AN: Given how responsible Nana is, I could picture her updating her will frequently, especially over the course of the story.

Part 88

The next morning was somber and quiet. When Hobbs found his mistress, the first thing he did was call Rosita. She handled calling everyone else while Hobbs hung up and went to prepare coffee and tea and breakfast. They would soon have company and they would need food. He knew he should wake Jerry and tell him but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

It wasn't very long before they started showing up. Rosita got there first with her husband, Eddie and Gunter. "Miss. Crawly and Klaus volunteered to watch the children," she explained. She hugged the penguin. "How are you doing?"

He stood straight and poised but only because of decades of training. "It's a shock but I'm dealing with it. Mr. Jeremiah doesn't know yet. He's still asleep."

She nodded. "I can handle it if you want," she suggested.

He nodded with relief. He was only just holding himself together. "Thank you, Ma'am… can I get you anything? Mr. Eddie? Anything for you?"

Eddie shook his head. "I just want to see her. Please…"

Hobbs nodded and took them up to her room. Eddie went to sit beside. "Nana?" He called her name, hoping she might respond, hoping she might just be in a deep sleep. He took her hand and squeezed. "It's not fair… I didn't get to tell you… that Gunter and I…" he wept quietly.

Gunter hugged him. "Hey Nana…. If you can hear me… at all… Wherever you are now… Eddie and I are engaged."

Eddie looked gratefully up at him. Rosita said nothing, knowing it wasn't the right time. She just smiled at the pair, her eyes shining with bittersweet tears.

It wasn't long before the bedroom was packed with way too many people. Jerry came up the stairs, looking for whatever assignments she had for him that day. "What the? Why is everyone here?" He couldn't see the bed and everyone seemed sad. "Ma'am?"

Rosita went over to him. "Jerry, I'm sorry." She hugged him comfortingly. "She passed in the night…"

The cat felt everything spinning. "But… but how? She was in perfect health last night!"

Clay shook his head. "I don't think she was. She was talking very strangely."

Nearly everyone except Eddie and Jerry nodded in agreement. Gunter touched Eddie's shoulder. "A while back she was asking me if there was anything she could do for me, specifically."

Marcus nodded. "She came to visit me after she got her invitation to Porsha's birthday."

Hobbs nodded. "I suspected it was coming soon. She's been updating her will and everything. Talking about how nice it would be to see her husband and friends she used to sing with in the opera." His breath hitched.

Jerry thought about their conversation the night before. "Why didn't she… warn us? We could have taken her to a doctor."

Suki regarded Jerry with sympathy. "Jerry, there just comes a time in every life when a doctor can no longer help. She wasn't sick, she was very old." She tried to hug him like Rosita did but he just pulled away. He ran from the room, unable to cry in front of so many.

Eddie got up. "I'll go make sure he's okay." Jerry was just barely recovered from his own mess. He couldn't let him backslide. He found Jerry sobbing in his room. "I'm sorry…"

Jerry looked up. "You're sorry? She was your grandmother, I should be saying that."

He shook his head. "I'm sad… but I knew she was getting tired. I think Buster's…. I think this last year just… aged her even faster. She lived a rich, full life. This isn't like Buster or…. Porsha's dad. She was 111 years old and she did everything anyone could want to do in that time." He sighed.

The cat nodded, wiping his eyes. "It's just… it's like losing my grandma all over again. She gave me a home and a job. She didn't judge me for what I did." He wept.

Eddie nodded as he rubbed his friend's back. "And you'll still have both. You can help Gunter and me. I bet talking to theaters and such is right up your alley."

Wet, red eyes looked up at him. 'No matter what happens, stay with the troupe.' Jerry nodded. "Thank you."

He nodded. "You can even help Gunter and I plan our union party. We don't want a traditional wedding. We want a huge tropical bash."

Jerry nodded. "I can help with that. I'll talk to Porsha. The Crystal Family has its own island in the Caribbean."

"Of course, they do," Eddie chuckled as they went back upstairs.

Once everyone had a chance to process the situation, Rosita took a deep breath. "Okay, we need to contact the coroner… Hobbs, do you have any idea what sort of plans she had?"

The penguin nodded. "She kept an updated copy of her will in her top desk drawer, Ma'am. Including instructions for her final arrangements." He went to fetch the documents.

When he returned, she took the folder and opened it to find a letter. "'Dear Mr and Mrs. Suarez…' She wants us to contact this company. She wants a statue of herself in the lobby of the theater." She smiled. "That makes sense. Her entire life was embodied in that theater." She read on. "'I'd like very much to thank you for the interest you've taken in Eddie. You rescued him from a purposeless life with an unsuitable mate. Thank you for loving him as your own. On his request, I have named you the primary recipient of my estate, minus a few tokens for the rest of the crew and the theater itself. I want Eddie and Gunter to have my manor. There is plenty of room for a growing family. I have set aside 100,000 for each child to go to school and start their own lives, including Mrs. Ramirez' baby. This money has been set in a trust in each of their names and will be carefully invested so that it will grow until they're ready for it. I've also set up a fund for future children. The rest is yours to do with as you will. I only ask that you continue to employ Hobbs. He has been there for me for many years and he has served me well. He deserves to know that he will be cared for." She looked at Norman before nodding. "Of course, Hobbs, you're part of this family too." She sighed. "Oh Nana. All the money in the world doesn't make this any easier. We'd trade it to have you back."

