Your greatest mistake

Chapter 13

Loralie and I are cleaning up the main lounge room when Dad and Adam finally come in. For as long as they took it seemed Adam really needed Dad. With how much better he looks, Dad obviously worked his magic once again.

He gives Loralie and I a disapproving look because of our cleaning escapade. "Don't give us that look. What is going on here?" I ask.

He sighs, "Your mother thought I had some part in your disappearance, so she removed everyone from the house. Honestly the house has never been more enjoyable." His hearty laugh and bright smile make it hard not to want to smile along with him.

But I find it hard to smile when his lack of help is due to Loralie and me. He notices and shuts my thought down. "Don't you think this is a bad thing. I have never been happier to have all her spies out of here. This place was my parents and theirs before them, back further than I can even imagine. This is where true peace is. I'll get things sorted. I have ways. Don't you worry about me. Now put those things down. Sit and tell me everything."

We all look at each other and know we will get around this fight a little later. Right now we need what we came for and Dad is pushing for that very thing. So we all let go, sit down, and tell him everything.

Adam is the first, followed by Zac and Lyncon who gives Dad the biggest laugh when he explains about Michael having to chase down a man on the run while I was away. With how lurch is built, I find it hard to imagine him running at all, but with Lyncon's visual dramatics of a six foot robot running it was hard not to picture.

Zac and Lyncon keep going off to chop wood and feed the fire while Loralie and I kept the food and drinks coming.

The night has been wonderful, laughing and joking. It was great to hear everything that has happened while we have been gone.

Dad is the first to rise, "I'm sorry everyone. I'm no spring chicken anymore. I need to rest up now."

We all smile and rise.

"Do you need a hand?" My offer to help is instantly shut down.

"Don't you fuss over me now. I've been fine on my own these last few months and I'll be fine to continue on as I have done so." He moves over to Loralie and gives her a hug and a kiss to her forehead. "This magnificent treasure is what you should be fussing over." He takes a step back to look her over, taking in her little popped belly.

"Thank you so much." Loralie's eyes well up from the endearment my father is giving her.

"You're carrying my grandbaby and not only that, I have never seen my son look better, and I know it's all because of you. So don't thank me, it is I who thanks god for you. Steal all the attention and make them give you everything you want because you deserve it all."

He gives her another kiss to her forehead, turns and leaves, making his way out the doors and up the stairs to his room.

The moment he is gone Loralie bursts into tears. I wrap my arms around her as Adam, Zac and Lyncon give her a moment to take in the incredible man that is my dad.

We all took it upon ourselves to hide out here for a while. Between us all, we have tidied up the house and gardens, brought light in, and taken dirt and dust out, making it much easier to breathe.

The wood is chopped and stacked, and the kitchen is clean and freshly stocked with food.

While me and the boys have worked the house and gardens, Loralie has been keeping Dad distracted. We know he knows what we are doing but I think he's enjoying his time with Loralie.

I even think they have gotten so close that they are sharing secrets now from the way they clam up mid-sentence when we walk in. I don't mind at all, in fact, it fills me with great joy.

It's been five days since losing Trin. We are all doing our best, but we know the time is growing nearer where we must face what we have all been avoiding.

The funeral parlour has been trying to get in contact with Adam about the arrangements, but every time his phone goes off he shuts down.

He hasn't wanted to face their home without her any more than that woman wanted to face her sister's home without her ten-year-old niece.

Loralie takes the phone from Adam and gives him a smile. He doesn't take it back or stop what he knows she is going to do.

Over the next week Loralie busies herself making phone calls and setting everything up for the funeral until the day is finally here, the one we can't avoid, or at least that is what I thought.

Adam is gone when we wake. His bed doesn't even look like he slept in it. Dad is dressed in a handsome black suit and hot pink tie, a far sight better than his pajamas, slippers and robe I have grown accustomed to over the last two years.

He has lost quite a lot of weight but thanks to Loralie taking in the suit, it doesn't show as much.

Loralie is wearing a hot pink dress and I am wearing a black suit and hot pink tie, the same as Lyncon, Zac and my dad.

As we were the closest to her we are all wearing her favourite colour in her honor.

The day is perfect and warm with a fresh light breeze. The black limo pulls up and the doors open.

The casket is a polished white, topped with an amazing bouquet of hot pink roses, tied with a thick, white, satin ribbon. Zac, Lyncon, Dad and I move to our sides, taking a silver handle each.

We move the casket out and we all seem to decide at the same time we are not taking her down that aisle on the silver trolly. We lift the casket up and on to our shoulders, sharing her weight amongst us. With every bit of pride, love and devotion we have for Trin, we begin to walk.

Loralie set it all up outdoors with loads of pink flowers and ribbons lining the aisle and pink petals on a carpet of white laid out with care on the green grass.

At the end is a beautiful white table and Adam dressed from head to toe in a suit of Trin's favourite colour, waiting at the end as I would imagine he would have done on their wedding day.

We all walk her to him as if we were all walking her down the aisle to give her away. We reach the end, place her down effortlessly, and give Adam our love on our way to our seats.

Through the whole ceremony Adam stood with Trin and when she was lifted and taken back down the aisle, Adam walked at her side, tears streaming down all our faces.

As for how she was to be buried, it was a closed casket. It was decided it would be sealed from the beginning so the last hands that touched her were ours.

At the end of the walkway was her final resting place at the top of a hill with the most beautiful view of the city under the shade of a beautiful willow tree.

Once she is in place, we all take a rope and lower her into the ground with perfect grace while Trin's favourite classical music plays.

Once everyone has said their goodbyes and dropped their roses on her casket, Zac, Lyncon and I all take off our jackets and ties and rest them on a nearby chair and grab a shovel each.

We all freeze when Adam stands over the hole containing the love of his life. He pulls the ring from his finger, tying it with a ribbon from one of the nearby flower wreaths to a single pink rose. He presses a long, soft kiss to its petals as his tears fall. He releases the flower, dropping it atop her casket, saying his final goodbye.