"Memorial"

Carolyn awoke to the sun streaming in her bedroom windows. She saw

by the clock that she had overslept -- the children would already have

gone to school. Throwing off the covers, she jumped up and grabbed

her robe, then hurried downstairs.

"Sorry, Martha!" she began breathlessly, as she entered the

kitchen, "I ..."

"Good morning, Mrs. Muir!" the housekeeper smiled. "No need to

apologize! I figured you had a late night clearing up after your

party yesterday! How did it go?"

"It was a little late starting, and we had a few glitches, but ..."

Carolyn paused, realizing she couldn't tell Martha that what had

started out as a "birthday" party had ended up commemorating the

Captain's "DEATHday" instead!

"So the Captain finally arrived, did he?" Martha grinned, putting

Carolyn's cup of coffee on the table in front of her.

At Carolyn's astonished look, Martha reminded her, "When I came

back for my purse, you thought it was HIM ... I just wondered..."

"Well, Claymore said we should celebrate without him..." Carolyn

improvised quickly, telling some but not all of the truth. "Anyway,

we ate the cake and drank the punch and opened presents ... and I

caught Scruffy in the cookie jar!"

"Yes, I noticed it was empty! Guess I know what I'll be doing

today." Martha sighed. "Thanks for cleaning up the kitchen. I hope

you at least had the Captain's help!"

Carolyn grinned. Martha still thought the Captain was Jonathan's

imaginary friend. "Of course!" Well, he had watched her. And when

she was done, she had presented him with the gift SHE had gotten for

him ... his precious schedule ripped to shreds! Knowing how lonely

and bereft he had felt the last few days since the implementation of

the schedule, she knew he would appreciate both the meaning behind the

paper pieces, AND the pieces themselves! So much for THAT schedule!

She hadn't wanted to give it to him in front of Claymore and the

children, so had waited until the children had gone to bed and

Claymore had taken his leave, with yet another piece of Martha's

delicious Devil's Food cake carefully wrapped to eat later! Just the

memory of the tender look on his face, when he opened the envelope and

realized what she had done, gave her a warm feeling all over.

Too bad they hadn't found out the Captain's REAL birthday. Imagine

celebrating a deathday! Carolyn now found herself wondering about

things she had never thought before ... like, where was the Captain's

body buried? Had he had a big funeral? Had the Captain attended his

own funeral? If his death had been ruled a suicide by the time of the

funeral, which she was sure was the case, it was possible he would

have been refused a Christian burial ... some churches used to do

that. Many suicides or "sinners" were buried outside the church

cemetery fences because they were not considered worthy of the

sanctified ground. Surely that would not have happened to the

Captain! He had been a very powerful figure in the Schooner Bay of

his time, not only on his own merits but also as a member of one of

the founding families of the area. Maybe he had been buried at sea?

"Mrs. Muir? Mrs. Muir?"

Suddenly Carolyn realized Martha was trying to get her attention.

"Oh, Martha, I'm sorry ..."

"Writers!" Martha complained, but with a smile on her face. "Do

you want breakfast?"

"No, thanks, Martha. I'll just take more coffee upstairs and get

dressed and get to work, I think." Before she could see Martha's

disapproving look, Carolyn poured some more coffee and whisked

upstairs again.

As she entered her room, she took an absent-minded sip, then put

the mug down on her desk. Taking off her housecoat, Carolyn reached

for a sweater, then hesitated. She was still VERY tired. Yes, she

should dress and make the bed ... well, just for a couple of minutes

... and she sprawled on the bed again and closed her eyes.

It felt as if she had only been there for a minute when she heard

Captain Gregg speaking urgently to her. "Mrs. Muir! Are you all

right? Did you faint?"

She opened her eyes to see him bending over her, concern in his

expression. She started to sit up, and gasped as her lips seemed to

meet his, although all she felt was a faint touch. She dropped back

on the bed as the Captain jerked back. They stared at each other for

a long moment of silence, then the Captain moved, draping her

housecoat over her scantily-clad body.

Carolyn licked her dry lips. She HAD touched the Captain, she was

sure of it! Such an elusive, fragile, GHOST of a kiss! But a kiss,

none-the-less.

