Epilogue

Ollie was at a loss for how to proceed. He’d had a heart-to-heart with his siblings and their partners the previous night. They were taken aback, but they supported his decision. Breaking the news to his kids was tough, but he knew it was necessary. He reassured them that his words wouldn’t change anything. They were already on an emotional roller coaster, and as the eldest, he felt responsible.

As the music faded, he rose to his feet. The minister introduced him, and he buttoned his suit jacket, ascended the steps, and approached the podium. He scanned the sea of faces, his extended family occupying the first three rows. His wife, the love of his life, offered him a comforting smile, and his Nana, seated next to her, gave a thumbs-up. It was remarkable how, even at 91, she remained elegant and beautiful, handling Papa’s passing with her usual grace and strength. His daughter rested her head on Naomi’s shoulder, tears trickling down her face. He had to look away to maintain his composure.

He glanced at the ceiling, took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and began, “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for being here today. Your presence means the world to my family. The past two years have been challenging due to Mom’s illness, but many of you stood by us, and we can’t express how much that means.”

He saw several sympathetic smiles and continued, “My parents shared a profound, unwavering love that I’d never witnessed before. I hoped and prayed that I might find someone who would love me in the same way. And I did, with Kelly. Our friends used to tease us about Mom and Dad always being affectionate with each other as we grew up. But it never bothered us; we knew it was something we wanted in our lives. And I believe we were all fortunate to have found it.”

He looked at his family, who nodded in agreement, “Nothing about our parents surprised us. We knew that when Mom fell ill, Dad would be there every step of the way, supporting her through her treatments. And when we received the call that her time was near, we all gathered by her side. Dad never let go of her hand. And when she took her last breath…”

His voice faltered, and he paused before continuing, “We never imagined that Dad would take his last breath that same night, unable to bear life without her, passing away in his sleep, clutching her wedding rings.”

His aunts and uncles bowed their heads, still struggling to accept that both Anelise and Michael were gone, “Not many of you know this, but Anelise wasn’t my biological mother.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Ollie knew this would be the reaction and waited a moment before continuing, “Anelise entered our lives when I was two years old, hired as my nanny while my single dad was on a business trip to London. She was 20, and he was nearly 36. But from the moment she met me, she loved me. She would have given her life for mine and adopted me soon after they married. She accepted me as her own, even though we didn’t share the same blood. That didn’t matter to her. And that was because of the family that had adopted her and accepted me as one of their own.”

“Mom and Dad told me when I was 15 about the woman who gave birth to me and gave me the choice to meet her. According to Dad, she was never maternal and had no problem leaving me and Dad when I was six months old,” He saw several people whispering to each other, eyebrows raised at his revelation, but he continued, “But why would I seek out a woman who left me without a second glance when I had the best mother in the world? I declined and carried on with life as if nothing had happened. That’s the kind of woman she was: she was willing to break her own heart so that I could know about my past.”

He took another deep breath, “So, there’s a phrase my parents used to joke with each other that held personal significance for them. They would say, ‘Blame it on Paris.’”

Ollie saw his family smile at his words, and he felt a little lighter, his heart ached a little less, and he continued, “No one in the family really knows what happened when my parents first visited Paris, but they were never the same after that. Paris held a special place in their hearts, and they returned frequently. Even Aunt Leslie and Uncle Craig, their closest and dearest friends, don’t know the whole story, but we suspect that’s where they fell in love.”

“As you all know, my Mom ADORED Christmas. She transformed the house into a winter wonderland, and the magic was palpable the moment you stepped inside. But something that no one knows, not even my siblings, is that every Christmas Eve at midnight, they would turn off all the lights except for the tree and dance to Frank Sinatra’s ~‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’~. When I was 10, I snuck downstairs one year because I heard a noise and thought it was Santa, but I hid and watched them... Even then, I knew I had never seen such love and devotion between two people and never did again. I actually waited each Christmas Eve to watch them, and it made my heart flutter. I asked my Dad about it when I was 14, and he begged me not to tell Mom or my siblings because it was so special to them. I kept that promise until today so that you all would know that such extraordinary love and devotion isn’t just in fairy tales.”

Ollie wiped his eyes as he saw his family crying or wiping their eyes at his story. “And Dad told me last week that they danced this last Christmas even though she was so weak. She had to sit in a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop them from doing something that meant so much to them.”

He took a moment to step back, his mind filled with thoughts of his cherished parents. He felt a surge of gratitude for their presence in his life. His siblings and cousins, almost all of them, were part of the Rothchild Inc family. This made Johnathon's heart swell with pride. Ollie, being the eldest, had taken the reins as their uncles and father stepped down. The next generation was hard at work, building a legacy that would stand the test of time. He felt a lump in his throat, the emotions threatening to spill over. He had to wrap up this eulogy before he broke down, like he had three days ago.

“My parents shared a love story that was nothing short of magical. We were all fortunate to be a part of it, to witness it. I hope that each one of my children, nieces, nephews, cousins, and all of you here today, find a love that is timeless. A love so profound that the mere thought of being apart for even a day shatters your heart. I hope and pray that my parents are together now, dancing under the Christmas tree, with Frank Sinatra playing in the background, reminiscing about Paris and the memories they made there. I hope that each one of you experiences a moment so life-altering that you can attribute all your happiness to it. And when that moment comes, remember my mother, Anelise Whitlock, and my father, Michael Whitlock. Think of them and let it be a tribute to their love.”

Ollie returned to his seat, his gaze falling on the large photograph of his parents displayed at the altar. He reached for his wife’s hand and kissed it, a gesture he had seen his parents share countless times. It was a tradition that his siblings had adopted with their spouses. He knew they were all contributing to the legacy, and he was certain his parents were watching over them, their hearts filled with love and joy.

^The End^