“I didn’t forget.”Toby’s voice was gruff and nearly cracked as he spoke.“I don’t have many memories of her, but I do remember the turtle.She always had it whenever I saw her.”
“She loved Shelly.Went everywhere with her.She was buried with it,” Justin said.
Paxon was up next with what he called a memorial garden stone.It was a flat stone, all black with a huge tree carved into it, painted white.At the bottom was a sweet poem, and the edges were engraved with his family members’ names.
Justin traced their names with his thumb and stared at it for a while.He cleared his throat and gave Paxon a jerky nod.I wasn’t sure how much longer Justin was going to last.His body was stiff, and he seemed absolutely overwhelmed, but in a way that was good.
Seth took Paxon’s spot and carefully handed over his gift.It was a carefully crafted picture frame made out of wood, with his family’s names etched into the edges.The frame was empty, but held so many possibilities.He’d be able to put whatever photo he wanted in there.
“Is this my mom’s handwriting?”Justin whispered.
“Yeah, I found a note she had written to my dad and he let me use it as the font for their names.”Seth’s lip twitched in amusement as he jokingly said, “Apparently, people used to handwrite notes to each other.”
“Thank you.”
“I wish I could give you more.”
Justin traced the etched letters.“This is more than enough.”
The two of them hugged each other, fighting their emotions.Seth cleared his throat as he stepped back.It was my turn now.
I nervously knelt in front of Justin and held out the small box.With shaking hands, he grabbed it and slowly opened it.When he popped open the box, he took in a breath and pulled out the necklace.They were actually dog tags.Three of them.The front had an etched version of the same individual photos we used for the altar and then on the back were their names.Justin slowly flipped through them, running his thumb over the etched images.It wasn’t a photo—more of an outline of their features—but clear enough for him to know who it was.
I cleared my throat, feeling like I was choking on emotions.“I may not have known your family, but from what I’ve seen and heard, I know that your mom and Ariel loved you unconditionally.I’m sad I don’t have the pleasure of meeting them, but I’m glad they were in your life, no matter how brief.You are who you are because of the influence they had on your life.It’s clear to me that they showered you with so much love that you drowned in it.I’m sorry that they left your life too quickly.”
Justin leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his breath shallow as he fought to keep his emotions in check.When he finally opened his eyes, I stared into the storm within them.
When he pulled away, I climbed to my feet and stepped back.
Aunt Laura took my spot, holding out the bag I’d prepared for her.His final present.Justin slowly took it, at this point clearly having no idea what to expect.I had wrapped it in thin gift paper so he had to rustle through it.Once he pulled out what it was, he froze, eyes widening.And then he completely pulled out the blanket his mother used to use.
Justin made a choking sound and then his face was buried in the blanket.Aunt Laura rubbed his back slowly, whispering comfort to him as his whole body shook and he cried.Hard.The sound was muffled by the blanket, but it still felt like a punch to my gut.I wish I could take all that pain away from him and chuck it a million miles away so he’d never have to be near it again.
I also knew he needed this.More than anything else in the world, this was exactly what he needed.So we settled around him and let him release all those emotions that had been brewing for the last twelve years.All of it.
“I need to step outside,” Justin said, slowly getting to his feet.
“All right.”George squeezed his shoulder.“If you need us, we’re here.”
Justin gave him a jerky nod before slipping by everyone and heading to the front door.He slipped out with no one else the wiser.
“I’ll go—”
George interrupted Paxon.“Give him some space.I can’t imagine how overwhelming all this is for him.”
Paxon’s shoulders slumped.
“We’ll give him a few minutes and then take a peek in on him,” Seth said, wrapping his arm around Paxon and leading him toward the living room.George and Aunt Laura followed, whispering to each other.
“I need the bathroom,” Bryan mumbled before heading upstairs.
“Ten bucks, he’s going to hide up there for the rest of the party,” Toby said.
I held back a snort.“I know a losing bet when I see one.He’ll probably go to my studio.It’s quieter there.”
Toby grunted his agreement and wrapped me into a hug.I bit back a grimace, finally noticing how the dull ache in my back was now pulsing with pain going down my spine.I had been pushing it back all day as I put the party together, but now it was demanding attention.
Toby of course noticed as he pulled back and frowned.“Do you need your medication?”
