did find a
box of letters from your daddy.”
“ You did?”
“ I did, and I found a letter
he wrote for you.”
“ Will you read it to
me?”
“ I would, but daddy wants
you to wait until you’re older to read it.”
“ I have to put it with my
other letters from daddy.”
“ I already
did.”
“ Other letters?” I
ask.
“ Once the letters started
coming in from Max, Max would write me and he would also write to
James. Some of James’ letters he wanted opened up on milestone
dates, such as his birthday or holidays.”
“ Momma and I call them
‘letters from heaven,’ huh, Momma?”
“ We sure do,
James.”
Later that night, Emma gets a blanket and we
lie in the backyard star gazing. Emma points out to James some of
the star constellations. James points out a group of stars that
looks like a doggie and we all laugh. I see a shooting star and
tell James to make a wish. I explain shooting stars are supposed to
bring good luck. He closes his eyes tightly and opens them when he
is done.
James points out the brightest star in the
sky and says he thinks that’s his daddy watching down on us. I
swear I get goose bumps because I believe our loved ones who have
passed before us, can and do look after us.
Emma smiles, “James, I think you are right.
Daddy is an angel and he is probably the brightest star in the
sky.”
The next day we get up early and go to Disney
World wearing our matching Mickey Mouse shirts. James wanted
everyone to wear matching shirts. We have a great time and ride
every ride James can and wants to ride. Emma splurges and makes
sure this is a day James will remember. She laughs and is
carefree.
Just before dark we wait near the fence for
the fireworks to begin.
“ Momma, did you see that
great big firework?”
“ I did, it was
beautiful.”
“ Daddy would like
this.”
“ Yes, James, I think he
would, too. He told me to bring you here in one of his letters he
wrote.”
“ Daddy loves me, huh,
momma?”
“ He sure does, forever and
always.”
After the fireworks we take turns carrying a
sleeping James to the ferry boat and then to the car. Once we are
in the car, Emma looks over and smiles. “That was fun.”
“ It sure
was.”
She looks up at the sky and mouths, “Thank
you,” before pulling out into traffic.
Once we are on the highway heading home, I
look over at Emma and ask, “Do you like living in
Florida?”
“ I do. I love it here,
why?”
“ Just asking. What do you
like about it?”
“ Well, for one, my family is
here. The weather is beautiful year round, and we always have
something to do. James is surrounded by people who love
him.”
“ What about
friends?”
“ Well, since Max’s death,
our friends have been scarce.”
“ Really?”
“ I’m afraid so, I think
people feel bad and aren’t quite sure what to say to us and it’s
hard to make friends as an adult.”
Once we are home, I go outside and call
Brice. I talk to him and check on my boys several times a day.
Tonight, I feel the need to talk to him.
“ Brooke, is everything all
right?”
“ It’s fine. I just wanted to
talk to you.”
“ We miss
you.”
“ Me, too, how are the
boys?”
“ Good, they’re at grandma’s
because I have work in the morning. How’s your
visit?”
“ Good, Emma finally bought a
house. It’s perfect for her and James. Max told her to take James
to Disney World to see the fireworks, so we did that today. We
actually just got home.”
“ Wait? What? Max told
her?”
“ It’s the oddest thing. We
were going through some of Max’s things and there was a box of
unopened letters from Max. She opened some of them and one was
almost like a bucket list of 11 or 12 things he wanted to do with
her. Max even wrote James letters with instructions of when he is
supposed to open them.”
“ That son of a
gun.”
“ What?”
“ When we were in
box of letters from your daddy.”
“ You did?”
“ I did, and I found a letter
he wrote for you.”
“ Will you read it to
me?”
“ I would, but daddy wants
you to wait until you’re older to read it.”
“ I have to put it with my
other letters from daddy.”
“ I already
did.”
“ Other letters?” I
ask.
“ Once the letters started
coming in from Max, Max would write me and he would also write to
James. Some of James’ letters he wanted opened up on milestone
dates, such as his birthday or holidays.”
“ Momma and I call them
‘letters from heaven,’ huh, Momma?”
“ We sure do,
James.”
Later that night, Emma gets a blanket and we
lie in the backyard star gazing. Emma points out to James some of
the star constellations. James points out a group of stars that
looks like a doggie and we all laugh. I see a shooting star and
tell James to make a wish. I explain shooting stars are supposed to
bring good luck. He closes his eyes tightly and opens them when he
is done.
James points out the brightest star in the
sky and says he thinks that’s his daddy watching down on us. I
swear I get goose bumps because I believe our loved ones who have
passed before us, can and do look after us.
Emma smiles, “James, I think you are right.
Daddy is an angel and he is probably the brightest star in the
sky.”
The next day we get up early and go to Disney
World wearing our matching Mickey Mouse shirts. James wanted
everyone to wear matching shirts. We have a great time and ride
every ride James can and wants to ride. Emma splurges and makes
sure this is a day James will remember. She laughs and is
carefree.
Just before dark we wait near the fence for
the fireworks to begin.
“ Momma, did you see that
great big firework?”
“ I did, it was
beautiful.”
“ Daddy would like
this.”
“ Yes, James, I think he
would, too. He told me to bring you here in one of his letters he
wrote.”
“ Daddy loves me, huh,
momma?”
“ He sure does, forever and
always.”
After the fireworks we take turns carrying a
sleeping James to the ferry boat and then to the car. Once we are
in the car, Emma looks over and smiles. “That was fun.”
“ It sure
was.”
She looks up at the sky and mouths, “Thank
you,” before pulling out into traffic.
Once we are on the highway heading home, I
look over at Emma and ask, “Do you like living in
Florida?”
“ I do. I love it here,
why?”
“ Just asking. What do you
like about it?”
“ Well, for one, my family is
here. The weather is beautiful year round, and we always have
something to do. James is surrounded by people who love
him.”
“ What about
friends?”
“ Well, since Max’s death,
our friends have been scarce.”
“ Really?”
“ I’m afraid so, I think
people feel bad and aren’t quite sure what to say to us and it’s
hard to make friends as an adult.”
Once we are home, I go outside and call
Brice. I talk to him and check on my boys several times a day.
Tonight, I feel the need to talk to him.
“ Brooke, is everything all
right?”
“ It’s fine. I just wanted to
talk to you.”
“ We miss
you.”
“ Me, too, how are the
boys?”
“ Good, they’re at grandma’s
because I have work in the morning. How’s your
visit?”
“ Good, Emma finally bought a
house. It’s perfect for her and James. Max told her to take James
to Disney World to see the fireworks, so we did that today. We
actually just got home.”
“ Wait? What? Max told
her?”
“ It’s the oddest thing. We
were going through some of Max’s things and there was a box of
unopened letters from Max. She opened some of them and one was
almost like a bucket list of 11 or 12 things he wanted to do with
her. Max even wrote James letters with instructions of when he is
supposed to open them.”
“ That son of a
gun.”
“ What?”
“ When we were in
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