Sunday, July 18, 2010

Ramaswami/McDermott Random Legacy ch. 10: Life and Death

Max spoke with Morgana as she had requested. She not only offered Max a job at the hospital, she also informed him that Thornton had meant to leave his house to his only son. Her husband had died before he had amended his will, but she intended abide by his last wishes. Her daughter Bridgette certainly did not want Wolff Manor; she was better able to love her father when she wasn't constantly reminded of what it was like growing up with him. Morgana had only one request, that Max take the Wolff name. That was easy enough for Max, since his own mother had given up their family name when she married his stepfather.
So now Max is a bed pan cleaner, wealthy heir to the Wolff name and fortune, and a father-to-be yet again. With Rukmini's second pregnancy, Max doesn't bother to propose again, knowing what the answer will be.

Their first child, Saranya, has grown into a toddler. She's inherited her grandfather Maximus' red hair and green eyes, but has the distinctive Wolff nose.

Maximus dies suddenly after eating his last autumn salad, which had been his favorite meal.

Max does his best to console Rukmini while dealing with his own grief. Maximus was more of a father to him than Thornton had been, or his step-father, who his mother had only recently married.

Their second daughter Kamala is born that next morning.


Lakshmi tries to tend Maximus' garden, but it's difficult work as she knows nothing of gardening, and is constantly reminded of her husband just by being near his plants.

It's just as difficult getting into bed alone at night, and trying to sleep without her husband by her side.
In the days following her husband's death, Lakshmi devotes herself to raising her young granddaughters. Little Kamala has become a toddler. Liam and Bridgette have also had another child, a boy named Colby. Lakshmi tries to make time to visit them as often as she can.

Rukmini and Max seek consolation in each other. Not surprisingly, Rukmini becomes pregnant again.


Saranya enters childhood, Rukimini and Max have a third daughter, Sundari, and Max is promoted to intern. Though the medical field is very demanding of his time, he does his best to be with his 'family' as much as possible, spending the night with them every night, no matter how late his hours.


Maximus' ghost isn't very happy about the state his garden is in these days. Some of these plants are deader than he is.


At first, Lakshmi is not able to deal with what she's seeing.


But she misses Maximus so much she overcomes her fear and horror. Perhaps, she thinks, she is near her own time.


Lakshmi's time comes the next evening, shortly after little Sundari becomes a toddler, while she's potty training her third granddaughter. Max runs into the nursery when he hears the commotion, but there's nothing he can do for someone dying of old age.


Rukmini mourns her parents. She's alone now, her children's father a mere guest in their home. But still, she cannot find it in her to make the final commitment to him.



Max's own mother, Narcissa, passes away, as does Morgana Wolff, leaving Max the sole owner of Wolff Manor. His offer to marry Rukmini stands open, but his need for a rigidly defined family has lost some of its significance. Though she isn't his wife, Rukmini has given him everything he wanted from a family, and while Wolff Manor is now his house, this place is is home.

No comments:

Post a Comment