Love...and Other Dreams! A Sequel to Lions Roar, They Don't Mumble!

 Danny discovered that his mother had Altzheimers and that she'd left him the family television company to do as he pleased. Ruby fell pregnant once again after a couple of years trying, but worried about the future and Martha's worsening condition. This final chapter will be told from Quinn's point of view...

CHAPTER THREE: A LIFE WELL LIVED!

 I remember the day Niamh arrived, even though I was only four years old! My birthday had been the day before and grammy was out of sorts! Dad played with me and tried to cover up her odd behaviour, but when you're a kid you're young not stupid...you know there's something going on!

 I remember mom going for a lie down in the afternoon, her and dad fighting over something I couldn't understand, and grammy calling me Danny all day! As my dad looked me in the eyes and smiled, he looked sad! I never knew a person could smile and look so sad at the same time, but my dad did! "Quinny? You know daddy loves you right?" he whispered to me as I started to laugh, "Yes daddy and I love you too!" was all I could say. Was this about the new baby? Or was this something else?

 As we talked I could hear my mom walking down the stairs obviously feeling better after her nap. "Daddy why does grammy call me Danny?" I innocently blurted out, the sadness in his eyes deepened and he frowned, still smiling despite it though,

"Well Quinny, your grammy gets confused sometimes and mixes up our names, she doesn't mean to so just play along okay? So as not to hurt her feelings!" My grammy was 73 years old and seemed healthy enough to me! I remember thinking about something my mom had said once, baby brain, she got baby brain. I now know it means that sometimes when a woman is pregnant she gets forgetful and says silly things but when I was four I thought it meant you had the brain of a baby! An easy mistake to make!

 As we continued to discuss grammy's confusion, my mom's screams from the dining room gave us all a fright...

 My baby sister was on her way! Dad carried me in his arms through to see what the noise was about, and mom patted her belly smiling, "It's time!" she muttered breathlessly!

 There was no time to go the the hospital, dad ended up delivering my sister on the floor. Grammy was helpful enough to hold mom's hand and distract me from the commotion.

 In no time at all, Niamh Martha O'Hara was born as my dad got the car ready to take them both to be checked out at the hospital. I loved my baby sister from the moment I heard her soft cries.

 Everything was fine but the midwife wanted to keep mom and Niamh in overnight as a precaution. I wanted to meet my sister and I was very upset when dad came home without her...and my mom! "Daddy? Where is Niamh?"

"She's staying in the maternity ward at the hospital Quinny, she'll be okay! You'll see her tomorrow!" I reached up for my dad, I needed comfort and reassurance, but he left me there with grammy, ascending the stairs and sighing heavily. I could tell he was worried about everything! Grammy, mom, Niamh and even me!

 My sister and I were the best of friends, both of us growing fast that soon I would be going to school. I knew Niamh would miss me but I couldn't wait to go, nursery was so much fun! Grammy called me Danny all the time from then on and it annoyed me, but I remembered what my dad said, play along and don't hurt her feelings!

 As time rolled onto my sixth birthday and Niamh turned two, I returned from school one day to raised voices in the living room. My mom and dad were having a huge fight!

"I just feel we should at least think about it Danny!" my mother's voice was shrill and frustrated,

"I said no then and it's still no now Rubes, I'm sorry but she's my mother!"

 "Daniel we have done this for over 6 years now on our own, I just feel we could use an extra pair of hands!"

"Next it'll be a home! No Rubes I don't wanna go down that road! And don't try and guilt trip me into this by referring to me as Daniel!" At the time I had a feeling they were talking about grammy. But she had a home, why would they put her in another one? 

 A third voice piped up, "I'm standing right here you know! I haven't completely lost the plot yet kids!" It was grammy, my parents both muttered a "sorry" as she chuckled softly at their behaviour, "Do what you think is right my dears, I don't want to be any more of a burden!"

 My mom then spoke again, "I've asked her to come over and talk to us, explain what's involved and all that. Please try and listen to what she has to say before you dismiss the idea!"

"Well it looks like you've got it all arranged my darling, so what is a guy to do? I'll go along with it, I'll give into your stubborn Scottish ways...but only to listen, I'm not doing anything rash!"

"That's all I ask!" I could hear my mom smiling as she said it, dad was right, my Scottish mother was so stuck in her ways and once she got an idea in her head, there was no stopping her! 

My dad huffed and left grammy and mom to talk, he spotted me standing in the hall earywigging! "Hey Quinny, good day at school?"

 He always did that, pretended everything was fine. Back then I wished he would let me in on the secret, back then I was naive and let's face it, a child! "Fine dad!" was all I could reply. What were they doing to my grammy?

