It was Saturday morning. The day both Evan and Mitchell were looking forward to and dreading at the same time because today was the day they were going through their parents’ wing of the house.

Breakfast was mostly quiet. Apparently, no one knew what to say or how to act. Finally, Ginger held Evan’s hand. “It may not be my place to say anything, but I just can’t help feeling we’re looking at this the wrong way.”

All eyes turned to Ginger for an explanation. “What do you mean, darlin’?” Evan asked. “We’re going through our parents’ things and throwing them out. How can we look at this any other way?”

“I haven’t lost my parents, but I hope that when I do, I can look at their things and remember parts of our lives together—good and bad. Let’s make this a celebration of their life. Look at the things, and if you see something they wore or had that brings back a memory, share it. I want to hear stories about who they were, and I want to hear about your childhood,” Ginger said with a smile. She looked like a girl on the brink of finding out a closely guarded secret.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Kayla added. “Do y’all still have the music they listened to? Maybe we could put on some of that and make this all about your folks.”

Evan and Mitchell looked at each other with furrowed eyebrows and thin lips that said they didn’t want to go through the pain of losing them all over again. Mitchell rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Babe, you’re not losing them again. We’re bringing them back into our lives.” Kayla placed her hand over Mitchell’s heart. “We’re keeping them alive in here,” she whispered. “We never talk about your parents. If you never share them, how can they continue to live on?” Kayla’s eyes were shiny by the time she finished speaking.

Mitchell grabbed her and held her close. “Good point.”

Evan took a deep breath. “If we say we’ve had enough, we’re stopping, understand?” He looked between Ginger and Kayla.

“Oh, Evan, I don’t want to push. It’s okay. We don’t have to do this today,” Ginger said, realizing the guys weren’t ready.

“No, it’s time. I just didn’t realize how I’d feel until the time was on me. It’s okay.” He took Ginger’s hand and led her to the one wing of the house she hadn’t been in.

As they walked down the hallway, Ginger noticed all the dust. It would take a lot of cleaning to be able to use this wing. They bypassed the guest bedroom and bath and went straight for the master suite. Just like Evan and Mitchell’s rooms, there was a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom.

When Evan opened the door, he froze. Ginger squeezed his hand and whispered, “Take your time.”

Evan turned his head to look Ginger in the eyes. “Thank you for being here.”

He took a few steps inside, and Mitchell took a deep breath when he reached the doorway. The guys stood there staring at the bed. Ginger looked around the room and focused on the beautiful things in there. Not only the furniture but the artwork as well. Kayla walked over to the dresser and touched a pair of earrings lying on top of the jewelry box.

Mitchell turned. “Mak?”

She looked at Mitchell with tears in her eyes. “I would like to use these as my borrowed,” she said as she picked up the pair of pearl earrings with small diamonds attached. “You gave them to your mother for Christmas after you sold your first flip house. These are special to me because they represent both you and her.” She blinked the tears in her eyes, and they rolled down her cheeks.

Mitchell nodded, and Kayla walked straight into his arms and buried her face in his chest.

Evan and Ginger watched the scene transpire as they held each other. “Do you want to look through her jewelry first?” Evan asked.

Ginger shook her head. “No, I want you to pick out something you want me to use. It doesn’t have to be jewelry.”

Evan furrowed his eyebrows. “How do I do that?”

“You’ll know when you see it. I want it to mean something to you,” Ginger said as she cupped his handsome face.

Evan nodded. When he looked up, he saw their parents’ wedding portrait sitting on the chest of drawers where their dad had kept his personal things. Evan walked to the chest and picked up the picture.

“Mitchell, I want this to be set on the table in the foyer, and darlin’ let’s see if we can find this necklace for you. I think her pearls should be in here somewhere.”

Mitchell and Ginger both nodded. “I’d like that. They’ll match my dress,” Ginger quietly said.

Evan worked his way through his mom’s jewelry box until he found a locked box in the bottom of the standing piece of furniture. He pulled it out. “Mitchell, have you ever seen this?”

Mitchell turned and walked to Evan as he shook his head. “No. Did you find the key?”

“Not yet.” Evan felt all around for the key. “Gin, Kayla, have y’all ran across any keys?”

Ginger was cleaning our Mrs. Riverton’s drawer of delicates when she turned toward Evan. She didn’t realize she was holding a see-through nighty when she turned. “I haven’t seen any.”

“Oh, God. Darlin’, please for the love of God, don’t show me anything in that drawer. That’s a visual no son should have of his mother,” Evan said with a groan.

“Damn, throw that in a garbage bag. We will not be donating any underwear or lingerie,” Mitchell said with a pained expression.

Ginger and Kayla giggled. “Now, we know how to keep a Riverton man’s mind on his woman,” Ginger said.

“Way to go, Mrs. Riverton. Damn, I’m impressed,” Kayla said. The girls’ laughter lightened the atmosphere in the room.

“You sure you don’t want me to keep something for later,” Ginger said as she wiggled her brows.

“Gin, believe me when I tell you this is not how I want you to dress up in our bedroom,” Evan said with a pointed stare at Ginger.

Mitchell looked at Kayla. “Don’t even think about it, Mak.”

“Oh, come on. At least this shows they had a good marriage and lets us know where you two get your libido from,” Kayla said with a smile.

Ginger grabbed Kayla by the arm. “I wonder what else we’re going to find.”

Evan was running his hand underneath of the chest and felt a key taped to the bottom. He pulled it out and showed Mitchell. “Let’s see if it fits.”

Mitchell handed Evan the box. He slid the key in, turned it, and the box popped open. On top set a jewelry box. When he opened it, there sat the pearl necklace.

“Gin, here it is. What do you think?”

“Oh, Evan,” she breathed, “they’re beautiful. I’ll take care of them and give them back immediately after the wedding.” Tears were in her eyes. “Thank you.”

Evan stood and cupped her face with his empty hand before he gently kissed her. “You’re welcome.”

“Anything else in there?” Mitchell asked.

Evan looked and found two books. One had his name on it, and the other had Mitchell’s. Evan sat the box down. “Just these,” he said as he gave Mitchell his.

“What are they?” Mitchell asked.

“I don’t know,” Evan said as he opened his.

“Mine looks like some kind of journal she was writing to me,” Mitchell said.

“Mine too. There’s a passage in here about a conversation we had before I left for college.” Evan looked at Ginger. “Darlin’, does this look familiar to you?”

Ginger looked at what Evan was showing her. As her hand covered her mouth, tears stung her eyes again. “My letter you wrote me when you gave me my ring. Y’all really had that conversation,” she said with a smile even though tears rolled down her face.

“Yeah, Gin, we r