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We arrived home just as the sun was fading away. I bounded up the stairs into Mr. G?s room and said: ?Hi dad.? He laughed and said: ?Hi son.? Then we had a big hug and cried on each other?s shoulder. He said he had been wanting to tell me for a long time but didn?t want to interfere with my life and I agreed that was best. He then proceeded to tell how much he loved my mother. It was obvious to him I understood a lot of things now. I told him there was one thing I agreed with my mother on. He asked what it was and I said: ?I certainly don?t look a hell of a lot like you.? I thought he would never stop laughing.
He asked me to go to the safe and get out the box that was in it. I had been given the combination a long time ago. He removed the box and handed me my birth certificate. It read; father, John B. Gregory, mother Ramona Russell Gregory, baby boy John B. Gregory, Jr. At last I truly knew who I was.
Then he reached in and handed me his will. He said before we discussed it that Beverly and William had a very large trust fund set up by their grandparents and that they would be well provided for. He then said everyone on the farm was provided for but most of the farm and all other assets would be mine. He also said he was sorry I would not get to finish college but they needed me.
Then he handed me an insurance policy that would come to me on his death. I said: ?You can?t leave me now.? He replied: ?We don?t get to choose when the grim reaper will come for you.? Then he handed me a power of attorney that gave me the right to make any decisions necessary in the case he was incapacitated.
We talked long into the night about many different things. Some he had planned for the future, but mostly reminisced about times gone by. Finally I could see he was tiring so I said good night and went out to talk to Aunt Minnie. Mr. G. passed away the next day and was buried next to Mrs. G. The funeral was packed with people from all over the county. I had never seen so many flowers.
After that I settled into running the farm. Everyone helped out to make things easier for me. I was amazed when we finally settled the estate at how well off we were.
Rosa wrote me a long letter, expressing her condolences, and saying how she regretted not being able to attend the funeral. She said because it was her last semester in school she just couldn?t be absent. I wrote her back, telling her I fully understood. I also told her how much I missed her and looked forward to seeing her at graduation.
THE WEDDING
A few weeks before Rosa?s graduation I sent Roy and Esther money for them to fly home for the big event. The graduation ceremonies were scheduled for a Sunday. On Friday I drove Mr. G?s new car to New Orleans and picked them up and brought them home for the weekend.
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