My Sister's Story

Here I am sitting in my sister's living room waiting for her husband to die. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure several years ago. He has been slowly disintegrating since then, now it is almost the end.

My sister is sitting beside the bed, her sons and daughters are here with her, two of my daughters had come over to help in any way they could. They love their Aunt Linda and would do anything they could for her. Linda is unable to do much of anything she is crippled by grief, as were most of her children.

My name is John I am Linda's older brother by five years. I retired several years ago and because of a few great investments I made during my life I am pretty well off. I can only say I don't have to worry about paying my bills. I sold my house in the city and moved everything to my hunting cabin when I retired because I wanted to be alone. Two days after I retired my wife had a massive stroke. She lingered for three days before dying in the hospital never making it back home. The love of my life was gone and my heart was broken. I still feel the pain from that loss.

The crying from my sister's bedroom just became louder, two of her son's just came out and said it's over, my father just passed over. I got up and walked into her bedroom and went to Linda. I put my hand on her shoulder so she would know I was here for her. She looked up at me and said, "he's gone". I told her "I know, I am so sorry Linn". She stood up and hugged me tightly, crying her heart out. All I could do was to hold her and let her cry. We stood there for about twenty minutes and her daughters were crying, and my daughters were crying, and the boys were just trying to be strong without much success.

Tom didn't have much as far as money or possessions, but he did have the love of his family. Linda & Tom had been married for forty-six years. She is now 65 years-old but looks like she's 45, she is healthy, and in good physical condition. She has never been afraid of work. She worked a full time job, kept her home clean, and raised five children. I believe she did a wonderful job. Tom worked at the mill as a laborer for better than 30 years. He never made any big money, but he did earn enough to get by and have what they needed and some of what they wanted. Linda's income was the sometimes-extra money that they needed to get by.

All of the girls were starting to get their composure back for the moment. I kissed Linda on the forehead and told her that I loved her. I then walked outside and called the funeral home to let them know it was time to come and pick up Tom's body. It was not necessary to contact the coroner since he was under the direct care of his cardiologist when he died. I came back in and told the boys that I had made the call. They looked at me and almost with an embarrassed look told me that Tom did not have any life insurance and they would have to get together to figure out how they could pay for the funeral. Then one of the boys asked if funeral parlors would take payments, and I knew this was a major concern for Linda's whole family, so I told them that I had carried a life insurance policy on their Dad and Mom for years. I would take care of that part of the funeral. All they had to do was meet with the funeral director and let him know what they wanted for their Dad. I went back inside the house and called the funeral home again and told the director he was not to talk to the family about cost, he was to tell them the bill had been taken care of.

Three Months Later

Everything had settled down. The kids had all come to terms with the death of their Father, Linda was doing the best she could. She was looking for a part time job just to get her away from the house where her husband died. So many memories, most happy, but some such as Tom's death were hard to overcome. The bills started coming in and she was short again this month because she no longer had Tom's Social Security Check to help her. With her pride, you would never know she was having a hard time. I spoke to Linda on the telephone at least once a week and she was always happy and sounded carefree.

About a month later on a Wednesday morning, my daughter Debby called me and she was very upset. She was crying on the telephone, she said that Aunt Linda has lost about 30 pounds and she had very dark circles under her eyes. She looked very sick, and she would not talk to anyone about what was wrong with her. I told Debby to calm down and I would drive into town tomorrow and talk to Linda and find out what was wrong.

The next day I got up about 7:00am showered and dressed, got in my car and I was on my way. It is about a 90-minute drive into town and I was trying to think of what could be wrong with Linda to make her this ill. Was she sick or even dying, I began to worry about my sister I did not want to lose her. She was my only sibling and I loved her.

I got to Linda's home, the flowers in front of the house were dying, and the grass had not been cut since Tom Died. I got to the front door and knock loudly concerned Linda might not hear me if she were in the back of the house. A few minutes later Linda came to the door, she did not know I was coming so she was alarmed when she saw me. She started to cry, I think she was afraid I would be angry with her. I said to her "Linda what is wrong with you" "you look like shit".

