27 Going Home
Don Junior and his sister Ann took charge of the funeral. They picked out a funeral home and arranged for the minister from Junior’s church to officiate at the ceremony. Mac’s body would be transported back to Annapolis for burial beside their mother.
I was busy with police and lawyers. Cousin Jimmy put me in touch with a friend from law school who took me on as a client. David Finestein was a godsend. The first issue was negligence in my care of the elderly Mr. MacGregor. Dave arranged a meeting with the Brevard County Attorney to give me a chance to tell my side of the story.
“He invited me to sit with him while he ate dinner. We topped it off with pie and coffee. He told me about this trip to meet his cousin in Alaska,” I explained. “I could see that he was not well, and I was concerned about him driving like that.”
“Why did that concern you?”
“As I said, he didn’t look well. I was afraid he would have a heart attack or stroke while he was cruising along on a busy interstate.”
“That’s it? You were worried he’d cause an accident on a freeway?”
“That and I was bored. The idea of going places I had never been before appealed to me.”
“Did he pay you to travel with him?”
“I was going to take off work for a short time, so I negotiated a stipend. My cousin, Jimmy Smith, drew up the contract.”
“Did that contract give you the right to make legal and medical decisions on Mr. MacGregor’s behalf?”
“Yes, sir.”
“The two of you were alone on the road for several weeks. Eventually, you were able to convince your elderly client to marry you and change his will to include you and your unborn child.”
“No, sir. I told him not to change his will. I was against marrying him because I didn’t want to end up in a court battle with his children.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“He was hurt when I turned him down.”
“Was he concerned about the well-being of the child you were carrying?”
“He didn’t know about that.”
“But he set up an annuity for the child and one for you.”
“I told him about the baby after we were married. He worked out the financial arrangements with Jimmy the next day.”
The County Attorney was skeptical, but he had another resource, a tie-breaker. He called his sister, a nationally recognized expert on the care of cancer patients. We discussed everything during an hour-long video session. When she broke off the meeting because of another appointment, she closed with, “Bob, Mr. MacGregor had a stage 4 glioblastoma, which means he only had a few months to live. The only thing you can do for someone in that situation is give them emotional support.”
“Does that include engaging in sexual intercourse?”
“Mrs. MacGregor’s behavior raises ethical issues, but our highest responsibility is taking care of the patient’s needs. Love is something we all need.”
“She took advantage of a sick, elderly man.”
“Bob, if you only had a month to live and a beautiful woman wanted to make love, would you turn her down because that would be unethical?”
“Why wasn’t he in a hospital where he could be given proper care?”
“It looks like he refused medical treatment. That isn’t common, but it isn’t unheard of. I’ll follow up with the doctors he saw, ”
“Why are you being so casual about this?”
“First, I don’t think a crime was committed. Elder abuse is a real thing. That’s not what happened in this case. Second, if I found myself falling in love with a dying patient, my instinct would be to turn him over to others so I could be there for him. I don’t know what I would do in Kate’s situation. I can’t fault her. I might recommend her for a medal.”
The negligence charges were dropped. I would still have to answer for my actions when I got back to St. Elizabeth’s, but I was confident they would take my past record into account.
##
Friends turned out to support Junior and his sister. They showed little interest in me. I was too young for the old man. I must have tricked him into a marriage so I could get my hands on his money.
Mac’s children considered challenging the final will and wanted me removed as executor. Dave pointed out to their lawyer that I might come out ahead if there was a court hearing. Florida is not a community property state, but it has adopted the Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act. Under that law, the judge would be required to decide on equitable distribution. The fact that I was carrying Mac’s child would weigh heavily in my favor.
I had allies. David Finestein and my cousin Jimmy took on the legal battles that were critical to my survival. Sam Reinhart called me or I called him a couple of times a week just to talk. Rabbi Zenman, who had officiated at our wedding, called to make sure I was okay. They got me through a rough period.
Tereza Ivanova moved into the RV with me. She counseled against a fight with Mac’s kids over where he would be buried. “Do you really want to be buried in Melbourne, Florida?”
“I don’t know. It’s too soon to be thinking about where I want to be buried.”
“I see your remains in an urn on your son’s mantel.”
My face screwed up at that image. “Really?”
“It’s not guaranteed. But what happens to your remains will be more important to him than it is to you.”
