Page 79 of Under Pink Skies
“There’s something else we came here to tell you. Connor and I are getting married, Mom,” Abbie whispered, and my chest tightened. I know she wished more than anything that her mom would be there for this.
“Imogen is beside herself with excitement over getting to plan a wedding from scratch. Not because she gives a crap about the intricate details of the wedding itself, but because she gets to be in control of organizing it. She has a brand-new spreadsheet and everything. We’re getting married at the new Winding Road barn. Our ceremony will be the grand opening of the venue.”
“Multipurpose space,” I corrected. She smacked my hand playfully.
“You’ll be happy to know that I went wedding dress shopping with Imogen and Kyrie. Imogen was her usual honest self, and Kyrie was beside herself with excitement about being surrounded by lacy white princess-y things. I think she’ll be next to get married, if she can get Kevin on board.”
“I think Kevin will run away screaming and crying. Not because he doesn’t love her, but because he’s commitment-phobic.”
Abbie looked at me, a soft expression gracing her delicate fingers. I reached for her hand and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
“I could have said the same about you once upon a time.”
I shook my head, crooking one finger and encouraging her to lean in closer so I could whisper in her ear.
“Play nice,” I said, my breath grazing the shell of her ear, and Abbie shivered, sticking her tongue out briefly before turning her attention to the rustling forest beyond.
“You called it,” Abbie said with a quiet laugh, looking back at her mother’s headstone. “I distinctly remember you telling me not to screw this up after that first family dinner with Connor. You had more faith in Connor than you did in me.”
I laughed at that, laying down flat on my back so my face was to the early afternoon sun. A gentle breeze caressed my skin as I did so.
“If it makes you feel any better, she had the same conversation with me after senior prom,” I chimed in. “If those conversations before and after prom were supposed to be private, Tilly, I’ll apologize now, because I definitely told Abbie.”
Abbie pinched my arm, and I batted her hand away.
“We love you, Mom. I wish you were here with us now. You would be so proud. Imogen’s business has taken off after the festival, though I’m not sure she has the same passion for homesteading as she did when she first came back to Watford. I think she might want something more. Watford General is back on its feet, and we’ve got an accountant who’s working with us to get our books straight. Kevin really has a knack for running the store. He’s knowledgeable about social media marketing and maintaining a customer base. He’s been doing everything I should have been doing the last few years but didn’t have the capacity for. I’ve already promoted him to General Manager while Dad is in recovery. All of your hard work is safe, Mama.”
Abbie paused then, setting the bowl of fruit on the picnic blanket and reaching out for her mother’s gravestone, fingers brushing over the engraved letters of Tilly’s name.
“She’s smiling down on you, Abbie.”
“She’s smiling down on us. She loved you too, Connor, and always wanted to see you do good things.”
I smiled, tucking a stray piece of hair behind Abbie’s ear and stroking her cheek with my thumb.
“The most good I’ll ever do is show up for you, and fighting to protect what we have. I love you,” I murmured.
“And I love you.”
Abbie leaned down to kiss me, and I pulled her closer, settling her hips over mine as our lips met.
It had all been worth it.