Hobbs nodded. "That's why she did it. Her own son only saw her money and what he might one day get. He and his wife were both horrid gold diggers. She knew the only ones who deserved the estate were those who would never want it."

Eddie hugged her. "I didn't want any of it. My parents tried to kill me over it. I don't want a cent. But you're my mom and dad now. And the piglets are my brothers and sisters. I know you'll be able to use it wisely. I'll accept the house but only because otherwise it would be sold and it's a piece of her that I can't give up. But only if Gunter and Sarah will share it with me."

Gunter smiled. "I would love to. I know she will too." He pulled Eddie to him, holding him close.

Rosita smiled. "I'm going to call this company about the situation and get that ball rolling. She asks for only a small ceremony with the ones whom she loved and who loved her." She looked around at the troupe. It would still be a big affair even with just them. "And she says Frederick Noodleman is not to be notified."

Eddie nodded. "I second that request."

Everyone laughed and she went to make the phone call. The gathering soon broke up, everyone needed time to grieve in their own way, wishing Eddie their deepest condolences.

—————————

The Greens returned home. Suki went to her computer just as a habit. Checking her email, she called out to Porsha. "Mr. Valdosta from the Majestic is interested in purchasing Crystal Entertainment, if you still want to sell."

Porsha nodded. "Absolutely!" She hopped over with just a little more bounce to her step.

Suki read the email and frowned. "But he wants the contract with the New Moon Theater. They love the show and want it to continue."

The wolf groaned. "Tell him that I won't be renewing that contract because of what happened to Mr. Moon. It's not… not…"

"Non-negotiable," Suki gave her the correct word. "I'll tell him. Oh, there's an email from the board. 'Happy early birthday, Porsha. We've planned a party for her this coming Saturday to celebrate her officially getting control of the company…'"

"Saturday? But that's the day of my dinner and I don't want a big party, Suki!" She begged. "Please tell them."

Suki nodded. "I certainly will. It was a big overstep for them to just plan a party without your consent. In fact…." She clicked a few buttons and the computer began ringing. A click later and a female wolf appeared on the screen. "Hey, Livi!"

The older gray wolf smiled. "Suki, great to see you. And there's the birthday girl." She looked at Porsha who was just behind Suki. "Just a few more days and you'll be the big one-eight! You're officially an adult, how does it feel."

Porsha scoffed. "Great, Aunt Olivia, but please, cancel the party. I really don't want one."

"Oh, honey, if only I could. But it's all been planned. Your father left a list of instructions after your party last year. He pre-ordered all of your favorite foods and booked your favorite band, The Bros of Down Under," she explained.

The almost-adult growled and whined. "But we already have something planned here. And I'll have a funeral to go to in a few days. My family is here now, Aunt Livi. I don't want a party."

"Dear, you simply must come. It's the last birthday party your father will ever get to throw for you. He planned this with you in mind," she said. "You have to come sign for your inheritance anyway."

Porsha looked at Suki who stepped up. "She'll be there to sign the paperwork and she'll say hi to everyone but she's not staying for the party. And her father would be very unhappy that you're disregarding her wishes." She clicked the hang-up button. "You'll go, do the paperwork, have a piece of cake and we'll be home in plenty of time." She promised.

Marcus came out of the nursery. "What's going on?"

"Big Daddy!" Bursting into tears, Porsha threw herself at the gorilla. "The board is throwing me a huge party on Saturday and they say I have to go. I don't want to go!" She pleaded in tears.

He rubbed her back. "Of course, you don't have to go. It's your birthday and it's your choice what kind of party you have." He looked at Suki.

Suki sighed. "She does need to at least make an appearance. She has to sign paperwork for her inheritance anyway."

"Which I'm sure she can sign just as easily here. I'll call Floyd," he promised Porsha. "You don't have to go."

Suki shook her head. "And she needs to let them know she's selling the company. She needs to at least make an appearance. It's the polite thing to do."

"Polite! Don't give me that bullshit. Polite is asking if someone wants a party. She's already made it clear that she doesn't want one," Marcus argued. "Don't worry, Porsha. You don't have to go. And that's final!"

Porsha hugged him. "Thank you, Big Daddy." She hugged him.

"Now don't you have some homework due tomorrow," he shooed her off to do it. He fixed Suki with a look. "She's our daughter now. It's up to us to help her set and enforce boundaries."

The woman rolled her eyes. "And I know that but Marcus, she's going to have to do things she doesn't want to do. That's part of being an adult!"

"And I don't think a birthday party that she didn't ask for is one of those things! Going to the doctor, okay. Working, okay. Dentist, okay. Not this and it's your job to stand up for her!" He said sharply.

Suki sighed. "I hardly think going to one last birthday party is going to hurt her. She doesn't have to stay long. An hour or two at most." She put her hand on her waist. "I know you're her father but I'm her mother and I think she should at least drop in."

Marcus glared. "And I think it should be her decision. Sorry but I'm not going to tell her that she has to go to a party she doesn't want to go to. I'm going to start on dinner." He refused to discuss it any further. He hated fighting with his wife but he wouldn't force Porsha to go.

AN: I think that's the chapter. What do you think? Should Porsha go to the party for just an hour or two or should she be allowed to say she doesn't want to? Why or why not?