Thank you all for the kind reviews and follows! I do believe this story is finished. I hope this second chapter does justice to the first. Thank you for reading!
After all the good-byes had been said to those paying their respects to Patrick, everyone just stood around looking at each other. The kids decided to retreat back into the den to watch TV and play board games. They had been enjoying each others company, as they really didn't get to see each other all that often. One thing with cousins is, no matter how much time passes between seeing each other, they always seem to pick up right where they left off.
While the kids played games and chatted in the other room, the adults talked for a little while in the kitchen. Elizabeth had started to clean up the rest of the dishes and left over food that had been sitting around. She had tried to be part of the conversation, but knew that the siblings needed the continued talking and bonding more than she did. Walking into the dining room she gathered a pile of plates that had been collected, taking them over to the sink, not really looking at anyone but focusing on the task at hand. She had told Henry that he had needed to let his siblings lean on him a little, and now she felt it was indeed her duty to take over the clean-up responsibilities.
"Elizabeth, you're making me nervous, would you please come join us?" Erin asked trying to coax her sister in law to relax a little. She knew how horrible Maureen always had been to her and figured this was her way of staying out of the line of fire, but Erin truly did love Elizabeth, no matter what Maureen had said about her.
Elizabeth gave Erin a shy, meek, sad smile, "It's okay, you guys continue what you're doing, I'll continue to clean up around here, it's less you guys have to worry about, I'm happy to do my share." she had been bracing herself for some smart ass comment from Maureen about her, but it didn't come, which had totally surprised her.
"Well if you're not going to join us, then please let me help you clean up. You really don't need to be doing all of this alone." Erin replied as she stood beside her, reaching an arm out giving Elizabeth a pat on the shoulder, as if to thank her for doing everything she'd been doing while everyone else had dealt with the funeral and visitors.
Elizabeth wasn't sure how to respond, she felt tears start to form in her eyes, a heaviness in her chest. Blinking rapidly and choking back tears clearing her throat, she thanked Erin for the help. Erin truly was her favorite sister in law, yeah there were times she had followed Maureens lead with nasty words, but never took it to the extremes she did, and often it was poking fun of her and all the money she had inherited, mostly it was in the beginning of her and Henrys relationship. Erin knew how she had come into her money and she tried to make Maureen understand, but it was to no avail. She had been lost in her thoughts at the sink and felt familiar arms wrap around her from behind, causing her to smile.
"Babe, please, come sit down with us. I know you're uncomfortable, but we are leaving soon, so please for me come sit and talk." Henry said to her, almost in a whisper.
"These are the last of the dishes, let me just put them away and I'll be in." she replied back to him, looking in his eyes she knew he was unsure if she was being truthful, knowing how much she wanted to just get home, back to their own world. "Babe, I promise, I'll be in in a minute."
"Okay, I'll be keeping an eye on the time." he said back to her with a small peck on the cheek.
Elizabeth joined the others sitting beside Henry on the couch, quietly listening to the banter of the McCord siblings as they continued to reminisce their younger years with both parents. Her hand had been resting on Henrys leg, occasionally squeezing as she felt panicked. Noticing this Henry took her hand in his, comforting her by rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
"Mom, Dad, I know you said we were going to leave after the funeral, we were just wondering what time we were actually leaving?" Stevie said, interrupting the adult conversation.
"Yeah, we should get going, it's a good four hour drive back to DC, so if we leave by 5 we should get home around 9, barring any traffic issues." Henry replied. To be honest he was ready to head back home, yes he would miss his brother and sisters, but the way the past few days emotionally drained him, he was ready to be home. "Stevie go tell your brother and sister to go get their things packed and bring them downstairs to get loaded in the SUV."
"Okay dad" she replied, turning around to head back to relay the message to Ali and Jas.
Elizabeth excused herself to head upstairs to pack her and Henrys clothes, which would allow him to sit with everyone for a little longer. She had been finishing putting the last few pieces of clothing in the suitcase when Stevie came into the bedroom. She had expressed concern about how Maureen had been treating her, and why her mother allowed it. They had a nice little heart to heart talk about the reason why, and Stevie seemed to understand completely.
