Family Meeting

When Grandma shared her news

When the sisters showed up at their grandmother’s house they were met by a large group of relatives. Their mother and father were there as were their aunts and uncles and cousins and nephews and nieces.

“Why were we the last ones to hear about this?” asked Claudette.

“And where’s Grandma?” asked Jolene.

“Is she okay?” asked a very concerned Rebecca.

The sister’s aunt Stacey stepped forward, “There is no need for alarm. Your grandmother is just fine — at least physically. You know she’s been a bit eccentric lately…”

“I’m convinced it’s the meds,” Uncle Howard chimed in.

Aunt Stacey continued, “Well… uh… your grandmother called us all here for an important family meeting. None of us have any idea what it is about.”

Uncle Howard again chimed in, “We’ve all been here for over an hour waiting so you three girls can consider yourselves lucky for showing up late.”

“Where is she?” asked Rebecca (the youngest of the three girls).

“She’s in her room,” replied the girls’ mother. “She said she’ll be out shortly — although that was over an hour ago. Personally, I think someone should go in there to make sure she’s alright.”

Jolene remembered visiting her grandmother at her house when she was young. No one was ever allowed in her grandmother’s bedroom. Jolene was always beyond curious what was in that room and once while Grandma was out in her garden picking tomatoes Jolene tried to sneak into the room for a look but found that the door was locked, “Has anyone ever even been in her bedroom?”

Uncle Howard answered, “Yeah, but not in the last twenty years since Dad died. I figure she’s got some spooky memorial in there or something.”

“Or a time machine,” said cousin Willy.

Everyone looked at Willy disapprovingly. Willy was the oddball of the family.

The girls mother then looked at them, “Would you girls like something to drink? There’s a pot of coffee in the kitchen.”

“No thank you,” said Rebecca.

“I’m okay,” said Jolene.

“I could use a margarita,” said Claudette.

Everyone then looked at Claudette disapprovingly. Ever since Grandpa died she became the official family drunk.

Uncle Stanley, who was sitting in Grandpa’s old recliner, spoke up, “This is getting ridiculous. Does anyone remember the last time Mother called a family meeting?”

“Yeah,” replied Uncle Howard. “That was like twelve years ago. Of course she used to call family meetings all the time when I was young, long before most of the rest of you were even born. Every time she’d call a meeting I’d think, ‘Oh shit, what now?’”

“Yeah, that meeting twelve years was just awful,” said the girls’ father. “The only reason she called that meeting was so that she could tell us all what a bunch of losers we are.”

Claudette spoke up, “Yeah, she bitched me out for marrying a hillbilly…” she made air quotes, “and having his son. I was so embarrassed and pissed off.”

“And she said that I was too proper,” said Aunt Stacey. “What does that even mean? She said I was too tightly wrapped and that I should unwrap myself and make something of myself. I’m a good wife and mother… and daughter to her. What’s wrong with that? What’s so improper about that?”

Willy spoke up, “She told me that I was the only one in the family who showed any promise… if only I’d screw my head on a little tighter. She called that meeting just to vent her spleen about the family.”

“She called me a slut,” said cousin Darlene who was standing in a corner behind everyone else.

“She called me lazy,” said Uncle Howard.

Rebecca clapped her hands, “Hey, wait a minute. I thought that meeting was very inspiring. Grandma was telling all of us that we were not living up to our potential. She was disappointed in us and wanted to give us all a good kick in the rear. She was trying to motivate us. Personally, I was very inspired by that meeting. That meeting is why I stayed in college and didn’t drop out like I was thinking of doing.”

A silence fell over the room as everyone looked at Rebecca. Then abruptly everyone began talking among themselves, filling the room with a soft din.

The three sisters simultaneously looked at each other.

“I could really use that margarita right about now,” said Claudette.

“Do we have the weirdest family, or what?” asked Jolene.

“I wanna see Grandma!” exclaimed Rebecca.

Suddenly, there was a faint metallic squeaky sound. All the conversation in the room immediately halted as everyone looked at the door to Grandma’s room. The doorknob was turning.

The door opened and out walked the family matriarch into the room. She was wearing a pant suit and blazer with a felt hat on her head. There was a purse slung over one shoulder and in one hand she was carrying a suitcase and in the other hand a large manila envelope.

She walked into the room and set down the suitcase on the floor. She turned in a complete circle looking at everyone.

She finally spoke, “I called this family meeting to say good-bye to everyone. It’s easier than having to say good-bye to each of you individually. I don’t have the patience for that.”

“Where ya goin’?” asked Willy.

Ignoring him, she continued, “I’m eighty-three freaking years old and I haven’t had a vacation in over thirty years. So I have decided to take a permanent vacation.”

“Where ya going’?” asked Willy again.

“I have no idea where I’m goin’ and I don’t really care. I’m just goin’ and I’m gonna keep on goin’. I’m gonna spend the rest of my days on vacation, goin’ where ever the wind takes me. You folks will never see me again so I’m sayin’ good-bye to all of you.”

Grandma threw the manila envelope at Uncle Stanley, “I know some of you have been anxiously waitin’ for me to die, wondering what is in my will. Well, you no longer have to wait. My will is in there and I’m givin’ everything away now. Stan, there’s a paper in there that makes you executor of the estate. I want you to sell the house, pay the bills then divvy up what’s left over equally among all the family members. You’ll notice that my bank account has been emptied out. I took that for travelin’ money. Now when each of you get your money I want you to do something smart with it. Do me proud. This family is still a bunch of losers and I want you all to shape up and make yourselves proud.”

“You can’t do this!” said Uncle Stanley.

“Oh yeah? Well, watch me!” The matriarch picked up her suitcase and walked towards the front door.

Claudette opened the front door for her.

With that Grandma walked out of the house and out of the family.

Crying, Rebecca ran after her. Once outside she saw that her grandmother was walking towards a taxi cab parked at the curb, “Grandma! Wait!”

Rebecca’s grandmother stopped and turned around.

“Grandma you can’t go until I tell you how much I love you.” Rebecca was now balling.

With her free hand she reached out and pinched Rebecca’s cheek, “I love you, too, sweetie. Now if you’re smart you’ll do the very thing that I’m doing. But don’t wait until you’re eighty-three. Live your life for you! Now. Don’t let anyone hold you back. Find what makes you happy and grab it by the balls and don’t let go. Find peace and live life from your heart… Just be you! The you that lives in your heart. You’ve made me happy now go make yourself happy.”

A lone tear dropped out of Rebecca’s grandmother’s eye. She wiped it away then turned to get into the cab.

No one in the family ever saw her again.

Copyright by White Feather. All Rights Reserved. This is a work of fiction. See My Latest Stories Here