I put my arms around her, She pulled me into her body. Her husky voice whispered in my ear, “Mac will be laid to rest. It does not matter where. He lives on in you. Focus on what matters – your son.”
I felt warm and safe in her arms. She rocked back and forth in a gentle rhythm. I said, “Will I find love again?”
“I believe that you know what you are looking for, and you will know what to do when you encounter it.”
Tereza went to Annapolis with me for the burial. Family friends who showed up huddled near Junior and Anne, ignoring us. I’m not sure the decisions were conscious. They had once been part of the community. This was their second funeral in a matter of months. First their mother and now their father. We were strangers. Not necessarily welcome guests.
I walked over to throw a handful of dirt on the casket. As I looked down for my last good-bye, I realized a part of me was in there with him and a part of him was inextricably woven into my being.
##
Getting all the administrative and legal issues settled took a month. I left Melbourne without a single regret. I stopped in Annapolis for a final visit at Mac’s grave before retracing his route to St. Louis. Tereza joined me for lunch at the dilapidated but neighborly My Country Kitchen. There was not much to say. I wanted to thank her again for her help and support. She assured me one more time that the future was bright. “I feel your past pulling very strongly. Two paths are beckoning. You can return to the old comfortable life. I do not believe that is the road you were meant to travel. This is an opportunity for you to return to your true calling.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. I want to finish my nursing studies. But I have a child on the way.”
“And Mac spoiled you,” she chided. “You are not ready to be alone.”
“That’s the worst part. I expected him to die. I didn’t think he would leave me feeling lost and empty.”
“You did not expect to fall in love when you met him. These things take time.”
“How long?”
“How should I know?”
“You’re psychic,” I snapped. “You see things.”
Tereza’s lip curled into a skeptical smile. She made me wait. “What I see is a warrior. A knight. Sir Galahad perhaps. A woman could not ask for a better companion on her journey.”
I gaped. She stood, pulled a fifty from her wallet and dropped it on the table. “I must go now. Your future is in your hands. Do not waste this opportunity. Drive forward. That is what you do best.”
##
I made it into Ohio before stopping for gas. I pulled alongside the gas pumps in a convenience store parking lot. As I was getting out to fill the tank, I realized the storefront was boarded over. Panic and terror seized me. I sat frozen. Unable to stand. A soft rap on my window brought me back. An African American man beckoned for me to open the window. “Excuse me,” he said. “Where did you get this camper?”
I stared at him. He asked, “Ma’am, are you alright?”
“Yes, I think so. Can you tell me something?”
He nodded. I said, “What happened to that window?”
He turned to look and took his time deciding how to answer. “It was broken during a robbery. They haven’t gotten around to replacing it.”
Another wave of anxiety hit me. I swallowed. “The camper belonged to my husband.”
“Oh,” he said. “I apologize for the intrusion. It looks like the one a friend of mine drove.”
I’m not sure why, but I said, “That was my husband, Tim.”
His eyes narrowed to a squint. He slowly shook his head. “I don’t think my friend was married. He was alone.”
“We didn’t meet until after the robbery.”
“You knew he had brain cancer. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Is that why he isn’t with you?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said with a sad, tight-lipped smile.
I got out and walked around to him. We hugged. I said, “Thank you for taking care of him.”
He stepped back and shrugged. “Is that a baby bump?”
“Yes. I’m pregnant.”
“Sheeeit. He was something else.”
“Definitely.”
I inserted a credit card to pay for the gas. Tim grabbed the nozzle. “Let me do that.”
After he returned the nozzle to its slot, I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. “Are you okay?”
“I’m blessed,” he said emphatically.
“Are they still after you about the robbery?”
“I’m black. They’re always after me about something.” He sighed and shook his head. “They aren’t pursuing that, but they are keeping an eye on me.”
“I’m sorry. It shouldn’t be that way.”
He looked at me impassively. My cheeks flushed. Pathetic, stupid thing to say. I wanted to crawl into the nearest hole. Instead, I hugged him and kissed him again. He kissed me back. “Take care of yourself.”
That was my cue. I climbed back into the captain’s chair and took off for St. Louis.
##
It was late when I pulled into Camp Discovery. Eddie was waiting for me. I told him I wanted to rent long term.
“We can take care of that tomorrow. Have you had anything to eat?”
“I’ve been snacking all day.”
“Let me take you to Sam’s for a real meal.”
That was the best offer I had had in a while. One I couldn’t refuse.