There is no single template to deal with death, the mind-numbing grief and that aching sense of loss. Holly was comforted by the letters that her husband, Gerry Kennedy managed to deliver to her after his death. Cecelia Ahern’s PS, I Love You was all mush, lump in your throat, kind of story. Perfect love of Gerry and Holly, one would say. The letters always signed off with ‘PS, I Love You’ guided Holly to rediscover herself.
Postscript is the PS to this book and opens to Holly’s life seven years after Gerry’s death and six years after she received his letters, one for every month. Those who have read the first book (and watched the movie as well) and found it concluding on the right note, would definitely be wary of Postscript. What more could it say about death and healing? Turns out, quite a lot.
Seemingly personal gestures can invite a chain of action and reaction as Holly discovers. A group of terminally ill patients form PS, I Love You club and request Holly to help them write letters for their loved ones. Holly is reluctant because she doesn’t want to be sucked back into the vortex of grief that she has left behind.
Holly is now working with Ciara (her sister) in her second-hand shop. She is thinking of moving in with Gabriel when this proposal comes through and Holly finds herself in the midst of adventures of leaving packets and letters, shooting videos for Bert, Paul, Joy and Ginika. Their stories of illness, of dread (of being forgotten), of making the most of the days they have, are inspiring, emotional and dare we say manipulative. Every turn of phrase and puns, coined cleverly and sensitively by Ahern bring us close to a sob.
The one story that actually shapes Holly’s life again is that of Ginika, 16-year-old mother to a baby girl, Jewel. She is dying of cervical cancer, and if spunk alone could have vanquished the Big C, then Ginika would have become a cancer survivor long back. She has trouble reading and writing and therefore wants Holly to teach her how to write a letter. One letter reminding Jewel of the time they spent dancing together to ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ in the bath, things that scare her, things that made her laugh, is all that Ginika wants to leave behind. Others have planned more elaborate stuff, for their wives, kids – driving lessons, piano lessons and even their ‘presence’ at their daughter’s wedding rehearsal.
As an epiphany, Holly realises that this could be very controlling. She says to Paul: ...But you have to leave room for them to remember you themselves. And they can’t allow the ghost of you to take someone else’s place. Until then, Holly had always thought that Gerry’s letters were for her. In fact they were for Gerry, because he wanted to be around for sometime. And, so it was for the members of PS, I Love You club.
It’s about things that people do for those they love in the event of having to leave them behind. Like Gerry did for Holly. And, Holly helped others to do for their loved ones. One for the road, always.
