Page 31 of The River in Spring
I follow her along the shore to where she had been camped that day we met. Right where the water deepens, and the trout have found their home.
“Here. I want to say something first.”
Facing the river, she speaks through her tears. As she begins, a hawk glides over the scene.
“Today you begin your final earthly adventure together, Grandma and Grandpa. You have to go on ahead of me. That’s all this is, nothing more. I know we will be together again. Thank you for my beautiful life. You created a happy home and a happy child. You taught me how to care. How to have faith in a Creator and in myself. Thank you for every sacrifice you made. There was big love between us three, and you made sure I knew to always look for it in life and not to settle for less than the real thing. How effortless you made it all seem. You are my heart.”
Tears fall freely now, and she wipes them on her shoulders. I allow mine to fall.
“So, I scatter your ashes at the edge of the Yellowstone, under the big Montana sky. The lapping waters will carry you together toward another shore. A more perfect one. A little bit of you will stay here amidst the stones, so I can come talk with you any time I want.”
Her head hangs and her voice breaks. “I can’t let you go completely. I will love you forever and promise to carry your legacy, your love, and your light as long as I live. Until I see you in heaven, you’ll be my sunshine.”
Dove hands the silver urn to me and takes the gold one in her hands. She unscrews the lid and holds it to her breast for just a few seconds. Then she tilts the jar close to the shore and gently pours the ashes. When that one is empty, I hand her the second. She does the same, mingling the remains one atop the other. A fine mist of ashes picked up by the gentle breeze lifts and floats into the air.
“See,” Dove says, watching the dispersing cloud. “Godspeed.”
And then she begins to sing “Calling All Angels”. The beautiful voice, breaking with emotion, rises. It follows the now faint cloud. Her love sent as companion to the untethered spirits.
She takes my hand, and we walk. The trip back is taken in silence. Just two people walking each other home. I kind of think being able to be quiet with someone is a greater indicator of a connection than being able to converse.
Walking into the clearing from the trees, my cell sounds. Van.
“What’s up?”
“We’re here to meet the girl.”
Ahead I see Aargons’ truck parked on the side of the house. Two figures sit on the tailgate. I’m surprised it took this long. They have no idea what we were doing at the river, so I can’t fault the timing.
I look at Dove and cover the speaker. “My brothers are here. Should I get rid of them?”
She looks at me like I’m crazy. If I’m not mistaken, she’s actually happy about the news.
“No! I want to meet them. Do I look all right? Is my nose red?”
“You’re good. If you’re up for it my parents invited us to dinner tonight. But I understand if it’s not the right time. I wasn’t even going to tell you.”
She leans over, grabs me by the face, kissing me a good one. “It’s exactly the right time.”
I hang up on Van, knowing he and Aargon see us approaching.
She sprints ahead without me. It passes through my mind how different our personalities are. Dove moves toward the unknown. I, on the other hand, stay firmly planted in the familiar. Immediately my brain begins to absorb the news.
Aargon and Van will love her. Okay this is good. I want her to meet the family. And before Scarlett’s wedding next month. This is as good a day as any. I can’t keep the girl to myself forever. Can I?
By the time I make it to the house the three of them are laughing.
“Gasses? Your mother named you after gasses? I’m sorry, that’s brilliant and twisted all in one!”
“Aargon, and Nobel are, I’m a metal, I think. When your mom is a chemist, anything can happen,” Van says.
“We like our names. She made us think it was a cool secret to know. It’s our sister Helium who got the short end of the stick,” Aargon says with a straight face.
For a few beats Dove isn’t sure she just heard right. Then she gets the joke and bursts out laughing.
“She’s heard me talk about Scarlett,” I add.
“Hey brother. Why have you been keeping this woman to yourself? She could hang with us. Keep up with the Lyon family circus.”
