"How did you do it? I can't believe you're really here! You came all this way for me? What about the kids?" Questions were pouring out of her, and Dave settled in, arms wrapped around her waist, his legs spread just a bit apart so that he was closer to her height and could look at her eye-to-eye. He just smiled as she continued questioning. "How could you possibly afford the plane ticket? What about your clients?"
They stood on the back deck of her brother's house. Danielle had sent the boys up to start getting washed up and ready for the funeral service and had gone up to begin getting ready herself. Nathan took Dave's bags up to their second guest room and went to his and Danielle's room, hoping to give the couple some time to get through their reunion.
She paused for breath and just stared at him. He smiled wide at her and finally responded, "I can't take full credit for the idea. Your brother mentioned it when I called on Wednesday to help make your travel plans. I wasn't sure if I should, but by Saturday, I was miserable, and Anna insisted I should consider getting here by today so I could be with you for the service. Anna and Robin are staying at the house, taking care of the kids. I have some money saved up, Robin helped me invest after the settlement. I called the clients I had scheduled and explained there was a family emergency—I rescheduled everything for next week. I'm here, with you, for you, for the week."
She smiled, moving her hands from his shoulders to cup his cheeks. "I can't believe you're really here."
He mirrored her movement, and whispered, "I told you I'd swim the ocean for you—hopping on a plane was easy." He moved closer, gently kissed her then rested his forehead against hers, and took a deep breath. "God, I've missed you."
"I've missed you. We should get ready for the service." Another smile came across her face. "I'm so glad you're going to be there with me."
It didn't take long for Alex to get into the simple black trousers and top she planned to wear for the funeral. She pulled her hair up into a simple ponytail and was back downstairs, sitting with Nathan in rocking chairs on the front porch, waiting for everyone else to come down.
Alex looked towards her brother and smiled. "So, I understand I have you to thank for Dave being here."
Nathan shrugged. "I merely told him he would be welcome in our home should he be able to join you. You've gone through a lot, sis. You deserve to have someone here to walk this road with you."
They were quiet again for a moment, as Alex leaned her head back against the rocker and looked out as the sun began to set. "I feel guilty for feeling so happy today."
"You think Dad would want you sad and depressed today? You know, I printed one of those pictures you had sent Danielle a month ago. It was one of you and him with the kids around you. I put it in his room with our family picture. I told him all about Dave and his family."
Alex was genuinely touched her brother had thought to do that. "Really, you did that?"
"You looked so happy, Lexi. I wanted him to see you happy." Her brother paused a moment, then continued, "He smiled. He was happy for you, and so are we."
"Thanks, bro," she said just as the door opened and the boys came out with Dave following them, discussing Paul and Ewan's favorite video games. Alex smiled as she watched Dave naturally conversing with her Jeremy and Kyle.
Jeremy, the older of the two, turned to his dad. "Mom says she'll be right behind us, to get loaded up in the car."
"Here, sis." Nathan pulled a set of car keys out of his pocket. "You remember how to drive on the right side of the road, right? You and Dave follow us in my old car. If it gets damaged, I won't cry as much."
"Ha, ha, Nate. Yes, I remember." She rolled her eyes as she walked down the porch steps with Dave. He slipped his hand around hers and intertwined their fingers as they walked down the path to the cars. "You boys want to ride with us?"
Kyle giggled as he joked, "Um, no Aunt Lexi, we'd like to make it to the church uninjured."
"Oh, you're going to see injury—just wait till we get back home and I take you down at Monopoly."
"Dave, I'm sure we can fit you in the car, if you'd prefer safety over your girlfriend," Jeremy added with a laugh and a high five from his younger brother.
Dave smirked, but saw the eyebrow raise that Alex shot his way. "Boys, I think I have a lesser chance of survival if I take you up on your offer. Your aunt might kill me, and I'd hate to have traveled all this way for such a short trip."
Alex rolled her eyes but smiled as she and Dave got into her brothers old red car just as Danielle was headed down the path to the white SUV her husband and sons were getting into.
