Anna walked into her Uncle's house half expecting to see her Uncle Carson come towards her smiling asking about the babies. Joe squeezed her arm, "you okay?" She nodded and walked to the fridge grabbing a bottle of water. She stared at the photos on the fridge; Carson in between Anna and Nancy the day they graduated college, Anna, Joe, and Carson on their wedding day, Nancy, Frank, and Carson on their wedding. Anna smiled softly and then looked at the more recent ones that had been added not long ago; Carson with Kendall on her first birthday, Carson with Elizabeth and Kendall reading them a book, and Carson with Anna, Kendall, Nancy, and Elizabeth not long after she was born.
Joe came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her resting his hands on her bump, "baby, remember the good things. He was able to see a lot of the important things. Cherish the things he was here for graduating, weddings, and two of his grandchildren's births." She nodded resting her head back on his shoulder. She closed her eyes as tears threatened them. She sighed, "I know, I should go find Nancy we have a lot to figure out."
"Go on, I am going to find Dad."
Anna nodded and left the room walking the hallways and the rooms. It still smelled like her Uncle was here and it was a smell she didn't want to ever leave behind. If only she could bottle a smell. There were still work papers and things out of place that Carson had yet to pick up. Anna and Nancy refused to clean it up or let anyone else do it. She looked at the pictures that lined the main hallway, most of them were Nancy but then some were Anna and Nancy. It was a timeline of Nancy's life and then Anna's once she started living with them. She started sobbing as she glanced at how happy they all were.
Nancy peek her head into the hallway from the living room, "Anna, come in here." Anna nodded and went into the room to see photo albums strung out everywhere. Kendall and Elizabeth were in a play pen near the big windows looking out to the front yard. Anna forced a smile, "so many memories."
Nancy had tear stained cheeks, "this is my fault. I should have said something sooner." Anna sat down on the couch beside her, "No Nan, no one is to blame. Do the guys have any leads?"
"Well, no but yes."
"What does that mean?"
"I will explain in a minute. First, I have already made the funeral arrangements it will be in 2 days on Tuesday. I would rather just do the viewing and funeral all in one day. Is that okay?"
"Yes, of course," Anna's voice cracked, "whatever is fine with you. Nancy, he was your father you don't need to ask my opinion."
"Anna, he considered you his daughter. In fact, I talked to the lawyers. He left me and you both everything equally. We need to figure out what to do with the house and everything."
Anna shook her head, it all seemed unreal. She didn't want to believe this was happening. She had lost her parents and now her Uncle, who was a father to her. "I think we should keep it. It's you childhood home, Nan. There are so many happy memories here. At the very least maybe we can come here every once in a while."
Nancy wiped the tears from her face, "that's a perfect idea. I don't want to get rid of it. Thank you, Anna." Anna nodded and wiped her own tears. Nancy was biting her bottom lip hesitant to say anything, "I'm not supposed to know this and you especially aren't."
Anna gave her a weird look, "what are you talking about?"
"I overheard Frank talking to Fenton. There was a note about dad. It was your brother who did this."
"What?"
"That's what they said."
"Why wouldn't they say something to me, to you?"
"Maybe they didn't want to worry us, I honestly don't know."
Anna put her head in her hands and started crying. This was her fault; her Uncle's death was on her hands all because she had a half-brother. She had no words, she couldn't take everything. It was all too much and she didn't even know where to start. Nancy went to her cousin's side and held her, "don't get worked up. They didn't want to say anything because of the babies."
Anna bite her lip and wiped her tears, "I'm fine. I won't mention it or think about it till after the funeral." Nancy studied her for a moment, "Anna, you don't have to act like it doesn't exist. This has to be hard for you." Anna shook her head and raised her hand, "please Nan, I can't think about it now." Nancy nodded her head and dropped the subject, "so what photos should we use for the funeral?"
Anna grabbed some of the photo albums and they picked out a few photos from his life, when he as younger, when Nancy was born, Nancy growing up, and then photos with Anna were added in, then the more recent life events. Anna blinked back the tears, "well I think we have enough." Nancy wiped the tears falling from her eyes, "one thing done. Laura is handling the funeral home." Anna nodded and the girls hugged each other.
Anna woke up Joe, for a change, she usually slept with Nancy lately it seemed. She turned to look at her husband, his eyes were on her watching her, "morning honey, how long have you been up?" He kissed her forehead, she smiled at him. He smiled even wider kissing her nose and lips lingering a while, "for a little while, you slept well last night."
Anna nodded and cuddled against him, "I did for a change. Wonder how Nancy slept?" Joe kissed Anna passionately holding her tighter, "she did okay. She was up and down a little bit." Anna nodded wiping the tears coming down her face, "today is the funeral. Today makes this all seem so much more real. I have been waiting this whole time for Uncle Carson to walk through the door." Joe squeezed her tighter, "I love you, and you are handling this well. Just get through today and hold on to the good memories."
She smiled slightly and kissed Joe, "I love you Joseph Hardy." He grinned, "not nearly as much as I love you." She raised her eyebrow at him and tickled his sides, "is that what you think?" He laughed as she tickled him and he finally shouted, "I give, you love me more." She smiled and he coughed while saying, "Not." Anna kissed him, "we need to get ready." Joe nodded and they both got up to get dressed.
The men were dress in black suits along with black ties. Nancy had on a long sleeve knee length cotton dress that tied in the front. Anna had a black lace dress with a little black cardigan over it. Kendall and Elizabeth had simple little black dresses on. Everyone else had on darker colors.
