JC: Ed Biggers Part 6: Doyen Chapter 23 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2004 Ling, Kelly, Leroy, Betsy, Linda, Dan, Claire, and the entire staff were waiting for William Redman Carter to return home. Much to everyone's surprise, he walked into the house and headed directly to Linda without pausing long enough for anyone to hug him. He stopped in front of his mother and, after a pregnant pause, said, "It is time to get you to the hospital." "What?" asked Linda as a sudden spasm passed through her abdomen. Her eyes grew large when she realized what he meant. "I told you that I would return in time for Eddie to be born. I've returned and he's ready to be born," William answered with a grin. "Oh my," Linda cried as the contraction grabbed her attention to the exclusion of all else. It was as though no one could act for ten seconds and then chaos broke out. The women all looked at Linda with wide eyes when they realized what William meant. A very loud Betsy started jumping up and down excited at the idea of having her own little brother. The women immediately swarmed Linda. Leroy shook his head in amazement at how William was able to guess events with such accuracy. William watched the activities with a grin. The celebration of his return was turning into a celebration of a new life and that suited him perfectly. While William had always been comfortable alone, his time at the Native American College had taught him how to be at peace with his solitude. It had also taught him how to be comfortable and at peace around others. Ling took charge. She ordered Walt and George to get two of the vans out of the garage and into the driveway knowing it would require both vans to get everyone to the hospital. While the two men ran out of the room, Ling ordered Sarah to help her cousin walk to the driveway. After dispatching Kelly to get Linda's overnight bag, Ling called Dr. Liam Connor to inform him that he was to wait for them outside the clinic so he could accompany them to the hospital. Realizing that Ed was not there, Dan looked over at William and asked, "Where's Ed?" "He's waiting in the car with Betsy for you, Claire, and me," answered William. "We're going to the hospital?" Claire asked in surprise. She had expected to be left behind to take care of security. "Of course you are. You're joining the Carter Clan as husband and wife. It is only fitting that the two of you wait in the hospital with the rest of the family," answered William. Seeing the surprised look on Claire's face, he added, "Besides, someone needs to drive us to the hospital. Daddy Ed is so excited he'll probably crash into something." For the first time, Dan found himself laughing at something William said. Putting a hand on William's shoulder, he said, "Come on. Let's go save Ed from himself." The crowd at the front door had finally exited the house with Linda and Sarah in the lead. The trio left the house and headed to the Hugger in which Ed was waiting for them. Claire went around to the driver's side of the Hugger and opened the door. In a gruff voice, she ordered, "Scoot over, Ling would kill me if I let you drive right now." Ed followed his instructions knowing that it was useless to argue. Muttering under his breath, he said, "One of the problems with loving a strong woman is living with a strong woman." Seeing the dirty look Claire gave Ed, Dan asked, "What's one of the benefits of loving a strong woman?" "One of the benefits of loving a strong woman is living with a strong woman," answered Ed. Claire laughed at the contradiction and turned on motor to the Hugger. Rather than backing out, she turned the vehicle around by driving it over the yard. The drive to the hospital was made in record time. Claire was not afraid of using the off-road abilities of the Hugger to shorten the trip. Pacing nervously in front of the hospital entrance, Ed was beside himself with concern. They had beaten the vans to the hospital and he was afraid the vans had been involved in an accident. Looking over at Claire, he asked, "What could be taking them so long?" "Well, they could have come by the highway rather than cross country. That would easily add ten minutes," answered Claire in a calm collected voice. She'd really enjoyed the drive. About halfway to the hospital, she had decided she was going to pick up a Hugger for herself. Chuckling at the exchange, William suggested, "Call Kelly on the cell phone if you're really that worried." "Why didn't they come the same route?" "There's no way anyone would take that route in a regular van with a pregnant woman," answered Dan. He was enjoying this far more than was probably proper. He looked down at William and realized the boy was enjoying it as much as he was. They beat the van to the hospital by a good ten minutes even though they left after it. For five of those minutes, Ed was getting a running commentary from Kelly over the cell phone. The fact of the matter was that Ed was concerned because Linda's first pregnancy had been so rough. Even though she had breezed through this one, he remembered the months spent by her bed before William was born. Almost as if he was hearing Ed's thoughts, William said, "Eddie isn't going to be like me. He's going to be more Cowboy than Indian." "Cowboy and Indian?" asked Ed surprised by his use of the words. "Yeah, we can do that too. We'll play on different sides of the game. You know, I think that's a great idea. I'll get to practice scalping him." Ed stared at William unable to believe