Cole places a bouquet of white water lilies on a grave. "Happy mother's day." He says quietly. He watches as a gentle breeze ruffles the leaves of the trees in the cemetery.
"I still miss you. I wish you were here. I wish you could have taught me more about my powers. I wish you could see me now, all grown up, and I wonder if you would be proud of me."
"Oh she'd be proud alright" says Lou as he walks over.
"Dad, you made it!" Says Cole as he goes over to embrace his father. "I wasn't sure if you would come."
"It just took me a little while to find these."
Lou lays some black lillies next to Cole's white ones.
"You didn't think I'd miss this did you?" Lou asks.
Cole hesitates.
"I know this is important to you." Says Lou.
Cole sighs, "but is it important to you?" He asks.
Lou looks confused.
"I know it's probably just cause you're an adult, and I was a kid, but when mum died you just seemed to move on so quickly. Barely a month later you were performing with the royal blacksmiths and were always humming and walking around with this big ol' smile on your face, like you didn't even miss her."
"So do you never smile at all? Since you still miss her." Asks Lou gently.
"Well, no." Says Cole. "When I am with my friends, I guess there is often a reason to smile."
"I'm going to tell you something your mother told me, near the end." Says Lou.
Cole looks intrigued.
"I was being particularly dramatic that day, I think my exact words were 'how could I possibly go on without you!'" Lou gestures dramatically. "She held onto my hand and said 'When I die, you will never be without me, so long as you still have Cole in your life. He is so young, but I can already see he is on the right path, and his heart is in the right place. A piece of me will live on in him. Whenever you miss me, don't be sad for what is lost, but look to Cole and hope for the future that is to come.'"
Cole wipes a tear from his eye. "She said that?" He asks.
"I never stopped missing her." Says Lou. "And I never stopped believing in you. That is what kept me smiling."
"Thanks dad." Says Cole as they hug again, then face Lilly's grave together.