situation over and over in my head wondering if it was something I didn't do or something I didn't do fast enough."
"Cory, this isn't your fault, there was nothing you could of done. His' body was just too weak to continue fighting and it shut down, that's out of our control."
"But he had no one else Shawn, his Mother was the last family he had"
"You felt responsible for him?"
"He carries so much, being there for the students, helping them and taking care of them. The Arlen kid killing himself caused Murray more grief than he showed. I felt like I had to be there for him, help and take care of him." Cory explained as he started to get emotional, Shawn without hesitation stood up and hurried over to his best friend hugging him.
"It's okay Cory, don't blame yourself for this, you did the best you could've." Shawn comforted him.
Wednesday came and the rain continued; the ceremony was under a large tarp in the cemetery, while it wasn't able to provide cover for everyone, many people surrounded it under their umbrellas. Teachers, friends, old students, current students and parents; all had come to mourn and pay their final respects to Murray who, in a well-tailored suit laid in a coffin with the top half of the lid off. The kids couldn't take their eyes off of him, in the picture next to the priest he was smiling so warmly and happily like they remember, but now he seemed to be sleeping so peacefully. They waited for him to crack that smile or burst into laughter or just to talk with his Australian accent, but his' eyes stayed shut, they tried to stay strong for one another but listening to the ceremony and simply looking at Murray, waiting, hoping hurt more and more as time went on. None of them were able to speak, so Cory got up in their place and even then they couldn't entirely hear what he was saying, they were numb, just sitting there tears streaming down their faces uncontrollably. As they screwed down the top part of the coffin's lid, the kids got one last glimpse of Murray before he was sealed away in darkness forever, and when they were finished music started playing.
"If I had wings, like Noah's dove
I'd fly up the river, to the one I love,
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well.
The coffin was slowly lowered into the grave dug below it. The kids wrapped their arms around one another, even Josh who stood next to Maya, to comfort one another, to help one another witness the lowering of the coffin, witness Murray being lowered into his final resting place.
I knew a man, who was long and tall
He moved his body, like a cannonball
Oh, fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well.
Cory and Topanga were the first to drop their flowers down onto Murray's coffin; time seemed to have slowed down as the kids followed. One by one the kids walked up to the side of the grave; they held the flowers out over the grave, their hands were trembling so much so that it wasn't difficult to let go of the flowers. Watching them fall ever so slowly onto the coffin down below and quietly walking back to their seats giving a glance to the photo, a reminder of better, happier times.
Remember one night, in the drizzling rain
And around my heart, I felt an aching pain
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well
They waited; standing in front of their seats, they watched as others followed in their footsteps, people dropped flowers and Rose petals into the grave, onto the coffin, not a dry eye could be seen. The kids now struggled trying to contain their tears, but they couldn't, and no one blamed them. They put their arms around one another again but it achieved very little.
One of these days, it wont be long
You'll call my name and I'll be gone
Fare thee well, oh Honey, fare thee well
Fare thee well."
"Goodbye Murray" they all said, one last time, a final farewell to someone who hadn't been in their lives for very long but had left such an impact he changed them forever. And they will remember him now, forever.
The ceremony came to an end, and after the reception was finished the kids and their parents went to the Topanga's. The kids had stopped crying and hadn't separated far from one another, Cory stood before everyone after drinks and food were acquired and they all sat down.
"Okay well now that it's just us, Topanga and I have something we would like to explain." Cory began as Topanga walked over to him and put her arm around him. "When Murray first woke up, he requested to see Topanga and I first, that was because he wanted us to bare witness to and help him organise his will. Now that we are all together, it is a good opportunity to explain what he wanted to happen. Firstly he said that there were no more words for the kids, saying that he knew he would say all that needed to be said before the end. He assured me that he'd give you one last piece of advice and it would be the best. Secondly, a wedding present to Shawn and Katie and in a way a gift for Maya, in his will he has left you his apartment that he wants the three of you to move into. He said that there isn't anything wrong with it he knows this because he doesn't just own the apartment but the building. He also said that there is a single bedroom apartment up for rent down the hall that Maya's Grandmother could move into so she isn't too far away from you guys. The building's income shall be split into six and shared equally between the kids; Murray explained that due to the loss of his parents he acquired a rather large sum of wealth, part of the wealth will be divided up and given to the parents of the Kids, along with the remainder of his shares and or assets. While the remainder of his actual wealth will be equally divided into six and put into trust funds for the kids for when they turn eighteen, Murray wanted the money to go towards your futures, one last helping hand from him. More importantly he wanted you all to spend that money to see the world, give you some memories to write down in your stories. He has also stated that anything left over assets and shares that could be equally shared will be sold and the money donated to the Minkus Family Foundation. As for the contents of his apartment, he wants us to keep whatever we want, but he wants us to sell the rest and also give that money to the Foundation." Cory explained; he was met by complete silence.
