Chapter 20 – To Hadley and Luke
Hadley – 22 years old
I t’s been a whirlwind the last six months with Luke, Liam, Nana, and my family all adjusting to the new norm.
Christmas came and went with New Year, which Luke and I spent in Paris, thanks to Liam.
Paris is exactly as they say it is in the movies—the city of love. The beauty of it all took our breathes away: the cobbled streets, the history, and the food.
We spent three days touring around the city before heading to the Eiffel Tower for New Year’s Eve. It was lit up at night, twinkling and sparkling like a million gold diamonds. Thousands of people surrounded the tower, counting down from ten to zero before the clock struck midnight and fireworks erupted from beside it.
It was the most perfect way to start the new year and a fresh start for Luke and me. We’d been through so much, and that moment with him was needed for closure on past. For both of us.
Our happiness was short-lived though. We found out the moment we landed at London Heathrow that Trevor was taken ill to hospital.
We rushed over the second I got off the phone with my dad. Trevor had a chest infection the week before we went to Paris, but unfortunately, it developed into pneumonia. Trevor was in and out of consciousness the two days we sat by his bedside, then he closed his eyes for good and took his last breath.
Weeks passed by in a blur. Trevor had been like a grandfather, a father, and a friend to all he met in his life, and my heart ached every time I stepped foot on the farm. Each time I went inside his home and whenever I looked at Buck.
Luke had to remind me every so often, Trevor wouldn’t want us to be sad, he’d want us to remember the good times, and although he’s gone for us, he was back with his Darlene now.
He was reunited with his soul mate.
I’d never had to help plan a funeral before, so I hoped I had achieved what I set out to do: honour his life, pay him tribute, and say our goodbyes.
Trevor’s funeral was supposed to be small, at least that was what we were expecting. However, news had spread fast of Trevor’s passing, and the attendance was in the hundreds.
I shakily gave my speech and read his favourite poem “ How Do I Love Thee ” by Elizabeth Barrett. Trevor once told me he would read it to Darlene of an evening, then he’d gone on to read it out to me, telling me the poem was about the speaker’s love so deep, so raw and true, that it will continue in death, like his did with Darlene.
“Tigger, you ready to rumble?” Luke shouts from the bottom of the stairs. Closing Trevor’s old bedroom door, I make my way down the hall towards the staircase. Luke and I moved into Trevor’s old home two months ago after the will reading.
Remembering that day, we were both so shocked at Trevor’s letter to us. The officiator had announced that Trevor had only requested Luke, and I needed to be present for when it was read out, and that he’d left us a letter to read first.
To Hadley and Luke,
As you sit together reading this letter, I hope you find comfort in knowing that my thoughts are with you, even at this point. Our lives were woven together by so much laughter, tears, and love.
It brings me peace to know that the two of you are there for each other now.
Life has a way of bringing people into our lives at just the right moment, and I am grateful beyond words for all we’ve shared. You have both, at times, been pillars of strength, family, and love in my life — gifts I can never fully repay.
But as a small token of my gratitude, I have made provisions to my will.
My late wife Darlene and I were not able to have children, nor did we have any family to leave the entirety of our estate and lively stock to.
So, as a thank you, I leave it all, everything I have, to both of you.
The farm holds countless memories of our time together. I hope that in this, you will continue to create new memories, share stories, and find peace with one another.
Take good care of Buck for me!
All my love, Always,
Trevor.
We took our time moving in, with the excuses being that Liam wasn’t able to move into Luke’s old apartment straight away and Nana was still searching for her forever home.
Truth is, we didn’t know where to start. I felt awful moving Trevor’s and Darlene’s belongings around to move in our stuff. Trevor wanted us to create memories here, and that’s what we would do. We agreed that, for now, the house would stay as it once was, and our bedroom and a spare room will be the only rooms to change since we don’t have much stuff between us.
“Tigger, timing, woman,” he shouts again. I giggle at his annoyed face when I reach the top of the stairs as he’s halfway up them.
“I’m coming, relax, jeez, anyone would think it’s you who’s graduating today.” Standing on the step above him, I drop a kiss on the end of his nose, which he scrunches up.
He mutters that he’s not a kid and not to do that again. His hands find the back of my bare legs and slowly slide under my dress, and as he reaches my bottom, I step to the side and walk down the stairs.
When I get to the bottom. I turn slowly. “Timing Luke.” I tap my watch on my wrist. “We’re going to be late.” I pull my dress up to reveal my lacy thong, and he growls down at me.
Sulking, he stomps down the stairs. “You’re gonna tease me all day, aren’t you?”
“Behave, and you might get lucky.” I wink. He comes to a stop in front of me, grabbing my waist and dropping his lips on my neck, sucking and kissing as I moan in pleasure.
“Luke,” I say breathlessly.
“Right, that’s it, we’re not going.” Picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder, he charges up the stairs while I bounce about, trying to hold on for dear life.
Although late, we made it to my graduation.