Saying Goodbye

A Story for the Young and the Young at Heart

by Donna Poole

Mommy heard Susie’s feet come down the stairs one step at a time. Susie opened the door to GG’s room and clicked on the light. Quietly, so as not to wake Daddy, Mommy slipped out of bed and went to GG’s room.

Susie stood there, sucking her thumb, and holding Teddy by one leg. Susie looked around the room. Everything looked just right. The old pictures sat on the doilies GG had crocheted. The plump blue and white checked cushions looked cheerful in the rocker near the window. The funny smelly red geraniums hung in the window. The patchwork quilt on the bed looked as warm and cozy as ever. Ginger, the fat yellow cat, slept on the colorful braided rug where he always slept.

Yes, everything looked just right, everything but the most important thing. GG wasn’t in the room. She wasn’t in the comfy rocker. She wasn’t in the cozy bed.

Susie turned and saw Mommy. “I know where my heart is.” She put one small hand on her chest. “It’s right here. A few minutes ago, upstairs, I felt it crack and break.”

Mommy heard a small sob. She picked up Susie and sat with her in great-grandmother’s rocker. She kissed Susie’s red cheeks and wiped away her tears.

“You put me down! I want GG to rock me.”

Mommy held her close. Susie stopped wiggling and buried her face in Mommy’s shoulder.

“Susie, you know GG’s funeral was yesterday. You know she’s with God now.”

“But…when is she coming back to see me? She didn’t finish reading me my book. And Teddy needs his leg sewed on again, see?”

Mommy looked at the dangling leg. Teddy did indeed need another operation. How many times had Great-Grandmother stitched Teddy’s arms and legs?

Mommy’s lips brushed Susie’s light brown curls. Lord, show me how to help Susie say goodbye.

“Poor GG’s hands,” Mommy said. “Did you see how hard it was getting for her to sew Teddy?”

Susie nodded. “GG’s fingers were bent funny. I don’t think her eyes were working good either. She was having a hard time reading to me too. And, Mommy,” Susie let out another small sob, “sometimes GG forgot my name!”

“Oh, honey, Great Grandmother’s poor old body just got too tired and sick to keep working right. Now she’s with Jesus, and she’s young and strong again.”

“Like in that picture on the dresser?” Susie slid off Mommy’s lap.

“Perhaps just like that picture.”

Susie held the picture in both hands and studied it. This was a GG she’d never known. Her eyes were bright blue and sparkling, not faded and squinting. There were no wrinkles on her soft-looking cheeks. GG’s hair was brown and curly like Susie’s, not white and thin. The GG in the picture was laughing at someone Susie couldn’t see.

“Does GG look this happy in heaven?”

“She looks even happier. Think of the happiest day of your life.”

“My happiest day was my birthday. I loved my party!”

“GG is even happier now than you were at your party! She won’t ever hurt again, or cry, or forget a name. Her fingers are straight, and her eyes can see. She can’t come back and see us, but she knows someday we’ll go to heaven. We’ll be together forever!”

“It might take me a long time to get to heaven,” Susie said. “What if GG forgets me?”

“The heart never forgets love.” Mommy started to cry.

Susie’s eyes opened wide. She crawled back on Mommy’s lap. “Do you wish GG was here to rock you too?”

“She was my grandma. I will always miss her.”

“You stay right here, Mommy. We have to do something now.”

Susie scrambled off Mommy’s lap. She took the picture of beautiful, young GG off the dresser. She hugged and kissed it. She took the picture to Mommy and climbed back on her lap.”

“Kiss GG goodbye.”

Mommy obeyed.

Susie studied the picture intently. “Who is GG smiling at?”

“Your great-grandpa took that picture of GG on their wedding day. She’s smiling at him.”

Susie shook her head. “I think GG is smiling at Jesus. She’s smiling because she knows it’s true, what she read at the end of my stories.”

Mommy looked puzzled.

“You know, the part that says, ‘And they lived happily ever after.’ That’s what GG is doing now, right? Living happily ever after?”

Mommy held her little girl tightly and rocked her to sleep. She carried Susie upstairs and tucked her into bed, putting Teddy next to her cheek.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Tomorrow you can operate on Teddy.”

Mommy sat on the edge of the bed and held Susie’s hand until her breathing was deep and even. Then she kissed her goodnight. “Thank you, Susie,” she whispered, “for helping me say goodbye.”