Bikeriders Serenade

Heartfelt Moments

After breakfast, Austin decided to go out to his office and check out what Lucy had done with the remaining photos from their family day at the park a few days earlier. Once he made sure the kids were settled with their school assignments and Lucy was tidying up the kitchen, he looked over at her and said, "I'm going to head out to my office for a bit."

Lucy turned to him, gave him a quick kiss, and smiled. "Okay, I'll call you when lunch is ready."

With that, Austin grabbed his phone and keys and headed to the backyard, toward the small house they'd converted into his office. As he stepped inside, the familiar scent of the space immediately put him at ease. He flipped on the lights, took a deep breath, and set his phone and keys on the desk. Slowly, he began to look around at what Lucy had done.

The walls were lined with framed photos from their day at the park, each one capturing special moments with the kids—Noah and Mia laughing by the splash pad, Lori and Timmy sharing ice cream, and the family gathered together, enjoying each other's company. A smile spread across his face as he took it all in.

Then, as he reached the middle of the wall, he stopped in his tracks. Right there, front and center was the mysterious photo of his mom, Lori. It was the same image that had left him stunned when he first saw it. Her face was turned toward the camera, as though she had known exactly where to look. Austin stood frozen, his heart racing slightly as he tried to make sense of it all.

He walked closer to the picture, his fingers lightly brushing over the frame. He hadn't remembered taking that photo, yet there it was—a snapshot of his mom, clear as day. As he stood there, waves of emotion washed over him—love, nostalgia, a touch of sadness, and a sense of connection.

He sat down at his desk, staring at the image. The thought of his mom watching over them, of her spirit being close by, comforted him. He wasn’t sure if it was just a trick of his mind, but deep down, it felt real.

As Austin lost himself in thought, his phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him back into the present. It was a text from Lucy: "Kids are done with their schoolwork. Lunch in 15 minutes!"

Austin smiled at the message. He took one last glance at the photo of his mom and whispered, "Miss you, Mom." Then, just as he was about to leave his office, something caught his eye—a leather-bound journal that had been tucked away on one of the bookshelves for years. It was his mom's journal, the one she'd given him shortly before she passed away. He hadn’t opened it in a long time.

Without thinking twice, he grabbed the journal, deciding that today was the day to revisit it. With the journal in hand, he made his way back to the house, feeling a renewed sense of calm and connection to his mom.

As he walked inside, Lucy glanced up from setting the table. “Everything okay, baby?”

Austin nodded, holding up the journal. “Yeah, I just found something from Mom. Thought I’d take a look later.”

Lucy smiled gently, knowing how much Austin’s mom meant to him. “I’m glad, baby. Let’s eat first.”

Austin joined Lucy and the kids for lunch, the journal resting on the table beside him, a quiet reminder of the past but also a comforting presence in their present.

After lunch, with the kids playing quietly in the next room, Austin and Lucy sat together on the couch, his mom's journal resting in his hands. Austin gently traced the worn cover, feeling the weight of his mom’s words inside. He took a deep breath, then opened the journal to the first page.

The neat handwriting brought him back to a time that felt both far away and all too close. This was the journal his mom had started right after her cancer diagnosis. His dad had been the one to suggest she write down her thoughts and feelings, to release the emotions she tended to keep bottled up inside. As Austin began to read, Lucy leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, offering silent support.