what he had heard his son say. He said, "What?" Even Dan was surprised. That was the second humorous thing he'd heard him say. Looking down at William, Dan said, "You've seem to have picked up a sense of humor while you were at school." Nodding agreement at the statement, William said, "Yes. I did. It was one of the more important lessons that I learned." The van with Linda showed up and all attention turned to getting her into the hospital. Although they could have used their wealth in most circumstances to smooth things out, there was no way to get around the petty bureaucrat in admissions. While Ed argued with the woman, Dr. Connor ushered Linda into the delivery room to perform a more extensive examination of her condition than had been possible in the back of the van. It was Cathy who came to the rescue and provided completed versions of all the necessary admission forms. Ed had started towards the delivery room when Kelly grabbed him by the arm. She said, "You might be a modern man, but we're old fashioned girls. I'm her birthing coach. She doesn't want you there, so you go over to the waiting room and pace like you're supposed to." Dan and Leroy steered Ed down the appropriate hallway with William and Betsy following behind. William walked while Betsy, in an effort to burn off some of her energy, hopped along attempting to touch the ceiling. Ling and Claire were well behind the kids making sure that Betsy didn't decide to head in the wrong direction. It wasn't until they reached the waiting room that everyone welcomed William home. William entertained them with descriptions of his adventures at the Native American College. Betsy slowed down enough to listen to some of his stories. One of the things he had learned was the art of story telling. It had been the most difficult lesson for him to learn. Kelly came out and announced, "It's time for you to meet Edward John Biggers." The family watched as Ed approached the bed and looked upon his newborn son for the first time. An instant connection between father and son blossomed with a strength that was almost visible. It was a magical moment and everyone in the room knew it. Kelly's hand went to her medallion. Ling, seldom given to tears, was openly crying. William went over and put a hand on Ed's back. Dan and Claire held each other feeling honored that they had been allowed to witness this event. Even Betsy paused to watch the connection become established. Linda, exhausted from the delivery, gave voice to a line she had practiced just for this occasion. "Ed meet Ed." Ed had visions of them playing Hunt The Bug-Eyed Monsters, riding through the desert together, and digging rocks out of interesting geological formations. He bent down and kissed his son on the head. In a soft voice, he said, "We are going to have so much fun together." Turning to Linda, Ed kissed her gently and said, "He's wonderful." While Ed took care of the exhausted mother, the rest of the family swarmed around the baby. Each took turns meeting the baby. As was always the case when someone joined the family, each established a special relation with the new member. Betsy's eyes glowed as she looked upon the baby. Turning to Ling, she said, "He's going to be a lot of fun." It was late afternoon before the family returned home. Once there, Ed decided to take a walk through town and spread the news about the birth of his son. Leaving the women to spread the news with the staff, Leroy chose to come with him. When they reached Ed's old house, Rosa and Maria ran out from their house across the street. Rosa screamed, "So you have a new baby in the Carter Clan!" "Yes, Eddie Biggers. He's a chip off the old block," said Ed unable to keep the pride from his voice. Maria laughed at the comment. She said, "Parents lock up your girls, Eddie Biggers in town." "She knows you too well," said Leroy. He chuckled and patted his husband on the back. Rosa said, "So tell me all the details about Eddie Biggers. How much did he weigh, how big was he, and what time was he born?" Leroy filled them in on the details while Ed described how much the child was like him. Realizing that Ed and Leroy had spent almost half an hour with them, Maria said, "You two had better go on and spread the news. I'm sure others want to hear all about it." Ed and Leroy took their leave and resumed their wandering through town. After two hours of talking with people, Ed found they were in front of the Ortega household. Manuel was seated on a chair in the front yard. Waving, he said, "Hey, Ed. Leroy. Come on over and have some iced tea. Joe will be home soon." Ed and Leroy walked up to where Manuel was seated on one of a half-dozen chairs scattered about on the porch. The hardest working man in Arizona had aged over the years and looked like an elderly man. Ed was shocked by what he saw and, once again, he was reminded that the friends of his youth were growing old. Sitting down in a chair, Leroy said, "Ed is now the father of a nice looking baby boy." "I was kind of expecting the news," said Manuel. He had seen the two vans picking up the doctor before heading towards the highway. