�You would be right.� � Jamie.

My mom�s dad died Friday, 16 days after he was diagnosed with liver cancer.

This leaves me with one grandparent � my dad�s mom, who currently is fighting throat cancer.

I went home early on Friday because I simply wasn�t feeling very well. Maybe I was actually feeling rather psychic, because about an hour after I settled on to the couch, my dad called to break the news about Papa Bill.

That�s what we called him. He always wanted us to call him, �Pappy Bill,� but for some reason, I never felt comfortable saying �Pappy.�

Anyway.

No service, no viewing, no funeral. As per his wishes, he�s being cremated and scattered into the wind. I don�t know whether or not some sort of ceremony will accompany the scattering, but it stands right now, I won�t need to make a trip to Pittsburgh.

I have no idea how to feel about this. There�s a little sadness, just hanging out in the background. For various reasons, I haven�t been close to Papa Bill for about 15 years now.

The only thing that really gets me going is that for the first time since she was 16 years old and her mother died from cancer, my mom is with both of her parents. All three of them in heaven together, FAR too early, thanks to cancer. Is that a good thing? Should I be happy about that reunion? Either way, the image makes me tear up.

He was old, and he was tired. My mom�s death pretty much did him in. He went from a relatively robust 71-year-old man with grey hair and numerous eccentricities to a white-haired, frail, sad old man.

Papa Bill was always sweet to us. He loved kids. I have pleasant memories of him babysitting us when we were little, and us having fun.

Oh, and I have a great final memory of him. So let�s talk about that, okay?

My cousin got married a few days after Christmas, and my sister Mollie was one of her bridesmaids. There was minor drama about what I should wear to this wedding, since I�d gotten rid of all my winter dressy clothes, and I ended up buying a new dress that was beautiful, and although I hadn�t seen a bridesmaid dress, coordinated with the wedding colors surprisingly well. My cousin did the thing where the DJ announces the bridal party, and they walk out in pairs, get photographed, and dance. She also added the parents and grandparents of the bride and groom, and since Papa Bill didn�t really have anyone to pair up with, she took me aside beforehand and asked me if I�d escort him for this walk and dance.

Of course, I accepted.

It was nice. He looked tired and thin, but classy � he was wearing a tuxedo, and dress clothes being a rarity for him, he looked very dignified. My dress didn�t clash with the wedding colors. I walked him out and felt how bony his arm was through his jacket sleeve. I guess he�d initially declined the dance, but he accepted when I asked him, so I felt flattered. The DJ and everyone else were surprised to see him up and around, front and center. We were photographed (need to get a copy of that) and danced for about 20 seconds before he told me quietly that he was tired and would like to sit down. So I walked him back to his seat, rejoined my family, and that was that.

I�ll bet my mom got a kick out of it.