Aunt Miriam
Miriam hurried inside to the living room where Lou was reading a story to Chuckie and Tommy. "Ya didn't tell me ya had two of'em!"
"Ya blind old bat! Tommy's their kid! Chuckie's his best friend!"
Miriam though only sighed. "Stu, Didi.. . mind givin' me and Lou a few minutes alone?"
"Uh… sure. Come on Chuckie, le'ts go get some snacks."
Miriam pulled a chair over so she was sitting right across from Lou, reaching out and stroking Tommy's head, the baby stiffening slightly… and Lou did as well, wrapping his arms protectively around the boy. "I'm not going to eat him." Tommy gasped, curling up against Lou's chest, shaking in fear. Miriam flinched at that. "Aw… I'm sorry I… oh, I'm not doing this right at all." She looked at Lou. "I know you and I never got along that great-"
"That great? You made my life a livin'… er…" He looked down at Tommy, "uh… ya know. Always pickin' on me, stealin' my toys-"
"I'm sorry."
"-chasin' me and my friends and- what was that now?"
"I'm sorry Lou," Miriam sighed. "You remember my friend Jenny?"
Lou smiled. "An angel. Always tellin' us when you were tellin' lies!"
"That she was," Miriam said with a smile, only for it to fall. "She passed away yesterday."
"Miriam," Lou said, shocked. He adjusted Tommy and reached out, taking her head. "I'm sorry… I hadn't heard-"
"They'll be putting the announcement out tomorrow. That's why I rushed over here though. I was with her… at the very end. Got to say goodbye. She didn't want anyone to know but… I found out only an hour before. She told me that we never have as much time as we think. And I shouldn't wait to say tomorrow what I can say today."
"Jenny… still helping us even in death," Lou whispered.
"Lou… I'm sorry for how I treated all of you. Bill and Jill. Frankie. Mimi. Your brother Bucky…" she smirked, "even if he did drool all the time. I'm going to reach out to all of them but… I wanted to come to you first. Because we're family."
Tommy looked up at his grandpa, startled to see he was crying. He reached up and touched one of the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. "Yeah… I… I don't suppose… you'd like to go together to the funeral?"
"I'd like that," Miriam whispered.
Lou smiled before looking down at Tommy. "Now why are we sittin' here sobbin'? Jenny wouldn't want that!" He put Tommy on Miriam's lap, the baby soon getting used to her holding him. "Tommy, let us tell ya about the time me and Miriam went in search of Cake Mountain!"
"Oh, I remember that!" Miriam said, bouncing Tommy up and down. "Your pop and mine promised us cake-"
Soon laughter filled the room.
Up in Heaven Jenny smiled.
"Blib?"
She looked at the jellybean-headed soul next to her. "No, I don't know anything about aliens."