Home Again

We are home again. Home from South Carolina. Home from the awful news and experience of Todd's death and burial. We arrived to a clean home, a refrigerator and pantry full of food, chores that had been done and cats that had been lovingly cared for. An hour after our arrival our closest friends, the givers of the above, came by with our dogs and prepared and served dinner. They stayed several hours, way past their usual departure time, and were loving and caring, and sympathetic. They are the best.

When they left it was Frankye and I here, with our animals. We are both tired, emotionally drained, and sad. There is almost an echo here in the house. Todd was not my son, not my brother or nephew, and I hadn't spent a lot of time with him. But when I did, it was most often in this house. He installed all the ceramic flooring in this home and did several other jobs around the house for us.

Whenever Todd Lynn were going to be near the Jacksonville area they'd stop in and see us or we'd meet up with them at the Cracker Barrell near I-95 and have a quick breakfast as they made their way home. Todd and Lynn came for Frankye's 60th birthday weekend and it was wonderful for everyone to have the whole family there and a great gift for Frankye.

The hard part is going to be the days and years ahead for Frankye. Coming home, leaving Todd's home, seemed to reinforce the loss of him. There is no seeing him anymore. Or hearing his voice on the phone. Or listening to Shannon retell her latest communication with Todd.

We have a beautiful 8 x 12 professional photo of Todd and Lynn that's been on our dining room credenza since he gave it to us this past Christmas. It was a recent photo and is exactly how he was the last time we saw him. That's where it will stay. Todd will remain forever 42 and strong and funny, and amazingly gifted and capable. He was happy when he died. He was excited about life, about his future and he loved living in Pelzer, South Carolina. That's where he died and that's how he would have wanted it.