Finally Some Closure

The wait was over. My family could finally say goodbye to him and give him a proper burial. After the people left my house, Mom went up to the farmhouse where I was with Grandma and Pop. She told them about finding Earl; they were Dad’s parents. It was great to see my mom, but I was too young to understand what was going on. They went into the living room and talked for a while. My aunts and uncles were also there, for they were Dad’s sister and brother. Mom stood up and said, “I need to talk to Debbie. I need to tell her about her dad.” I was in the kitchen with Grandma, or so I was told. Mom came in and sat on the chair in the kitchen and asked me to come sit on her lap. So I ran over to her, and she lifted me onto her lap. I remember tears starting to roll down her cheeks. “Mom, why are you crying?” I asked

She then said to me, “Your dad isn’t coming home.”

My mom was shocked by my response: “Okay,” I said, and then asked if I could go back and help Grandma. Being only three and a half years old, it had already been a month since I saw him, and at that age, this was a long time. Mom said it was hard seeing my reaction, but she understood why. When I think back, I don’t remember this, but I do recall what people told me growing up. I had many questions about this time in my life as I grew up. My Uncle William and his wife, Aunt Mildred, were the ones I asked most of my questions to (Uncle William was Dad’s older brother). They didn’t mind my questions; they told me they were glad I wanted to learn all I could about my dad.