At the closing of the service, the uniformed officers came forward and carried the casket out of the church to the waiting vehicle. The minister led the procession with Harley and Scottie behind him as the rest of the congregation followed.
Brand was never morethankful when he put Carly in their SUV that no incident had occurred at the church. Jules and Loverboy as well as Jett joined them in the backset since Pepper was working out of town and Brand started the engine as they followed the car procession to the cemetery for the graveside. He marveled at the number of first responders that were in attendance today as they made their last effort to pay their respects to Reilly Flynn. It didn’t matter that his life had been taken before the exhibition game, the department was treating it as if he were during his regular assigned hours of duty.
“It was a lovely service,” Carly said, sniffing into a tissue. “And Harley looked lovely.”
“She’s stayed strong,” Jules said. “Every time I reached out to her she’s been a fortress through it all.”
Carly nodded. “I just wonder how long it will last? I tried getting her to come over to eat or let me bring her meals, but she always said she was fine.”
“Same,” Jules said.
“I’m sure she was,” Loverboy said. “And she does have Scottie by her side.”
“I saw that,” Jules said. “She mentioned she was seeing someone before the exhibition game but didn’t say who it was and now today he’s standing with her at the casket. I didn’t want to say anything at the funeral, but am I the only one who is shocked by that?”
“Yes,” they all said in unison.
“Sorry,” Loverboy said. “We’ve had a few days to come to terms with it.”
“And you never thought to fill me in?” Jules asked.
He shrugged. “More important things going on than to think to mention that detail.”
“You knew too, Carly?” Jules asked.
“I figured it out and then Brand confirmed after he talked to Harley,” she said.
Jules sighed. “Wow. No wonder Harley kept it a secret from Reilly.”
Carly turned in her seat and looked back toward Jett. “When will Pepper be back?”
“Her flight manifest said sometime tomorrow, but she can always get bumped depending on delays, etc. or the airlines need for her to cover for another air marshal. She’s picking up as many shifts as possible right now, so she won’t be tapped during her requested time off at Christmas this year since we are going to see both sets of parents for the first time since we got married.”
“That should be nice,” Carly said.
“We’re hoping it works out,” Jett said. “We tried it before, but she’s always been asked to cover at the last minute, and she told her boss it isn’t happening this year even if there is no one else available. She deserves to be able to spend one Christmas with her family uninterrupted. When she was single it was different she could see covering for those with family obligations, but not anymore. Fair is fair.”
“Good for her. She needs to set that standard now so when you have your own little one it won’t be an issue,” Jules said.
“She won’t be flying when we start our family,” Jett said. “That wasn’t my decision, but hers. I was shocked when she told me that and I made it clear I would never ask her to give her job up just to have a family, but she said she made that decision a long time ago, when she first became an air marshal.”
“I’m sure she had her reasons then,” Carly said.
“Speaking of which…is that something you’ve been talking about?” Jules asked.
“Honey,” Loverboy said. “That’s none of our business.”
“I know,” Jules said, “but Pepper never talks about it.”
Jett chuckled. “We haven’t decided yet, but we’ve been getting pressure from both sides of our families. I can tell you that much. My parents would love a grandchild and if my twin sisters aren’t going to provide them with one they think I should.”
“I hear that so many times from adults who tell me their parents feel it’s their duty to produce grandchildren for them,” Jules said.
“You won’t hear that from me,” Carly said.
“In your case, which is sad,” Jules continued, “because I know your if things had turned out differently your mom would love nothing more than going baby shopping with you as your due date gets closer.”
“I know.” Carly looked at her with unshed tears. “But my failed married to Justin Porter ruined things and both him and daddy going to prison nailed that door shut.”
