"My brothers." he said, hoarsely. "I miss you all so much."

He walked stiffly over to the window and stared out at the ocean.

"Almost 60 years in this place and I still can�t get enough of the view."

Glancing down at his watch he realized it was time to wake up his wife, Elisha from her afternoon nap. Elisha was 91 now, but still pretty feisty. Nick smiled as he struggled to pull her wheelchair out of the closet. It had been quite a battle to get her to realize she needed it, but she finally gave in. Her bones just couldn�t support her anymore. Nick carefully opened the bedroom door and sat down beside his wife's sleeping form.

"Elisha honey, let�s go down to the beach and make out like we used to."

He chuckled, knowing he didn�t have the strength to push her quite that far anymore, especially in the sand.

"Elisha?"

He shook her shoulder gently when she didn�t stir. "Elisha? Please wake up, honey! Elisha!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Daddy?"

Nick started and looked around, confused.

"Daddy, it�s me Diana."

"Oh, yes, Diana. I had forgotten you were here."

"You need to get ready for Momma's funeral daddy, we have to leave soon." Diana knelt beside her father and hugged him. "Do you need some help? Gene is here, he can help you get dressed."

Nick shook his head. "No, no. I�m fine. How long before we leave?"

"About half an hour." Diana stood and started out of the room.

"I loved her so much."

Diana moved back to her father's side. "I know you did dad. You two were the most loving people I have ever met."

"She was my life, I don�t know what to do without her." Nick twisted his wedding ring around his finger. "I love her."

Diana pulled a kleenex out of her pocket and dried her eyes and then dabbed at his.

"You�re her spitting image, do you know that? I always thought Rebecca was, but it is you that looks like her."

Diana smiled. "Thank you daddy. Momma was a beautiful person."

"That she is." Nick nodded slowly.

"Take your time dad. I need to help to get Matthew ready, okay?" She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Call if you need some help."

Nick stood and pulled a photo album from the shelf. He sat down in the recliner and slowly turned the pages. The first photo was a shot of himself, Elisha and the children, Rebecca, Brian, Diana and Gene. It was taken in Florida, just after they arrived home from Kentucky. The twins were still babies. What a horrible time that had been. Next was Rebecca, she was such a beautiful woman, but never married. Not for lack of suitors though. Nick smiled and turned the page. Here was Brian and his partner, Shane. Brian had told his parents when he was much younger that he was gay. Nick had been surprised a bit, but Elisha took it in stride. He had met Shane when he was 20 and they had been together all these years. Brian looked so much like his father that it was like looking at a photo of himself at a younger age. Diana's family was large to say the least. Mark was her second husband. They had two children together and Mark had four from his first wife. They also had 3 grandkids, Matthew being the youngest and busiest. Gene and his wife were content with the nieces and nephews. They liked to travel and not be tied down. Nick turned the next page and sighed.

"Elisha."

He ran his withered fingers over the photo and cried.

"What will I do without you, how can I go on?"

He gently pulled it out of the album and held it close to his heart. "I�ve had a good life Elisha, but I don�t want to go on without you. I can�t go on without you." Nick lifted the photo to his lips and kissed his wife's image. "You�ve only been gone from me a few days and I�m so lonely." He tipped his head back in the chair and stared at the ceiling, clutching the photo to his heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is dad ready?" Gene had everyone in the car and ready to go and waited impatiently by the front door.

"He�s going with me, you can go, if you want." Diana said.

"No, you might need some help, let�s go get him."

They walked to the bedroom and knocked softly on the door.

"Dad are you ready?" Gene called.

"It�s time to go dad." Diana said.

They opened the door wider and saw Nick still laying in the recliner chair.

"Dad?"

Diana noticed the photo album, open on his lap. She picked up the photo that had fallen out of his hand.

"It�s one of mom." She held it out to Gene. "He�s torn apart, they were so in love."

Gene gently moved the album and set the recliner up. "Dad, it�s time to go."

Nick slumped forward as the chair tipped up.

Diana gasped. "Gene, he�s going to fall!"

Gene leaned to the front of the chair and grasped his father's shoulders. "Sorry... I ... oh my God!"

"What is it? What�s wrong?" Diana asked, worried.

"I think he�s had a heart attack."

Gene lifted his father out of the chair and lay him on the floor.

"Oh no!" Diana kneeled down and held her fathers hand.

"He�s...he�s..." Gene couldn�t finish the sentence and placed his hands over his face, sobs shaking his body. "Oh my God."

Diana sat stunned for a moment, tears running down her face. She looked at her father and noticed that he was smiling, he had the most peaceful look on his face that she had ever seen.

"Gene, look!"

Her brother wiped his eyes and looked toward his father.

"He couldn�t bear to be without momma and now he is with her forever."