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Handing it over to Ed, he added, "Here's a little something for your son." "What is it?" "A promissory note for a five thousand shares of our company," answered Manuel knowing that Ed would've argued against money, but wouldn't reject such a gift. They were expecting the shares to sell for over four dollars a share. Touched that Manuel would want to make his son part of his company, Ed said, "Thank you." "So how is the public offering going?" asked Leroy seeing that Ed was lost in thought. Ed hadn't known that Manuel and Joe were taking their hauling company public. In fact, he hadn't been following the expansion of the company very closely at all over the past few years. He sat up and paid attention as Manuel described going through the process of taking a company public. Since a number of companies funded by Ed had gone public in the past, he understood the process quite well. While Manuel was telling Leroy about the company, a young girl of five years of age came out of the house. Manuel turned to her and said, "Kelly, go in the house and tell your mother we have company. Ask her to bring out some iced teas for us." The little girl smiled at her grandfather and headed back into the house. She shouted as she entered the door, "Mommy, we gots company. Grandpa wants some tea." Ed laughed at the excitement of the little girl. When the door slammed shut behind her, Manuel flinched. Shaking his head with a wry grin plastered on his face, he said, "She'll never learn to close that door properly." "I'm sure you spoil her rotten," said Leroy. "Yeah. It's so much fun being a granddad. I'll admit that Kelly's a little wildcat. That kid can't keep still. Not as bad as your Betsy, though." Leroy rolled his eyes and replied, "There isn't another child on the face of this planet who is as bad as Betsy." Juanita came out of the house with a tray of iced teas. She was wearing a very nice sundress that showed off her figure in a most attractive manner. Smiling at Ed, she said, "The news has spread all over town. Congratulations. I heard that he's a charmer just like his father." Grinning as he accepted a glass of tea from Juanita, Ed said, "If we're lucky, he'll get his looks from his mother. At least that way he'll have something going for him." "He needs to get them from somewhere if he's to have any looks at all," said Leroy with a wink at Ed. Juanita laughed at the joke. Turning to Leroy, she said, "I heard you guys had a real break-through last week. Something about actually curing one of those diseased deer." "Yes. It looks like we found a compound that stops Chronic Wasting Disease in its tracks. Where'd you hear about that?" asked Leroy. He hadn't announced it to the public yet, although a copy of his paper was circulating amongst the small number of researchers in the area. "You forget that my cousin is working for you," said Juanita handing a glass of tea to him. Unaware that Leroy had made progress in his research, Ed asked, "So what's the news?" "About two years ago, we discovered a little protein fragment seems to be the cause of the illness. Gnats can pass that protein fragment from one animal to another. The entry point is in the tear ducts. Fortunately, it is a rather low probability event, so we don't see a horrible epidemic spreading through the deer population," answered Leroy. He knew that if conditions were right and they had a huge increase in the gnat population one season, then the number of infected animals could skyrocket. His voice shifted to one that conveyed less certainty. "A couple of weeks ago, we synthesized a new protein fragment. It binds with the bad protein fragment and renders it inert. Of course, having something work in a test tube doesn't mean much. Last week, we tried it out on one of our infected deer and it appears to be gaining weight." "Wow, that is news. How come you haven't mentioned it to us?" asked Ed. He knew Leroy's research was a lifelong project that was characterized by long periods of slow progress punctuated by sudden breakthroughs. Since Leroy didn't have many chances to celebrate his successes, Ed wanted to make sure they didn't miss a single chance. "I wanted to make sure of my results first," answered Leroy. He'd had several occasions where he thought they made a big breakthrough only to find he had been mistaken. They'd celebrated one of them a little prematurely and he'd always felt a little embarrassed by it. Manuel asked, "Can you make any money on it?" "Not for CWD. There's a possibility that a similar thing might work on Mad Cow Disease. If that is the case, then there is a lot of money to be made on it." Leroy doubted that he'd ever see money as a result of his research. It wasn't that glamorous. He glanced over at Ed and said, "I know it isn't a cure for cancer, but I'm a biologist who works on animals." "Don't apologize. I know how important your work is. You're doing something that very few people can do -- adding to the body of knowledge possessed by mankind. I can't think of anything more important than that," answered Ed knowing that Leroy felt that his work wasn't as valuable as the work the others in the family performed. Leroy and Ling were not growing wealthy in the same way that Ed, Kelly, and Linda were. Manuel looked down at the ground for a minute as he thought about what Leroy had said. Looking over at the black man, he asked, "Do you need funding for your research?" Leroy answered, "We won't be able to look at Mad Cow Disease for a long time." "No, I'm talking about the deer disease." "There's not much of a chance to make money on that," Leroy said. He wanted to make sure Manuel understood exactly what he'd be funding. He had a lot of hopes on this treatment. There were still some questions that remained to be answered. It wasn't clear what effect the second protein fragment would have on