Cole regained his sight as he had found himself back in his room at Dinah's house. He then remembered that Blake and Tim were heading out and headed to the door just in time to see them start heading out before they saw him.
"Oh, change your mind?", Blake asked smiling.
Cole blushed as he shrugged.
"Well, I couldn't pass up the chance at ice cream with my two best friends."
Tim looked at ease before noticing Cole's altered charm from Littlefoot's world.
"Hey, when did you get a new charm?"
Cole felt a bit scared as he felt he should explain, but how could he? Luckily Blake spoke up for him as he got dressed.
"What does it matter how he got it?", he asked in turn, "What matters is he got it, doesn't it?"
Tim chose to let it go before the trio headed out into the winter lined streets of New York only to find it surprisingly a bit warmer today.
"Huh, guess we have a heat wave.", Tim shrugged.
"Tim, are you sure your cousins will be okay?", Blake asked.
Tim didn't seem bothered as he led the trio over to what looked like an ice cream parlor only a few doors down which they were thankful for.
"Still want that cotton candy cone?", Tim asked playfully.
Cole looked a bit nervous, but nodded as they were soon at the counter with what looked like a boy around their age behind the register.
"Welcome to Jerry's Parlor of Creams, how can I help you today?", he asked cheerfully as he wiped the counter with a rag.
"Three large cones, please.", Tim told him.
Cole saw his name tag reading "Paul" on his shirt and took a breath.
"I'll have cotton candy."
"Double fudge for me.", Blake put in.
"And I'll have Turtle.", Tim stated.
Paul punched in the order and looked to the trio.
"Twenty-five eighty.", he said.
Tim pulled out a twenty, a five, and a dollar from his wallet and handed it over before Paul exchanged it for two dimes which he gave back.
"Order is number seven two eight.", he said, "We'll call you when it's ready."
As the trio went to sit down, Tim looked a bit interested.
"Cole, are you worried about your grandfather passing?", he asked.
Cole felt his heart skip a beat, but settled though he looked a bit scared.
"A little.", he answered, "But I know he's going to a much better place than anywhere the world can offer."
"What's that?", Tim asked.
Blake saw that Cole was getting more uncomfortable so he explained.
"We're kind of Christians.", he answered, "We believe that when we die here on Earth, if we have faith, admit our sins, and accept Jesus as our lord and savior, then we'll go to Heaven where we won't feel any more pain, we'll be with God, and live in a mansion just for us."
Tim looked at ease before Paul called out from the counter.
"Order seven two eight!"
/
As Cole, Blake and Tim got into enjoying their cones, they were all feeling much better and more at ease with whatever problems each might have.
"Cole, would you mind if we visit your grandfather before he goes?", Blake asked.
Cole looked unsure.
"I don't know.", he answered, "Maybe."
Tim looked interested.
"Well, my aunt will be back a bit later so why not make a pass around that time?"
Cole seemed on board before a car horn sounded off outside. All three looked outside to see a couple of cars speed by as if they were racing.
"Geez, you'd think some people would learn some manners.", Tim groaned as he took yet another bite of his cone.
"Kind of reminds me of a certain trio back in Anchorage.", Cole remarked, "I'm just glad they're not here."
Blake smiled as he licked ice cream off his lip.
"Yeah, but it was kind of satisfying to see them get their butts kicked by that old woman they hit with their car."
Cole sighed.
"Well, that's what you get for not being nice to someone you probably should have."
Paul was taking a break from the counter to wipe some tables nearby and came over.
"Something on your minds?", he asked.
"No, we're just talking about some jerk back in school in Anchorage.", Tim answered, "Hal Stone I think his name was."
Paul looked understanding.
"Yeah, I hear you.", he said calmly, "When someone tries putting me down, I look at it as someone who already knows they're going to end up unemployed, unhealthy and unhappy so they try to make others feel bad just so they don't have to."
Cole and Blake nodded while Tim just finished his cone.
"Yeah, but just cause people do bad things to me doesn't mean I should do something bad to them.", Cole stated, "That only proves I'm no better than them."
