The Fourth Notebook

Epilogue

(Thank you yewheart707 for this manip of Emma and James! Go check her out!)
After the clean up of the pages the next day, I walked through those empty hallways trying not to cry. I sit at my desk going through the electronic files looking for Emma's files, but I find nothing.
Doug walks up to my desk.
"Patricia?" he asks.
"Yes?"
"I need you to arrange transportation for Jace to the orphanage."
"The orphanage? What about his parents?"
"They just called and said that they are giving him up for adoption."
"We can't just leave him!"
"And we can't keep him!" he argues, "Just do your job, we told you not to make emotional connections with any patients."
I sigh and go back to the computer.
"Doug?"
"Yes, Patricia?"
"Where are Emma's files?"
"Who?"
"Emma. Emma Paisley?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. We never had any patients named Emma Paisley," he says.
I stand up and grab my purse and clear off my desk.
"W-what are you doing?" he asks.
"I can't do this anymore. I quit."

~Grace~

Grace had a huge funeral three days later paid for by donations from a fundraiser at her school. I noticed that none of the young girls crying in the front or speaking at the reception ever came to visit her even though they all claim to be her best friends. An anonymous donation was made to have her buried all the way in San Francisco with Cody if his body was ever recovered.
Her parents did not find out about their daughter's death until they returned from their cruise. They moved away and I heard that they had a baby girl. And they named her Grace.

~Cody~
Cody's body was found a week later at the bottom of the river after it was reported by some young kids that they saw a car in the water. He had a much smaller funeral with only a few old friends from school.
A group of men were arrested at the funeral when one of them dropped a bag of illegal substances and a cop attending the funeral saw it. They were later charged with possession of illegal substances and selling drugs to minors. It was all over the papers.
A woman asked to speak at the funeral. In front of the casket she began to cry, telling us all how Cody was her son and she put him up for adoption. She told us that she was planning to tell him this, but she was to afraid of how he would take it. She said that she had taken care of him in someway being his motel maid and all.
Cody's body was buried next to Grace's.

~James~
James' family changed their names and moved back to Texas.
They did not attend the funeral.
Nor did anyone else.
The only other person there to see his casket lowered was a man in his forties who cried the whole time with silent tears.
When I got into my car, I saw the man kneeling in front of the fresh grave. He placed an old blue toy car on the grave before walking away.

~Emma~
Emma's body was never found.
Her hospital records disappeared.
No records of an Emma Paisley, much less a Paisley family were ever found.
When I mention her to my old colleagues they don't know who I am talking about.

One day I was looking for a pen to sign an adoption request when I found an unmarked white envelope with my name on it. I ripped it open.

Dear Patricia,
I know that you have heard our stories. Please don't let our spirits die. Write about us. Tell as many people as you can that we are real. Teach them to love and to accept. My work here is done. I will always be looking out for you.
~Emma

"Okay, Emma," I said aloud.

So as I sat at my desk weeks later with a rough draft of their book on screen, I felt the weight of my next task settle on my shoulders. How would I capture their whole story in the few words that is a title? Then I realized that all of their stories were connected and ended with one thing.

My fingers flew across the keyboard.
The title looked back at me.
"Perfect," I whispered to myself.

~The Fourth Notebook~

(A/N: okay I know that the book says completed now but keep it in your library because I have a very special announcement in a week or two!!)