healthy animals. It wasn't clear how they could distribute it to the animals in the wild. Finally, it wasn't clear if the effects were long term. The only thing that was certain was that no one would be getting rich out of it. "I know. I'm not looking to make any money on this. It's just that I wasn't always rich. More than once, a deer meant the difference between feeding my family and all of us going hungry. If the deer had been sick, we'd have been out of luck. There are other folks out there in that situation. Maybe I can't help them directly, but I can help to make sure there are deer for them to eat." The emotions in his voice conveyed his honest desire to help for all to hear. "I can understand that and we'd appreciate any help that you can give," Leroy said. Juanita put a hand on her father-in-law's shoulder. In a soft voice, she said, "You're a good man, dad." "Not really," he said, "It's just that there are some things that need to be done. For the first time in my life, I'm in a position to help see that they get done." Ed laughed at that and said, "For the first time in your life? I know better than that. You've given jobs to thousands of people. That is an important thing and you did it. You've donated a lot to other causes. That is important." "Hard to be humble around this guy," said Manuel with a wink at Juanita. Having finished his iced tea, Ed stood and said, "We'd better head home before the wives think some young woman like Juanita offered us a better place to spend the night." "I understand what you're saying. You have to keep the women in your life happy. Leroy, give me a call tomorrow and we'll work out the arrangements for funding your research. Ed, you hold that note and when we go public I'll get those stocks over to you," said Manuel. "Joe will be sorry to have missed you," said Juanita. "Give him our regards," said Ed. As they walked home, Leroy thought about Manuel and Joe. He figured that the stocks they had given for their new son would be worth about twenty-five thousand dollars. It was a very generous gift. Funding a research project that wouldn't return much money was a very generous act. Manuel wasn't an educated man, but he was a very good man. When they turned onto the main street, Leroy said, "I'm always amazed at the generosity of the people in this town." "This town is filled with houses that most folks wouldn't look twice at, but the people who live within them are often worth millions. I have to admire them for keeping their feet on the ground. It's a good place to raise a child. I can't think of a better place to raise Eddie." They were about to reach Shirley's bar when Leroy said, "Let's see if Shirley is here." "No way I can walk by here without stopping in," said Ed with a large smile. "You'd think they would rename it Ed's place considering how much time you spend here." When they entered the bar, Shirley called out, "Husbands, lock up your wives because Ed Biggers is on the premises." "Don't worry men, I've come to spread the news about the birth of my son -- Eddie Biggers," shouted Ed. "Families, lock up your daughters because Eddie Biggers is in town," corrected Shirley. Her shout was greeted with cheers, laughter, and shouts of congratulations. Ed actually blushed. Leroy patted him on the back and quipped, "Poor Eddie. He's got a reputation and he isn't even a day old." Ed laughed at the comment and went over to the bar where a pair of glasses filled with soft drinks was waiting for them. He took a seat where he could talk to Shirley. Leroy sat next to him on a stool closer to the door. Feeling like teasing Ed, Shirley said, "I hope he got his looks from Linda. The kid needs something going for him." Putting his hands over his heart, Ed said, "Oh, I'm wounded. One of the great loves of my life has called me ugly. I think I shall never recover." Shirley leaned across the bar and caressed his face. She said, "Don't worry, Ed. I still love you." The trio teased each other in the manner that only old friends could manage. Ed had a wonderful time catching up on the gossip about Shirley's family. The relationship between Beth and John was a long topic of conversation. John was halfway through his first year of Druid College. When Beth returned, they would be together in school and their long-distance love affair would have to face the stresses of living in close proximity. All of the parents were convinced the kids would go through the transition without a problem. Home from the hospital, Linda leaned against Ed while he was seated on the couch in the informal living room. He had an arm around her and cradled Eddie in his other arm. Linda sighed and then said, "It's great to be home." "I know what you mean," said Ed without looking away from Eddie. Eddie seemed to share his sentiment about being home. Linda sat up and looked at Ed in surprise. She asked, "You know what I mean? Since when have you been stuck in a hospital for two days?" Embarrassed at his misunderstanding, Ed said, "Oh. I thought you meant that you were happy to be here at home for good." From her seat at the other end of the couch, Kelly said, "I'm convinced that Ed wouldn't think of a stay in the local hospital as being away from home. So long as he can see the desert out the window, he knows that home is only a few steps away." "If you recall, my graduate research project showed that desert mice took about a year to become acclimated to cold climates. Ed is a desert rat. Using Ed as an example, I guess we can't conclude the