Chapter 5 - The Roses in the Sun
Two days later, the private jet carrying Ethan and Lily touched down on the tarmac in Denver under a brilliant, cloudless autumn sky.
The flight was quiet. Lily had fallen asleep halfway through the journey, her small head resting comfortably against Ethan’s shoulder, her gray bunny clutched tightly in her arms. Ethan hadn't opened a single corporate spreadsheet during the entire flight. Instead, he spent two hours helping Lily draw pictures of horses and castles on the back of regional audit reports.
When the jet doors opened, the crisp Colorado air rushed in, carrying the scent of pine and approaching snow.
Ethan carried Lily down the metal steps and into a waiting private car that took them straight to Crown Hill Cemetery.
The cemetery was quiet, bathed in the soft, golden light of late afternoon. The leaves on the oak trees had turned brilliant shades of amber and crimson, fluttering down like fallen confetti onto the manicured grass.
Ethan walked down the winding stone path, holding Lily’s small, warm hand in his. She was wide awake now, looking around at the trees with wide, curious eyes.
They stopped in front of a smooth black granite headstone.
Sarah Vance. Beloved Wife, Mother, and Light. 2014 – 2023.
Ethan knelt down, placing Lily gently on her feet beside him.
From his canvas backpack, he pulled out the crystal vase he had carried all the way from Chicago. The red roses—trimmed, watered, and protected through two flights and a corporate war—glowed brilliantly against the gray stone.
Lily walked forward, carefully placing her small hand on the cool granite.
"Hi, Mommy," Lily said softly, her voice carrying sweet and clear in the quiet afternoon air. "We brought you flowers. Daddy carried them all the way on the big airplane. And I learned how to tie my shoes all by myself."
Ethan swallowed hard, a thick lump forming in his throat. He knelt beside his daughter, wrapping his arm around her small waist, pulling her close against his side.
He looked at the roses. The bent stem was still there, a little scarred, a little bruised, but holding its head high in the autumn sun.
"We're okay, Sarah," Ethan whispered, his voice trembling slightly with emotion, but filled with an overwhelming, absolute peace. "We're going to be just fine."
May you like
Lily leaned her head against his shoulder, her small hand reaching up to touch his face, right where his wedding ring used to hang on a chain.
Ethan closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the mountain air, and for the first time in three years, he smiled.
