My two best guy friends were rolling in on Saturday, and the three of us were going to spend some time with Grace. She had first met my boys on the Saturday that she visited me and the Misfits at my house. Grace really likes meeting the different people in my life, and they all loved her like a little sister. Once she meets them in person or by creeping them on my facebook page, she continuously will ask me about them, always looking for an update.
Geo Metro (George) arrived early on Saturday and together we hit up Logan International Airport to retrieve Tommy. If ever three guys did not look like they belonged together, it was Geo, Tommy, and myself. Grace would relate us to the Three Bears by the end of the day. I at least got to be Papa Bear to Geo's Mama Bear and Tommy's Baby Bear. After leaving Grace's for the day, we joked around that we were more like the Three Pigs than the Three Bears.
I did not tell Grace my boys would be with me on this Saturday, knowing she would be excited to see them again. I also did not tell my boys that the plan today was for Grace and I to have a tea party. I love surprises, especially when they are not for me. Grace was out back on their deck when we got there. I peeked around the corner and watched her for a few seconds as she put a pitcher of lemonade on the table next to a plate of cookies. Two glasses and two plates. She is going to be so surprised when she sees the boys.
We round the corner of the house and approach the deck stairs as Grace turns to go back into her house. The three of us just standing at the bottom of the deck stairs looking at our little hostess. "Hi George", she says as if Tommy and I are not standing next to him, "would you like to join our tea party?" Of course Geo says yes adding "Do you mind if Tommy has some tea with us?" We walk up the stairs to the deck. Geo gets a huge hug, then Grace walks over to Tommy, "Hi Tommy, I did not know you would be here today either." He gets a hug. "Jett, go get two more of everything for our tea party", she says. I laugh, shake my head, and go get two more glasses and two more plates for our cookies. I think to myself, 'was it not just yesterday that she told me Katie from the fourth grade could NEVER have me as her boyfriend?'
I visit for a few minutes with Grace's mom, who tells me about how excited Grace was about her school experience yesterday. She feels me in on how Grace's health is holding up, letting me know that there are a few more tender spots on her head, marked by slight bruising. A sign of tumors growing, she tells me, but Grace has not once complained about headaches, or pain. "You better go save your friends from her sassy ways", she says. A quick hug for this mommy who looks more worn down and tired each time I see her, and I am off for my tea party.
I stop at the door before going out onto the deck, noticing several things about this tea party for two that has become tea for four. First off, she has seated George on one side of her, and Tommy on the other. I've been ousted as the main squeeze here. Secondly, in front of Geo, is my glass of 'tea' and my plate of cookies. It is clear to me, Georgie is stealing my show out there. I take the extra settings to the table and pour myself and Tommy a drink. "Thank you Jett", she says, "I may have to have you get more cookies from my mommy for us. George likes them." I look at Tommy and we both roll our eyes. This could be a long tea party.
Our visit went well, and I was happy to take a back seat to my boys and just enjoy watching how Grace interacted with them. She fits into my "Misfits" family almost as if she has been one of us forever. I very much enjoy the times when friends can sit around and just laugh and joke and poke fun at each other. Almost as if there is not a care in the world, and all is golden. You wouldn't really think that three 19 plus year old dudes would have so much in common with an eight year old girly girl. If you were with us on this Saturday morning on this sunny day sitting on the deck, you would think different.
The talk went from fishing and hockey to barbies and pink kicks and everywhere under the sun from there. Grace did a great job pulling information out about all of us that even the closest of three friends did not know. She sat back in that deck chair with her feet dangling in the air from too short of legs to touch the wood below her. She had her arms from her elbows to the palm of her hands resting on the chairs arms. She went from one of us to the other to the next, hold our attention, making sure she shared herself equally with the three of us.
Then it was time for Grace to practice what she loved best about people. "I want to read your eyes, all of you", she announced, "Jett, clear our table for our game." No please, no thank you, just do it houseboy. She makes me smile, but I love her comfort level with me. I clear the table while Grace explains to my boys about the little thing we do reading each others eyes. I returned to the deck with Grace sitting on the table, staring at Geo. I listen as she 'reads' his eyes. "Your eyes tell me you are a fun guy George. I see in your eyes that you are going to be married someday and have babies. Lots of them, so many you won't know what to do with them all. When you do George, will you give one to my mommy and daddy to love like they loved me?" She gets a hug from George, no words, just a hug.
Grace moves over to where I have taken my seat around the table again. She sits in front of me, eye to eye. "Boyfriend, you stay away from Katie. You better marry Kristy and when you have babies, you can name one Jenny, like I would name my baby, if I got to live to be old as you guys are", she said, "I can see in your eyes that you are sad still. Do not be sad for me boyfriend. Do not cry for me. I mean it Dude."
