“It’s perfect.”
“I bet her ears are tickling,” said Hailey. “We said very nice things.” Hailey clapped her hands. “We love you, Maeve.”
Paul and Amanda exchanged a glance. The kids were so precious and kindhearted.
Amanda looked at her phone. “Oh goodness! I need you two to go brush your teeth and get into your pajamas. It’s way past bedtime. It’s ten after nine.”
They didn’t argue, just ran straight up the stairs to their rooms.
—
The next morning as they got ready for church, Amanda couldn’t resist any longer. She sat at the desk in the shell room, waiting for Maeve to answer her cell phone. When she didn’t, Amanda left a message, letting her know they were thinking of her and wanted to see how she was doing.
Amanda gathered Hailey and Jesse and went to church. Paul met them there, and for the first time, both of the kids went to children’s church, having fun meeting new friends. It was good they were getting some socializing in. Not only at school, but here too. She’d kept them close for so long, and she was glad to see them adjusting.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Amanda waved to Matthew, Nikki, and Matt. No one asked any questions about Paul. They were accepted just as they were.
When they all got back to the beach house, the kids went upstairs to change clothes. Amanda picked up her phone and saw that she’d missed three calls from Judy.
But before Amanda could call her back, Hailey came in dressed in her purple bathing suit, next to Jesse, who was wearing American-flag trunks. “We’re ready to go to the beach.”
“I just have to return this call first.”
“I’ll take them on down,” Paul said.
“Okay, I’ll be there in a hurry.”
“Awesome.” They took off down the stairs, and Amanda watched all three of them run through the sand toward the water.
She stared at her phone, almost a little nervous to dial, but then she punched in the number.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Judy, this is Amanda Whittier. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was hoping I could speak to Maeve.”
“I’m sorry…” Judy’s voice dropped. “She passed in her sleep last night a little after nine o’clock. I was going to call you.”
Amanda’s throat tightened, making it hard to breathe. “Oh no.”
“She was so peaceful, Amanda. You gave her such a gift by making that special drive here. She went on and on about the moss in those trees.”
“It was beautiful.” Amanda thought of how gorgeous the live oak looked as they turned on the lights for the kids…just about that same time last night.
“She was holding the moss you had given her, clutching it, reaching out. Then she closed her eyes and smiled. She had her hand curled—”
“Like someone was holding it?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“She said that’s what she missed most about Jarvis. The way he held her hand.” Amanda struggled to swallow. Maeve would never get to see the pictures of the moss they’d put in her special tree. Her heart squeezed. She’d like to believe she already knew, though.
“I’m so sorry you called before I had a chance to let you know.” Judy sighed.
“No, that’s fine. I understand.” She would miss Maeve, but believing that at long last she’d be reunited with Jarvis, it was hard to feel sad for her. “Judy, your sister was special. Thank you again for allowing me to have that sweet time with her. Please let me know what I can do to help.”
“Well, thank you too. I’m not sure why she finally gave in and came, but we treasured our time together. It was too short, but she wasn’t in any pain.”
“I’d love to go to the service if you’ll send me the details.”
“I surely will.”
Amanda hung up the phone and walked over to the overstuffed chair in Maeve’s sunroom, or secret shell room, as Hailey called it. She sank into the chair, praying for Maeve. She must have passed as they lit up the moss in her tree. She hoped somehow their thoughts of her last night had comforted her all the way to heaven and that Jarvis greeted her as though they hadn’t missed a single day together.
A tiny bit of her wished she could see Jack, to tell him they were okay. To tell him herself that although her life was changing and growing, her love for him would always be there.
Amanda took a photo album from the bottom shelf and carried it back over to the chair. It was Maeve and Jarvis’s wedding pictures. Maeve had been stunning—a model-like beauty. Her gown had been simple, but that’s all she needed. Jarvis’s love for her was undeniable in the way he looked at her.
“You’re with Jarvis now. I can picture you two holding hands.” She let out a small cry, tears dripping from her chin. “Please tell Jack I love him and that he will always own a corner of my heart.”
31
At the end of the week, Judy called to inform Amanda she was following Maeve’s wishes to be cremated and have a funeral on Whelk’s Island at the church Maeve had gone to as a child, where their parents were buried. The same one that Amanda, Paul, and the kids attended now.
Thank you. It was as if Maeve had reached out and hugged her.
Amanda couldn’t wait to tell Tug. He’d been so quiet. He was hurting, and this would most definitely help him feel like he could say goodbye, with the service being right here.
She invited Judy to stay at the house, offering to let the family have it and she’d use her cottage during the funeral, but Judy refused. She’d already booked a condo
