AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do we look beautiful, too, brother?” Courtney asks.
“Yes,” I say, bowing to her and Violet. “You two are lovely, too.”
Violet feigns a blush. “Aw, thank you!”
Dana stands up, rolling her eyes as she puts her back to them. Her smile fades a little. “You okay?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I answer, pushing the lump in my throat away. “I’m okay.”
She takes my hand, slowly entwining our fingers together. I embrace the warm comfort of her, knowing I’ll need her to get through today.
Over her shoulder, I catch the ire of her brothers’ eyes again.
Dana notices and sighs. “I wish we could just… lock you guys in a room or something,” she says.
“It’ll be all right,” I say, hoping to believe it myself if I say it enough. “They won’t start anything today.” I throw on a smile. “I can always hang out with you guys instead. Right?”
Courtney and Violet wince.
“I guess,” my sister teases.
I sigh as Dana squeezes my hand; her love shining through once more.
My mother shuffles everyone out the doors. Need to get to the church, she says. Can’t start without the pallbearers.
Wait…
The pallbearers.
I can’t lock them in a room with me.
But maybe I don’t have to.
CHAPTER 42
CONNOR
People loved my grandfather.
Sports fans line the streets outside the funeral home. Many of them hold up signs with words of love and support for the family of a legend. They’re respectful, mostly. Security does a good job of keeping the crowds in line while our procession passes by.
Dana sits beside me, our hands still together. The twins rode in another car, but they won’t be able to get away from me soon enough.
Our car parks a little ways behind the hearse. I open the door and step outside, offering Dana my hand. One more squeeze. A quick kiss on the cheek. Another glimpse of her warm, comforting smile and she leaves to join Grant and our mothers.
I move to stand with my father at the back of the hearse. We say nothing, but it’s a different kind of silence. A good kind. He places a hand on my shoulder for a moment. I take a breath, thankful for our conversation earlier, happy to have cleared the air. A father and son back on track.
Time to get Alex and Ben back, too.
I step to the side as Ty approaches. The three of us line up on the left side of the casket while John, Ben, and Alex take the other side. As the casket slowly slides out, my father and John take the handles in front. Then Ty and Ben, followed by me and Alex in the back.
My grandfather was a large man, but it’s easy enough for the six of us to carry him together. We follow the cement path around the building into the cemetery, our families following behind us.
Just over the first hill is the gravesite.
It’s now or never.
I stop walking. There’s a tug on my arm as the others continue forward, but I hold firm. They all come to a sudden halt as they realize that someone has lagged behind.
