Epilogue
She lowered her head and pressed her forehead to the stone and rested her left hand on it. The rain still didn’t touch her, and neither did the wet grass. “Pawpaw, I’ve met someone. He’s a damn good man.”
She felt herself breaking. Her face twisted and she choked, rubbing her forehead against it.
“I’ve got my pretty ruby ring I’ve always wanted.
And you’d love him. He’s in the Navy, like you.
He fixed up my house, and we’re gonna get married when he comes back.
He leaves for deployment in two days, and I’m praying that you keep him safe.
Let him come home to his children and I. ”
She shook her head, forcing her emotions deeper into the ground. “I wish you or Daddy could be here to walk me down the aisle.”
A warm hand came to her shoulder.
She cried silently for her pawpaw, for her daddy, for her mama.
Sniffling, she composed herself and looked down at the sweater that someone had given her to kneel on. It was utterly cold. “You’d love him, Pawpaw. And I can finally tell you his name.”
She chuckled. “His name is Caleb Wright. You’d love him. He’s gonna take good care of me.”
A quiet and deep voice came from above her, “Yes, sir, I am.”
“Tell Daddy and Mama that, would you?”
She looked up to her right and saw Caleb smiling, holding the umbrella for her. He was simply sparkling in his service uniform to show his respects. Behind her, she could hear Olivia sniffling and Zack being patient and kind. Evie laid another bouquet on the grave and kissed it.
Evie was right. No matter how deep scars ran, they could heal.
No, she wasn’t alone.
Not anymore.