The red head sat on the bench, her brothers head laying on her lap as they waiting patiently for their dad.
"Was she pretty?" The young boy asked, his voice quiet.
"So very, want to see a picture?" He nodded, sitting up. She pulled her phone, ignoring the texts from Tommy and found a picture of after Max was born, they were on a family picnic and her dad had snapped a photo of the three. Their mom had light brown hair that glowed in the sun, she was wearing a pink sundress and held an infant Max as 13 year old Rose was grinning at her mom and brother.
"You have her eyes." He smiled at the picture and glanced up, seeing their dad waving for him to go. He hopped off the bench and ran to his dad, grabbing his hand and facing the gravestone. The young boy sat on the grass as his dad took a step back. Rose's phone began buzzing for the 10th time today. Tommy again. She hasn't told him still, she knew she had to let him know she was okay at least.
Rose:)
I'm ok tommy
I'll explain tonight, I promise
Tommy!!
Ok, I'm just worried about you
You sure you're ok?
Rosie:)
Yeah, I'm ok
She glanced up to see her dad and brother coming towards her. She stood up, walking to them and meeting them half way.
"We'll meet you in the car?" She nodded, giving her dad a soft smile and ruffling the little boy's hair. Taking a deep breath she approached her moms gravestone.
"Hey mom." She lowered herself to the ground, not really caring that she was getting her pants dirty. "I know I say it a lot, but I really miss you." The girl didn't understand why, but this was always one of the places she felt her mom the most. "Schools good, I'm gonna try and be a nurse, for you- I don't think I've told you yet, but you already know, Tommy is always saying you're telling all your other angel friends how proud you are of me." She smiled, a single tear ran down her face as she swiped it away. "Oh yeah, Tommy, you'd love him I think. He's really funny, and kind, he's super caring and talented too mom. He loves Max and dad, and he's- he's a good guy.
"Sometimes I think I'm not helping raise Max as well as you would, but Tommy always tells me that no one can raise him better than you, and then he reminds me that I'm doing the best I can. I need to be reminded a lot." She chuckled sadly, "I'm trying so hard for you momma, but I miss you." She talked to her mom for a few more minutes before saying goodbye and heading to the car.
The rest of the day was spent going to her moms favorite places in town, they started at her favorite coffee shop where Rose got her moms drink, a cold brew with lavender and honey. Max just got a hot chocolate and her dad got a black coffee with cream and sugar. They walked around a bit, her dad telling stories about their mom, before they got lunch at a deli where the two met. Rose shared an Italian sandwich with Max, the sandwich their mom had gotten, while their dad got a meatball sub, the sandwich he had gotten. After, they went to the penny arcade, their parent's first date. They ate the crappy pizza that their mom insisted was a delicacy from the greasy shop down the street for dinner before heading to the ice cream shop where her parents had told Rose she would have a sibling.
Max knocked out as Rose and her dad were chatting happily, his brown curls resting on Rose's shoulder. She carried him to the car for the hour drive home, listening to her mom's favorite songs softly.
"I'm going to call Tommy and then go to sleep." The girl told her dad after putting Max in his bed for the night.
"Okay," he smiled, "I love you."
"Love you too dad."
She lay on her bed, pondering how much, if anything, she told Tommy. She knew he cared, and wanted to be there for her, but she still felt she should hold herself back. She dialed his number and he answered immediately, his concerned face filling her screen.
"Hi." She mumbled
"Hey." He waited patiently for her to talk.
"Uhm, today-" she sighed, deciding to let it all out, "it's my moms- she died 3 years ago today."
Tommy frown, "I'm sorry- if I had known I wouldn't have-"
"It's okay Tommy, you didn't know and- I wanted to tell you. I don't really know why," she lightly chuckled, "but uhm, every year we go to- to her grave and I was talking to her I told her about-" she paused and looked at his face, he was watching her carefully, his eyebrows furrowed in concern, "stuff. But then we go to some places she loved and listen to her favorite music. It's good." She sighs, watching his face for something, waiting for him to say something. "But I missed you today." She says almost silently.
He smiles softly, "I missed you too." She smiles back, "tell me about her." He insists as he lays back on his bed. He wasn't tired, he could stay up for days if it meant talking to her. Her face glows as she starts,
"Well she was really smart...