The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: The funeral

Andrew was not doing alright. Everyone could see it, but no one could cheer him up. Thomas could not imagine a life without his wife. Despite the hate he first had for Madilyn, he loved her now more anything.

But Andrew had loved Victoria from the moment he saw her. and though a marriage of almost ten years sounded long, it was not at all. Not when one had lived thirty years without her and had to do another thirty more.

He had dressed Louis in black – as was common when one was in mourning – while Madilyn had dressed Alice in black. Andrew was holding his daughter, Sophia, who was cloaked with a black blanket. Though Andrew and the servants were perfectly capable of doing so, everyone needed all the support they could get. Losing Victoria was truly heart breaking for all of them.

"Come on," Andrew encouraged his children with a dark look. "We must go and say goodbye to your mother."

Thomas' heart broke at the sound of the sentence, but it broke even more when Louis gasped excitingly.

"Will we see Mama?" he asked.

Sadness crowed over Andrew's face as he shook his head. "No, we will not."

"But we must tell her goodbye," Louis argued.

Andrew simply nodded. "But without her."

He turned away from his son as Madilyn carried Alice outside, her cheeks wet from the tears. The little girl had not wanted to go outside, for she did not want to say goodbye. But unfortunately, words could not change the truth. And neither could hope.

Louis walked to his father and held on to his leg as they waited for the carriage to come around. "How long will you stay with us, Papa?"

Thomas supressed a gasp, then waited for Andrew to respond. He kindly turned to his son and crouched down in front of him.

"As long as I can, my dear," he said, then gave him a kiss on his forehead. "As long as I can."

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The carriage ride was long and silent. The heaviness of the silent could be felt on everyone. Especially for the children it was not easy.

Thomas and Madilyn had not taken their children along, except for Gwendolyn and Hazel. They were with Elizabeth, who took them along to the funeral. The other children would not understand what was happening, and would be too much of a burden when their parents could not afford the attention they demanded.

Finally the carriage came to a stop in front of the church his brother married Victoria. He said he had great memories here, and his wife had the right to remind him of them.

Madilyn helped Alice out of the carriage, then guided the numb girl inside the building. Thomas was about to do the same with Louis, when he noticed his brother sitting in front of him, his gaze distant.

"Andrew," he started, but his brother interrupted him.

"I cannot do this. I cannot let her go, for I need her. I do not know what to do."

Thomas bit his lip. Twas hard to give his brother courage when he too did not quite know what to do. Madilyn would, he thought, then realized that was exactly what his brother meant. No one knew what to do without his wife.

He took hold of Andrew's hand and looked him in the eye.

"You have lived without Victoria for years," he said, knowing he was not very good at comforting someone. "You had been a great man, and she made you even greater. But that greatness is yours now, and no one or nothing can take that away from you. You must be grateful because of everything she has given to you. Not only three gorgeous children, but also thousands of memories that you will remember forever."