Everything is Right

Every Tuesday, Trish would go over to her aunt’s house to do nothing. They talked every day, multiple times a day! It didn’t matter what they were doing as long as they were doing it together.

One Tuesday Trish noticed that her aunt had a nagging cough. “Auntie, you want a little tea?”

“Sure, and on your way back from the kitchen, there’s a little black notebook on my side table. Can you bring it to me?”

Auntie’s black notebook was infamous. Many people had seen it, but usually Auntie would tuck it away before anyone could ever see where she kept it. No one had ever touched it, but everyone had speculated about its contents. When Auntie told Trish to bring it to her, this was a big deal!

Trish put the water on for the tea, then she glanced over at the side table and never took her eye off the black notebook. Walking over to the notebook, she saw that there were stress marks on the leather cover. Even though the notebook was in good shape, you could tell it had been handled for many years. Trish was staring so intently at the notebook that she didn’t even notice the whistle on the tea kettle blaring.

Auntie got up to see why Trish hadn’t returned with the notebook and the tea. She chuckled when she saw Trish standing perplexed by the side table. Auntie taking the kettle off the stove top jarred Trish back into reality. “I’m sorry, Auntie. I was coming!”

Auntie laughed a hearty chuckle that turned in to a horrifying coughing spell which caused Auntie to have to sit down, because she was so winded. Trish was concerned and fully aware that something wasn’t right. “Auntie, what’s wrong?”

Auntie replied, “Baby, everything is right. Give me a sip of that tea.” Trish handed Auntie the tea in her favorite mug, with the chip on the side that had a picture of Trish and Auntie at Trish’s 6th birthday party.

Trish stared at Auntie, she noticed gray hairs she hadn’t noticed before. She saw wrinkles she hadn’t seen and realized Auntie had lost a significant amount of weight. That cough was worrying Trish. “Auntie, let’s get you a doctor’s appointment scheduled for that cough.”

Auntie looked up at Trish, who had now moved closer to the kitchen table. “Dear, I’m fine.” She touched Trish’s hand and patted the seat next to her. She had the notebook in her hand. Auntie said, “Everything you need, you will find here.”

Auntie took a large rubber band and wrapped it around the notebook and then handed it to Trish. Trish looked at the notebook and back at Auntie. “What should I do with it?”

“Read it,” Auntie said.

“Now?” Trish still hadn’t reached for the book.

“Girl, take this book! You’ll know when to open it!”

Shook, Trish reached out her hand and took the notebook; she tucked it into her purse. “C’mon girl, lets eat” Auntie said. “And stop looking at me like that, I told you everything is right!”

The duo sat and ate, and Auntie went on about old times. She laughed a lot! Trish was unsettled but she was enjoying this time with Auntie. Trish looked at her watch and saw it was 4:30; she normally left at 5, but today was different. Trish didn’t want to leave. She told her aunt that she wanted to stay a little longer. Auntie agreed as long as she agreed to leave before dark.

They reminisced about how Auntie used to braid Trish’s hair. “Auntie, do you still know how to braid?”

“Is there a ‘b’ in bubble?” Auntie retorted, and they laughed.

Trish grabbed a brush and rushed to sit between Auntie’s legs. It was like old times, but not. Auntie was fragile, and she moved so slow. She was gentle, and Trish found herself resting on Aunties lap. Soon, Trish had dozed off to sleep. It took Auntie a long time to finish Trish’s braid. She finished, grabbed the throw that was on the arm of the chair and gently wrapped it around Trish’s shoulders. She let Trish’s head fall gently in her lap just like when she was a child. Sometime later Trish was awakened by a strange breeze. Auntie too had dozed off cradling Trish. Gently moving Auntie’s warm, dainty hand from her face, Trish kissed Auntie’s hand which normally would have awakened Auntie.

“I better go, Auntie.” Trish said, while holding Auntie’s hand. There was no response. Trish looked up and saw that Auntie was still asleep. Trish stood up, stretched and giggled a little “Let’s get you in bed, sleepy head.”

Auntie still didn’t move. Trish knew instantly that the breeze that woke her up wasn’t a regular breeze. She felt Auntie’s face – warm, but still no movement. Trish went to the front door and unlocked it. She slid in the chair next to Auntie and pressed the medical alert button that Auntie wore around her neck.

She pulled Auntie into her arms and waited 30 seconds, which felt like a lifetime. The attendant yelled through the medical alert button. “Mrs. George, this is Char with Medical Alert. Have you fallen, do you need an ambulance?”

“This is Mrs. George’s niece,” she said calmly with tears running down her cheeks. “Please send an ambulance, my Auntie…” she burst into tears. “Please send an ambulance.” She held Auntie’s body close. There was no breath. She was still warm.

The ambulance arrived. Trish didn’t even realize they were there. “Ma’am, is there someone I can call for you?”

She held Auntie’s hand. “She’s still warm, please help her.”

“Ma’am, is there someone we can call for you?”