"Why are you lying here like this? Are you not well?" he spoke

roughly.

Carefully sitting up while he was across the room, Carolyn shook

her head. "I'm fine, Captain. I'm sorry. Just a little tired. I

thought I'd rest a bit ... and I was thinking ..."

"Anything I can help you with, my dear?" his voice softened. He

was unable to remain blustery for long with her.

"Not really." She hesitated, not sure whether or not to question

him about his death. Finally she took the plunge. "Captain, I've

been wondering ... since last night when you told us it was the

anniversary of your death ... where were you buried?"

His visage darkened slightly. "In Schooner Bay, of course."

"In ... the bay itself? Or the cemetery?" Carolyn then added

hastily, "I know it's none of my business, but ..."

Sighing, the Captain sat down on her desk chair. "I wish I could

tell you it was either one."

"I don't understand?" she was puzzled.

"As you know, that wretched paper called my death a suicide. I was

not granted either an honorable burial at sea OR a respectable burial

in the cemetery." his voice was flat.

"You mean ...?" Carolyn stopped, having no idea what he meant.

"Did you have a funeral?"

"Of sorts. Not a very satisfactory one from MY point of view!"

For a moment there was silence, then Carolyn spoke quietly, "Is

that why the townspeople will speak of you as a hero in one breath,

then ignore your existence completely? I mean, of course, your

PREVIOUS existence! I know they certainly believe you are still

haunting Gull Cottage in spite of my efforts to dispel that theory!"

"Precisely." he was abrupt.

"How sad." her sympathy was almost palpable. "I DO wish there were

something I could do to change that ... to help MAKE everyone in

Schooner Bay realize how wonderful you are. WERE." she became

slightly flustered, her face reddening.

"When you were working at Finley's rag, I took advantage of your

position there by writing that article ... but some ideas are hard to

shake. No, my burial is best forgotten. But, I can imagine YOUR

memorial service, Mrs. Muir ... you know, I showed Claymore HIS

funeral that time the buffoon was convinced he was going to die from

the curse of the Greggs ..."

"YOU were afraid he was going to die, as well, Captain!" Carolyn

reminded him, smiling.

Waving that off as inconsequential, the Captain continued, "Would

you like to see it?"

"My memorial service?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes. All this talk ... I was not happy with MINE, but yours will

be wonderful! Just think, we will then be together as we were meant

to be!" his eyes were warm as he smiled at her.

Carolyn's eyes dropped before his gaze. It was almost too much to

imagine! Together with the Captain! She toyed with her housecoat

belt a second, then took a deep breath. "All right, I'd like to see

it. My memorial service. What do I do?"

He stood up and held out his hand. "Merely take my hand, my dear."

Rather doubtfully, Carolyn stood up, dropping her housecoat back on

the bed. She shivered slightly in her nighty, then stepped closer to

the Captain, her hand slowly going out to his. Both hesitated an

instant, then their hands met, his fingers curling over hers tightly.

Aware only of the anchor of their clasp, Carolyn felt as though she

was tossed into a cloud, unable to see or even think clearly. Then

the mists evaporated somewhat, and she found herself standing hand in

hand with the Captain at the side of the chancel in the church of

Schooner Bay. She could see the minister, and was aware that the

church was full, but could not see any individual faces.

"You are not to know the future with regard to your family, that is

why you cannot see them. You also cannot know WHEN this is to occur,

of course." the Captain's voice was in her ear. She tightened her

grip on his fingers.

"No one can see us?" looking down at her nightclothes. "I'm not

exactly dressed for the occasion ... unless angels wear short

nighties!"

His thumb caressed the back of her hand gently. "No one can see

us, my dear."

Enjoying his touch, even though she was SURE this was a dream,

Carolyn turned her attention to the minister. "It's a woman!" she

said, in some surprise.

"Yes. I believe she said she knew you ..."

