The English Descendants

24

Edith knows that her family needs to move on from the neighbourhood that she knows will take decades to recover, if it ever does. But the house, which is showing its age, is hers and she deeply desires to live out her years in its quiet red brick walls. There is peace in the house in Brush Park even if there is no peace anywhere else in the world or in the city of Detroit. And in the shadow of the loss of one more of their young men, the peace of the familiar is powerful.

There is one last birth in the house- Nellie's daughter, Rose Eliot McMichael, is born when Edith is one year past a century old in 1978. When she is born, Thomas once again appears at her crib, as he has done for each of these new children, to kiss her in welcome. Nellie is there when he visits and asks him to watch over her, to befriend her, to be her imaginary friend. He is delighted. She also asks that he stay with them, visible, and a part of their household just as any of the living. He is not sure if this is permitted of the dead, but he is incredibly grateful for her invitation. He tells her that he will consider it, but not until Edith has lived her last days. He does not want to upset her.

Edith holds Rose for the first time when she is but two days old. She kisses the little girl- her great great great granddaughter. A beautiful child with fine wispy hair- hair that her own son had when he was also only two days old. The moment brings tears to her eyes and she knows she will be at peace when she leaves the world. Eliot lives on through these children. She knows it will not be long until she joins him. In a way, she is happy to cross over to the other side. There are faces there she has not seen in decades, people she misses and dearly loves. She remembers Mr Barrie's words, "To die would be an awfully big adventure." She retrieves Peter Pan from her shelves and reads it every night before bed as she once did to her own children.

A few months pass and she weakens, spending most of her time in the rocking chair beside the fire. Charlotte dies before her, her health declining rapidly. Edith, with what little strength she has left, travels once again to Elmwood Cemetery. There are three military headstones, one for Matthew, one for Richard, and one holding a space for Eliot, whenever he returns home. Charlotte is placed between her brother's waiting grave and her husband. There is one monument around which the children have been buried. And there is a space waiting for her beside Alan.

She returns to the house and lays down to rest. Anne brings her soup. She eats slowly and falls asleep after a dozen little sips. When she wakes late in the night, Thomas sits beside her.

"It is time, isn't it?"

"When you are ready, yes."

"What is it like?"

"Death?"

"Or the ever after."

"Death is just a passing. Nothing difficult. Unless you achieve it by being stabbed in the face. That isn't exactly pleasant. But the slipping itself? Only a moment and then it is over. But I cannot tell you what happens next if you have nothing to atone for. I haven't yet achieved that."

"Would you come with me? Find your peace?"

"Eliot asked me the same thing. But no. There is something I haven't yet done. I don't know what it is yet, but I need to be here for it."

"When you do, meet me so I know you have found rest- I hold nothing but kindness and forgiveness for you in my heart." She takes his hand.

"Bless you, Edith."

She smiles, "Thank you. And goodbye. I have many ready to welcome me to the other side."

He nods and she closes her eyes, breathes a few last slow breaths, and is gone. He sits with her a few moments. On her nightstand, he spots a leatherbound volume under her worn copy of Peter Pan. His diary. He picks it up. A bookmark slips from the last few pages. He opens it, notices the entry, and tucks the bookmark back where it was. She read it. Or most of it- enough to know his heart. And still she invited him to find his peace with her. He takes it with him. It does not need to be here in the open.

"I already miss you." He kisses her forehead, and goes to Anne to herald death once more.