Grace moves over in front of Tommy and when she is sitting head on, eyes to eyes in front of him, he closes his eyes. Grace grabs either side of of his face with her tiny little hands that will never get any bigger. "Tommy, you open your eyes to play this game", she commanded. Tommy squeezed his eyes shut tighter, "I don't want you to see babies in my eyes." She takes his lid off him and puts it on her head, backwards, like she often will wear one of mine. She takes her fingers on both hands and pries open Tommy's eyes. "No, there are no babies in there but I see a barrel of monkeys", she tells him. "Tommy, you be good to your mommy. I can see in your eyes that someday you will make her very proud of you."
If you knew Tommy, and if you knew his relationship with his mom, you would think that Grace was really reading his eyes. "OK", is all he can mutter. Grace continues on, "I know you are scared for me Tommy. I do not want you to be. It does not hurt you know", she tells him. Tommy's eyes were not the only ones to fill up with tears at that moment. This little girl, sitting on that table, surrounded by the Three Bears, was saying goodbye to two of them. In not so many words the message was clear. I help Grace off the table to the deck. "I am tired now", she says, "thank you for coming to see me today."
Grace gives Tommy and Geo extra tight hugs and again she thanks them for coming. "I'm really happy I got to know you. Take care of Jett for me, and make sure Kristy is the girl he marries. Please please please do not let it be Katie from fourth grade. She is all wrong for my boyfriend." I follow Grace into her house to say goodbye for the day. I know I will see her again, but I cannot help but wonder which day in the next 21 or so days will be the one where Grace administers a final hug to me. I thank her for the real nice tea party and accepting my boys into our day. Once Grace is laying in her bed, laid back and comfortable I kiss her on the cheek and let her know I would stop by tomorrow to see how she is doing. "Jett?", she says. "Dude?", I respond. "Kristy", she says sternly. I smile as I turn to leave my bossy sassy 'girlfriend'.
The ride back to my house was quiet, not a word was spoken. I am sure the lumps in our throats put there by this child of God would remain there for quite some time. It's not the words she spoke, or the hugs she gave. It was not the laughs we shared, or the fun pokes we made at each other. It was the Amazing Grace that just filled our hearts with as much love as she could in the four hours of her life she just shared with us. Grace set the scene for a remarkable example of what life is about.
Keep on living, until you die. Do not stop and weep on what is to come or you will miss precious moments such as these. For it is better to have love and lost, then to never have loved at all.
Geo Metro (George) arrived early on Saturday and together we hit up Logan International Airport to retrieve Tommy. If ever three guys did not look like they belonged together, it was Geo, Tommy, and myself. Grace would relate us to the Three Bears by the end of the day. I at least got to be Papa Bear to Geo's Mama Bear and Tommy's Baby Bear. After leaving Grace's for the day, we joked around that we were more like the Three Pigs than the Three Bears.
I did not tell Grace my boys would be with me on this Saturday, knowing she would be excited to see them again. I also did not tell my boys that the plan today was for Grace and I to have a tea party. I love surprises, especially when they are not for me. Grace was out back on their deck when we got there. I peeked around the corner and watched her for a few seconds as she put a pitcher of lemonade on the table next to a plate of cookies. Two glasses and two plates. She is going to be so surprised when she sees the boys.
We round the corner of the house and approach the deck stairs as Grace turns to go back into her house. The three of us just standing at the bottom of the deck stairs looking at our little hostess. "Hi George", she says as if Tommy and I are not standing next to him, "would you like to join our tea party?" Of course Geo says yes adding "Do you mind if Tommy has some tea with us?" We walk up the stairs to the deck. Geo gets a huge hug, then Grace walks over to Tommy, "Hi Tommy, I did not know you would be here today either." He gets a hug. "Jett, go get two more of everything for our tea party", she says. I laugh, shake my head, and go get two more glasses and two more plates for our cookies. I think to myself, 'was it not just yesterday that she told me Katie from the fourth grade could NEVER have me as her boyfriend?'
I visit for a few minutes with Grace's mom, who tells me about how excited Grace was about her school experience yesterday. She feels me in on how Grace's health is holding up, letting me know that there are a few more tender spots on her head, marked by slight bruising. A sign of tumors growing, she tells me, but Grace has not once complained about headaches, or pain. "You better go save your friends from her sassy ways", she says. A quick hug for this mommy who looks more worn down and tired each time I see her, and I am off for my tea party.
