Tina's Story Chapter 100 - Seasons of Love A Gray Muzzle story
Tina's Story Chapter 100. Seasons of Love - A Gray Muzzle story
Author's note: This is the final chapter of the series 'Tina's Story". As promised some weeks ago, chapter one hundred will mark the end.
Last night, I got a message that someone had faved the original "Tina's Story" That always means a lot to me. 'Tina' was my first story. I had never written fiction before. That my first little effort would run for a hundred chapters is a source of deep satisfaction to me. Some four hundred pages, and thousands of faves, votes and watches, 'Tina' is still being read. In the words of Sally Fields "You really like me!"
I reread Tina. Last night. It's still as fun, and as likeable as it was back then. It seems that there was something basically likeable about a perky Poodle taking on life and love in the big city. Once I reread the story, I noticed that it was almost exactly one year since the first story. It seemed appropriate then that we celebrate four seasons in the life of friends. While the characters will continue, here is the last chapter of Tina's Story, Chapter 100- Seasons of Love
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes ,
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylight, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee
How do you measure a year in the life?
In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned
Or the way that she died?
It's time now to sing out
Though the story never ends
Let's celebrate, remember
A year in the life of friends.
Remember love, share love, give love, spread love.
Measure your life in love.
"Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent"
It was another busy day in the Goldstein house. Tina was upstairs putting on earrings, while Ray fed the babies. It was late summer, and the weather was still nice. Tina wore a blue sleeveless dress, with a white jacket. After several false starts, Tina selected large white hoops. Giving herself one last look of approval, she smiled, and headed downstairs.
As soon as Tina walked into the kitchen, the babies stopped eating, as all eyes were on Mom.
"I guess breakfast's over" Ray observed, wiping the tiny faces.
Tina went to get the girls out of their chairs, while Ray tended to little Stan. Ray grabbed the keys for the Scion. Tina frowned.
"It's such a lovely day. Can't we take the Shelby? There won't be many more days....."
"I guess." Replied Ray "As long as you don't mind leaving it with the animals in the parking garage. Ray had a point. The DMV garage had a wild west aspect to it. Entire cars disappeared, and were never seen again.
"On the International front, the FBI is close to determining the identity of a notorious arms dealer *click*"
Ray shut the TV off with his elbow, as he wrestled car keys, baby bags, and little Stan out the door.
It was 9:05 when Ray and Tina got to the DMV garage.
"Nice ride, Senior Goldstein" the attendant observed.
"Try to keep it that way, Ernesto" Ray slipped him a ten.
When Tina got upstairs, the Suspensions unit was in an uproar.
"Rosa's getting MARRIED!" K.C. sang, as she entered the break room.
"That's lovely" Tina replied "Is it the baby's father?"
"Si"
"I'm so happy for you, Rosa!" Tina hugged the cheerful Chihuahua hybrid "Let's all go to lunch today...on me!"
While the girls were excited to be going out to lunch, Tina reminded them that it was after nine, and that they needed to get back to work Meanwhile, Ray wandered into I.T.
It was just another day. The Mole was playing with some bizarre code, while most of the rest of the office was either on World of Warcraft or Second Life. Ray settled behind his desk, and opened his mailbox, when the phone rang.
"Goldstein. I.T." he used his customary curt greeting.
"Raymond, it's mother......."
She ALWAYS talked to him like this. As if he were still eight years old. He had always hated it, but had long ago ceased trying to change it.
"Hi, Ma....."
"Raymond, I'd like to talk to you. Can you meet me for lunch at the club?'
"The City Club?"
"No. The CLUB." She repeated, as if the emphasis changed everything.
"Oh. The country club. I'm kinda busy. Can't we talk on the phone?" he inquired, hoping to beg off.
"No. I want to see you. Are you coming or not?"
This was the Miriam Goldstein he knew. Direct. Abrasive. Cool.
"I'll come. When?"
"Noon"
Then the phone went dead. Ray knew something was up. It had to be. Miriam never called him unless something was afoot.
"She sounded different" Ray thought, as he replaced the phone in the cradle. Seeing her was never fun, but he was overwhelmed by a sense that something bad was about to happen. He would have this on his mind for the rest of the morning.
When Ray went down to get the car at lunchtime, he was surprised to see Tina there.
"Hey." Tina kissed him "Wassup?"
"Mom called. She wants to see me today."
"That's odd....."
"Yeah, it is. How about you?"
"Rosa just got engaged. The girls and I are going out to lunch. I guess we can share the car, if you drop me at the restaurant."
Just then, Ernesto, the attendant appeared.
"Senior, Seniora, Eeess una problemo......"
Ray held his head.
" No! Don't tell me......"
" I park eet BERRY careful, een front of dee office an eberythingtheeeng....."
"And it's gone."
"Si, Senior"
Ray smacked his head
"Ray, don't get upset, it's only a car...."
"We'll report it when I get back. I guess we look for a cab...."
So, they did. The cab dropped Tina off first, so Ray was a little late. Miriam was on her second Martini by the time he arrived.
"You're late." She scowled.
'Uh, yeah, sorry. Seems our car was just stolen."
Miriam did not respond. Instead, she took another swig from her drink.
"Mom, is something wrong?"
Miriam took another sip, and turned toward Ray.
"I went to the doctor this week. I have breast cancer."
The words hung there in the air. Ray felt the need to say something, anything.
"What did they tell you?"
She looked away.
"It's stage four. Four is the worst."
"When are they going to operate?" he asked hopefully.
"They aren't. I told them no."
Ray recoiled in horror.
"But ma! You can't just.....wait to die!"
It was then that the waiter arrived. He didn't notice what his mother ordered, and didn't remember what he had picked. As soon as he left, Miriam spoke.
