Pa$$WorD Support from Beyond

Violet pounded on the keys of her ancient desktop computer. She had the same password for the ten years she had her account. Violet changed a few things, added numbers, and capitalized odd letters, but it was the same. She slammed her pinky down on the enter key. The text box that popped up made her gasp. Your account is locked. Please enter the security key information.

Jake had left a month ago. He understood how to fix these things. She fumbled with the desk drawer pushing papers and bins out of the way. The contents shifted, still no book. Jiggling the drawer, she released it from the guide track. Kneeling on the floor, she dumped the contents on the floor. Paper clips, canceled checkbooks, and hotel pens but no book, sticking her hand in the desk drawer opening. Her hand touched something, shoved in the back pinned against the track was a mangled book. Her fingers pressed against the folded pages—each page covered with his neat handwriting. Jake thought of everything. Each page held instructions for each device in the house. She stopped on a page, reading. Jake's voice popped into her head, "V, now when you reprogram the VCR. Stop the time flashing first. The rest is simple. I hated when it flashed."

They hadn't had a VCR for years, but the entry remained. His fine script was detailing each of the steps. His strong hands were guiding the pen over the lines of the page. She held the book to her nose. His scent was long gone. She continued to flatten the pages, reading his notes about fixing this or troubleshooting that, but it wasn't the same. He tried to plan his death, writing down the steps like it was one more thing he could fix. Cancer is an ugly foe. It robbed him of his ability to walk, slowly took his eyesight, and last took his ability to write. The letters and numbers on the last page jumbled together. The voice in her head mimicked the script on the page. It was foggy and drugged. Her hands slammed the book shut before his eyes closed forever. A shiver ran through her body as he left her all over again. The memory of his raspy voice, unable to complete his thoughts as his hand shook, holding his favorite pen, evaporated from her mind. She closed the book and pounded on the keyboard.

"I don't care about security information. I want you to open my account. I have emails from Jake in there that I can't replace. Help me!"

The cursor blinked, black dots appeared as she hammered away at the keys.

"Capital, no, or was it a number first. I can't remember. Why did you leave me with all of this technology and no way to fix it?"

Turning the book over in her hand, she flipped it open to the middle. The page detailed how-to defrost the freezer. Her chest tightened as her hands flew through the pages, not a single mention of a security key for a computer. Rage consumed her.

"Stupid book," she spat, launching it against the wall. The tattered old book slammed into the wall bursting the binding on impact, and the pages exploded into the air floating and settling in a pile on the hardwood floor.

"No, no, no. Not Jake's book."

She knelt on the floor pulling the pages toward her chest and rocking back and forth. She dropped her head, gathering the loose sheets, and snapped a rubber band around them. No longer organized in the order written, she glanced down at the page in front of her.

V- When you get locked out of your email account. Step one, take a deep breath. You got this. Step two call our nephew Mikey. He will walk you through the steps. Love always for here and beyond- Jake

With a deep breath, she picked up her phone, pushed her reading glasses up her nose, and dialed. Her nails tapped on the glass tabletop rattling the surface with each ring. The phone connected.

"Hello, Aunt V. Is everything ok?"

"Hello, my favorite nephew, who I love most in the whole world."

Laughter erupted on the other end of the phone.

"Aunt V, I am your only nephew, but I am glad you love me most in the world. What's up?"

Violet stared at her blinking cursor, then at the mangled book of instructions. Her heart sank as she cleared her throat.

"Can't a loving Aunt call her nephew now and again?"

Silence greeted her. She waited for another beat, still nothing.

"Mikey, are you there? Damnit, I hung up on him, locked out of my computer. What else does this cursed day have in store? I need a drink."

Violet set the phone receiver back on the cradle. Grabbing her pencil, counting to ten, she lifted the receiver, placing it on the table. She placed the pencil eraser in the four whipping the rotary wheel around only nine more numbers to spin. The dial ticked back into place a system of an easier time. Mikey's phone rang again. This time he picked up on the first ring.

"Aunt V. Sorry the call dropped. My kitchen gets bad cell reception. I am on the porch now. My phone should work."

Smirking at the receiver, she cooed, "my trusty rotary phone never hangs up on me…."

"Wait just a minute there, Aunt V. It also weighs like ten pounds and can't leave the sitting room."

She twisted the cord around her finger, ignoring her nephew's insight, "maybe so, but the real reason I called you wasn't to discuss my superior telephone. "

She closed her eyes. Telling Mikey about the book wasn't an option. It was the last thing Jake left just for her. 

"Well, according to my source, you are the smartest one in the family and can unlock my computer. So can you help me?"

She held her breath, waiting for Mikey's computer wisdom to seep out of the phone into her ear. Nothing. She checked the lines, each one locked in place. Tapping the receiver, she yelled, "Hello, can you hear me."

"Yes, I can hear you. I just needed to get something. Sorry. So what does your computer screen say?"

Violet looked glowing blue box on her desk. The error box was in the center of the screen, mocking her with its simple statement.

She sneered at the screen, "it says the wrong password entered. I typed it three times already. I am sure I gave it the right one. The stupid thing wants a security code. How is that different from a password? Anyway, how do I fix it?"

Mikey's sigh pierced her ears. Even he was annoyed with her.

"Sorry to have bothered you. I will figure it out on my own."

"Aunt V, wait. Who is your source? I can't just go around fixing everything. That error box didn't say call your nephew. Who told you to call me?"

She traced her finger over the script. Jake told her to call Mikey. Steading her voice, "your uncle told me, and before you think, I am talking to ghosts. Over the years, he wrote me a how-to book. It was supposed to walk me through fixing anything that broke but only said to call you. Getting old isn't easy."

Instead of silence, she heard a rattle of keys and the slamming of a door.

"Ok, sit tight, Aunt V. I will right there. Uncle Jake made me a book as well."

Violet cocked her head. When did Jake have time to make another book?

"Really, why would a smart kid like you need a handwritten book?"

She waited, listening to his car shift into gear.

"Well, Uncle Jake had lots to say and not enough time to say it. I guess he didn't want me to forget what was important, so he wrote it all down."

The lump in her throat kept her from responding. Jake had thought of everything. Mikey was the child they never had, and the son Jake wanted. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Ok, Dear. Drive safe so you can fix my stubborn computer."

"See you in a few minutes. Love you."

Her voice cracked, "love you too."

The computer fan whirled to life. She placed her hand next to the fan as the blades pushed the hot air into the room. Life was hard without Jake, but he didn't leave her alone. She looked up at the ceiling as tears ran down her face.

"Sorry about smashing the book, and thank you for sending me help with the password. I won't forget it this time, I promise."

See tapped the loose pages as she dried her eyes, "but I will put these in a binder just to be on the safe side."