Now paying attention to the words of the service, Carolyn heard the

minister say, "Jesus said, æI died, and behold, I am alive

forevermore. Because I live, you will live also.' Paul spoke of love

to the Corinthians, saying, "Love never ends.' King Solomon wrote in

the Song of Songs, æLove is strong as death. Many waters cannot

quench love, neither can floods drown it.' We know that Carolyn Muir

is now with HER love, alive forevermore in that world on the other

side of the curtain ... the curtain that God through Christ has swept

away. Yes, we have sorrow now that she is no longer with us in the

same way she has been, but we rejoice for her in the happiness of her

eternal life."

"She knows I'm with you!" Carolyn, filled with wonder, turned to

look up at the Captain. Her eyes were soft with the love she felt for

him. "She MUST be speaking of you! She wouldn't be talking of ... of

Richard, would she? She's speaking of love ... REAL love."

He smiled at her, tenderly. "I told you she said she knew you.

She knew of me as well. No, she is speaking of US, Carolyn."

His use of her name held her immobile for a moment, her eyes

fastened on his. Then the scene changed, and they were at the

cemetery. Nearby was a tombstone engraved with the name æCaptain

Daniel Gregg' and the biblical verse, æI am sure that neither death

nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things

to come, nor powers nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can

separate us...'

"You ARE buried here in the cemetery!" Carolyn whispered, eyes

filling with tears which she blinked back hurriedly before he noticed.

"In this time. YOUR doing, my dear. You put up the stone, and

left room for your name to be engraved on it as well ..."

"There are no dates ..."

"No need for casual onlookers to know that we actually lived on

this earth a century apart. That was a mere accident of time. We

were and ARE meant for each other. For eternity."

The minister was speaking again as she sprinkled a handful of dirt

over the urn of ashes at the gravesite. "Cherishing our memories of

her and comforted by the hope of eternal life, we commit all that is

mortal of Carolyn Muir to its final resting place -- earth to earth,

ashes to ashes, dust to dust -- even as we commit her person to the

love and care of Almighty God. God IS the God of the living and the

dead, the God who guides us with light and love through this world,

now and forever. Amen."

The scene changed again, and everyone had faded away. The cemetery

plot looked untouched, as though a year or more had passed. The

tombstone with both their names inscribed on it stood with a cluster

of forget-me-nots around the base. A new line had been added to the

original verse. "Love never ends".

The Captain raised their clasped hands to his lips, and she felt

his mouth on her hand. So like her dream when she was ill!

Drawing on her reserve of courage, she leaned towards him, and

breathed, "Daniel, love never ends. Not REAL love. Thank you for

this. I promise I will get the memorial stone ..."

"I know. Love IS stronger than death." He bent closer, and she

read his intentions in his eyes.

Carolyn parted her lips, waiting breathlessly for his kiss, but he

had paused to study her face anew. She strained upward on tiptoe, her

free hand in his hair, pulling his head down, her lips touching his.

Passion instantly blazed up between them, and the earth moved as their

lips met in a shattering explosion of need, fire and tenderness. She

allowed herself to feel every breathless, blistering second of that

kiss, knowing it would only continue in her memory ...

With a sudden jolt, Carolyn found herself back in the bedroom at

Gull Cottage, lips still tingling from the touch of the Captain's.

Her eyes were huge, filled with wonder. He tried to put on his usual

imperturbable face, but she noticed his hands trembling slightly

before he clasped them behind his back in his customary pose as he

rocked on his heels.

"Madam, I trust you will now be dressing so as to continue your

day's work. I shall leave you in privacy." With a tip of his head

and an inscrutable smile, he disappeared.

Carolyn carefully lowered herself onto the bed, touching her

fingertips gently to her lips. What an incredible vision! Did she

really have that in her future? Then she pulled herself together.

Now to make it come true! Feverishly dressing, Carolyn planned to

phone first about arranging for a headstone. Then she would have to

be in touch with Claymore to find the exact site of the Captain's

present grave and, if possible, have a new committal service for him

in the cemetery when the memorial was ready. After all, the

information she had uncovered as a reporter for the Schooner Bay

Beacon had proven that the Captain's death was accidental! Surely

there would no longer be any objection to his being buried on sacred

ground. She would have to speak with the Captain first to find out

exactly what sort of service he wanted and then plan it with the

minister. Yes, when she had finished, it was certain that the Captain

would take his rightful place among the heroes in the history of

Schooner Bay!