Page 125 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

Mom nodded. “I’d like that.”

Isaiah looked at me like I’d grown two heads but eventually blinked and nodded too.

“Meet you there at eight.” I stood from the couch again and took Piper’s hand to help her up.

“Nice to meet you both. See you in the morning.” Piper waved good-bye and followed me outside. She’d parked the Tahoe right behind my truck so I led her to the passenger door and helped her inside.

“What about your truck?”

“I’ll get it later. I want to show you something before it gets too dark.”

Once we were both buckled, I drove her across town and right to the cemetery. There was barely enough light left as I led her past snowy graves.

“There.” I pointed to the headstone.

“Oh, Kaine.” Her hand went to her heart. “It’s beautiful. Those angel wings. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“I wanted you to see it. I want you to see everything.”

Piper leaned into my side, wrapping an arm around my back. “I’m glad you brought me here.”

“Me too.” I held her close.

When I’d come here with Mom months ago, I hadn’t been sure if I’d return again. But now, I knew this was it. This was good-bye. Starting now, I was putting all of this pain behind us.

I’d never forget Shannon. I’d never forget the precious baby who I’d laid to rest by her side.

But it was time to stop letting a tragedy run my life. It was time to stop moving backward.

It was time to let the beautiful people in this one grave rest knowing I’d found my peace too.

“Piper!” Kaine bellowed.

“What?” I yelled back.

“Come out here a sec.”

I set down the plate of crackers I was eating in the kitchen and walked down the hall to the garage, where Kaine had been building shelves and organizing all morning.

It had been weeks since our frantic trip to Bozeman and Isaiah’s release from prison. And it had taken until now for life to go back to some semblance of normalcy.

The night aft

er Kaine and I left his daughter’s grave, we made a quick stop at Target for some toothbrushes, pajamas and clean underwear, then we checked into a hotel, ordered room service and stayed in bed the rest of the night.

The next morning, we met his mom and Isaiah for breakfast.

I had hoped that after a restful night’s sleep, emotions would have settled and our meal might be a happy one. I had hoped that both Kaine and Isaiah would find something easy to discuss over our meal and begin down the long road of repairing their relationship.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed ten minutes into breakfast.

Kaine was his usual quiet self, and Isaiah looked as miserable as he had the previous day. When Kaine asked Isaiah about his future now that he was on parole for two years, Isaiah just shrugged and drank his coffee.

After that, conversation at the table was nearly nonexistent. Suzanne and I chatted a bit about the twins, but the tension over eggs and pancakes was stifling, and eventually, we all just ate in silence before leaving with fast good-byes.

Though we invited them to Lark Cove for the holidays, I was relieved when Suzanne and Isaiah chose to stay in Bozeman.

So Kaine and I returned home just in time to prepare for my family to arrive. My parents got here just a week after we returned home. We’d barely had time to clean, do laundry and decorate the tree before it was time to play host and hostess.