said. “Now seems like a good time to put that feud to rest.”
Angie had been thinking the same, but she recognized everyone who was there by face if not name. She had asked her father if he planned to include her mother’s family in the services, and the answer had been a definite no. Despite that, she held out hope some of her mother’s relatives whom she did not know, whom she had never met, might come across the obituary and show up unannounced.
Her father was never going to have any of his family there. He’d spent his childhood in an orphanage and when that closed, moved to a series of foster care homes. Like a lot of kids who entered the system at a more advanced age, Angie’s dad did not get adopted. All she knew of her father’s mother, her paternal grandmother, was that she was a drug addict who didn’t know who’d gotten her pregnant. Despite the extraordinary obstacles presented to him, Gabriel persevered, avoided the temptations of the streets, and made something of his life.
While attending University of California, Berkley on a full academic scholarship, Gabriel met and fell in love with Angie’s mother. She was Kathleen Tyler back then, young, pretty, and fiercely intelligent. Gabriel and Kathleen had an instant and undeniable chemistry. They knew after two dates they wanted to get married and announced their plans the day after graduation. Not everyone was thrilled by the news. The way Angie had heard it, her mother’s family had serious reservations about her father. They didn’t want the couple marrying so young, nor did they approve of Gabriel’s sketchy background.
Harsh words were spoken, words that escalated and sowed the seeds of acrimony. When Kathleen, unmarried, discovered that she was pregnant with Angie, the anger came to a boiling point. Kathleen and Gabriel decided to cut off all communication with her family and go at it on their own. At some point, Angie’s grandparents had died. She had never once met them.
The reception continued, the hours passing, brief conversations expressing the same sentiments. We’re so sorry for your loss. Such a tragedy. So young. Too soon. Your mother loved you very much. She was so proud of you .
Every one of them rang true to Angie, and the words of sympathy provided a degree of comfort. The hard part, she suspected, would come later, after everyone went home, after the sympathy cards and Facebook posts stopped coming, when she and her dad had quiet time to contemplate the enormity of their loss.
Madeline stayed to the end. Along with Louise and Walter, she helped with the cleanup. Angie checked in with her father. She didn’t like seeing him in this new way: frail, old, and sad. Her heart ached for him, for them both.
Tears came to her father’s eyes, but he managed a strained smile. “Well, that was hard.”
“We’ll get through this together, Dad.” Angie gave her father a big embrace.
Nearby, Louise and Walter joined the huddle for a group hug, with Walter calling the play.
“As long as we stick together, we’ll be all right. Anything you need, Angie, Gabe, anything at all, you don’t hesitate to ask.”
Walter and Louise lived down the street from the DeRoses. They had been in that house since Angie was a baby. She had fond memories of rolling down the hill in their front yard—Odette Hill, she called it—and exploring the variety of flowers that Louise grew in a small greenhouse out back. Walter was retired law enforcement and Louise was a homemaker who had raised two children, both of whom were off on their own.
Louise was a master cook as well as a gardener. “Angie, don’t worry about your dad. I’m going to make sure his fridge is fully stocked.”
But Angie did worry. She worried about him being alone and lonely. Kathleen was her father’s life. They had many friends, but most of those friends were tethered to Angie’s mom. Her dad had his work, his daughter, and his wife. Now it would be easier for him to
Angie had been thinking the same, but she recognized everyone who was there by face if not name. She had asked her father if he planned to include her mother’s family in the services, and the answer had been a definite no. Despite that, she held out hope some of her mother’s relatives whom she did not know, whom she had never met, might come across the obituary and show up unannounced.
Her father was never going to have any of his family there. He’d spent his childhood in an orphanage and when that closed, moved to a series of foster care homes. Like a lot of kids who entered the system at a more advanced age, Angie’s dad did not get adopted. All she knew of her father’s mother, her paternal grandmother, was that she was a drug addict who didn’t know who’d gotten her pregnant. Despite the extraordinary obstacles presented to him, Gabriel persevered, avoided the temptations of the streets, and made something of his life.
While attending University of California, Berkley on a full academic scholarship, Gabriel met and fell in love with Angie’s mother. She was Kathleen Tyler back then, young, pretty, and fiercely intelligent. Gabriel and Kathleen had an instant and undeniable chemistry. They knew after two dates they wanted to get married and announced their plans the day after graduation. Not everyone was thrilled by the news. The way Angie had heard it, her mother’s family had serious reservations about her father. They didn’t want the couple marrying so young, nor did they approve of Gabriel’s sketchy background.
Harsh words were spoken, words that escalated and sowed the seeds of acrimony. When Kathleen, unmarried, discovered that she was pregnant with Angie, the anger came to a boiling point. Kathleen and Gabriel decided to cut off all communication with her family and go at it on their own. At some point, Angie’s grandparents had died. She had never once met them.
The reception continued, the hours passing, brief conversations expressing the same sentiments. We’re so sorry for your loss. Such a tragedy. So young. Too soon. Your mother loved you very much. She was so proud of you .
Every one of them rang true to Angie, and the words of sympathy provided a degree of comfort. The hard part, she suspected, would come later, after everyone went home, after the sympathy cards and Facebook posts stopped coming, when she and her dad had quiet time to contemplate the enormity of their loss.
Madeline stayed to the end. Along with Louise and Walter, she helped with the cleanup. Angie checked in with her father. She didn’t like seeing him in this new way: frail, old, and sad. Her heart ached for him, for them both.
Tears came to her father’s eyes, but he managed a strained smile. “Well, that was hard.”
“We’ll get through this together, Dad.” Angie gave her father a big embrace.
Nearby, Louise and Walter joined the huddle for a group hug, with Walter calling the play.
“As long as we stick together, we’ll be all right. Anything you need, Angie, Gabe, anything at all, you don’t hesitate to ask.”
Walter and Louise lived down the street from the DeRoses. They had been in that house since Angie was a baby. She had fond memories of rolling down the hill in their front yard—Odette Hill, she called it—and exploring the variety of flowers that Louise grew in a small greenhouse out back. Walter was retired law enforcement and Louise was a homemaker who had raised two children, both of whom were off on their own.
Louise was a master cook as well as a gardener. “Angie, don’t worry about your dad. I’m going to make sure his fridge is fully stocked.”
But Angie did worry. She worried about him being alone and lonely. Kathleen was her father’s life. They had many friends, but most of those friends were tethered to Angie’s mom. Her dad had his work, his daughter, and his wife. Now it would be easier for him to
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