Grandpa's Roses

My family lived in North Carolina and my mother's family lived in
Virginia. Our Summer vacations were spent in Virgina at my grandparents
house. My grandparents were very sweet caring people. They loved each other
to no end. My grandfather doted on my grandmother.
I never remember him working even though I knew he did because he had
Black Lung from working in the coal mines. He never let anything slow him
down. His days was spent loving my grandmother taking care of his little dog
named Missy, who bit me too many times to remember and looking after his
roses. He had big beautiful red roses. Grandpa was always in the front yard
taking care of them.
My grandfather died when I was twelve years old, he had a heart attack
sitting in his favorite chair. His dog Missy died a couple of weeks later
underneath grandpa's chair. Grandpa's roses continued to come back year
after year.
My grandmother lived at least ten years after my grandfather died. The last
time I saw her “I said I will see you soon grandma I love you!" She said," this
will be the last time I see you Susie, I will not live much longer." I just told
her to stop talking like that I would see her soon.
A couple of weeks later I received a phone call in the middle of the night. My
sister said ,"hurry grandma is asking for you , the doctors say she is barely
hanging on." I jumped on the first plane out of Hawaii where I was living at
the time and headed to Virginia. When I finally got off the plane and saw my
sister I knew I was too late.
My uncle lived with my grandmother and took care of her. When she died
they decided to sell the house so my uncle decided to move to North Carolina.
He had his bags by the door and was ready for his trip the next day.
It was a short day for him. My uncle was found on the kitchen floor
after the fire was put out. My grandparents home was destroyed and my
uncle was taken away from us.
Our family decided to have the house rebuilt and sold. A couple of years later
I decided while I was in Virginia to go by and see the new house since I had
never been by. It was a nice house from my view by the road. In the front yard
was the most beautiful sight Grandpa's Roses. I could almost see grandpa
standing there looking at his prized roses and I had tears in my eyes when I
turned away.