Paul nodded before he finished wringing his rag over his bucket of disinfectant water.
"Wise choice.", he said, "I sure learned that lesson a while back."
Blake looked interested.
"What happened?", he asked.
Paul looked a bit uneasy, but spoke anyway.
"It was back in my early school days.", he answered, "I had someone who was always picking on me when I showed up in school. It made me feel really bad and I almost lost it when I suddenly came to this Antique shop on my way home from school. Nobody answered at first when I entered, but then I met some strange shopkeeper who seemed to know what I was going through. He sold me something….well, I can't really remember it all, but I do remember that even though I got even with the guy who was making me miserable, it didn't make me smile. It drove away my friends, it only made me the new bully that nobody liked. Guess I learned my lesson the hard way, huh?"
Cole, Blake, and Tim couldn't disagree with that.
/
As the trio made their way back to Dinah's house, Cole couldn't help but think about what Paul had told them. It was like the shopkeeper knew the issue at hand like he did when Cole met him, but who was he and how did he know what was needed? Coel touched the ivory wolf head charm on his necklace and remembered Balto when he first moved to Nome.
"Well, I hope my cousins haven't woken up yet.", Tim said.
As the trio came to the house, nothing seemed out of place as they undressed.
"Well, looks like it's smooth sailing here."
Just then, Cole's cell phone rang and Cole answered it.
"Hello?"
"Cole, are you at the house?", Mrs. Marty asked.
Cole tensed.
"Why?", he asked in turn.
"We're visiting Grandpa Harold hopefully before he passes on."
Cole felt obliged to go, but before he answered, he remembered something.
"Mom, would it be alright if Blake and Tim came along?"
There was a pause and then Cole got an answer.
"Sounds okay to me."
Cole wished his mother good-bye and hung up before turning to his friends.
"Guess you're both going."
Blake and Tim were happy, but only for a moment before Dinah showed up from around a corner.
"Well, it looks like you managed to keep everything in order.", she said to Tim, "I'll be getting dinner on the table and I expect you all here by half past five cause dinner is at seven thirty."
"Yes, Aunt Dinah.", Tim answered.
Dinah seemed at ease as she retreated to the kitchen while Cole, Blake and Tim waited by the door. After a bit, Cole saw his parents pull up as he, Blake and Tim got redressed for the trip. Once outside, they got in the car and Mr. Marty started driving to the hospital where Harold was.
"I just hope we can be there before he goes.", Mrs. Marty said tearfully as she wiped her eyes with a tissue.
Cole as feeling the woe too, he tried to stay calm as he knew that Harold might be heading to Heaven. Once at the hospital, they made it to the service desk but the nurse looked to Blake and Tim firmly.
"You three can go ahead.", she said to Cole and his parents before gesturing to Blake and Tim, "They can wait out here."
Tim looked firm.
"Hey, we were invited.", he protested.
The nurse looked super annoyed.
"Am I going to have to call security?", she asked.
Mr. Marty looked her way sympathetically.
"Oh it's quite alright.", he told her, "They're good moral support."
The nurse didn't look convinced, but she knew she couldn't deny it.
/
After a few minutes, they arrived at Harold's room where Mr. Marty cautiously knock lightly.
"The door is open."
Mr. Marty got the door open to see Harold on crutches coming out of the bathroom and making his way to the bed. Mr. and Mrs. Marty came up and helped him back into bed which he looked thankful for.
"I'm truly blessed for a family like this.", he said though he sounded weak.
"Grandpa, are you sure you're okay?", Cole asked as he came up to the bed's side.
Harold looked Cole's way smiling.
"I'm fine.", he assured his grandson, "And I'm happy that you're doing so well in school."
Blake and Tim felt like they should say something, but chose not to as they felt like this should be between family members until they were introduced.
"Cole, I know that I'm not long for this world, but I am thankful that you were in it while you were.", Harold said as if struggling to keep his smile on, "I have no regrets and I hope that your life will be blessed as mine was. God will provide if you follow and have faith. Can you do that for me?"
