Rose stayed in the hospital for nearly a week before they released her. Instead of going directly home she made a stop at the Hewitt house to check on everyone and tell them her plans. She would go home for the funeral and come back, but she wanted to know where her old house was and if it was even still livable. She sat with Luda Mae on the couch, sipping tea as they talked about it, "Really I just want to see the old place, try and jog some memories or something, but it just doesn't seem like anything will ever come back, not with how many years it's been gone." She felt that maybe there was a wall or a dam blocking off all that she once was and she was just… too scared to try and pull it down.
Luda nodded as she listened, "Well… I don't know if it's very livable right now, but I'm sure it's in a better state than this old place. Me, Henrietta, and Opal will get to work on cleaning the place up." She smiled lovingly at her, "Don't you worry about it too much. You just focus on getting well and getting back here safely."
"Thank you, Luda… It'll probably be a few months before I am back so don't worry about cleaning anything up right now. I'll call closer to when I'm on my way back. There's a lot I have to do. I have to sell my properties and pack everything up and repurchase my family home. And if it is bad I'll have to find some contractors to come out and shore up the place." She rubbed her forehead thinking about all the preparations she had to make. "My only worry is that the contractors will see something out here, you know? I mean, it's not like I'm going to bring them around the house or anything, but I worry for you and the men."
She set down her teacup, "Now missy, don't you worry none about us. You just get yourself settled and your house in place. We'll make ourselves scarce so that no one even knows you've got neighbors nearby." Luda reached out and patted her hand, "Now, you finish up that cup and I'll have Charlie drive you over to your old homestead. Take my boy with you. He'll be so pleased with himself to get to visit with you before you go."
She grinned, "Of course I'll bring Thomas. I wouldn't dream of leaving him behind." She turned when he heard his heavy footsteps behind her, smiling happily as she saw him, "Hey, we were just talking about you, would you like to come with me and Hoyt to visit my old house?" She asked, reaching out to take his hand. He gave her his hand, squeezing it, his eyes crinkling as he smiled behind his mask. "I'll take that as a yes." She teased him.
Thomas pet her head with his free hand, playing with her long, silky blonde hair. She would miss him while she was back in Virginia for her brother's funeral, she'd be gone for a few months too. Maybe… she touched the cross around her neck, "Thomas. I have something I want you to hold onto until I get back. She took the gold necklace off, "This was my mother's, my real mother's. I need you to keep it safe until I get home." Rose's adopted mother brought it with her to give to Rose, she'd nearly forgotten that she was even wearing it. "Make sure it stays safe, okay?" Rose settled the delicate cross and chain into his palm, closing it around the necklace.
Thomas looked at her confused as to why he was being given this, "It's to make sure I come back." She explained, seeing the way his brow furrowed. She watched as his tenseness relaxed and he nodded slowly, his brow smoothing back out as he held her necklace close before tucking it into his breast pocket of his shirt.
Rose stood up, going over to Luda to hug her tightly, "I'll be back home in a few months, don't worry."
Luda patted her back lovingly, "Oh honey, I know you'll come home."
Rose smiled softly at the elderly woman before taking Thomas' arm. He stood a little straighter, puffing his chest out. Rose giggled at how pleased he looked to have her by his side. Hoyt was waiting for them by the door, "Get the lead out, let's go."
Rose nodded, trying to swallow the sudden bundle of nerves that filled her up. It'd been years since she'd been home. Two decades worth of who knows what had happened. What would the house even look like? She rubbed the cloth of Thomas' shirt between her fingers, her eyes darting around the yard before she got into the car.
The drive wasn't long. Maybe three or four minutes before they pulled up on a vacant house. It was clear no one had set foot in there since she had left. Twenty years of decay and abuse. It was a sad sight and it probably needed a lot more work on the inside. Rose got out and started for it, the old porch creaking under her weight. She was almost certain Thomas would go right through it, "You two wait out here, I don't think the floors are good anymore, at least not for anyone heavier than me." She called out to them, not turning around as she kept moving to the door. Luda had given her a key to the house, though the door was already unlocked.
She pushed it open, the hinges squeaked and squealed at having to be moved after so many years shut. Seeing the inside of the house took her back. Not to memories but just a feeling of hope and safety. She knew this place, even if she couldn't remember it. It was like dejavu.
Dust coated everything, the floor in here felt much more stable, but still it needed serious repairs. She didn't dare go any further than just that front hallway, a little scared of what she would find. Honestly it was like a time capsule. Untouched for so long, and there wasn't really enough time to sort through the debris of a lifetime.
Rose backed up and shut the door, locking it this time before she turned and hurried off the creaking porch. "Let's get out of here. I have to catch that plane or my mother will be furious with me." She couldn't miss the funeral either. Max would be just as angry, though probably more disappointed.
Hoyt patted her shoulder roughly as she got back into the car, he dropped Thomas off at the house before he started driving her to the airport in Austin. She didn't know how they managed to rope him of all people into driving her there but it worked, and no one questioned why he was speeding because it was a police car. Who would question that? He didn't say a word when she got out of the car with her small bag, "You'll pick me up when I'm back in a few months, right?" Rose only got a grunt in response. She rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head slightly before she made her way inside. She was glad her family was well off enough that they could purchase a plane ticket. It wasn't first class or anything but it was still an expensive trip. She had a layover in Nashville before a short flight back home.
She ran to her family who welcomed her back with open arms, hugging her close. The funeral was the next day. It didn't give her much time to relax but it was enough. That morning she woke up with her head pounding and her body aching. She didn't want to go, but she knew she had to. The casket was closed, he was in too bad of a shape to be seen by friends and family. but she hoped that they had him in his favorite pajamas. She hoped he was in a comfortable position.
Rose wrung her hands as she walked to sit down next to Sam in her sunday best. She couldn't bring herself to wear black. Max would have hated it. "Rose… you okay?"
She hesitated to answer, worried her voice would break so she just nodded, trying hard not to cry. At least not too hard. Tears slid down her cheeks, smudging up her makeup but she didn't care. She couldn't believe that her big brother was gone forever. It didn't feel real. The hollow ache in her chest proved it was real, her still healing wounds proved it too. The weight of Sam's arm draped over her shoulders. That simple touch of comfort made a sob come from her as she bowed her head.
It was all her fault. They were supposed to be too old for concerts but with Sam's deployment coming up it felt like the last chance they had to be together. She should have just let it be. Rose pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes as she cried through the service. Sam drove her and their parents behind the hearse to the gravesite. Sam and their parents stayed behind with them to bury Max and build a funeral pyre above his grave, burning their prayers on paper so that he would be able to see them. It was a family tradition to do this, and it took a weight off her shoulders. The next few weeks would be hard. She sat down in the grass and watched the fire, remembering her brother and their lives together.
Max would always be in their hearts, but she still had Sam. She had her mom and dad and Thomas. She breathed a sigh of relief and sadness. How strange was life, giving then taking away, when would it stop for them?