"And why can't I? I don't want to be carved up like a Christmas turkey! If there were a purpose, a reason....but there isn't. At least this way, I leave in the same body I arrived in. But that's not why I asked to speak with you."
"There's more?"
For the first time, his mother smiled.
"Isn't there always? I wanted to speak to you about your father"
"What about dad?"
Ray now panicked; was there more bad news ahead?
"His.....Parkinson's is getting worse. The medication doesn't work as well as it did. He needs help with so many things now. I want you to look after him when I'm gone."
Ray was reeling from all of the information. He dropped his head to his hands.
"But, that won't be for some time....." he said, hopefully.
"It won't be that long. I talked to him last night. He'd like to have you move into the house."
"But Mom....Tina....the kids?" Ray was confused.
'All of you. You, your wife, the babies. And.....I think it would be nice to have the Russels come too. Your dad is so fond of Stanley, I think it would be good for him...."
Raymond's mind raced. He had no idea how he'd break this idea to Tina.
The rest of the meal was small talk, punctuated by long silences. When they finished, she charged the bill to the doctor's account, then she drove Ray home to get a car.
Mid afternoon, a Trenton police detective came to the Suspensions unit.
"Is there a Tina Goldstein here?" he inquired.
K.C. nodded.
"Come with me."
She then showed him to Tina's office.
"Tina? There's a Detective here to see you...."
She showed him in.
'Sol DiMatteo, ma'am. Do you own a 2010 Shelby convertible ?
Tina nodded
"Is this your license?"
The Detective opened an envelope, and took out a charred marker plate. A New Jersey plate 'Tinas 2'
Tina frowned.
"That's mine. What happened.?"
There was an MV fire reported in the warehouse district. When we got there, the fire was already out.
"Was there....anything?"
The detective shook his head.
"It had been picked clean before it was burned. There wasn't much left."
The detective talked to her for some time. He had a lot of questions. But none of it mattered. The shiny convertible that Ray had bought her was now gone.
Ray was unusually quiet on the way home. He was quiet through dinner, and didn't say much through the evening. Tina was pretty sure that Ray was upset about the car. So after the kids went to bed, Tina showered and did her hair, and put on the bra and panties that were his favorites, and called him to the bedroom. Ray came upstairs, and sat on the bed..
"Don't be upset, Hon. We can always get another car." She said, smiling.
Ray looked up with tears in his eyes.
"It's my mother. She called me to tell me she has cancer. She's gonna die, Tina."
Tina held Ray to her chest, and hugged him tenderly. It was a half hour or more before they spoke.
"She wants us to look after dad"
"Of course we will!"
Ray looked into Tina's eyes.
"She wants us to move into the house."
"THAT house? HER house??"
Ray nodded.
"Dad said he'd like to have your family there, too."
"But Ray, where would we stay? And the children?"
"Dad's moved downstairs. He's afraid of the stairs now. We'd be upstairs."
Tina thought for a moment.
"In THEIR bedroom?"
"Yeah, I guess."
Tina's mind went back in time. Back to the most incredible moment of her life. Sex in the Goldstein bedroom. The most incredible bedroom on the face of the planet.
Tina kissed Ray.
"Whatever you decide. Family first."
And so it went. Tina spoke to her parents. To her surprise, Stan and the doctor had already talked. Stan and Georgette readily agreed to the move. Georgette would keep house, and mid the children; Stan would be a companion to Dr. Goldstein, and a handyman.
In the weeks that followed, there was much to do. Ray and Tina decided to sell the little house that they loved. There were things to put in storage, boxes to pack, Realtors to deal with. Then there was Miriam. Sadly, Ray's mom declined faster than anyone expected. The family had set up a hospital room in the dining room downstairs. One day, Ray's father called.
"Son? I think you and Tina should come. I think she's leaving us." He hung up before being overcome with tears.
By the time they arrived, the rest of the family was already there. One by one, each spent final moments with Miriam. Tina kept her distance, not wanting to intrude on this special time. After everyone had seen her, Doctor Goldstein came out.
"Tina? Miriam asked to see you.'
Tina walked in, not knowing what to say. When she arrived at the bedside, Miriam raised her hand. Tina took it, and held it softly. Neither spoke, until, with great effort, Miriam broke the silence.
"I................was wrong."
Then she closed her eyes.
That night, the family sat Shiva; the ritual before the funeral. Her funeral was the next day. It was quit a funeral, considering the one day notice, but that was the dictate of their faith. There were the friends, the members of the temple, patients, and hospital people. Dr Goldstein asked Tina to read a verse from the Old Testament, on the power of forgiveness, the 'Psalm of David' Raymond was touched that his father had asked Tina to do this. There was now a peace within the family. Ray and his brother had time to talk, and many old hurts were redressed. Ray felt like things were right between them for the first time. Stanley and Georgette had a chance to see where they would be living.
"Stanley! Have you ever SEEN such a place! This is how I thought kings and queens lived!"
"Then, I guess you'll be a queen!" Stanley laughed.
The day had come for Ray and Tina to leave the little house they loved, the one that held so many happy memories. All the boxes were packed. The babies were off with Colleen and Lydia. They had given the house one last cleaning. It was just Ray and Tina in the empty house. Then, Tina heard something on the radio, and became excited.
"Ray! Do you here that? Do you remember?...."
Ray smiled.
"Of course I do! We heard it playing in the coffee house the day we met. You loved that song so! You started crying right there....Would you dance with me?"
And Ray took her in his arms......
"If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you
And even if the sub refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart
Until the end of time.
You're all I need
My love, My Valentine
All of my life
I've been waiting for
All you give to me.
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly.
I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
In my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart
Until the end of time
You're all I need
My love, My Valentine.
And on they danced, in the silence of the empty house, just Ray, and Tina, and the love they share.