She'd been the one to pick up the pieces. She'd gotten a good lawyer for Freddy and found a rehabilitation program that also offered high school courses. This way he could still graduate, not with his class but that was the least of her problems at the time. Luckily no one had been hurt during Freddy's drunken driving accident so he'd spent a short time in jail, a longer time in rehab and had finished his courses up the following fall and graduated in December. He'd gotten accepted to the local state school about two hours from their house and had started only a year after everyone else his age. It had been a miracle that crisis hadn't completely derailed his life.
"I'm glad he got on a good path before I died," said Carol Jean.
"We made sure he was before we let the cancer loose," said Will.
"What do you mean?" asked Carol Jean.
"You've had that cancer in your body for a very long time Carol. It was there even before I passed away but they knew I was dying and that the kids needed you so they kept the cancer contained. It wasn't until we were able to get Freddy in a good place that they let the cancer run its course," said Will.
"You're confusing me. What's going on? Who's this 'we' you're referring to and what do they have to do with me and my cancer?" asked Carol Jean.
A long pause and a look from Will made Carol Jean nervous. "You are my husband Will, right?" asked Carol Jean.
"Yes, it's me, Will."
"I'm just so confused about what's going on. It all seems too much. First I die and then instead of being whisked away to some heaven, I stay around earth and my loved ones only to be sucked away before my actual funeral. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to see you Will but why didn't you come right away? I just don't understand what is going on?" questioned Carol Jean.
"You will, dear. I'll try to explain it all to you," replied Will.
*********
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"I'm glad he got on a good path before I died," said Carol Jean.
"We made sure he was before we let the cancer loose," said Will.
"What do you mean?" asked Carol Jean.
"You've had that cancer in your body for a very long time Carol. It was there even before I passed away but they knew I was dying and that the kids needed you so they kept the cancer contained. It wasn't until we were able to get Freddy in a good place that they let the cancer run its course," said Will.
"You're confusing me. What's going on? Who's this 'we' you're referring to and what do they have to do with me and my cancer?" asked Carol Jean.
A long pause and a look from Will made Carol Jean nervous. "You are my husband Will, right?" asked Carol Jean.
"Yes, it's me, Will."
"I'm just so confused about what's going on. It all seems too much. First I die and then instead of being whisked away to some heaven, I stay around earth and my loved ones only to be sucked away before my actual funeral. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to see you Will but why didn't you come right away? I just don't understand what is going on?" questioned Carol Jean.
"You will, dear. I'll try to explain it all to you," replied Will.
*********
If you missed a part of this story, click on Previous at the bottom of the page. If you missed the beginning of the story, click on the beginning button at the top of the page.