What a beautiful tribute the service had been to Emille Hamilton’s life. The internment however; a terrible reminder to many that life was too short, fragile - snatched too soon with no say as to when our time came.

Taylor and Laura had stood tall for their father, often catching him when he faltered. The epitome of love stood huddled together not more than five feet away from me and Lucca as Emille was finally laid to rest.

The sun had shone, a brief glimmer through the grey, drab day as one last graveside hymn was sung among teary eyed mourners, and one last rose was dropped atop the wooden casket. One by one, condolences were offered, then people shuffled away, leaving the five of us grasping the uncertainty of life.

I felt a chilled hand in mine and I squeezed tighter as I turned into the body at my side, wrapping Taylor in a one-armed hug that may have been a little too tight for her, but not the occasion. I nosed her hair, desperate for the smell of her to fill my lungs, while she clutched at me like I was her life line. Selfish or not, I didn’t care, it felt good. I didn’t want to let her go.

As she buried her face into my chest, a hiccupped sob escaped, and it wasn’t long before Taylor’s body swayed further into mine. She was asking me without words for some strength, of which I’d gladly give her.

This is what we did for the ones we loved.

For a few seconds it was only Taylor and I, all else fell away. I held my woman, absorbing her grief until emotions settled and she felt able enough to gather herself. I’d loved to have been able to whisk her away and have her to myself, but the day was far from over. Standing graveside sobbing was never a good way to spend any day and there was still the wake to attend.

“Thank you for coming, son.”

Phil’s shaky and frail looking hand rested on my arm as he came up to stand at my other side. The word ‘son’ wasn’t lost on me. I’d often wondered how different my life would’ve been had I had a father like the man Phil was. To be a part of Taylor’s family would be an honour and I was itching to make it so. To make his daughter happy.

Taylor untangled herself from me allowing me to give my concentration to Phil. I did so without hesitation. “I’m so sorry about Emille.”

What more could be said? The man’s wife had died and I’m sure he was sick of hearing the same thing over and over. Phil grimaced when I pulled him into a hug, one which he held on tight to. I felt his loss in the way he gripped my jacket and stuttered out a barely legible ‘thank you.’

Taylor then took hands. Her father’s in one, mine in the other and guided us towards the ominous hearse with the blacked-out windows waiting at the side of the cemetery road. The first to arrive - the last to leave.

With a kiss and a hug, Lucca and I left the girls with their father and trudged to Lucca’s car that was parked outside the gates, not wanting to intrude on the funeral procession. When I looked up, grey clouds pressed in. No more sunshine. As if somehow even the sky knew Emille’s light had been snuffed far too soon and her life would be a great and sad loss to many.

* * *

Loud chatter filled my ears as I crossed the threshold of the large dining room in Phil’s house. Black adorned bodies milled around, dainty plates and china tea cups clutched in women’s hands, amber filled tumblers in the men’s.

When I spied Taylor across the room, she had removed her heavy coat and was standing talking to a woman that bore a striking resemblance to her mother. It was only then I noticed what I hadn’t before. The small bump around her belly. No mistaking she was pregnant. The urge to go to her, surround her, protect her, ate at me. My son or daughter was growing inside a woman who seemed almost out of reach.

Taylor’s fatigued persona couldn’t hide the subtle glow I now saw with clarity, she looked far better than when I’d seen her in the pub, despite puffy red eyes and slouched shoulders. She knew she had to take care of herself despite the awful distractions in her life. At least it seemed she was attempting to.

“She’s beautiful. It suits her.”

I twirled on my feet and came face to face with Phil, a smile tugging at his lips. He loved Taylor fiercely, I knew he did and I could only hope he would let me love her too. “She is.” I agreed. Taylor had never been anything but beautiful to me even when our disagreements turned ugly. Even when I’d professed to hate her for leaving with no trace all those years.

“She has so much more of her mother in her than Laura, it’s almost scary.”

“You raised two gorgeous women, Phil.”

“That I did.” Pride crossed his face as he stood taller, still watching his daughter. He leaned in closer, as if to impart a secret. “I’m only sorry my wife was taken too soon to see our Taylor flourish.” I tipped my head at him in acknowledgement of his words. “That will be the hardest for her, son. Her mother won’t be around to see the grandbaby and watch her grow. You need to help her with it, remind her of the good times and not let her wallow in the fact her mother is gone.”

I hadn’t even entertained the thought of Emille not getting to meet her first grandchild, the truth leaving me blue. “I will. I promise you. I don’t intend to spend another day without her.”

Phil stared at me with watery eyes. “No. I don’t expect you do. Life is too fickle, son. Give them a good one.”

Leaving me, Phil wandered off to work the room. I noticed how at ease he was, how he imparted strength to others even though his loss was greater. I could see where his girls got their integrity, how he’d handed down his better traits, so his daughters could shoulder any burden life threw their way. And they had. Taylor and Laura were just a little broken, a lot scarred, but both had an intensity for life. Their trials and tribulations had not kept them down. Perhaps now was the time to put all else to bed, start over and show them they didn’t need to live with one foot out the door all the time.

Lucca was half way there with Laura, who’d bore the brunt of their tragic past. I was determined to be the same with Taylor. My love deserved an eternity and more of the best life had to offer. It was my job to make that happen.