Everyone had said their goodbyes, gave hugs and kisses then the McCord clan piled into the Suburban. As their caravan pulled away from the curb they all waved goodbye to the family left standing on the steps outside the McCord family home.
"Here, I called Uncle Will!" Stevie had announced as she passed her cell up to Elizabeth and Henry. Knowing her mother needed to see that her brother was safe she felt a chat on FaceTime was needed.
Elizabeth turned around to Stevie, giving her a knowing, thank you smile, as Henry talked to Will. She had said hi to him, but was so choked up she really couldn't talk much. She was very impressed with how "adult" Stevie had been the past few days, normally she wouldn't jump to her mothers defense like she had, and it made Elizabeth extremely proud to see she was finally becoming the caring young woman she had always dreamed she would become.
Henry had passed the phone back to Stevie, he was happy to see his brother in law, and even though he couldn't be here was grateful for this call, Henry really did love Will like his own brother. He reached out for Elizabeths hand, noticing how quiet she had gotten when talking with Will. He knew she was painfully reliving the past, but tried to put that aside so she could be there for Henry to lean on. Taking her hand in his, their fingers danced together saying "I'm here for you always, I love you always", there was also their unspoken communication with their eyes, the whole "I love you, you're my rock, I need you now more than ever." Since they were all stuck in the car for four hours they couldn't really talk about things with the kids sitting right behind them. Half way through the drive the kids had plugged into their music and Henry decided it was okay to try and talk some.
"Thank you so much for everything the past few days babe, I really couldn't have done it without you here to support me. I know its been tough on you as well, but it means the world to me how strong you've been. Thank you" he said as he leaned over to gently kiss her lips, something he'd been missing lately.
"You're welcome babe, I know it wasn't easy for you either, but you did an impressive job with handling Maureen and the whole entire situation." She said leaning over returning his kiss, something she had also missed so much lately. "We are in this crazy life together Henry, when it hurts you it also hurts me, when you're sad I am too, when you're happy so am I. Our vows are more than just words on paper or in scripture, they are US and always will be us, thats what makes our marriage so wonderful, I love you Henry, until the day I breath my last breath, and after if God allows." Elizabeth kissed him again then leaned back against the seat, her head resting on the head rest, her hands entwined with Henrys. They both needed to have the comforting touch of each other, but anything more than hand holding had to wait until they were in the privacy of their own bedroom.
As the SUVs pulled up in front of their house, Henry and Elizabeth turned around to wake up the kids, who had fallen asleep on the drive home. Once inside they all had retreated to their own bedrooms after saying good night and "I love yous", exhausted from the past few days events.
Once inside their own bedroom Henry threw his bags down, taking his wife in his strong arms. He couldn't wait to let her know just how much he needed and appreciated her, peppering kisses all over her lips and neck. "Baby, I need you to know just how grateful I am for you, and I don't want to tell you, I want to show you, now." he breathed out while still kissing her.
Elizabeth melted into his kisses and his embrace, she loved this man so much, it hurt her to see him so hurt. "Henry, I need to feel you too, please show me, I need you to show me." she whispered back with baited breath.
They had made love so passionately and desperate that night, showing each other just how much they truly meant to one and the other, their bodies moving as one, so in tune to the beating of their two hearts that nothing else mattered at the moment. The way their bodies moved as one proved just how much in love they were, how much they cherished each other, just how much they appreciated the love and support they provided. They laid in bed, their limbs entangled together, her head resting on his chest while tracing shapes on his chest. When their were no more words left to express how they felt, it was always their actions and touches that spoke more than what any words could express.
"I love you Henry, thank you. I know we are not promised another day, but every day that I am blessed to have you here is a day cherished. I cannot imagine my life with out you." she spoke sleepily to him as the beating of his heart was quickly luring her to sleep.
"I am grateful every day to have you by my side Elizabeth, you are my rock and my strength, and I don't think I would have been able to make it through these past few days without you. I love you so much baby, not even words can express how much, but please know that I also, cannot imagine my life without you by my side. You are truly my partner in life, my best friend forever." he whispered into her hair, his cheek resting on the top of her head, it was only then he felt the tears falling onto his chest. He knew this week had been hard for her, anytime she loses someone close it opens the wounds of losing her parents at an early age. He pulled her into a tighter hug against him, a silent promise to never leave her, never let her go.