Page 79 of What We Keep
We walked out, following the stone path, our hands laced, the wind gusting and the fireweed swaying in the distance. It felt fitting that we did this together. While the details were different, loss left scars, and we needed to acknowledge them.
As we drove back to Heartfire Falls, I asked, “When is your mom coming to visit?”
“She hasn’t confirmed a time yet.” Elsa let out a soft breath. “I’m just happy she might come at all.”
I glanced her way briefly. “I know you are.” An easy quiet fell between us as I drove, until we got close to home. I smiled when my eyes landed on the sign Elsa had painted for us. “That sign is beautiful. Thank you again.”
“I did it for you all,” she said softly. “I’m glad you like it.”
“You did it for us,” I corrected.
Her eyes met mine when I parked the truck.
“Us?”
“Sunshine, you’re it for me. Us,” I said softly.
I leaned over to give her a lingering kiss, breaking apart when we heard Tommy calling from the porch steps. “Breakfast!”
Moments later, I circled my hand between his shoulder blades as we walked through the doors. “What’d you make today?”
“Pancakes and bacon.”
“Grandma let you make some bacon?” I asked.
His head bobbed. “Yeah. Although I had to be all careful, and she made me put this screen thing over the pan, and I didn’t like cleaning it.”
Elsa giggled. “Smart move. Bacon grease is no joke when it’s hot.”
A few minutes later, I looked over at Elsa, who ended up across the table from me as she declared Tommy’s pancakes and bacon the best she’d ever had. My heart kicked hard and fast.
Epilogue
Kendall Castille
“Oh no. Travis!” I hissed.
My husky looked up at me, blinking with innocence in his blue eyes. I knew better. When I turned to look at the dress I was supposed to wear to the wedding, his gaze followed mine. Not my wedding, mind you, but it started in an hour, and the dress I was supposed to wear was perfect for my three-legged husky to rub his whole muddy body all over.
He sidled against my legs, giving an affectionate snort. “You don’t even care, do you?” I glanced down at him.
His tail wagged before he let out a nice little roo for me. “Oh my God,” I muttered.
When my phone rang, I didn’t glance at the screen before answering it. “What?”
“Well, hello to you too. Sounds like you’re having a great morning,” Jude Silver teased. “I’m on my way to pick you up.”
“I know,” I ground out, “but I have a small problem.”
“What’s that?”
“Travis got muddy this morning, and, well, now the mud that was on his fur is all over the dress I was supposed to wear.”
Jude didn’t even try not to laugh, letting out a deep, hearty bark of a laugh. “No need to stress. It’ll be fine.”
“Jude,” I protested. “It’s a wedding. Your brother’s wedding. I care about Elsa and Haven, and I don’t want to show up in a muddy dress for their wedding. I don’t know what to wear, and I don’t know what to do!” I threw my hands up in the air as I paced.
Travis was now worried about me. Not because of the dress, mind you, but he sensed my stress, so he danced along at my side, tippy-tapping his feet on the floor.
