Song: Love without end amen

By: George Strait

Start song at (1)

North, tooth, and Sandy were all meandering towards the Bennett family household absorbed in their own thoughts. In all truth none of them had celebrated Thanksgiving in quite a while. Mostly because they believed it was a family centered holiday, each of them being without said family, and with their schedules being what they were it wasn't something that really grabbed them as important to do. But that thinking led them to wonder why Jack, a young spirit who had been a complete loner for his entire life, would be celebrating such a holiday. Which brought on thoughts and questions of If Jack celebrated all the holidays on his own. If it wasn't for the loud cheering coming from the house they had been headed towards they may have walked right past it, so absorbed where they in their wonderings.

Sandy created a question mark, and the three of them crept towards the house. The sounds became clearer and clearer until the unmistakable voice of Jamie spoke.

"So Bunny? You understand little better now? You feel more comfortable with the idea of Jack being are many greats ancestor?"

North's mouth fell open, tooth's eyes widened, and Sandy produced a barrage of sand symbols above his head.

"Cranky, I suppose I do." Bunny's voice said. "So you do this song story thing every year?"

A resounding "yes" was his answer. The three guardians outside were now 10 times more shocked because there was more than a few adult voices mixed in to that yes.

They made their way the last few feet to the window and peeked in.

"Why don't I tell the next story." Mr. Bennett said. "You see Bunny, can I call you Bunny?" The Easter Bunny nodded in acceptance and Mr. Bennett continued. "We've been doing this for generations and we've got a nice repertoire of story songs that we tell over and over again. And each year new ones are added. All the ones you just heard now are new ones that we most definitely will be telling, but now I'd like you to hear one of the older ones. This is a story that was passed down to me. My great-grandfather told it to me."

There was a slight pause of respectful silence and more than a few glances at the chair great great great grandpa Bennett used to sit.

"Sadly my great-grandfather passed away this last year, but thanks to our tradition his stories live on. And in that way so does he!"

Among the wiping of eyes there were smiles and murmurs of agreement to Mr. Bennett's heartfelt statement.

"The story starts when my great great grandpa was a boy. I'm going to sing it just as he did, from his point of view." Grandpa took out his guitar and started strumming at simple rhythm. (1) "Got sent home from school one day with a shiner on my eye. Fightin' was against the rules and it didn't matter why! When dad got home I told that story just like I rehearsed, then stood there on trembling knees and waited for the worst."

Demitry, who had grabbed his potable drum set while no one was looking, added percussion accompaniment as Mr. Bennett sang the response. "Dad said: 'let me tell you a secret, about a father's love. A secret that my daddy said was just between us.' He said: 'daddy's don't just love their children every now and then. It's a love without end amen!'"

Fathers and mothers were nodding understanding, and at the same time happy-slightly sad and wistful-looks were coming from every person. Jack, who had only known great, great, great Grandpa bennett personally for one year, was right along with them. He had even paid the older man a visit in his last days, happy to find he could still see the winter spirit.

Mr. Bennett wasn't even spared, still he continued to sing with all the respect and meaning the song and the man who first told it deserved. "When I became a father in the spring of 81, there was no doubt that stubborn boy was just like my father's son! And when I thought my patience had been tested to the end, I took my daddy's secret and I passed it on to him. I said: 'let me tell you a secret about a father's love. A secret that my daddy said was just between us.' I said: 'Daddy's don't just love their children every now and then. It's a love without end amen!'"

Large tears broke free now and Mr. Bennett face. "It's OK dad!" Jamie said, tears of his own running freely. Jamie started the next verse and his father smiled as he accompanied him.

"Last night I dreamed I died and stood outside those pearly gates. When suddenly I realized there must be some mistake. 'If they know half the things I've done they'll never let me in!' my dream self whispered. 'But then somewhere from the other side, I heard these words again. They were: 'Let me tell you a secret about a father's love. A secret that my daddy said was just between us. You see daddy's don't just love their children every now and then. It's a love without end amen!'"

Comforting hugs were being offered all around, and there didn't seem to be a single dry eye in the group. Bunny felt the old pain of his own losses and could sympathize with the Bennett family. That's when Sophie crawled into her father's lap and gave a small snuffle.

"I miss him! I'm happy he's here!" She placed her small hand over her father's heart and put her other hand on top of her own heart.

A chorus of, "AWWWWWWWWW's" came from the gathered Bennett's. Bunny put his large paw over his own heart and felt the truth in Sophie's words.

"Thanks for sharing dad!" Jamie said.

Another round of applause, this one less of a rousing cheer and more of a heartfelt note of accomplishment, rang through the living room.

The three guardians outside had gotten over there shock and they too now felt overwhelmed with good, heart lifting family feelings!

I wrote this as a testament for my Grandmother. She always encouraged me, with whatever I was doing and I loved hearing stories about her childhood and life as a stay at home mom of 8! She sadly died on my birthday after a long difficult fight with alzheimer's. Even though it's not my birthday right now I felt like writing a chapter to remember her by. In a way I hope this writing will keep her alive like this story's, character's tradition dose for there loved ones.

Sorry for so many emotional chapters, my next one will be happier I promise!

Please write a review or P.M me I love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Please no hate, thank you all for reading!