Dinner was called, and Margo ended up sitting next to him and Molly.Grayson was still talking and missed his chance to sit next to his mate.Oh well, Grayson could make friends anywhere, and with this family, he was always able to hold his own in a conversation.Before they were set to eat, Denver called them all to order by gently hitting his fork next to his glass.He cleared his throat and was told to get on with it; they were hungry.Everyone laughed.
“It’s been nearly fifteen years since we moved here fresh out of our home state.I wanted to say that it’s been wonderful being here with all of you and how much I appreciate all the time you’ve given to the foundation.”There was applause, and someone said it was all because of him.“I would like to take credit for that, but we all know that it wouldn’t have been possible without the two people that we’ve lost.Grannie and Grandda.If they had not been on board and as supportive as they had been, none of us would be here today.”Another round of applause, and Denver started to sit down, but stood up again.“I almost forgot something.The next foundation is going to be called the LouCinda and Hudson Charitable Foundation.After the two greatest people I’ve ever known.”
People patted him on the back when he sat down the second time, and he wanted to hug his brother for what was going to be done for their grandparents.As soon as dinner was being set on the table, he got up and hugged his brother tightly.Crying a little, the two of them held onto each other like they hadn’t seen each other in a while.When it had only been an hour since they were talking about the meal.
Kayce did end up bandaging a couple of knees and one cheek.The kids were roughhousing but having fun as kids did.Once he told them that they were going to live to fight another day, he sat back down but kept his bag close.He knew that his brother Ethan had his around as well—just in case.
When dinner was over, and the kids were playing in the large pool, he continued to sit with Margo and enjoyed himself.They had been close all their lives, and she was the one who had bandaged his knees when Grannie hadn’t been around to do it.
Just as he was thinking it was time to get his own kids home and into bed, he thought that he saw ghostly figures.No one else seemed to see the two of them, but he knew it was his grandparents.Then he saw that Shawn was looking in the same direction.She turned and looked around and spotted him looking at them too.Raising her glass up, she tilted it in his direction, and he felt his heart expand with love.They were there, and he had to wonder if they had been to every meeting of the family when they got together and saw no reason to believe that they’d not be there.Wanting to go to them and touch them somehow, he watched as they faded away.Just as it should have been, they made sure that they were all right before moving on.He would treasure this memory forever and knew that he’d been given a special gift.
“Did you see them?”Instead of answering his brother, he hugged them.“I can’t believe after all this time they showed up to see us.And on a night when we’re all together.”He’d forgotten that Ethan could see ghosts, too, and hugged him again.“I’ve never seen them before at other gatherings.It was special that they were here for this one, and they showed up.I’m so happy I could bust.”
After getting his kids home, he told Molly what he’d been able to see.She cried when he told her they looked just like they did when they’d been alive, and she hugged him tightly.Molly had only gotten to spend a few years with them, but she said that she made every moment count.
Going to bed himself that night, he thought about all the years that he’d been living here.All the things that he’d seen had changed with the years.After holding Molly for a few minutes, he got up and went to each of his children’s rooms and hugged them gently.He was a happy man, and nothing in this world could take that away from him.
