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Just Like Heaven

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for FOWC with Fandango.
with the prompt word “earthquake”
and for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge word ‘stop’.

Image by Me & Gemini

It was April 2, 2024, a Tuesday. An ordinary day, lovely actually, except for the fact that my husband’s identical twin brother had died suddenly that morning, unexpectedly and cruelly snatched away. Our sister-in-law had gone across the street to talk to a neighbor; when she returned ten minutes later, Jim was sprawled on the bedroom floor, dead from a massive “coronary event”. It was just before noon.

This almost broke our sister-in-law who was still hemorrhaging from the OD death of her son in 2018 at age 30. First Bryan, now Jim. The family came together, barely hanging on while trying to hold each other up.

Bill and I had scheduled our routine stress tests six months before for that coming Friday, April 5, and we discussed at length whether we should postpone. After our sister-in-law assured us the wake would not take place until Friday evening, we decided to hold on to this shred of normal in our lives and keep the appointment.

We started on time, at 10:00 am …. me in one room, Bill in another. I remember the technician in my room was excitedly talking about her trip to California the next day. Suddenly, at 10:20 am, there was a strange, low rumble; the building and machines shook for a few seconds …. certainly troubling enough to put a stop to our tests and everything else going on at that moment. The building was quickly evacuated and after about twenty minutes, when the situation was under control and declared safe, we were all allowed back inside and the tests were completed. 

What we all assumed was confirmed …. an earthquake reaching 4.8 on the Richter, a big deal for Southern Westchester in New York State.

That night at the funeral home, the family agreed it wasn’t an earthquake after all; it was Jim and his son Bryan bumping chests in heaven for the first time in six years.

NAR©2026

This is “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin

FOWC With Fandango — Earthquake
Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Stop

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

26 thoughts on “Just Like Heaven”

  2. This must have been a terrible time for you all. Sudden death is the worst. I agree with Brian’s comment. There is so much we do not know. Thank you, Nancy for sharing this with our STOP challenge.

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    1. Sue, it really was the worst time of our lives. My husband lost his other half, his identical twin with whom he shared everything, including a womb. Thank God, our family is pulling through, relying on our good memories and sense of humor to make each day the best we can. I truly appreciate your lovely comments; it’s always a great pleasure for me to participate. Thank you sincerely. 🥰

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  3. I love the family’s explanation much better! We have earthquakes all the time- way more than we ever had when I lived In California- but it was the one that arrived totally unexpected one afternoon in Ohio that I remember the most!

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    1. Of course! Who expects quakes in Ohio or NYC? I read a book called “Aftershock” by a now-retired Channel 4 news anchor which deals with the inevitability of a major earthquake in the NY Metro Area with devastating destruction and death tolls. After a 4.8, I don’t doubt it. Talk about apocalyptical!

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  5. I loved your honourable sense of humor finale my dear friend,
    ” That night at the funeral home, the family agreed it wasn’t an earthquake after all; it was Jim and his son Bryan bumping chests in heaven for the first time in six years”
    and yes, I’m back online, about an hour ago … 🥰🌏💕

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