same thing about desert rats," said Leroy. Ed wrinkled his nose in a bad imitation of a rat. Ed chuckled softly and looked down at the infant nestled in his arm. He said, "I think they are making fun of us. We can't help the fact that we are desert critters." "You're so sure that he's going to love the desert, aren't you?" asked Ling. She didn't really understand the relationship between the desert and Ed. As far as she was concerned, it was the great mystery about her husband which she would never solve. "Of course, I'm sure of that. He and I have a common soul," said Ed looking down at the infant with a smile. He didn't know how to explain the connection between them any better than that. Winking at her wives, Linda asked, "So how are you going to raise Eddie?" "I'm going to teach him how to ride, camp, and hunt rocks. We're going to spend as much time out in the desert as the demands of modern life will allow," answered Ed. He kissed the infant on the top of the head taking in the smell of baby. Looking up at the rest of the family, he said, "We're going to grow together. Eddie is going to grow up while I grow old." From his position on the ridge that was part of one of the mountains in the Superstition Mountains, Ed looked down at the camp below with pride watching his son hard at work. It was hard to believe how fast the years had passed since the day when he had held the infant in his arms. It seemed like yesterday when he was lying on the floor playing a game of peek-a-boo with him. He watched Eddie, moving with quiet confidence, take care of his horse. Ed had taught him how to ride a pony when he was five. The young boy had taken to it like he had been born in the saddle. As the years passed, a horse replaced the pony. Eddie had even worked part-time at the Auction House while he had been in high school. Rather than super-smart like Beth, John, or William, Eddie was above average. That suited Ed just fine since it meant that he had gone through the public school at home. Eddie was a good student and usually brought home academic honors. Just as important, Ed had gotten to watch him participate in school sports. No one cheered as loud as Ed did when Eddie took to the field, regardless of whether it as baseball and football field. Of course, when it came to sports, Eddie had to take a back seat to Betsy. She had participated in track and field events in three Olympics. She was one of the few people to have competed in both the Winter and Summer Olympics. She had run away with over a dozen gold medals. Eddie had given up many an afternoon to help her train. Eddie wasn't jealous of his older brothers or sisters. More often than not, Eddie was happiest when they succeeded in something. Linda often teased Eddie that he was the cheering section of the family. When William had received his Ph.D. in Economics, Eddie had walked around the crowd telling everyone that William was the smartest guy in the world. He was more than happy to tell anyone who would listen that Beth was the greatest architect who ever lived and that Frank Lloyd Wright could have learned a trick or two from her. He boasted that John was going to win a Nobel prize in Biology just like Leroy and Ed was convinced that it wasn't an idle boast. Like a good older brother, Eddie was protective of his little brother and sisters. He watched over Rosa and Shirley, the twins, like a she-bear watches over her cubs. The girls were approaching the age at which the boys would start taking notice. Ed was convinced that any boy who called upon the twins would have to satisfy Eddie that their intentions were honorable. The youngest, Manuel, was just entering grade school and Eddie was more than happy to baby-sit. The teasing comments about locking up the girls in town when Eddie Biggers was born had come true. Much to the frustration of their parents, the girls in town discovered Eddie when he became a teenager. It wasn't that he pursued them. It was quite the opposite, he was confused by their attentions. His Caucasian features, Native American skin tone, and long black hair, worn tied back in a braid, gave him an exotic appearance. With the boy's good looks and easy charm, very few girls in town could resist him. Many a teenage girl had fallen in love staring into his gray eyes and pursued him with almost obsessive energy. Ed had lost track of how many times some teenage girl had set off the security alarms trying to sneak into the house. It amazed Ed that his son was so willing to give up Friday and Saturday night dates to go rock hunting with him. Eddie had the same passion about rock hunting as his father. It seemed like every other weekend the two of them would load up the trailer with the horses and drive out to the desert. Although Ed loved all of the children, Eddie was special. The two of them were so much alike it was scary. They both approached food with the same sensual pleasure. One of the things that had worried Ed never came to pass. Eddie had never acted like a bully. In fact, he had gathered a circle of friends who would last a lifetime. Eddie loved the little town where he had been raised as much as Ed. This trip was a special one for the pair. Eddie had just graduated with a BS Degree in Geology at the age of twenty-one. The young man had breezed through the program. Part of the reason was that he had been living geology for most of his life. His rock collection was very impressive. There was no doubt that Eddie would take over as the expert on Arizona Geology. They