This story is based on RL. I watch a dear friend of mine as she smiles through life - a few years after tragedy struck and I wanted to celebrate the amazing, strong woman that she is. This is for her and one day I hope she finds love again.

Some of the chapters, like this one are fairly short and others much longer - it will depend on where I think the breaks need to happen - everything is written - it flew off my fingers and onto the keyboard in one loooong day!

I will be posting daily in the run up to Christmas and hope that you will enjoy the ride with me.

Lots of love, Sarah

Please R&R - what a wonderful Christmas present for any writer

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As the coffin was lowered into the ground the last of Stephanie's courage left her and her knees began to buckle and she covered her mouth with her hand in a vain attempt to stop the sounds trickling through her fingers.

"It's ok, Steph, I've got you." The soft voice of her father whispered as he gathered her into his side and her mother took her hand and smiled weakly through the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.

"You ok, Sweetie?" she whispered.

Steph took a watery breath and nodded, unable to speak as her chin wobbled knowing that if she opened her mouth again she'd lose the little bit of control she had left. Closing her eyes for a second she took another deep breath as she tried to hold it together.

Noticing Steph's failing courage, the minister looked to her for reassurance that she was ok before he nodded slightly to her parents and began to utter the immortal words:

"To you, O Lord, we comment the soul of Daniel your servant;

In the sight of this world he is now dead;

In your sight may he live forever.

Forgive what sins he committed through human weakness

And in your goodness grant him everlasting peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen"

A 21 gun salute fired and battle hardened men at full salute, friends and family wept for the loss of Daniel Keen as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

From a small distance away a lone bugler started to play taps, concluding the formal part of the day, the haunting melody hammering home the stark finality of Dan's needless and tragic passing.

The people round the graveside shuffled their feet as they watched through eyes blurred with tears as Frank helped his daughter waddle to the edge of the hole that now contained her husband's coffin. The American flag that moments earlier she'd been given was firmly clutched against her huge stomach as with a soft sob she dropped a single red tulip onto the polished wood.

"Goodbye beautiful, darling man." She whispered with a lingering look before turning and fleeing as fast as her failing courage and squirming baby would let her.

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Wow, what a start...

If you've never read this before, welcome on board to my latest submission. If you've read this before, I've been making a few tweaks, most of which you won't notice however, I've moved a lot of this first chapter into the next as I think it reads better.

Please R&R (and when Ranger says please...) ;-)