176 - Goodbye
*My dear readers, because of events around the world (COVID19) and events in my own life, I was unable to attend my Becks’ funeral. This chapter has been my chance to say goodbye, and it has been incredibly hard to write. Forgive me for any typos or misspellings – some of this was typed through tears. Amy*
With his mother supporting him on one side, and his aunt on the other, Molly cleared his throat and gave a watery smile. “Everyone has heard the story about Becks tearing into a little girl’s mother for making fun of Priss in kindergarten. But not as many knew that she went to bat for Porthos during his senior year.”
Porthos shifted uncomfortably but smiled back at the large man between the two women.
“He had stayed after school with the pitching coach. Priscilla had stayed to take pictures of him, but did not want to ride with her new camera on a bike. She called her Momma Becks who got there just as a cop was giving Porthos a hard time. Black boy riding a motorcycle with a Saints’ prospect patch.”
“Becks got out of her little minivan and stormed up to the cop demanding to know what was going on. The cop told her to mind her own business and Becks replied with ‘That’s my son and this is my business.’ She then looked at Porthos and said don’t say another word until the family lawyer, Phineas O’Malley arrived, and he was on his way.”
Judge chuckled from his seat.
“I think this is the first time that Judge is hearing about this.” Molly admitted and the other man nodded. “The cop issued a warning for loitering and hightailed it out of there. I believe it was the next day that she showed up at the O’Malley offices and Celt sent a very carefully worded letter to the police department defining loitering and explaining that students receiving tutoring or coaching at their school did not fall into that category.”
There were some chuckles and laughter that rippled through the crowd. Molly smiled and then offered another anecdote that had the crowd wiping away tears. Sadly, and lovingly, Molly offered his memories of the woman who had touched them all. He whispered something to Alana who nodded and moved away.
She paused behind Tammy and whispered in her ear. The middle eastern woman nodded and accepted help to stand up from Michaela. She waddled her way up to Molly who pulled her to him and murmured something to her. Wrapping her arms around him. She smiled and nodded.
Closing his eyes as he took a deep breath, he pressed a kiss to her temple before facing the audience again. “Priscilla was only seven months old when we lost our first partner, Jess. I had never imagined loving two women. Certainly not six. When we lost Jess, I think Becks and I both lost part of ourselves. But we got some great advice from a great woman who later joined our family.”
“Just like many hands lessen the work, many hearts lessen the pain.”
He smiled at his other women as they moved as one to join him. Jaye kissed her son’s cheek and then hugged each of his partners before going to sit with her grandkids. Tammy and Michaela flanked him on one side while Alicia and Yvonne were on the other side.
“If it were not for these wonderful women, I would not have made it through the last year.”
Yvonne reached up and brushed tears off his cheeks. The women spoke softly amongst themselves as Molly held them closely. Gently, Tammy offered him a light kiss before stepping towards the podium.
“My name is Thameena Lowery, but most of you know me as Tammy. I knew Jess and I loved Becks. When I needed to be rescued, Becks sent her husband without hesitation. And when I found out that I was pregnant with our baby, I was worried about how Becks would react. She was so damned happy.”
Each of the pretties stepped forward and spoke about how Becks had opened her home and heart to them. They told stories of how she had accepted them as they were and encouraged them to pursue their passions.
It was an emotional Yvonne who spoke of Becks helping her through her withdrawal when she was kicking her drug habit. “More than once, Becks helped to clean me up in the shower. Over the last year, it was my honor to finally return the favor. She saw us all at our worst, at the pits of despair and when we thought ourselves unlovable… But she loved us all with that big heart of hers. *Siempre te amare mi hermosa amiga.* I will forever love you, my beautiful friend.”
After they moved back to their seats, the four women still clinging to Molly, Priscilla went and spoke. She was having a hard time and Leo moved up to stand behind her to offer his silent support. With his quiet encouragement, she spoke of her Momma Becks and how she was always there for all of them.
When she was through, Priscilla looked at her best friend in the audience who gave a small nod. Sitting between two Cajuns, Camille sang one of Becks’ favorite songs, acapella, with other women in the crowd joining her for the chorus.
The last notes faded as Mary stepped up to the podium with her friends, Allison and Lottie. Standing in the middle of the three friends, Mary adjusted the microphone before grabbing her two friends’ hands.
“For those who don’t know me – us, we are Becks’ original chosen family. This is Allison,” Allison gave an awkward wave, “and Lottie,” she gave a similar wave.
“When we met her, Becks was still Rebecca. She was an orphan who was raised in the system, mainly bad foster homes and even worse group homes. She was a quiet and timid little girl, thrown out into a loud and cruel world. The group home that she had ran away from had so many restrictions on her. She could not learn to drive, had a very early curfew and if she wanted *anything* other than the bare basics that the group home provided, she had to work for it.”
“Walked everywhere,” Allison interjected.
Nodding, Mary smiled. “She walked ev-ery-whe-re. Even here in the desert heat, she walked everywhere. Would never ask for anything, she would rather have a heat stroke outside in 115-degree heat than ask for a ride. She worked at a hotel kitchen, cleaned up after our nasty asses and cooked for us and several neighbors. Here in Sin City, surrounded by every vice you could ever wish for or ever imagine, she lived like a fucking monk.”
“Monks don’t fuck.” Lottie pointed out.
“Shut up.” The two friends told her.
“We went out for Misti’s twenty-first birthday,” she swallowed back her tears, “Rebecca hung out with this sexy ass biker that we were all drooling over. If she didn’t lay claim to that man, one of us was going to.”
They both looked at Lottie who shrugged. “I’d still tap it.” She looked at her own husband, Hammer, who shook his head no. “But your brother says no.”
“We did get a very good showing of what all of his pretties get, and after listening to him make our friend –“
Allison cleared her throat, “Children.”
“-ummm, sing the song of pleasure.” Mary looked at her friend who nodded in agreement as the others in attendance laughed.
“Loud enough for me to hear across the courtyard in the apartments.” Lottie pointed out and her two friends looked at her again. “What? The woman was fucking vocal.”
Mary smirked and gave a small laugh. “She was. She wasn’t sure about going with Molly and the Saints across the country. But I kicked her out of the apartment and told her that if it didn’t work out, I’d fly her back.”
“When we flew out for Priscilla’s graduation in May, I knew that Becks was sick. We didn’t know how sick. I flew back a few weeks later to help after her surgery. Even then, we didn’t know how bad it was going to get.” Mary paused and her two friends leaned in as a small sob escaped her.
“I went back in September, and she told me that there was nothing she regretted. If she wouldn’t have gone to Vegas, she would have never met any of us. Or Molly. Or have her large family,” with a hand linked with Allison’s, she swiped tears away as she looked at the family in question.
“That was all that she ever wanted…”
Collins, Dan and Hammer moved as one to their women. They each held their wives to their chests as they clung to each other.
Dan adjusted the microphone. "I was - we were lucky to know Becks and all her pretties."