Cole felt tears come to his eyes as he sniffed a couple times, but nodded as Harold held his hand.
"That's my grandson."
Cole felt his grandfather's hand grow limp and saw his eyes grow weary. Mr. and Mrs. Marty looked especially hurt as the heart monitor near Harold's bed grew fainter and fainter until it went flat, Harold closed his eyes, and Cole felt his grip go limp. That was when Cole and his parents knew that Harold had passed on before a doctor and a couple nurses came in while they went filed out with Blake and Tim.
"Well, now we have to plan the funeral.", Mr. Marty said, "I'm glad we were there for him in his final moments."
Mrs. Marty said nothing as she was pretty upset and Mr. Marty seemed to accept it as the whole group went back to Dinah's house and arrived promptly before five before They retired to their rooms.
"I can't believe my grandfather is on his way to Heaven now.", Cole said sounding a bit sad before trying to brighten up, "But at least he's on his way."
Blake and Tim could see this is especially hurtful, but they sat by Cole to let him know that they were there for him.
"Why don't we pray for him?", Blake suggested.
Cole nodded and as the trio got into a prayer circle, Cole did the honors.
"Father, thou art in Heaven. Hallow be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and pardon our transgressions as we learn to forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever."
After reciting the Lord's prayer, Cole then gave his own.
"Heavenly Father, I come before you humbled, scared, and in anguish as I know my grandfather is on his way to you. Let him rest easy and I pray that he will be welcomed in Heaven where he will be safe, with you, and with all who believed."
Blake and Tim held Cole's hands in their own before they finished at the same time Dinah called them to dinner.
/
A few days later, a bunch of people had gathered in the cemetery where Harold would be laid to rest. Cole felt his woe start to grow, but tried to keep it in check as the coffin containing his grandfather was placed where it would be lowered as the priest gave the sermon.
"And so it is with heavy hearts that we say good-bye to Harold Wes Silver. He was a good man, a devoted husband, a caring father, and a loving grandfather."
Cole saw his mother wipe her eyes with a tissue signifying that she was still hurting for this was her father after all.
"And now, let us bow our heads in a moment of silence to reflect on how Harold touched our lives.", the priest instructed.
The whole crowd did and Cole couldn't help but be comforted as he recalled the times his grandfather and him had together. Some of the crowd he guessed must have been good friends to Harold and cared for him very much. Even Tim's aunt and cousins came to the funeral though Tim's cousin Jerry looked uneasy.
"Mom, this is taking up our whole morning.", he complained.
"Shh!", Dinah said to him, "We're praying now."
"Why couldn't the funeral be on a school day?", Jerry whined.
Dinah gave her son a firm look and he quieted down before the priest spoke again.
"And now we release the doves that signify the lord taking Harold into his arms and giving him everlasting peace."
A service member nearby opened what looked like a kennel and out flew several doves into the sky and were soon out of sight.
"Peace be with you as it was for Harold as we offer our condolences and wishes for his passage to the Kingdom of Heaven.", the priest concluded.
As the coffin was lowered into the grave, Cole saw that his mother was still grieving though he had tried to take it in stride knowing that his grandfather would be with him even though he was gone.
"Cole, can your grandfather still see you in Heaven?", Tim's cousin Andy asked.
Cole looked his way understandingly.
"Of course he can.", he answered, "And I'll tell you a secret: you never lose people you truly love. They just go someplace where they can never disappear no matter how much time passes."
By the time the coffin was in the ground, Cole saw his parents step forward and took the first handfuls of dirt before they dropped them on the coffin below.
"Cole, are you going to miss your grandfather?", Blake asked.
Cole held Blake's hand.
"Blake, of course I will.", Cole told him, "But it will make the time I get to Heaven all the more special when I see him there."
Once the coffin was fully buried and people were passing by Mr. and Mrs. Marty to offer condolences and wishing them the best before they left.
"Well, we better get to preparing for when we get back to school.", Cole said to Blake and Tim.