Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
As one, his brothers stood and went to him, touching him, offering him their support. Banks didn’t even glance at the paper. His gaze swept the church, his voice strong and sure.
“Kit was not only our sister. She was the very best of us. Any goodness in our lives existed because of her. Kit was the very light to our darkness. Rye is right… we didn’t deserve her… but, God, we thank you for blessing us with the kindest, most loving sister we could ever have. We loved her with all of our hearts.” He paused and turned to Rye, lifting his hand to his older brother’s shoulder. “You know what Kit would say. There is nothing for you to forgive. She loved you… loved us, and all we can do is promise we will never forget her and try to earn the unconditional love she gave us every day she was with us.”
Silent tears slid down my cheeks as I listened to them. It was the most heartbreaking eulogy I’d ever witnessed and yet so heartwarming at the same time. Their love shone through every word they spoke.
Watching her brothers, all dressed in black suits, carry the casket down the aisle was hard and yet I knew though many had volunteered, they’d insisted on being the ones to do so. Each one wishing to honor the young woman they loved so much and who had died far too young. The ride to the cemetery was quiet, the four of us sharing the limo that drove behind the hearse.
Once at the cemetery, I stood with my family, my eyes closing, not in an attempt to stop the tears as they were from my heart, but to allow the music to wash over me as the bagpipes played and a young woman sang Amazing Grace. I’d never heard anything so heartrending… so sad and yet so beautiful and it touched my soul. I opened my eyes as the last note wafted to the heavens and finally was able to give a soft smile, imagining Kit among the angels, looking down on us.
As we each stepped forward to place a rose on top of the casket, I laid my palm on the glossy surface and knew that though she was gone, she’d never really leave us. Our love for her would assure she’d always be with us.
26
Goldie – Ten Months Later
I lifted my face to the sun, the warmth and the breeze washing over me. The sky was robin’s egg blue, the sound of the sea providing a soothing, rhythmic sound in the background. I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful spot for a final resting place. Turning, I smiled, watching my men walking toward me. They were no longer just my family. They were now my husbands. Law dictated I marry only one, so while Father O’Leary had signed a marriage license with only my and Rye’s name on it, my heart had Banks and Jay’s names inscribed on it as well.
I would never forget the day they’d first said they loved me. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t felt their love in their touch, their looks, their contentment, but they’d never said the actual words.
One day, they’d asked me to accompany them on a walk, something we often enjoyed. It was edging toward dusk as we walked up and over a small grassy hill. I squinted to block out the sunlight, cocking my head as I tried to make out what it was I was seeing. What I saw had my mouth dropping open. Five perfectly aligned rows spread out before me. Young trees stood tall in vividly colored pots. The movement I had seen was from the white ribbons wrapped around each small trunk.
I stared at the trees with bewilderment and awe before turning to find my men staring at me. “They are simply beautiful.”
Rye took a deep breath, pointing to the row on the left. “Those are lemon trees. Kit told us you loved fresh lemons.”
“And we used the ribbon because you told me you like white,” Banks said. “Kit told us you also love bright colors so we had them planted into pots.”
I felt my heart clutch as I remembered her pleasure that day we’d shared lunch in my apartment. “You planted this orchard for me?” I asked. “You did this for-for me?”
Jay said, “In addition to the lemon trees, we picked a variety of fruit trees as well. You’ll have apples, plums, and pears, and I’ll help you with whatever you need to encourage them to grow.”
“What he means is that he’ll help eat everything you make with the fruit,” Banks said, earning himself a punch from his brother. Banks grinned and said, “As for me, I’m buying you some goats.”
The change of topic was a bit startling, but I said, “That’s lovely, but perhaps we need to wait until the trees are a bit taller. I’d hate for the goats to eat all the fruit before our first harvest.”