I stop at the door before going out onto the deck, noticing several things about this tea party for two that has become tea for four. First off, she has seated George on one side of her, and Tommy on the other. I've been ousted as the main squeeze here. Secondly, in front of Geo, is my glass of 'tea' and my plate of cookies. It is clear to me, Georgie is stealing my show out there. I take the extra settings to the table and pour myself and Tommy a drink. "Thank you Jett", she says, "I may have to have you get more cookies from my mommy for us. George likes them." I look at Tommy and we both roll our eyes. This could be a long tea party.
Our visit went well, and I was happy to take a back seat to my boys and just enjoy watching how Grace interacted with them. She fits into my "Misfits" family almost as if she has been one of us forever. I very much enjoy the times when friends can sit around and just laugh and joke and poke fun at each other. Almost as if there is not a care in the world, and all is golden. You wouldn't really think that three 19 plus year old dudes would have so much in common with an eight year old girly girl. If you were with us on this Saturday morning on this sunny day sitting on the deck, you would think different.
The talk went from fishing and hockey to barbies and pink kicks and everywhere under the sun from there. Grace did a great job pulling information out about all of us that even the closest of three friends did not know. She sat back in that deck chair with her feet dangling in the air from too short of legs to touch the wood below her. She had her arms from her elbows to the palm of her hands resting on the chairs arms. She went from one of us to the other to the next, hold our attention, making sure she shared herself equally with the three of us.
Then it was time for Grace to practice what she loved best about people. "I want to read your eyes, all of you", she announced, "Jett, clear our table for our game." No please, no thank you, just do it houseboy. She makes me smile, but I love her comfort level with me. I clear the table while Grace explains to my boys about the little thing we do reading each others eyes. I returned to the deck with Grace sitting on the table, staring at Geo. I listen as she 'reads' his eyes. "Your eyes tell me you are a fun guy George. I see in your eyes that you are going to be married someday and have babies. Lots of them, so many you won't know what to do with them all. When you do George, will you give one to my mommy and daddy to love like they loved me?" She gets a hug from George, no words, just a hug.
Grace moves over to where I have taken my seat around the table again. She sits in front of me, eye to eye. "Boyfriend, you stay away from Katie. You better marry Kristy and when you have babies, you can name one Jenny, like I would name my baby, if I got to live to be old as you guys are", she said, "I can see in your eyes that you are sad still. Do not be sad for me boyfriend. Do not cry for me. I mean it Dude."
Grace moves over in front of Tommy and when she is sitting head on, eyes to eyes in front of him, he closes his eyes. Grace grabs either side of of his face with her tiny little hands that will never get any bigger. "Tommy, you open your eyes to play this game", she commanded. Tommy squeezed his eyes shut tighter, "I don't want you to see babies in my eyes." She takes his lid off him and puts it on her head, backwards, like she often will wear one of mine. She takes her fingers on both hands and pries open Tommy's eyes. "No, there are no babies in there but I see a barrel of monkeys", she tells him. "Tommy, you be good to your mommy. I can see in your eyes that someday you will make her very proud of you."
If you knew Tommy, and if you knew his relationship with his mom, you would think that Grace was really reading his eyes. "OK", is all he can mutter. Grace continues on, "I know you are scared for me Tommy. I do not want you to be. It does not hurt you know", she tells him. Tommy's eyes were not the only ones to fill up with tears at that moment. This little girl, sitting on that table, surrounded by the Three Bears, was saying goodbye to two of them. In not so many words the message was clear. I help Grace off the table to the deck. "I am tired now", she says, "thank you for coming to see me today."
Grace gives Tommy and Geo extra tight hugs and again she thanks them for coming. "I'm really happy I got to know you. Take care of Jett for me, and make sure Kristy is the girl he marries. Please please please do not let it be Katie from fourth grade. She is all wrong for my boyfriend." I follow Grace into her house to say goodbye for the day. I know I will see her again, but I cannot help but wonder which day in the next 21 or so days will be the one where Grace administers a final hug to me. I thank her for the real nice tea party and accepting my boys into our day. Once Grace is laying in her bed, laid back and comfortable I kiss her on the cheek and let her know I would stop by tomorrow to see how she is doing. "Jett?", she says. "Dude?", I respond. "Kristy", she says sternly. I smile as I turn to leave my bossy sassy 'girlfriend'.
The ride back to my house was quiet, not a word was spoken. I am sure the lumps in our throats put there by this child of God would remain there for quite some time. It's not the words she spoke, or the hugs she gave. It was not the laughs we shared, or the fun pokes we made at each other. It was the Amazing Grace that just filled our hearts with as much love as she could in the four hours of her life she just shared with us. Grace set the scene for a remarkable example of what life is about.
Keep on living, until you die. Do not stop and weep on what is to come or you will miss precious moments such as these. For it is better to have love and lost, then to never have loved at all.
