Page 13 of Rose
Willow Miani Rose-Davis — Beautiful Daughter. A Rose.
Ahzii didn’t want a funeral for either of them. She wasn’t in any shape to plan or attend one, and truthfully, there wasn’t much point. William’s parents had passed years ago, and besides a brother who kept his distance, he didn’t have much family left.
Her throat tightened until she could barely breathe.
Traci and Kyre had done everything right. The headstones were perfect. Gentle, loving, beautiful... just like them.
And yet nothing about this felt right.
There shouldn’tbetombstones. There should be giggles and laughter. Baby footsteps and bedtime stories. William’s arms wrapped around them both. But instead—just stone.
The tears finally fell. She hadn’t cried in a year. The last time was when she held Willow’s lifeless body in her arms. Cold. Silent. Still.
Since then, nothing.
Until now.
Kyre turned away, wiping her own tears quickly before pulling Ahzii into a hug, squeezing her like she was trying to hold her together.
“I’ll be close if you need me,” Kyre whispered, her voice soft, breaking around the edges.
Ahzii held her tight, words caught in her throat.
“Thank you, Ky... for this. For everything,” she finally whispered, her voice cracking, barely holding itself together.
Kyre kissed the side of her head softly. “No need to thank me, sis. I know they’re ready to hear from you. I’ll give you some space.”
When Kyre stepped away, giving her distance but never leaving her sight, Ahzii let herself fall to the grass between them.
Right between her husband and her daughter. And for a long moment, there were no words.
Just sobs.
A year’s worth of pain, grief, and love breaking free from where she’d buried it deep inside. She cried until her chest hurt, until her throat burned, until her body shook from the weight of it all.
And as she sat there between them, her mind drifted back to one of the happiest days of her life— the day she found out she was pregnant, and how she surprised William with the news that changed everything.
“Argh...”
Ahzii gagged, gripping the edge of the sink before her stomach emptied itself for what felt like the tenth time today. Lunch with Kyre was long gone.
She wiped her mouth, chest heaving as she tried to steady herself.
Her body ached, her breast tender and sore, and anything she ate refused to stay down. It figured—on one of her busiest days, when the shop was packed from the surprise tattoo and piercing sale she threw together, this was how her body repaid her.
The Escape Room was buzzing. People laughed, machines hummed, needles buzzed against skin. The city showed up and showed out.
And she could barely stand.
Perfect timing, she thought bitterly.
Especially with her and William’s baecation to Thailand tomorrow. This sickness was screwing everything up.
A knock tapped against the bathroom door.
“Zii, you good?”
A’Mazi’s voice came through, thick with concern.