“Please help Auntie!” Trish melted into the EMT’s arms.

Auntie’s neighbor came in the door; she saw the flashing lights and heard the commotion. She hugged Trish.

Trish sobbed relentlessly. The EMTs worked on Auntie, checking her vitals. She was gone. There was no sign of life and her temperature was decreasing.

“Ma’am we have to call the coroner.”

Just then, Trish felt the breeze. A calm came over her. She breathed. In the distance she could hear the neighbor say, “I’ll wait with you honey.”

Trish calmly said, “I’ll be fine.”

The neighbor said, “I will call your mother.” The EMTs left. The neighbor called Trish’s mother and let Trish know that her mom would be right over. Trish smiled a half smile and thanked the neighbor for her concern. She went and sat with Auntie and held her hand.

On the table next to Auntie she saw a piece of paper that she hadn’t notice on the table. Shakily, she read it.

"BabyT,

The time is close. Don’t worry, everything is already taken care of. Trust me, you’ll know what to do. I love more than you will ever know.

~Auntie"

Trish felt the breeze. Just then, the front door open and Trish’s mother and sister came in like a blaze! Mother looked at her older sister, but this moment was broken by Tammy, Trish’s older sister saying, “Wonder who Auntie left this house to?”

Mother looked at Tammy and instead of reprimanding her said, “I’m her only sister so it’s all mine and I will divide things as I see fit.”

Trish couldn’t believe her ears. Again, the breeze – no one else seemed to feel it. Mother and Tammy began to go through Auntie’s things, making claims before Auntie’s body had even been taken. Trish, treasuring these last few moments, brushed Auntie’s hair. Her body was getting cold, so she covered her with the same throw Auntie had covered her with hours earlier.

The coroner arrived and Tammy decided to put on an Academy Award-worthy show of emotions, which included having to be dragged back into the house. After this fake show, Tammy and my mom continued the inventory. Trish grabbed her purse, and gently announced her departure. Mother said to Trish “Well, call us in the morning and let us know what you want.”

“Mother, I just want this brush and throw” Trish whimpered.

“Oh! take those old things with you tonight” Mother retorted.

Trish’s blood was boiling, but the breeze was keeping her grounded.

Trish made it home, tossed her purse on the couch and the black notebook came tumbling out. She heard Auntie’s voice, “You’ll know when to open it.” She plopped on the couch and grabbed the weathered notebook. She slowly and carefully removed the big rubber band.

She opened the notebook the first line read “Everything is Right!” The tears began to stream down Trish’s cheek like a soft flowing faucet. She read:

“TBaby if you’re reading this, I must be gone. I know you’ll be fine because I’ve got things set up for you. Hear my heart: every date in this book is when we talked on the phone or when you came over. That’s when everything was right in my world. You brought me so much joy, you’ll see when you get the box. I know I often told you I love you. I probably should have told you more how much you made me feel loved. Love, Auntie”

Trish thumbed through the book, it was just numbers that looked like some ancient code. On the back page of the notebook was an address with a note that read “Ask for Jim. Take the notebook”

The next morning Trish went to the address and saw that it was a law office. She asked the receptionist for Jim. The receptionist said, “The infamous Trish George! Your aunt talked so much about you!” She whisked her to an office with a conference table.

A man walked in with a box. “Trish George, your aunt thought the world of you.” He sat the box in front of her and said, “Go ahead, open it!”

Trish opened the box that was the size of a shoe box, and the first thing she saw was the blue ribbon Auntie would tie around her head after she braided it. Tears! She wrapped the ribbon around her hair that Auntie braided yesterday. There were several sentimental items that only mattered to Auntie and Trish.

Overwhelmed, Trish took the box and thanked the gentleman and was getting ready to leave with her treasures. He chuckled and said, “Do you have the notebook?” She wiped her face and handed the book to Jim. He smiled. He brought a new laptop to Trish and a brand-new version of Auntie’s Moleskine notebook and said, “Mrs. George brought these in last week.” She turned it on, and a video of Auntie began to play. “TBaby, I love you. I’m a little sick and I’m not getting any better. I lived a good life and you’ve helped make everything right. Everything I own on this Earth is yours. Jim has made sure of that. I wish I could see your face. Now the fun begins. Take this notebook and keep track of everything that is right! It will help you when things hurt a little. Now stop that crying and carrying on. I have another surprise.” Auntie laughed a little.

Jim opened an app he designed called “Everything is Right.” Jim told Trish, “Type in any date from the notebook.”

She typed in the first date, an audio file popped up; it was Auntie.

“TBaby, you’re so predictable! I knew you’d start at the top. Today was the first day after you moved back from college. We made tacos and sang in the kitchen. I started this plan to put away a little change every time we spend together. whether on the phone or in person…So today I’m starting with $20,000. Every time you type in a date from the notebook, you’ll get a deposit; some more, some less...just because you made my world better and everything is right!”

Trish was stunned, she had no words except – EVERYTHING IS RIGHT!