The Final Goodbye

“Mag… Sweetie, your father passed.”

“What did you just say, Darius? Dad died?” Magdalena replied tearfully. Darius pulled her into himself and began to stroke her curly brunette hair.

“I know, I know. We will get through this though,” he whispered lovingly. “He did leave you this though.” Darius slides a small black leather-bound book into her hand. Mag cradles it close to her chest and puts her head down and gives it a slight kiss.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and quivered, “I think I need a minute. I’m going to go for a walk.” She turned around and made her way out into the garden area. Mag sulked out of the wooden entryway moving towards the garden. Her first stop is the mint plant. She gently tore some leaves off the plant and put them in her mouth. The bitterness of the first bite is soon taken over by the sweetness of the herb. A tear began down her cheek as she reminisced of the times with her father when she was a child, and they would share mint leaves as a treat. Mag found her stone bench; the smell of the rose bushes and basil comforted her. She took a moment and took a deep breath. She carefully opened the small black book. The book is filled with memories that her father had. One of the first entries read.

“My sweet little baby, so tiny. Your entry into the world was so terrifying. You should know that your mother loved you more than anything. The doctors do not know what happened, but she just bled after you were born. You were on her chest and her color started leaving and you were gaining your color. She did not want to let go of you, she just wanted to hold you. When the doctors noticed, the nurses gave you to me and pushed us out of the room. I had you against my chest as I watched through the window, you were so calm. They did everything they could, but nothing would stop the bleeding. You could tell the difference and we cried, both of us. Being a single dad was not the plan, but besides your mother, you are the best thing to ever happen to me.”

“I remember, you were about 8, I just got finished moving the cows to a new pasture. I was looking for you everywhere. I could not find you anywhere. I looked all throughout the house. I called you and called you. I heard that laugh though, the laugh you always do when you start trouble. You were riding the sheep. I could not believe that you got on top of Peppercorn and was riding her around the stable. It was so adorable. I knew you were going to be even more of a handful when you became a teenager, which you were by the way.”

Other little stories that she has long forgotten about come back with a torrent of tears. Her dad was her rock, her everything. All his most cherished memories are in here. She reached the end of the little book. The last page of the book reads, “My dearest Magdalena, my only beautiful child. To you I leave everything. Goodbye sweet daughter.” On the inside back cover of the book, there was taped a key.

Footsteps approach, her tear-soaked face looked up and saw Darius. He handed her a tonic to calm her nerves. They just sat there together, taking in the scent of roses and basil.

She looked over to him and said quietly, “He said that he left me everything. I guess I get the farm.”

Darius said, “We will have to go check on the animals soon. I understand if you don’t want to go.”

“No, I’ll go. I need to,” she replied softly. Magdalena and Darius made their way to her dad’s farm, the place she grew up. The roads so familiar as they drove up the winding roads to the farmhouse. They made it around the farm and made sure that the animals are fed and have water. Both go inside, Mag found her way to her father’s room. She went in and stared at the bed where she would crawl in when she had a bad dream, breakups, every difficult moment, her father cradled her on this bed. She sat on the edge. The deep mahogany box on the dresser caught her eye. She grabbed it, took the key out of her pocket, and sat up against the pillows. The key fits perfectly and the top popped open. Inside are four $10,000 bonds from the year she was born. Another note is found with it. The note read, “Magdalena, after your mother died, I got a call from a lawyer. After the expenses were taken care of, I had some money left over. I put the money in these bonds for you. I spent $5,000 on each of them. A gift, from your mother to you. I know that you’ll make the most of it.” She moved the bonds to the side and sees her mother and father’s wedding rings. She took them out and laid down on the bed, clutching the rings and the book, she took a deep breath and closes her eyes.