As we came closer I could hear her begin to speak and I motioned for the others to stop.

“Oh my god I still remember how beautiful you both were. I won’t ever forget that you know. But she needs my help and my love, my whole heart or it won’t work. I will love you both till the end of my life when I meet you again, but I have to move on. If you can hear me at all I hope that you understand all I have said today and know that no matter how much I love the people who are alive and with me and those yet to join us. I will never stop loving you or love you any less. I just think that I have healed enough to no longer fear letting more love into my heart and realise it will not replace but add to that which I feel for you.”

I let her finish before moving to her side and helping her to her feet.

———–Andy———

I felt her strong hands on my arms as she helped me up and pulled me in for a hug. For the first time we had repaired ourselves enough to visit our daughters together.

She released me before speaking.

“We all bought something.”

I thought my heart would explode as each of them, my new and amazing family, stepped forward and placed a flower on each of the graves. A different kind from each with an explanation as to why those flowers were their favourite as they placed them down to join the white roses always left by Andy.

We stood there briefly before making our way back to Peggy’s a new sense of peace about what was to come filled my soul. I had the courage for the first time that day to dare and believe that I was walking towards a happy future.

———–Angie——–

I had not seen any one of the four adults in the room with me this relaxed for some time. My parents had been stressed because of my pregnancy and subsequent abortion, they had been a bit tentative round me since but tonight we were back to just being and it felt good. Andy and Rachel had been so busy with the Holly situation and getting the L.A. agency ready to go that I don’t think I had seen them sit still for the whole month since Peggy found out about the hospitalisation Holly had undergone for concussion.