Luke had recovered, albeit slowly. He wasn’t ready to go back to work, but he filled his days fishing and texting Josie endlessly. They had lunch together every day, and the nights were spent relearning each other’s broken bodies. He hadn’t been able to make love again until recently. He was scarred, and dealt with a great deal of residual pain, but he was alive. Luke’s shooter was still in jail awaiting his trial. The DA was confident about getting a conviction. Denise Poole had tried getting in touch with Luke several times, but he had put her off, reluctantly admitting to Josie that Denise had always had stalker-like tendencies. He had promised her a painting they bought while they were engaged if she gave Josie the information on the Blackwell file. He genuinely felt badly that she had gotten caught up in the Gosnell mess but he insisted on keeping her at arm’s length—which was just fine with Josie.
The boy’s feet came into view. He wore white sneakers turned brown by dirt as he trudged behind his father. His eyes stayed on the ground. The girl knew it was useless, but she tried to choke out a “help me” that only came out sounding like a wet cough. The man jostled her and made a hushing sound. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.
As the pastor said his final words, each of them stepped forward to place a single red rose on Ramona’s grave. Lisette went first, abandoning her walker in favor of Luke’s arm. He guided her to the coffin, and everyone seemed to hold their breath as Lisette reverently placed the first rose. Then she placed her fingers to her lips, transferring a kiss to her long-lost daughter. Josie couldn’t stop the tears from pouring out of her. Not just for the aunt she would never know, but for all the loss they had experienced. Josie’s father. Ray. The chief. Josie’s naive belief that her city was a great place to live.
Noah offered his arm. Together, they followed Lisette and Luke, each placing a rose and then walking off, away from the graveside. Lisette leaned against Luke and watched the mourners disperse.
After what seemed like an eternity, they stopped. To the girl it looked like some kind of clearing. From the corner of her eye she saw a set of steps. Were they near a house? Was he taking her to get help? Was he taking her home? She dared not hope. Gently, the man knelt and laid her on her back. They were behind a house. It wasn’t her house though. It must be theirs. She thought she saw a movement of the curtains in one window. Then it was gone. Her eyes found the boy. He stared at her curiously. Then the man leaned closer to her, and when he smiled, she knew she would never go home again.
Josie retrieved Lisette’s walker, but she refused it. Luke covered her palm with his and smiled down at her. They had hit it off far better than Josie hoped.
“You know,” Luke told her, “your granddaughter has dining room furniture now, and I make a mean creamy chicken lasagna. Will you come back to the house with us for the evening?”
Lisette had chosen to stay at Rockview, in spite of Josie’s insistence that she find another facility. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Lisette had said. “Why should I leave my home? Why should I have to live further away from you?” Josie had to admit that she was happy to keep her grandmother close, now more than ever.
They reached Josie’s Escape and Luke helped Lisette into the passenger’s side. She smiled at him. “I’d love to join you,” she said.
Ramona didn’t look at the man again, or the boy. She would not give them that. Blue sky turning purple with dusk stretched out overhead, filling her heart with a strange kind of peace. She had longed for the beauty of the open sky when she was locked away. Her breath caught as a large, yellow monarch butterfly flitted across her line of sight. She smiled, and thought of her sister, and she didn’t feel afraid anymore.
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