She walked over to a chair in her living room, she was very unsteady on her feet. She was almost shuffling to move. I walked over to her and knelt down next to her and asked again, what is wrong, are you sick? Do you need a Doctor? She again started to cry. I had no idea what was wrong. Her belly was gone, her legs and arms were very thin, and her breasts looked as if she had lost at least two-cup sizes. Her skin was gray and she did indeed have large dark circles under her eyes.

I reached out to her and put my arms around her, she just melted into me and began to whimper again like a frightened child. I told her that I loved her and all I wanted to do was help her. She began to cry harder, and she tried to melt into me more. I pulled her away and said, "What is wrong with you Linda"? She could not answer me she just looked at me with fear and love at the same time. I just held her close to me until she was able to calm down.

Finally, she looked up at me and said, "I love you John" "I know you paid for everything for Tom's funeral" "I will never forget that as long as I live".

Linda, I did nothing. Tom was my friend and you are my sister. If I can't help those I love them shame on me.

Tom, none of us will ever have the money to repay you.

Have I ever asked for anything from you Linda?

Linda, you must tell me what is wrong with you. Have you been to the Doctor? I must know now or we are going to the hospital, because you look like hell.

It's not important John I am fine. I have just been on a diet I was trying to lose some of the extra weight I have been carrying around.

Well my darling sister, you are done with that right now. If you lose any more weight, you will die. When Tom died you weighed about 140 pounds, what do you weigh now?

I am not sure; I haven't been on the scale in a while.

Come on Kid, I want to see how much weight you have lost.

We walked into the bathroom very slowly, Linda could not walk very fast and she was unsteady on her feet. She had to hold onto me to steady herself. She stepped up onto the scale the needle move quickly and stopped at 96 pounds. I was alarmed and afraid for her. I took her back into the living room and got her sitting down in her chair.

I told her I was going to make her something to eat and she began crying again. Confusion hit me again. Why would she cry when I told her I was going to feed her. I got her calmed down again and went to the kitchen. I opened the pantry doors, it was completely empty, and I opened each cabinet door, not a bit of food in the house. No wonder she is losing weight.

I went back into the living room and confronted her about what I had found. I asked why her kids were not helping her. Why was she not buying food?

She told me that the kids were barely making it as it was and after she paid the bills there was nothing left for food. She was trying to buy and stretch the food for two months and then the bill collectors started calling; they were calling every day and hollering at her on the phone that they wanted their money so she paid it. There was nothing left.

Linda, why didn't you call me?

Because you already spent so much to help us with Tom I didn't think you would have any money left, I know how much it cost to bury Tom. I did not want to ask for more help and embarrass you if you could not. Again, she began to cry from her own embarrassment.

Linda, you are coming with me now!

I was not going to allow this to go on. I called her son Bob and told him what was going on and told him that I was taking her to my home so I could take care of her and nurse her back to health. I asked him to contact the other kids and let them know where their Mother will be.

I asked Linda if she had a suitcase and she told me where it was. I got it and started looking through the drawers in her dresser and pulled out underwear, and some tops, in the closet I got out some slacks and a couple of housedresses. I was somewhat upset when I looked at the condition of Linda's clothes. They were torn the cotton underpants had holes and snags, her bras were threadbare and stretched. The dresses and pants were old. I said nothing I loaded the suitcase and asked Linda if she had anything else that she would need and she said no she had run out of everything already.

I was in good sharp for my age but I could not lift and carry Linda to the car so we slowing made our way stopping a few times to let Linda rest. We finally got to the car, I got her in and the seat belt fastened around her. When I got in on the other side, I ask her "when did you eat last".

She told me it had been about three days ago, that was when the last of the food ran out.

