Read The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3) Online

Authors: T.E. Ridener

Tags: #Romance, #mfm romance

The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3) (46 page)

BOOK: The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3)

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A large ball of emotions wedged itself somewhere in between her lungs and her tonsils as she listened to her son’s conversation with his father. It was quite possibly the sweetest thing she’d ever heard him say, and while others would have thought it was silly to talk to thin air, she chose to believe that someone was actually listening.

“Well, Daddy, I guess I should go. I love you,” Justin said, standing back up. “Oh, and can you please ask God not to send any more tornados to us? It wasn’t as cool as I thought it would be and Sissy didn’t like it much either. Okay. That’s all. Bye now, Dad.”

He did an about face and made his way towards her, smiling from ear to ear.

“Hey, sweetie. How’d it go?” She asked, quickly wiping at her eyes.

“It went fine, Mama. I think he’s going to take my requests into consideration.”

“That’s a mighty big word for you, Justin Coy,” she said, laughing. “Where did you learn that?”

“Tula.”

“Of course, it was Tula.” She watched as he trudged towards the car and frowned. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to sit in the car while you talk to Dad. I figure you two might need some alone time.”

“That’s very considerate of you, honey.” Her heart fluttered and her innards knotted up as she glanced towards Patrick’s headstone. “Okay. All right. I can do this,” she said, more to herself than anyone else. Glancing at Jamie and putting on a smile, she nodded. “We can do this, hm?”

“Me can.” Jamie rested her head against her shoulder affectionately, sighing. “Me, Mom.”

“Oh, I love you so, little girl,” she whispered, and then she stepped towards her husband’s grave.

PATRICK COY SPENCER

HUSBAND AND FATHER

MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM

There were still moments when it was hard to believe the name chiseled into the stone belonged to Patrick –
her
Patrick.

She stared at the words for a long time, pacing her breathing and willing the pain in her chest to subside. Try as she might, however, she knew the pain would always be there. It would grow fainter over time—everyone said so, but it would find its way back each time she visited him.

“H-hello, baby.”

Her daughter’s little fingers brushed across her cheek and she laughed softly, sadly, as she realized she was trying to wipe away her tears.

“Mommy’s okay,” she reassured her, bumping their noses together lightly. “I just miss Daddy, that’s all.”

“Da-dee.”

“Yes, sweetie. That’s right.” The tears began to fall harder. “This is your daddy. He was such a good man, and he loved you so very much.”

“Da-dee!” She fussed, trying to wiggle free. “Me?”

“Shhh, it’s all right. I just need another moment. I know you need a nap, honey. Soon, I promise.” She nuzzled her nose to her daughter’s cheek and then glanced at Patrick’s grave again. “She probably wants food, too. She’s got an appetite just like yours—Justin, too. They get
so
grumpy when they want food.”

It gave her a good laugh, but the tears continued to fall. She knew that when it came to the memory of her husband, of missing him, there would always be lots of tears. Her cheeks would never be dry when she visited this place.

“I never really imagined I’d want to have this conversation with you. And it seems crazy when you think about it, because you’re not here to really answer me.” Sucking in a deep breath, she exhaled in an attempt to calm her nerves, her eyes never leaving the grave. “I’ve met someone...
two
someones. I’m really happy with them, Patrick.

“I’ll never be as happy as I was with you—please don’t think that. You were the love of my life. You were my soul-mate and no one can take your place, but...but I feel that they are a close second to what we had. They’re good to me. They’ve been mending my heart, baby, and let’s face it,”—she whimpered and wiped at her eyes, stifling a sob as she tried to continue—“it’s been broken since the night you left us.”

Her legs nearly gave out on her as she stepped a little closer, lifting her eyes towards the beautiful sky. It was so clear, so colorful. It was almost unbelievable that such a storm had ripped through their community less than 24-hours beforehand.

“I’ll always love you, Patrick. Always, baby. I just...I think it’s time to move on, you know? It’s stupid, but I can’t fully do that until I know you’re okay with it. I need...I need to know you’re okay with it, somehow. So, if you’re listening, could you maybe send me a sign? Please?”

She knew she would be met with silence, but it made her feel better just speaking the words.

At least she was able to get it off her chest, and out of her heart. Maybe, just maybe, the wind would carry her words to the cloud he was sitting on.

“Mom!” Justin called from the car. “Mom, your phone is ringing. I think it’s your boss.”

“Ugh. Now?” She huffed, quickly wiping at her eyes. What horrible timing. “I’m sorry, Paddy. I guess I should get going. We’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do and I’ve got to take care of our troop. I love you, sweetheart. Goodbye.”

“Bye-bye!” Jamie waved. “Bye!”

An hour and a half later, she found herself outside with Nick and Devin, hoping to restore her home to its former glory.

