It was one of those few rainy days in Benton Tennessee, rain wasn't something you saw much…actually it was relatively unheard of in the usually warm and humid small town. As grim as the weather was it only added to the depressing mood that hung over the town, which had closed up early and gathered in the small graveyard for John McCawley's funeral. John McCawley was a well known and well liked crop duster who had passed away three days ago from an incurable case of Yellow Fever.
It was all too much for the widowed Anna and her daughters Isabella and Rose to handle, the women broke down into tears. Rafe stood strong with his arms around his mother and two little sisters as they watched their father and loving husband's coffin being lowered into his grave. Rafe was tough and hid his emotions well; Rafe knew that if his father were still alive he wouldn't want to see him crying like some baby. Instead he did what any man should do…comfort his grieving family.
The preacher stood up and faced the grief stricken crowd. "I believe Bella McCawley has something that she'd like to read" he motioned for her. Rafe looked over at his younger sister and smiled, "Do it for daddy Bella." A nervous and unsure 17 year old Isabella McCawley walked up the podium. She smoothed the crumpled up piece of paper out and laid it flat, "This is a poem I wrote for my dad"
"God saw John was getting tired and a cure was not to be,
So he wrapped his arms around him and whispered come with me,
With tear filled eyes we watched him fade away,
Although we loved him dearly we could not make him stay,
A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands put to rest
God broke our hearts to prove to us…he only takes the best."
Isabella shoved the paper in her pocket and ran from the podium, she didn't know where she was going but continued to run until she could no longer make out the faces of people. Out of breath, she slid down the trunk of an old oak tree and cried. Suddenly a twig snapped and Bella whipped around only to see her brother Rafe standing behind her.
Rafe slid down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Don't cry Bella, dad wouldn't want to see you like this" he said in a soft comforting whisper.
Isabella flinched at even the slight mention of her father.
"I promise you that everything is going to be okay" he said as he wiped the tears away from her brilliant blue eyes
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep" Isabella said between sniffles.
Rafe was speechless. Bella was right; nothing was going to be okay, everything was going to change. "Your right Bella, I can't promise you that everything will be okay, but what I can promise is that whatever happens we'll get through it as a family.