I said OK and sat there for a few minutes thinking what kind of food she could eat that would not make her sick. It had to be something that would be easy on her stomach. Not being a medical person, I was over my head so I stopped and purchased some Jell-O that was already made from a delicatessen. Linda ate it slowly and was able to hold it down well.

We arrived at my home and she was shocked when she saw it. The last time she was here was about eight years ago, the house is a rather small log cabin on the outside it still looked the same. What I had done was build most of the house underground. When we entered the main house it is four room hunting cabin. In the corner on the back bedroom is a large closet. Inside that closet is an elevator that took us down to the living quarters.

Twenty feet below the surface was a reinforced bunker 80 feet wide and 100 feet long with a Living Room, Kitchen, Dining Room three Bathrooms, eight Bedrooms, a Laundry, and a Computer Room.

Linda just looked in amazement when she got off the elevator. I took her to the first large guestroom directly across the hall from my room. There was a king size bed with a canopy, dresser, chest of drawers, and night stands with lamps. She just looked in like a child looking into a magic shop.

I said, "go on in" I then placed he Suitcase on the bed and ask her where she wanted her things put. I finished putting them away and set the suitcase in her closet.

She sat on the bed and began to cry again. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her. I said "what the matter Linda"?

She said this place is so beautiful, I may not want to go home when its time.

I looked in her eyes and said very clearly, "Linda, this is your home as long as you want to live here". "I will take care of everything you will not have to worry about anything here".

While I was in Linda's bedroom getting her clothes, I found her bill box. I pulled out all of the bills and put them in my pocket. The next morning while Linda was sleeping I paid each of these bills in full. Not counting her house payment all of her bills came for $4638.59. She owed $12,303.20 on her house. I paid that also. Linda now owed nothing to anyone. I said nothing to her about this knowing if I did she would worry herself sick trying to figure out how to pay me back.

Slowly Linda began to come back. She was now able to eat regular food and she was strong enough to exercise some so her strength was coming back and the pink was back in her face and the dark circles were gone. She was again looking like my beautiful sister.

I enjoyed the evenings being able to sit and talk to someone that could carry on an intelligent conversation. I hadn't realized how lonely a television was. Linda was laughing and she seemed happier than I remember seeing her in years. She now had a glow around her. She was beautiful.

Linda had been living at my home for about twelve-weeks when one of her sons called and said he wanted to come and visit her. She looked at me like an excited child and said Bobby wants to come and see me, please can he? I looked at her in astonishment and said Linda this is your home too. Anyone you want to come here is welcome. Have Bob bring the other kids with him, it been a long time since you have seen your children. They need to see you.

None of her kids had been to the house, and my kids were asked too not talk about the downstairs part of the house because I did not want any jerks thinking I had a lot of money down here.

All five of Linda's kids came over with their spouses and children. They pulled up to the cabin and a look of shock was on most of their faces. I could clearly see them with the wireless cameras that are located around the house for security. Linda went upstairs to greet them. Her daughters asked her what she was doing in this shack? Linda told them that it was "most comfortable". They just looked at her. They all started piling into the cabin. Once they were all inside she opened up the closet door and let them enter the elevator six at a time, after four trips everyone was downstairs in a state of shock. Linda came down and told her daughter "I told you it was very comfortable". Linda was so happy to see her kids and was happy to have them see where she was living so they would not worry about her.

I am not trying to be cold, but twelve-weeks to contact your mother when you know she was sick, and was taken away by your Uncle to be nursed back to health. I am ashamed of them.

Six Months Later

Linda was back to herself she was making the outside of the cabin pretty with flowers, fixing the inside a little at a time. She fixed her room up to look girly, I really liked what she did to it and it made her happy. She is eating good, and she is looking very good. She was moving like a much younger woman. I was so proud of how she had taken charge of herself and decided that she was going to regain her health and pride, and she did. She is my beautiful sister again.