 Niamh and I played together most afternoons after school while grammy watched us. She loved to just sit in the old chair in the nursery and listen to us talk nonsense!

 "I'll trade you this shiny green one for your red one Niamh!"

"Nopes, mine all mine!" she would giggle and tease me, being the youngest she got all her own way. But I didn't mind, I'd give up my last green brick for her and want nothing in return, just to hear her giggle!

 As grammy watched us that day, I could've sworn I heard her say "I never thought I'd live to see my grandchildren, my Quinny and Niamh!"

 I was so happy she remembered my name I hugged Niamh tightly and held back the tears. And then I heard grammy laugh and shout "You're such a sweet boy Quinny, such a sweet sweet boy!" 

 And things seemed good from that moment onwards, grammy's memory was better and she started teaching Niamh how to dance...

 ...she and grandpa had been keen dancers at one time. As I sat on the stairs and watched them, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and a young woman smiled down at me, "Hello I'm Polly, is your mommy home?"

 I sat in my usual hiding place in the hall listening into the grown-up conversation. "You'll have to understand, my husband here isn't too keen on this. But I feel we need a little extra help as we have two children as well as my mother-in-law to look after!"

 "So we thought that..." my mom began when suddenly my dad's voice cut in,

"No YOU thought darling!" his tone was slightly bitter as my mother sighed and continued what she was going to say.

"Yes Daniel! I thought that a live-in carer would be the best way to do things as we really don't want to put her in a home!"

 The woman I answered the door to, Polly Atkins, was a nurse. She had red hair and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen! She was going to look after my grammy, that was if dad would let her! "I totally understand your apprehension Mr O'Hara!" she replied sympathetically, "But honestly this is the best way for your mother to have some semblance of normality! I'd just be like a lodger if you like. There to keep an eye and make sure she keeps to her schedule medication wise."

 "Not only that, but I would love to be her friend. It seems that since her diagnosis that the two of you and your children are the only people she has been in contact with."

"That was her decision!" my mother replied defensively,

"I'm not judging you Mrs O'Hara, you and your husband have done a wonderful job taking care of your children and Martha at the same time!"

 "I suppose you want to meet her!" my dad mumbled unenthusiastically.

"Danny!" my mom hissed, "Be nice!"

 "I would, yes. Very much so! I'd like to observe her everyday routine!"

 Polly watched grammy go about her day to day tasks and hobbies. She was satisfied that she didn't pose a danger to me or Niamh. But at first grammy didn't take too kindly to being watched, or too kindly to Polly!

 "Is there anything you want to ask me? Anything you want to tell me?"

"Nope! You just stay outta my way and I'll stay outta yours!" But her animosity didn't last!

 Polly moved in and dad made a small room under grammy's apartment in the garage especially for her. She got grammy up, made her meals and organised her medication. She took her for walks and car rides, and like Polly had hoped...

 ...they became friends!

 Niamh was now six and I was ten, we were so alike in looks and personality. Not once did we ever fall out. Yeah we had sibling squabbles but we always loved each other!

 The best day we had was when we went swimming in the pool. Dad had gone back to Los Anegios to hand the family business over to grammy's younger brother, Uncle Bruce! She adored her brother and sometimes she would call my dad Brucie when she was in one of her confused states, but mostly she called him dear or my love. She watched us that day, we played until the sun began to set!

 "GRAMMY! WATCH ME!" Niamh shouted excitedly.

"I see you sweetheart!" Grammy laughed and waved.

 She never stopped smiling as we splashed around with mom and giggled! She was the happiest she'd been in years! Part of that was down to Polly and her calming influence, and I suppose we played our part too!

 We played in the sandpit as it grew darker that night, but grammy was having so much fun seeing us have fun, we didn't want the night to end!

 That was the last time my grandmother said my name...

 As I grew older I would often sit on her bed and listen to her stories about her childhood. It was fascinating, she would talk in the present as if she were still a child, she'd call me Brucie and say things like "Don't tell mother where I'm going, Daniel's taking me dancing!" and I would play along, I never really knew the real Martha O'Hara, her illness had started before I was born...

 ...I didn't grieve for the old Martha like my parents did. This was all I knew of my grandmother! So it didn't hurt as much. But despite this disease, she was always happy and cheerful! So that night, when I tired her out by talking to her like I always did, it warmed my heart to hear her say "It's been a life well lived! I have no regrets! I have been blessed Quinny!"

 It had been six years since she last said my name! It had been three years since she stopped talking in the present! But that night she was herself again, just for that night. "Now go away and let me sleep!" she grunted, and that was my queue to leave!

 "Want me to tuck you in grammy?"

