An Inheritance

Chapter 30 - FINAL

Lauren stopped and finally looked at her sister straight on.  "So, do you still think I'm certifiable for wanting to go back?" 

"Yeah"  Danielle nodded her head with a laugh "but at least I understand it a bit better."  She sipped her wine for a moment.  "I'd like to come visit right after the holidays.  I want to see where this all started, I want to see where Mom grew up." 

"God, I'm so glad you're with me on this."  Lauren sighed, then fidgeted with her glass.  "All of those letters Grandmere Labeaux saved, do you think Mom saved the ones sent to her?" 

"Well, Mom was a pack rat, and there were a lot of things we just put into that storage unit.  We just weren't ready to get into everything at that time.  Give me a couple of weeks to go through it all, and I'll let you know what I find." 

"Thanks.  It would just be interesting to see what Grandmere wrote in response to what Mom had written her." 

Lauren drained what little there was in her glass and stood up.   

"I'm going to miss you, you know.  This is the hardest part of moving to Slidell, it is just so far from you.  But I'm glad you'll come down in a few weeks and then again when Gracie visits, that will really mean a lot; for all of us." 

Danielle stood and hugged her little sister.  "I'll miss you too.  Even though I don't really understand what you're going through, I'll always be here for you, just a phone call away.  And Slidell really isn't that far away, not by plane anyways.  I'll let you know my arrangements for the beginning of the year, when I'm coming, my flights,  things like that." 

Gathering her purse and jacket, Lauren walked to the door and with her hand on the knob she turned to her sister.  "Who knows?  Maybe you'll find Slidell to be your get-away place from your two 'boys'."  Laughing.  "You can get away from the snow and ice for a while and just enjoy someplace completely different from being here." 

"I never thought of it that way, but you could be right.  Nothing like taking a break from the winter weather."  She paused and became serious.  "Take care of yourself.  Promise me you won't take on more than you can handle.  Let it all come to you when you're ready." 

"I promise."  They hugged again, and Lauren left to go back to her condo to finish her packing.   

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Lauren roused herself from her remembering and put her hand down to stroke Abby's beautiful black and white head.  Not wanting to get ahead of herself, or the situation, Lauren felt that Gracie and Thomas would hit it off and that Gracie would probably stay until it was time to go back to school.  The local pharmacy's head pharmacist was getting older and would most likely want to retire in a few years.  That would leave room for a shifting of the staff and there would probably be an open position for a young junior pharmacist.  But Lauren tried hard not to look that far ahead; sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between knowing what would happen and wishful thinking. 

Lauren was excited that the new school semester had started.  She had applied and was accepted to substitute teach at the junior high and help out when needed with their computer classes.  This gave her more than enough time to attend classes at LSU to get her bachelors in plant biology;  LSU had a wonderful Herbarium.   

Her grandmother's wish for a health clinic would be satisfied.  Money not used for the expansion of the cottage and new barn went toward a new foundation that's first mission was to build that clinic.  Lauren had donated a piece of property that butted up against the main highway and the ground breaking ceremony was to be in just a few weeks.  Money had been donated by many of the people and businesses in Slidell along with Lauren, Danielle and their cousins.  Several doctors and nurses had already signed on to either donate their time, or to work for a very minimal fee.  This was a much needed service closer to the bayou.