I let my nanny’s words sink in, and smiled when I understood she was echoing what Kale had said to me earlier. They were right. I was strong.
I. Was. Strong.
Without speaking, I looked to my aunt and uncle’s grave but looked back to my nanny when she touched my arm and said, “Your father is coming to pick me up. We’ll wait out in the car park for you. You take as much time as you need with your uncle. I imagine you have a few things to say to the sneaky fecker.”
I chuckled as I watched my nanny walk away, before I returned my attention to the earth before me. “You knew this would pan out the way it did, didn’t you, Uncle Harry?” I saw my uncle’s smiling face in my mind, and it caused me to chuckle. “I owe everything to you,” I said with a firm nod. “You changed my entire life, and I will forever be grateful to you.”
My lower lip trembled then. “I won’t lie; I’m hurt and angry with you for not telling me about your heart condition.” I swiped away a stray tear as it fell from my eye. “I would have come home sooner. I would have helped you. I would have been here for you.”
I sniffled. “I know that you had your reasons, and while I may not know them all or even understand them, I’m confident you felt it wasn’t the time for me to come back here yet. You were always the wise one in the family, and with you gone we’re all bound to make some pretty risky decisions, but I hope you’ll stay with us and help guide us in the right direction whenever we need a little nudge.”
I felt a cool breeze wrap around me, and it almost took my breath away.
“You’re definitely one of the loves of my life, and I’ll forever miss you.” I smiled, saddened. “Wait for me up there, okay? Your face is the first I want to see when it’s my time.”
I felt at peace with my uncle at that moment, and it was one of the best feelings I had ever experienced. When I turned and walked away from my uncle’s grave, I had a smile on my face. I loved and missed him more than I could handle, and while I would forever wish to hold him just one more time, I knew that I’d get the
chance to do it again one day.
I glanced over my shoulder as I walked away, and what I saw couldn’t logically be explained. Maybe it was my mind or heart playing tricks on me. I saw my uncle sitting on top of his gravestone, with his arms around the waist of my Aunt Teresa and her head thrown back against his shoulder as she laughed with glee. Behind my uncle, I saw Lavender, who was dancing around in the grass and flowers with a small child in her arms, a child that looked exactly like Kaden. He was laughing with delight as he was spun round and round.
I stopped and stared for a second, and when my uncle locked his eyes on mine, he winked, and it sent shivers up my spine. They faded away then, my Aunt Teresa, Kaden and then Lavender. My uncle hung around a little longer, as if to see me off safely, and it made me smile. I decided then that I didn’t want to see him fade away, because I knew he’d never be truly gone; I’d carry him around in my heart forever.
I smiled at him once more, then turned around and began to walk away, each step making me feel lighter than the last. Making me feel complete.
“I’ll see you later, Uncle Harry.”
THE END