Justin helped periodically. He was easily distracted every time an emergency vehicle drove by, wanting to know if he could tag along to see what they were doing. And time and time again, she had to remind him that in order to do such things, one had to be over the age of eighteen.

It was funny every time she said it, too. She recalled the night she tried to convince Nick, and herself, that they needed to wait until Justin was legally an adult before pursuing the relationship they both wanted.

Looking back on it now, she was grateful they hadn’t waited. And, luckily for her, Nick was a persistent man. She was so much happier because of him.

And Devin.

Hopefully her visit to the graveyard would finally allow her to dedicate herself to them fully, without fear, and with all the love that had grown in her heart for them.

“Hey, guys. Come look what I found!” Devin called from the back of the house. “You have to come see this. You’re not going to believe it.”

“Is it a dead body?” Justin asked, zooming past her. “Please tell me it’s a dead body!”

Glancing at Nick nervously, she frowned. “Should I be worried about him?”

“I don’t think so.” He laughed, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “He’s just being a boy, sweetheart. A weird boy, but a boy nonetheless.”

“Baw-dee!” Jamie giggled from her spot on the porch. She had been previously distracted with her toys, but apparently her brother’s excitement over the possibility of a dead body had caught her attention. “Baw-dee! Baw-dee!”

“Oh, god,” she groaned, bowing her head in defeat. “I’m doomed.”

“Nah. She’s just repeating everything she hears, baby. I guess I’ll really have to watch my mouth around her.” He scooped her up from her bright pink blanket and planted a kiss to her cheek, chuckling. “Ain’t that right, Jay Jay? I’ve gotta watch my mouth around you.”

“Jay Jay?” She quirked a brow and watched him, feeling her heart melt at the sight of the two of them. Nick was so good with her. He was good with both of them, and so was Devin.

How the hell had she managed to get so lucky?

“Jay Jay,” he affirmed, walking past her with Jamie in tow. “She likes it.”

“I’m sure she does. Between that, and Sugar Puff, she’ll forget her real name soon enough.” She followed along behind them, her eyes sliding down his back. At least she could enjoy the view.

“So what’s the verdict, fellas? Do we have a dead body back here or what?” Nick asked once they made it to the back yard.

“A what?” Devin’s head popped up from behind the massive tree containing the tree house, his eyes wide.

“I was hoping it was a dead body,” Justin confessed, shrugging his little shoulders.

Devin gave her a quizzical look and it took everything in her not to laugh. He was absolutely adorable when he got confused.

“Well, I’m very sorry to disappoint you...” He replied hesitantly. “I’m afraid my discovery probably isn’t that exciting.”

“What
is
your discovery, exactly?” Nick took a few steps closer to the tree and then stopped. “A new alien species? A ruby slipper?”

“Not that exciting either.” Devin sighed. “But it is something you were looking for.”

“Something I was looking for?” Nick glanced her way and shrugged, obviously as clueless about it as she felt at the moment.

“Yeah.” He grinned, pointing upwards. “Look.”

They all followed his gaze and were stunned at his discovery.

It was the carpet – Patrick’s carpet, balancing perfectly on the bannister of the tree house’s porch.

“I’ll be damned,” Nick said in disbelief.

“Be—”

He quickly placed a hand over Jamie’s mouth and she simply giggled.

“How did that get up there?” Justin asked, circling the tree and keeping his eyes upwards. “Huh? How did it do that?”

She was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, goose bumps erupting on her arms. A tingle crept up her spine and her vision blurred with tears.

I know how it got up there.

Patrick, her handsome Patrick, smiled in her mind, and she felt the warmth of his embrace. She would never be able to explain it, but he was there with them, somehow.

“Mama, why are you crying?” Justin’s arms circled around her waist and she opened her eyes to stare down at him. “Do you feel it, too?”

“Feel what?” She asked, breathless.

“Dad.” His smile lit up his eyes as he snuggled against her. “Can you feel him?”

Nick and Devin stared at her, and they gave her knowing smiles. It was like they knew, or sensed it, somehow. Even Jamie fell silent as a gentle breeze swept through the yard.

It was a moment she wouldn’t soon forget, if ever.

It was a sign.

“Always,” she whispered with a smile, resting a hand atop her son’s head. “Always, baby.”

“Good.” He reached for her hand and glanced at the carpet, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Does this mean we get to finish building my tree house now?”

“Absolutely.” She sighed and lifted her eyes upwards, smiling. “We’re going to build a lot of things. Together.”

“Together,” Nick said, resting a hand against Devin’s shoulder.

“Together,” Devin said, his eyes remaining on her.

“Together!” Justin crowed.

“Me!” Jamie squealed.

They burst into laughter at that, and she knew everything was going to get better.

––––––––

The End

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