I never forgot how her clothes were tattered but she never complained or asked for anything, she was just not well enough to go out to the stores until now. We drove into town Saturday Morning and went to the mall department stores to shop for clothes. I insisted that she start with the panties and purchase a completely new wardrobe. She insisted it would cost too much. I again told her "EVERYTHING" she said are you sure, again I said EVERYTHING. She said OK and we went shopping. She was so happy she had never done anything like this before in her life. Tom and her never had the money to spend freely as I had just asked her to do. We completely filled the car with boxes of clothes and shoes. When we got home she was having a ball modeling everything for me except the undies.

We lived and worked so well together, we were like a very happily married couple. She was bringing me back to my youth I could feel myself regaining much of the energy I had lost over the past few years.

Everything seemed to be going wonderfully, I don't want Linda to go back home. I know I am being selfish but since I lost my wife, I have been much lonelier than I had realized. I love the fact that I have someone to talk to and laugh with when we are here alone, and when we go out to do some shopping. I love it when we can enjoy each other and have fun together. I especially like it when they call Linda, Mrs. Beacon, and she just smiles; I think she likes it too. Then she says to me, "I thought that was Mom". I tease her saying "you love it and you know it" and she replies, "I do".

The Following Winter

On a winter evening Linda was sitting on the couch watching television and she had a very sad look on her face. I said nothing thinking it was just a bad day, but the next day it was worse. She was very moody and you could see that she was holding back the tears.

I asked her what was wrong. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said I miss Tom.

I walked over to her and knelt down in front of her because I understood very well what she was feeling, I felt the same way when my wife died. The loneliness became unbearable. I looked into her eyes and asked her if there was anything I could do.

She looked at me and said that sometimes she just needs a hug or a little kiss just so she could feel loved. Her children do not call often and they hardly ever come over. I know she misses them, but still makes excuses saying they have been very busy and she's sure they would call if they could. I listened without speaking then reached over to her and I gave her a hug and kiss right there. She looked at me and smiled, I told her that I loved her and I would love her to stay here with me forever.

She asked me about her house, she had thought that she had probably lost it. She said, the house was probably repossessed by now since I have not been able to make a payment in over a year. I told her that her house had been cleaned up and was there for her whenever she felt she needed it.

She asked me how?

I told her that her house was paid off since the day after she came to stay with me.

She asked me how I could afford that.

I told her that she should not have to worry about that.

She just looked at me with a strange questioning look in her eyes. She finally said OK I won't.

After that conversation, I would make a point of giving her little hugs and kisses during the day. Nothing-sexual just little affectionate puppy hugs and kisses. She loved them and so did I. I love my sister more than any woman I had ever known; except my wife.

About two weeks later Linda came to me one evening before going to bed and looked in my eyes and told me that she was very happy here with me and wanted to stay here if that would be OK.

I told her that nothing she could do would make me happier, because I have grown to love her completely and could not imagine losing her.

She smiled at me and said good night I'll see you in the morning.

I said Good Night. Then screamed silently "Great"

Early Spring, I caught a very bad virus and it kept getting worse, I should have gone to the doctor but I kept telling myself just another couple days and I'll be fine. Fevered and sweating, my temperature had gone up to 104 degrees. I was so weak, I could hardly move. We did not have any medication at the house and the Doctor's Offices were all closed. The emergency rooms were in the city 90 miles away and they keep you waiting for hours and I did not feel strong enough to do that. Because my fever was so high, I felt like I was freezing. Linda was right there with me, sponging me with a cool cloth, and rubbing my aching muscles. I just could not get warm even with the extra blankets on the bed I was still shivering. Finally, Linda climbed under the covers with me and pulled herself right up against me. When her bare skin touched me it felt like she was a furnace, I was pulling the heat from her. When I told her about how her bare skin transferred the heat she removed her dress and bra and snuggled with me. All she had on was her panties. We lay there like that all night long. Nothing sexual could have happened because I was too sick to do anything not even think about it, but I did know what she had done for me and how much courage it must have taken for her to take that decision.