Biff looked at all of them, "I have cars and security teams waiting." Anna nodded and looked at him, "I don't want to be with someone new." Biff gave her a half hug, "I got you okay, remember I will never let anyone hurt you." She nodded and Biff stepped away and started directing people between the two cars. Biff was driving Elizabeth, Nancy, Kendall, Anna, and Joe. Everyone else was in the car in front of them.
Once they were in the cars, Anna looked up towards the front where the guys were, "why is security so tight?" Anna gave Nancy a little knowing look. Joe looked back at them, "you know don't you?" Nancy nodded, "we were going to wait till after the funeral. We just want justice for dad." Anna nodded, "he was our father." Nancy squeezed her hand. Anna gave her a small smile as they both wiped tears off their face.
Biff spoke while looking at the road, "Anna and Nan, I will protect you and the girls. I won't let any more of my family get hurt. For once, I'm begging you both please do not even attempt to help, think, and stress about this."
Anna and Nancy looked at each other and Anna squeezed her hand tighter. Nancy spoke, "Biff, we will stay out of it. We have the twins to get ready for and our sweet girls to take care of. For once I think I will stay out of this. I have caused enough trouble by not saying something sooner." Biff nodded and Joe looked back at them, "I promise you both. We will find him and nail him."
The girls nodded as they pulled up to the funeral home. Anna and Nancy took a deep breath mentally preparing themselves for what was ahead. Joe jumped out opening the doors as they both got out. Joe hugged his wife and rubbed her belly, "I love you so much, I promise I will get this guy." She nodded and kissed him softly, "I love you." He wiped her tears, "I will worry about Kendall. Just go talk and remember Carson for the wonderful man he was."
Anna nodded at Joe and Frank turned away from Nancy and hugged her, "Love you sissy." She forced a smile, "love you bro." She went to Nancy and the girls held hands as people immediately started talking to them as they walked in the door.
Anna was standing behind the podium and looked out at the crowd of people. It was overwhelming at the number of people that were there. She wiped at her tears and cleared her throat. When her eyes caught Joe's he gave her an encouraging smile.
"Good afternoon everyone, thank you on behalf of me and my family, we are so overwhelmed with all the love and support that has been shown at this time. Carson Drew was the best man, I ever knew. Not many people know that I was legally adopted by him, my senior year, after my parents died. He taught me to be the caring compassionate person I am today. He was a man of honor and integrity. He showed me the meaning of unconditional love and I never doubt once that he didn't love me. Carson would always go out of his way to help family and friends. He was the most giving and loving man."
Anna hung her head wiping at the tears that were streaming down her throat and coughed slightly to try to clear the lump in her throat, "I was blessed to be able to call him dad. Even more blessed that he was able to give me away at my wedding and be part of my daughter's life for such a short time. There won't be a day that goes by that I won't miss my Uncle, my Dad, and I will always hold him in my heart. Know that he will be watching over us every day. His life was taken way too soon and we will hold onto the memories and remember the legacy he left behind."
By the time Anna was done she was crying so hard, she couldn't move. She was holding onto the podium for support. Joe went to hand Kendall to his mom, who was sitting beside him, but Fenton was already up on the stage. He wrapped his arms around his daughter-in-law and she just went weak. He helped her down the steps and she was sitting in between him and Joe, when Kendall started to reach for her mom and cry. Laura quietly got up and went out the side door with Kendall.
Joe wrapped his arms around his wife, "shh, baby I got you." He held her tight as she sobbed. Nancy was standing at the podium now quickly wiping her tears as they flowed, "Thank you everyone for being here to honor my father. Everything Anna said was beyond true. I was blessed with an amazing father and example of how to be the best person that I could be. He never did anything halfway. Even in work, he cared so deeply for all of his clients that he wanted to make a difference."
Nancy looked down as she started getting choked up and tears pouring down her face, "he was the best father… I ever… had. I love him with everything in me, just as he did me. He…" Nancy started feeling weak and she could talk. Frank, who was holding Elizabeth, quickly stood up and put Elizabeth on his hip and was beside his wife in seconds along with Fenton. Nancy tried to continue but couldn't and they helped her to her seat. She was crying so hard and Anna turned to her and they held each other as they cried. Frank sat beside Nancy rubbing her back as Joe just held Anna the best he could.
Fenton wiped his own face and went in front of the audience, who didn't have a single dry eye. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "I think Nancy and Anna said it best. Carson was my best friend and I am thankful that he raised such a fine beautiful daughter who is married to my son. He also raised another wonderful beautiful daughter, who is married to my other son. Carson will live on in his two daughters. He taught them to be the decent caring human beings, the way he was himself. He wanted to make this world a better place and I was beside him for quite a bit of this. The world got a little worse the day we lost Carson Drew."
Fenton went back to his family and got in front of Nancy and Anna, "I love you both and I know how hard this is. Just let it out." All the people in the audience slowly started going to the casket to pay their respect. The girls hugged Fenton, "thank you. We love you." They both said and tried to stand to greet and talk to some more of the people.
Fenton went up to Frank, "give me Liz, I will take her and go find Laura." Frank handed Elizabeth to his father, "thank you." He nodded holding Elizabeth as Frank joined Nancy. Fenton reached for Joe's shoulder and he turned to his dad, "if this becomes too much for Anna or if she gets to upset pull her away. Her health is more important than her talking to these people." Joe nodded and Fenton went to go find Laura.
Hey Everyone- this is an extremely long chapter and I just got done writing it. Hope it makes up for my lack of updates. It is a busy crazy summer between work and my best friends upcoming wedding. I promise I will try to update again ASAP
thank you everyone for your reads and reviews you have no idea how much it brightens my day and keeps me going. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I was in tears while writing it.
XOXO thank you all so so so much...