Anna and I get home after dropping off Larry and Liz at their houses. "Oh Shit!" I say as we pull in the driveway, both the grandparents cars are here. "Fuck!" I look at Anna. "They aren't stopping me. I am doing this."
Anna smiles at me. "I have your back Cous." She says as she squeezes my hand.
As we get out of the car Auntie comes out of the house. The door opens behind her and she turns and sees Nana. She shocks me by barking at her. "I said Alone!" I see Nana go back in the house. Auntie hugs us both at once. "I am so happy you are home. The house was strange with both of you gone." She says as she hugs us.
She steps back and looks at us, and then me. "Spill it young lady." She says. I tell her the whole story. She softens up when I told her about finding the foster kids dorm. Then her eyes get teary when she hears I told the Chancellor the charity name was Ben & Karen's Kids. "Oh Sweetie, it's perfect and we all hug." Auntie looks towards the house. "They aren't happy in there."
"Too bad. I am doing it." I say as I walk towards the house. Uncle isn't thrilled but he listens. The grandparents are just against it, but I don't need their approval. "Ezzie can you make Uncle side with me please?" I ask.
"I have Mary." Says Ezzie.
Nana starts in on me. It's a waste of my money, etc. I lose it and Scream. "I AM DOING THIS! Zeena is now on alert right beside me. She is guarding me.
Nana is shocked. "Not if we don't agree you aren't."
Oh yeah. I look at Uncle. He says. "I say let's do it. I understand why you want to do it." He says, looking at me. I see Auntie smile and stand beside him.
I turn and look at Nana. "Go ahead and disagree. Mike already said he agreed, when he capped my spending. That's 3 to 2. I win!" I say a little meaner than I mean to. Zeena is pushing against my leg. She is upset that I am upset.
Auntie speaks up. "Mary, that is your Nana!"
"She is certainly her Fathers daughter. All full of herself, like he was sometimes. Thinking she can just make it happen, just like he did." Nana says.
I snap. "That's Right I Am My Father's Daughter and Damn Proud of It! He Was A Brilliant Businessman, And Do You Know How I Know That? BECAUSE I JUST INHERITED ALMOST $150 MILLION HE LEFT ME, DONT YOU EVER INSULT MY FATHER EVER AGAIN!" I Scream and I run out of the house. I don't realize until I get to my car that Zeena is right on my heels. We get in my car and drive.
I don't remember driving here, but I am at the cemetery. I am curled up against Mom & Dad's gravestone. Hugging and crying into Zeena's fur like I did with Shannon after they died. I don't even realize anyone is there until Zeena's head pops up. I hear Auntie's voice. "It's ok girl." Zeena sighs and puts her head down. Then Auntie is on one side and Anna is on the other just hugging and holding me.
We sit there for a while. I look at Auntie, and burst into tears. "I'm Sorry!" She holds me to her chest and just rocks me.
"It's ok Sweetie. It's ok." She says soothing me. I don't know how long we sat on the grass in front of their headstone like that.
Anna smiles at me. "Your girl here was a rockstar chasing after you." She says giving Zeena some lovins.
"Anna, it wasn't on purpose." Says Auntie.
"Nana sure thought it was." Says Anna.
"What did she do?" I ask a little concerned.
Anna has a big grin on her face. "You bolted so fast, and Zeena took off after you. She slid on the kitchen floor and gave Nana a good hip check right in her knees on the way by. She is sure Zeena did it intentionally."
I giggle imagining it, and Zeena wedges between me and Auntie giving me kisses. I hug Zeena. "Good Girl."
Auntie smiles at me. "I don't think Nana is happy with either of you right now."
"I am not apologizing. She insulted Dad." I say.
She holds up her hand. "Easy. I am not asking you to, but when you both cool down you should talk it out. You were both wrong."
"Yes Ma'am." I say.
Auntie lightens the mood a little. "Let's go get a manicure and pedicure and you can both tell me all about the visit to Andrew's College."
Auntie drives me and Zeena in my car and Anna follows in Auntie's car. Two hours later we are home with pretty nails. Zeena kept putting her paw up on the table, next to my hand so she now has Hot Pink nails. The ladies in the salon thought it was the funniest thing. She just sat there and let them do it.
Later that night I am in bed. I am holding my parents' wedding rings in my hand. "Ezzie, can I ask you something?"
"Anything, Mary." Says Ezzie.
"Was it because of you that my Dad was so successful?"
"Yes and no. Your Dad was a good man. He never tried to rip someone off, or take advantage of someone in a business deal. Sometimes he would just ask me to make them agree to a fair contract. That's it. He could have had me make them agree to anything. He was successful because he never stopped networking. Getting loan officers and builders to want to work with him and Goldstar. Says Ezzie.
"Could you do that with me? Can you help me make this charity really happen?" I ask.
"Nothing would make me happier than to help you honor your Mom & Dad like that. I loved them both. They were always so kind to me. In the past the men who have worn me treated me like a thing or a tool. Your Dad was the first person to treat me like a person, and your Mom was the first woman to ever wear me." Says Ezzie.
"Really?" I ask surprised.
"Yes, I was amazed at the difference I felt with a woman. I don't know if it's because I am a woman, or if it's because women are so much more emotional than men? I just know I feel better in tune with a woman. Especially during sex. The first time your Dad put me on your Mom's finger during sex." Says Ezzie.
I giggle. "Eeewwww no. Please stop!"
"Don't worry I promised your Dad, when we spoke about this possibility, I would never discuss anything too personal that a daughter shouldn't know. I knew both your Mom's & Dad's most intimate thoughts, as I am learning yours, and you mine. I was with them everyday for almost 15 years. I can't explain it, but the one thing I actually feel is the wearer's orgasm. It's almost euphoric for me. I can't explain it." Says Ezzie.
"Wait back up. Dad put you on Mom's finger during sex?" I ask feeling uncomfortable even asking.
"Yes, your Dad wondered if it would feel better for me with a girl, since I am a girl. He was right it did. It feels much more intense for me when a woman orgasms." Says Ezzie. I used to love when your Mom would take me with her to work. I would help her diagnose what was wrong with babies by telling her where they hurt since they couldn't tell the doctor themselves." Says Ezzie.
I smile as I remember my Mom in her white assistants coat that she would wear at work. She really loved working at the pediatricians office. Ezzie and I keep chatting for a while, but I fall asleep.