"That was his' will?" Riley quietly asked, Topanga nodded
"Murray's parents were his only family, with them gone, we were all he had." Topanga explained,
"Why would someone hurt, let alone kill a man like him?" Maya asked,
"Sometimes the real world can be unfair, and sometimes bad things happen to good people" Cory answered. Stewart pulled out his phone and started texting something; Farkle turned to his Father,
"Dad?" Farkle asked,
"Yeah son?" Stewart replied looking up from his phone and at Farkle.
"The Minkus Family Foundation…" Farkle began,
"I'm already a step ahead of you Farkle" Stewart insisted as he finished what it was he was texting and sent it off. Everyone looked at them curiously; Stewart put his phone back in his pocket and looked around at everyone. "He saved our children's lives, and has given us all he has, the least I can do is change the name of the Foundation to the Murray Farring Foundation in his honour and memory." Stewart explained solemnly. There was a cold silence in the café as everyone came to terms with Murray's will.
"He's still taking care of us" Lucas insisted,
"Before we see the World, let's see Australia" Isaiah stated, "let's all go and see the Land Down Under" he continued attempting an Australian accent,
"That was terrible" Lucas chuckled,
"I was going off Murray's accent" Isaiah defended
"Then it was even worse than terrible" Isadora claimed. The Kids laughed and the parents smiled,
"Isaiah's right, we should go to Australia first, see where Murray grew up, see his home, we owe that. Because Lucas is right, he's still taking care of us." Riley agreed,
"Yeah and I want to find out if they really ride Kangaroos down there" Isaiah insisted,
"What?" Farkle asked,
"Yeah, I read it online, when I asked Murray about it he just sighed, dropped his head and walked away." Isaiah explained; Farkle looked at him with a look of clear confusion.
"Australia first it is" Farkle proclaimed.
With the rain still falling, it made the night rather cold and the kids were all warmly asleep in Riley's room. Josh had fallen asleep leaning up against the side of Riley's bed, while at first Maya had gone to sleep on Riley's bed she moved down and leaned on Josh before falling asleep again wrapped in her blanket. Isadora and Farkle went to sleep on the other side of the bed; Isaiah was asleep across the bottom of Riley's bed wrapped in a blanket. While Lucas and riley were a sleep cuddled up together on the floor, their heads resting on pillows on the floor in the space between the bay window. Cory opened the door and smiled at them, he turned the light off and walked back out to the kitchen where Topanga was seated.
"Are they asleep?" Topanga inquired,
"Yeah, Auggie?" Cory replied,
"He finally dozed off." Topanga assured him, Cory sat down in his seat and took a sip of his hot coffee.
"Are you sure we're okay with Riley and Lucas? They're all cuddly and close"
"Of course we are Cory, they're us, just starting in a different phase and time then us."
"I know Topanga, but they've just had to grow up so fast I worry"
"I do too, but they are smart kids Cory who have strong feelings for one another. They aren't going to rush things." Topanga insisted, Cory looked at her and smiled, "what?" Topanga inquired, Cory simply shook his head.
"Nothing" he whispered,
"No it's something, what is it?" Topanga asked, Cory continued to smile at her.
"I just remembered how lucky I am to have you, and how much I love you Topanga" Cory whispered as he reached over and grabbed her hand,
"Naww Cory, I love you as well" Topanga replied smiling back at him. It is during times of loss, heartbreak that we are reminded of what we have and how easily it can be taken away from us. In times like these sometimes we need to reach out and grab hold of what we love, who we love and tell them so, and sometimes you just need to lean on them to fall asleep. Or to hold one another to feel comfortable and safe, and for those times when you would wake in the night fearful, all you need to do is to look around the room to see your friends, the people you love to feel safe again. Such loss reveals to us our morality; it makes us not take anything for granted. Cory and Topanga finished their drinks and completed the last of their required jobs before heading to bed together, they got into bed and held one another close and warmly because there is a fear that such times bring to the forefront of our thoughts. A fear of the day when we too shall meet death, and even though their adults; Cory and Topanga still seek the safety of one another's arms and their warmth to help each other move passed this fear; by remembering their love for one another, and for what they have in their lives. It brought Cory comfort and peace knowing that Riley and Maya will have Lucas and Josh, to comfort them and help them, but they've had to grow up so fast that he hopes that don't forget to have a childhood before they go out there and, meet the world.
