Chapter Thirty-Six
Cole watched his sister-in-law fold up his momma’s letter and tenderly slide it back into the manila envelope. Her bracelet with Lily’s name slid over her wrist.
She still wore it.
Her friends and family stood with her. Despite losing the fight, the war was won.
“You do us proud, momma!” Cadence plucked up the feisty tiger lily she’d brought to celebrate Momma, and she threw it through the air. Everyone else joined in the fun, tossing their flowers to brighten the white sky with colors not usually seen in the winter. It felt almost as cheerful as a wedding. Cole watched the sunny petals settle over the white snow. His momma’s gardens were once again covered with beauty.
It only made Cole think ofher.
He couldn’t help it. His gaze traveled back to where it had wanted to go since the moment he’d seen Eva. She sat next to West. Her fingers clamped both sides of the seat after throwing her flower.
She was having a tough time of it too, but then again, she’d always been sensitive.
His arms ached to hold her. What would she think if he came to her now?
And yet, she’d come waltzing in here with West, dimpling and laughing like nothing was wrong with how they’d ended things.
How could he forgive her after that?
“You make everything bright and full of life, Lily,” Cadence said. “Thank you for brightening our lives with your beauty.”
Funches started the clapping. That was quickly followed by Mimi’s gruff Pops, who shot to his feet, grim faced and determined, as he brought his hands loudly together like he was cheering for his favorite bull rider. Everyone else in the courtyard was happy to add their boisterous appreciation for Lily until they were all cheering and smiling. Some even hugged.
A flood of emotions washed over Cole as he thought of how close they’d been to keeping their momma. He’d told God that he’d accept whatever happened, but during moments like these, the shock forced him to remember that she was really gone.
And yet… it was like she was here in the midst of this cheer. Momma’s words from her letter still burned into him. She sure loved her boys, didn’t she? To become even a fraction of everything that Momma thought they were? Well, that would take some doing.
It was a little intimidating, to be honest, and absolutely impossible without the grace of God that she kept talking about.
Cadence still clutched the small bundle of letters in her hand, and as soon as the clapping settled down, she held them up. “So, Lily has flowers for all of you here. They remind her of you. She also wrote a letter for each of her boys.”
Cole startled at that. There was more? What had Momma done?
“Also, she has something for you too, Dad,” Cadence said to Jase. Cole loved that she’d already taken to calling him Dad. If Cole wasn’t mistaken, their old man liked it too. “Lily wanted me to give her gift to you, first.”
Their father straightened as if sensing the heavy responsibility of continuing as the head of their family without Momma by his side. Gone were the complaints about keeping their nosy neighbors at a distance and keeping themselves to themselves. Not normally a social man, their father braved the memorial for his beautiful Lily.
Cadence turned back to their friends and neighbors. “So is this a Celebration of Life or isn’t it? Lily didn’t want a funeral. She wanted to celebrate, so enjoy the food, chat with your friends, talk about your happy memories with Lily and whatever fun thing you’d like.”
And with those words of encouragement, Cadence gathered the basket of flowers while everyone broke into chatter around them. Grimacing at Kylee, Cole peeled away from her and the table that held him back from Eva. He needed space and Kylee felt worse than cuddling up to a heater in the middle of summer.
And still, he couldn’t bring himself to go to Eva and her rosy cheeks.
Making his escape, Cole drifted through the crowd and listened to stories of Momma. Nash especially had some good ones. Kris Bridges kept exclaiming how her best friend would’ve loved this absolutely perfect day.
Emily and River picked up their instruments again at the gazebo and broke into one of their cute songs. Yeah, momma would’ve loved this. Cole noticed Cadence hop off the platform to head off her father-in-law. She handed him a beautifully decorated envelope.
Their old man’s fingers shook on the envelope as he tried to open it, but Cadence shook her head “No, no, read the letter when you can get alone,” she said. “It’s best that way.”
His father nodded and tucked the letter in his pocket, constantly touching the brightly colored envelope like he was afraid that it would sneak away. Cadence handed him a sprig of lilacs next. He smiled at that. “Lily knew I loved how these smelled. I always did tell her to get a perfume made of that.”
Porter was quick to join his wife, kissing Cadence’s cheek. He got a letter and a tulip in return. Hudson couldn’t be kept back after that. He made his way over to take his envelope. Cadence also gave him an iris, talking low to him. Hudson bit down his trembling lip as he accepted the gift. Rarely had Cole ever seen his oldest brother so gripped with emotion.
Cadence seemed to search the crowd for more of Lily’s boys. Cole steeled himself.
Have mercy, Momma. Sheesh! I can barely hold myself together as it is.