had gone on this three-week trip to celebrate Eddie taking over Biggers Consulting. In all the years Ed had spent hunting rocks in Arizona, he had never even thought to search for the Lost Dutchman's Mine. While searching for a place to take a nap while Eddie worked over an interesting outcropping, Ed had discovered the site of legend. Ed glanced down at the gold nuggets in his hand. One of them was almost the size of an egg. He put the nuggets back in their collection box. It was marked with the location, 'Lost Dutchman's Mine,' but not the co-ordinates. Some things were meant to remain a secret. Ed looked up at the most glorious sunset he had ever seen. It was breath taking in its beauty and it was clear that the Gods and Goddesses had gone all out on this one. The sky was painted with colors he didn't know existed. Aloud, he said, "This is spectacular. A perfect end to a perfect day." Eddie Biggers was busy building a campfire while waiting for his father to return to camp. It was approaching sunset and his father would return once the sun had disappeared below the horizon. He looked up at the ridge where his father was seated and smiled at the sight. Not many men his father's age could ride around the desert the entire day and still look fresh. He knew his father had slipped off for a nap, but he'd never mention it. The wood finally caught fire and he stepped back to watch it burn. Looking up at the sky, he noticed the sun had gone down. He turned back to see if his father was having any trouble getting down from the ridge. Much to his surprise, he saw a blinding flash of light appear from where his father had been seated. He waited, but didn't see any signs of motion. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach when he recalled what William had told him before the trip. The two hundred yards to the ridge seemed to take forever to climb. Stepping past the horse tied to a bush, Eddie finally scrambled up to where his father was seated. Ed's open eyes stared off to the horizon without blinking. A glanced down at his chest told Eddie all that he needed to know. The Medallion was gone. His father's service to the Gods and Goddesses had come to an end. As a moan escaped from his chest, he knelt down and looked at his father. He looked like a bronze statue of a cowboy. His hat, covering gray hair, was worn level, giving him an intense expression. It was softened by the wry smile on his face that made him look as though he understood some cosmic joke that all others were denied. His leathery skin was wrinkled from decades in the sun. Reaching over, Eddie passed a trembling hand over his father's face to close the eyes. The skin was already cool to the touch. As tears welled up in his eyes, Eddie pulled out his GPS and took a reading. Holding the GPS in one hand, he pulled out his cell phone from his pocket with the other. Flipping it open, he spoke into the microphone, "Call Home." When Mary Gold answered, he considered telling her what had happened. After giving the matter a second thought, he said, "Put William on the phone." "How did you know he was here?" asked Mary Gold in surprise. After glancing over at William, she handed him the phone without further comment. After placing the handset to his ear, William said, "He passed away." It wasn't a statement or a question, but something between the two. Voice breaking, Eddie answered, "Yes." "I'm sorry Eddie," said William feeling his throat tighten. He had promised himself that he wouldn't cry when the news came, but it was an impossible promise to keep. Tears ran down his face. "At least you warned me," Eddie said. He looked over at his father and fought back the tears. He needed to keep it together until he had done everything that was necessary. "That doesn't change the fact that you've had to face this alone," said William. He felt sorry for his little brother, but it was the way it was meant to be. He said, "Give me your GPS co-ordinates. I've got a helicopter here and can be out there in twenty minutes." Relieved to hear that William was coming, he gave his older brother the GPS co-ordinates and then hung up to wait for the helicopter. Eddie had known that his brother would come through for him. William was always there when he needed a helping hand. In fact, most times his brother was there before the help was needed. Stashing his cell phone back in his pocket, Eddie thought about all the things he needed to do. He had to take care of the town by arranging for a memorial service. He'd hold it up at the high school where everyone could gather. There would have to be food, lots of food, so that people would have a chance to relax and swap Ed Biggers stories. Ed had loved his hometown and Eddie knew the town would show its love for Ed. There wasn't a single person in town who wouldn't miss Ed. Some people would need special attention. Eddie considered those he would need to visit when he returned to town. There were some that required help to live through this crisis. He would have to visit Aunt Shirley and Aunt Rosa, Ed's two oldest friends. That would be a very heart-wrenching visit. "Don't worry. I'll watch over our little town, Dad," Eddie said. He knew his father's spirit would be watching over it as well. Sitting down next to his father with tears running from his eyes, looked out over the desert. His father had taught him so much about love - love for the desert, love for his town, and love for people. As tears overwhelmed him, Eddie said, "I love you, Dad."