In the coming days they worked together and cleared out Murray's apartment, helping Shawn, Katie and Maya move in. It was slow work, they had thought that they had cried all their tears but they found themselves getting emotional while they worked. Eventually though they were able to get all of his stuff out, they decided to keep all his photos even though he didn't have a large amount, they also decided to keep what they thought was important to him and made it important to them. It wasn't easy, taking apart someone's home, their friend's home, piece by piece. They found out so many things about Murray, like he played soccer when he was their age, he wanted to be a Writer finding many old drafts which they decided to keep and one day read through them. They cleared out the second bedroom where all his notes were, it was painful for them to take away all his work, it reminded them of all the time and effort he put into them, the dedication and love Murray gave them. Murray was right he did take good care of the apartment, they didn't need to repaint, as it seemed the paint was still fresh. Maya's new room was bigger than her old one. It took them about a week to move all the new furniture into the apartment and to completely move Shawn, Katie and Maya in and out of their old one. Luckily for them a one-bedroom apartment was up for rent in the same building and so they moved Maya's Grandmother in there so that she wasn't too far away from them. They did as Murray instructed, they sold all of his stuff that they didn't keep, and also donated a little to charity; they donated the money raised to the newly named Murray Farring Foundation. Shawn and Katie had everyone over for dinner to thank them for their help, a photo of Murray stood tall and proud over looking the apartment. Riley investigated Maya's new room and while it didn't have a bay window, she still approved of it, noting the difference in size from the old one. It was there their group gathered, smiling at each it was there they were going to do what Murray would have wanted them to do so early on, they decided it was time to move on with their lives together. When the night came to an end and everyone went home, the Matthews and Lucas arrived home and walked into the apartment. It was then Riley noticed something they had all forgotten about, she looked down at the side of the lounge and noticed Murray's bag was still there from the day her and Cory brought it home after he was shot. She looked at it curiously,
"Riley, what is it?" Lucas asked, Cory and Topanga turned around to see what was going on while Auggie had already made his way to his room to get ready for bed.
"Its Murray's bag" Riley pointed out, she walked over to it and picked it up resting it on the arm of the lounge.
"I had totally forgotten about it" Cory insisted, Lucas stood next to Riley while Topanga and Cory walked closer to investigate. Riley opened the bag and looked through it, finding his schedule for classes, teaching plan for each class he had that day, pieces of paper, pens, his wallet and keys were all in there. Something though that stuck out the most to Riley and Lucas were what looked to be two brown covered journals bound together by a strap that went around them. Riley picked up the two journals and took off the strap, she handed one of them to Lucas before opening up the other one to investigate.
"These are all his notes that he took on us, it has the interviews he had with our families everything!" Riley revealed,
"What's in your Lucas?" Cory asked, Lucas opened it up and looked through it.
"It's a story." Lucas stated surprised,
"A story about what?" Topanga asked,
"About us, he was writing everything down like a story." Lucas answered,
"He wanted to tell us a story in the end" Riley insisted,
"A story about how bad things were, and how better they've become. He wanted to write a story so that we'd remember and never let this happen again." Lucas continued,
"A way to connect to people is to tell them your story, or to listen to theirs," Cory pointed out,
"You know we never did get time to hear his story." Riley stated,
"No we didn't, but now we have an opportunity to do something to make up for it, something he won't be able to do anymore." Lucas insisted,
"What's that Lucas?" Cory asked,
"finish this story for him" Lucas answered proudly, Cory nodded and smiled at him. They later went to bed; Lucas and Riley cuddled together in Riley's bed
"I should probably get going" Lucas insisted before going to get up,
"Lucas" Riley whispered softly
"Yeah Riley?"
"Stay" Riley continued, Lucas wanted to but he knew that Cory wouldn't be okay with it a thought made even more real with the sound of approaching footsteps. Lucas looked at the door waiting for Cory to come in and offer him a lift home, only Cory never came, Lucas heard the lights get switched off. He quietly accepted that he was wrong and happily laid back down with Riley who was also pleased with him staying. He put his arms around her as they snuggled up together close. In that moment something came over him, this strange warmth.
"Riley?" Lucas whispered,
"Yeah?" Riley replied and waited a few moments for Lucas to continue,
"I love you" Lucas confidently revealed. While in the master bedroom, Topanga had fallen asleep but Cory hadn't, he instead sat up reading the story Murray had started to write, Cory huddled close to the bedside lamp next to the bed that was providing the light allowing him to read on through the night.