Page 30 of Silver Linings
“She was a great mom.”
“The best,” Lily agreed. She pushed up from his lap, and when he grabbed her hand before she walked away, she smiled and reassured him she would only be gone for a moment. When Lily returned, his mother’s hospice nurse was with her.
The process was slow. So fucking slow that it felt like he was dying with her. Each breath sounded so pained that he just wanted to run from the room. But he owed it to his mother to be there, and to his sister to step up in that moment.
Lily was there, right by his side. She ran her hand up and down his arm, the action so soothing and filled with tender care. For hours they stayed in that room, Lily’s sweet voice telling his mom over and over again that it was okay to go. To be free. To be at peace.
It was afternoon when his mother’s breaths became farther apart. He sat in the chair next to her bed and pulled Lily onto his lap. He held her until his mom let out a breath and didn’t take another. Until a small smile crossed her lips. Until she was finally still. There was just one moment where he felt the air in the room grow restless and warm, like his mom was giving him one last hug before she left. And then that was it. She was gone.
“Gunner…” Lily held his face in her hands, this time brushing away a tear that he didn’t realize he’d cried.
“I know. What do we do now?” he asked, clearing his throat of all the constricting emotions.
“Why don’t you go find Gia and let her know? I have a few phone calls to make.”
Gunner kissed his mother’s forehead one last time. “Goodbye, Mom. I love you.”
Eleven
“Are you feeling alright?” he asked as she wiped another tear from her eye. It had been a busy few days, and her emotions were absolutely all over the place as they stood together greeting people for Juliette’s celebration of life.
If she was being honest, she felt terrible. Her stomach was aching, and she was bone tired. But nothing short of delivering her baby was going to make her leave that event, or miss it entirely. She not only wanted to celebrate the amazing woman Juliette was one last time, she wanted to be there for Gia and Gunner too.
So, she did the best she could. Lily nodded, giving him a little smile as he tucked her into his side.
“If any of this is too much, Lil, you let me know and I’ll get you home.”
“I’m fine, I promise. Besides, this is for your mom. I want to be here.”
He surprised her by leaning his face down to the crown of her head and pressing a kiss into her hair. If his arm hadn’t been around her back, her legs would have given out from the sweetness of the gesture.
“I know she was so proud to have you join our family, Lil. Thank you for giving her that one last, sweet memory.”
“Gunner. You don’t have to thank me. I’m so thankful for everything you’ve already done for us.” Her hand swept over her large belly as the baby rolled. “Knowing she was happy about our arrangement makes my own heart so happy.”
They fell into a companionable silence, standing strong together as people from the community offered their condolences. Lily thought back to all the lives that Juliette had touched in the years she was a schoolteacher. All the friends she had left behind. But most of all, Lily thought about Gunner and Gia having to say goodbye to their only other family member. Her heart ached as she thought about all the milestones her baby would make, never to have a grandparent to share them with.
A laugh broke her out of her thoughts and set her body immediately on edge. She winced as a pain rolled through her back, shifting her weight while she tried to pinpoint exactly where she’d heard the laughter come from.
“Gunner,” Lily grabbed his arm, whether to notify him of what she saw, or as a feeble attempt to ground herself, she didn’t know. “I’m so sorry.”
She looked across the room and felt the moment Gunner realized what she was apologizing for. “It’s my fault he’s here, I’ll take care of it. I’ll get him to leave before he can cause a scene.”
“No. You stay here with Gia. I’ll handle him.” He tucked her behind him as he started to walk towards the entrance.
“Gunner, I’m so sorry for your loss. Jules was truly an exceptional woman—” Lily recognized a teacher from their high school taking Gunner’s attention. She knew she needed to act quickly before James saw her and made a big scene.
Lily moved around Gunner, slipping her hand out of his hold, and made her way through all the people there to mourn Juliette. James stood with a group of men, his eyes locked on her.
“Well, lookie-here, gentlemen. My wife has finally found it fit to come speak to me.”
“James,” she hissed. “I am not your wife.”
“Not yet,” he mumbled.
“Never. Why are you here? Please don’t cause a scene.”
“Cause a scene? Lily, I’m here to pay my respects to a lovely pillar of our community. I remember when Mrs. Brooks caught me kissing Brittany Denton on the playground in fifth grade and she sent me to the principal's office.” Apparently, paying his respects included a stop at the bar, because Lily could smell the alcohol pouring off of him. It flipped her stomach and took every ounce of strength she had not to let him see the discomfort she felt as a cramp tightened across her belly.