Daddy's still here.

Bonus: engraved in stone

"Come on you kids, we want to spend some time there for your mother." My dad calls from the kitchen. But my body only goes slower as if to piss me off; which it does, why is it that every time you need to be somewhere you can ever seem to be there on time?

"Zach!!" Sadie whines and marches into my room, her hair done in curls and a nice black dress on.

"What?" I ask still looking in my mirror trying to do my tie.

"Does this dress make me look fat?" She puts her hands on her hips and I mentally roll my eyes. She has been on this stupid kick where if something makes her look "fat" she won't wear it or go near it.

"No." I say not really interested.

"Zach!" She stomps and I look at her.

"Sadie!" I mimick her tone.

Her face reddens and I smile. She hates it when  I do that.

"You look fine, now help me tie this freaking thing." I gesture to my tie that's in a knot.

This time she rolls her eyes and steps forward doing it properly.

"Kids!"

"We're coming!" Sadie and me say at the same time.

"Do you think mom will be ok?" Sadie asks as we get to the bottom of the stairs. Probably not, Sadie doesn't know much about grandpa, so she doesn't know how much of he meant to mom and the rest of us.

"I don't know, just don't say anything stupid." I tease and she punches my arm. When we are all in the car, I stare out the window watching as all the houses fade out and trees take their place. The sun shinning through their long branches, making patterns dance on the pavement. The radio just a hum in the background as I think back to grandpa's funeral. There were so many people there, all so different, but they all loved him so much. It still boggles my mind that my grandpa was in a pretty popular band when he was in high school and college. Sometimes I'll hear his songs on the radio, but not every often.

My iPod is full of his songs though, but every once in a while I'll put in one of the CDs mom gave me, which once filled the home she grew up in. Mom has told me all about growing up with him and it sounds amazing. I wish he was still here. I glance up to the front and see my dad holding my moms hand tightly as she stares blankly out the window like I was; he lifts her hand to his lips and gives it a few gentle kisses.

Every year we do this, it's become a family tradition; even though Sadie never got to meet grandpa or grandma, she still gets why we are all so emotional on this day. Grandpa would have loved Sadie, I mean I know he does love her; but to hold her as a baby and to watch her freak out at ridiculous things. He would have laughed so hard. Looking back out the window, I see the gates and soon green hills roll far beyond all I can see. My heart dropping all it always does when we get this close.

"Ok kids." My dad says once we park.

We all get out and walk up the hill, soon the two come into view. When mom was planning this years ago, she thought it only made sense to have them next to each other for all eternity.

"Hi grandpa." I say, my throat tight; I let my hand run along the cold stone, "hi grandma." I let it continue into the slightly smaller one next to it.

Sadie lays the bouquet of daisy on grandmas grave and then steps back where mom wraps her in her arms as tears fill her eyes. My dad holds them both as they cry and I stand next to them, thinking of the jello grandpa used to complain about every time we went and visited him in the hospital.

"You guys remember how much grandpa loved his jello?" I say with a bittersweet smile.

Mom laughs and wipes her eyes, "it was always too jiggly." We all laugh.

"Remember when he scared the crap out of me when he found us kissing on the couch?" Dad laughs and mom blushes slightly. "I thought I was going to die, but he was just teasing."

"One of the best advice he gave me was when he told me boys are dumb." Mom winks at Sadie and she laughs while my dad and me gasp in fake shock.

Man I miss him. We all go back and forth talking about our favorite memories of grandpa, the sun soon fading.

"We should probably get these girls some food." My dad kisses my forehead, her eyes fluttering open as her head rests on his shoulder.

"I'm starving." Sadie says and we all start reading her about how she is always hungry which makes her stand up and walk away pouting.

"I'll go talk to her." My mom kisses my dad quickly before walking back to the car after Sadie.

My dad pats my back and I look at him, "you ok?"

I nod and look at their tomb stones again. "Do you think they found each other? That they are together finally?" I ask, hopping that they are.

"I think so," he looks up at the stars and I follow his gaze. "He always told your mother that he would be in the stars with her mother watching over us. So I believe he is doing just that, grandpa was never a man to break his promises."

My eyes fill with tears and I nod, holding hem back. "Yeah."

"Come when your ready." He pats my back again than leaves to the car. I look at the stars and watch them shine; two standing out over the rest; "hi grandpa and grandma. I'm so happy that you found each other." I look back to their headstones and fix grandmas flowers a little before walking back to the car. We drive away in silence, all of our minds on the amazing man who we were so lucky to have in our lives.