The next day, the little old red car flew down the interstate. "So, tell me more about where we're going?" Dave looked out the window at the interstate as trees, advertising billboards, and road signs flew by.
"The mountains of Western North Carolina. I might describe the difference between it and eastern part we were in, to driving from London to the Scottish Highlands. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina, it's one of the reasons I loved Scotland so much. Though as beautiful as our mountains are here, they don't compare to Scotland at all. I don't want to paint the wrong picture and you be disappointed," she tried to explain, but was having a difficult time doing so.
"I'm sure it's beautiful," Dave smiled as he saw her happiness in heading back to her hometown.
"Oh, it is. I'll never forget the first time I drove back into the mountains after being away at college in the flatlands in the eastern part of the state. I actually cried it, was so beautiful see. We used to go camping, hiking, mountain biking—when I was a teenager." She continued smiling as she described her homeland. "I've stood on top of a few of the mountains we'll see on our way in."
"The weather here is beautiful." Dave said as he rolled the window down on his side of the car.
Alex laughed and did the same. "Yes, it is. I will say I miss the weather over here, as opposed to the cold rainy days we have most of the time." She held her arm out the window, allowing the wind to blow through her fingers. "I used to ride with my windows down all the time on road trips. Windows down and music up."
Dave turned the knob on the radio to turn it on, and then raised the volume. He turned and smiled at her and they laughed together, enjoying the music, the company, and the wind in their hair.
A few of her father's old friends and their extended family from their hometown came to the graveside. After a few words were said, Nathan, Alex, and the family spoke to a few of them, and Dave was introduced to some of them individually. Afterwards, Alex put a flower on her mother's grave and stood quietly for a moment. She took a deep breath and turned to her right, staring across the graveyard to another section. "They're over there."
"Who?"
"John, Laney, Blake— they're over the hill, in the building over there."
"Oh." Dave had no idea this was where the remains of her husband and children were as well. "Weren't you living in Virginia at the time?"
"Yes. But it happened so suddenly, and we hadn't planned on where we'd be buried. Cremation was the best option, because of—" She took a deep breath. "Anyway—they're there…"
"I'll go with you. If you're ready." He held his hand out and she slowly took it, beginning their walk to the place she most feared and most longed for.
Nathan watched and knew where his sister was going. He leaned over and whispered to Danielle, who nodded. They waved the boys over and began following, about twenty or thirty feet behind, moving slowly as not to intrude.
When they came upon the white stone building, Dave stopped. "I'll wait here for a few minutes and give you some time? Then I'll come join you, okay?" She nodded and let go of his hand, walking into the building's open doorway. A moment later, Nathan and his family stepped up next to him.
"She's lucky to have found you, Dave. You're a good man." Nathan nodded towards the open doorway.
"It's the other way around, I'm lucky to have found her." Dave's face reflected the deep love in his heart for the woman who was currently facing her biggest fears. "Your sister—she's incredible." They stood in silence a moment before Dave turned his head towards Nathan. "If you'll pardon me a moment." Dave stepped into the building and found rows of walls lined with marble squares. Behind each, he presumed, were ash remains.
He found Alex with one hand resting over one of the marble squares that was just at her height, with a small bronze plaque engraved, "John Blake Stanton." The other hand rested between two more, labeled with her children's names, "Elaina Marie Stanton," and "Blake James Stanton." She leaned with her weight against them, head bowed down. He came up and quietly stood next to her a moment. After a few more minutes, Nathan, Danielle, and the boys came and stood with them, Nathan placing his arm around his sister. They all heard Alex take a deep breath after a few more minutes, and she turned to walk away.
Dave stepped back, allowing her and her family to walk ahead. He stepped forward again, looking up at the plaque. He raised his hand and touched it briefly, allowing one brief thought to be directed that way. I promise, I'll take care of her now. With that, his hand dropped and walked away to join Alex on her journey.