"No, I want to sleep on top of the covers!" she pouted like a child and wriggled into a comfortable position. She repeated what she'd said moments before, "It's been a life well lived!" and she yawned loudly and closed her eyes.

"G'night grammy!" I said softly and patted her hand,

"Goodnight..." she sighed...

 "...my Quinny!"

 I was so excited I ran to my dad, I wanted to tell him grammy was getting better!

"DAAAAD!"

 "What is it Quinny?"

"Grammy! She said my name, she remembers! She's getting better!" my dad looked at me with those same sad eyes he had the day Niamh was born. It wasn't that he didn't believe me, it was just that we'd been down this road before and he knew, being the adult, that this was nothing special! No ground breaking evidence to prove that the past 15 years were all a lie!

 "Oh Quinny!" he sighed, "Your grammy's never gonna get better son! She'll have these little moments, but she'll never get better! I'm sorry!" she passed away that night...

 When dad had gone to Los Anegios a few years before, he had my grandfather's gravestone moved to Lucky Palms as grammy requested. We buried her next to him, as she requested!

 Uncle Bruce and the rest of the family were at the service, but my parents wanted a private ceremony at home. Only Polly was invited. We laughed and we cried, remembering the times we shared with her!

 "Oh Danny!" my mother buried her head in my dad's chest, "We did good by her didn't we? Please say we did!"

"She had a happy life here with us, she got to see Quinn and Niamh grow up! Yeah, we did good!"

 My dad allowed me to pick the words for grammy's gravestone:

Martha Grace O'Hara (nee Wade)

Devoted wife 

Beloved mother & grandmother

A Life Well Lived!

 My parents were still so in love. My grandmother had once told me when I was a toddler that my mom and dad were the real life Cinderella and Prince Charming! My mom had come to L.A. to live her dream, become an artist! She ended up cleaning for my grandmother and my dad fell in love with her...

 ...she fell in love with him too! She finally became an artist, selling her paintings all over Lucky Palms and beyond, as me and my sister went to school. My dad just pottered around the house and made silly gadgets, but they were insanely happy!

 We were a very close family, even more so after grammy died! We remembered her and loved her...and we lived for her! Which made it all the harder for me to split us up, but on my 21st birthday, I broke the hearts of the two most precious women in my life...

 "Mom? Dad? I'm moving to Starlight Shores!"

 My parents were silent, my announcement catching them unaware! "Oh!" my mom squeaked, this was the day she'd been dreading since I started school and became independent!

"Okay son, whatever you want!" my dad gulped, he was secretly proud of me. He was still at home when he was nearing 40, so it gave him a kick to know his son wasn't going to make the same mistake!

 "Oh great! You're leaving ME???" my 17 year old sister shrieked. Yep I was letting my women down! But I had a dream, to become a famous fashion photographer. And Starlight Shores was the place to be! I just hoped my mom and sister would forgive me!

 As dad tried to reason with my mom, I saw her look away in defeat, her baby boy was flying the nest! She had always promised not to be a "Martha" and cling onto me, but when the time had come, she fought the urge! "It's for the best hun!" I heard my dad whisper softly.

"I know!" she sniffed, choking back a sob.

 "I hate you!" was all Niamh could utter! She didn't mean it of course, but I got the silent treatment for an age!

 The night I left, my dad shook my hand as an equal. No longer the boy he raised, but the man he was letting go. "All the best son!" he refused to cry, but I saw his watery eyes blink more than once as we said our goodbye...

 ...and Niamh still grumped and groaned, "I'm not saying goodbye to you toad features!" she snapped...

 ...my beautiful mother looked at me with tears in her eyes, one rolling down her porcelain face. Her Scottish accent thick and strong, "Ma wee boy is all grown up! I'm so proud of you!"

"I'll miss you so much mom!"

 "I'm not going to hug you, because I'm scared I'll never let you go! Be safe sweetie! Love you so much!"

 I turned to try and say goodbye to Niamh once more, but she ignored me pretending to be mad at me for leaving her...

 ...suddenly she flew into my arms...

 ...I could feel her hot tears seeping into my shirt, "I love you! You'd better text, phone, email...the works!" she cried softly, half mumbling into my shoulder!

"I will sis! I will! Love you too!"

 I knew this was the start of a big adventure, but I was going to miss my family! I thought about grammy and how she'd had a life well lived and I wanted that too! I wanted to be able to tell my grandchildren I'd had a good life and no regrets! I could hear Niamh crying behind me as I got into my car and drove out of the driveway...

 ...and as I drove off into the night towards Starlight Shores, there were four people outside my old home, not just three...

 ...I could've sworn I saw my grammy there too...

 ...she was young, happy and beautiful! And at that moment I knew...

 ...everything was going to be all right!

The End!