And last but not least, I want the two of you to get married. It’s what I’ve always wanted, although it was never an option. We did things our way, the three of us, but now it’s time for the two of you to move forward. Together. I hope you both know that I love you with my whole heart. I am truly blessed to call you both husband. Sure, it might mean that I’ve had to complain about two pairs of socks on the floor or ask twice before someone agrees to take the trash out, but in return I’ve received twice as much love as most women get. I wouldn’t trade our life for the world, and no matter what happens, or when, you should both know that I’ve had the best life anyone could be lucky enough to have.
Love always and forever,
Kylie
Travis read the letter three times. Each time more tears streamed down his face as he heard the lovely cadence of Kylie’s voice in his head.
Beside him, he heard Gage’s breathing change, knew he was also dealing with the overwhelming emotions that came along with reading her words, knowing they would never see her again and that she had prepared for that.
He should’ve expected this. Should’ve known that their wife would think ahead, help them to deal with the worst possible scenario. That was who Kylie was. Thoughtful, generous, selfless, but most importantly, she’d loved them with her whole heart.
When Gage sobbed, Travis lowered the letter and turned, pulling him into his arms. They sat like that for the longest time, holding one another, protecting one another as the emotions won out.
And when his eyes dried, Travis read through the letter one more time, focusing on the things Kylie wished for them to do.
“We can let the kids plant the trees next weekend,” he said aloud, his voice hitching with emotion.
Gage nodded, his hand sliding into Travis’s. “Okay.”
“And the rings…?” Travis wasn’t sure what to think about that.
Gage turned his head. “I’d like to do that part if it’s all right?”
“Sure. I’ll get the stones put into settings for the girls.”
It seemed so simple. Speaking it, at least. Travis wasn’t sure how easy it would be for Gage to hand over Kylie’s wedding bands knowing they would be melted down. That seemed like the most difficult part although he understood her reasoning.
“We should have Jessie go through her stuff, too,” Gage suggested. “See if there’s anything she wants. Joe, too.”
“Yep,” Travis agreed, nodding because he didn’t know what else to do.
Then they were silent again, minutes ticking by.
“She loved us,” Gage finally whispered.
“With all that she was.”
And they had loved her the same.
Chapter Nineteen
One week later
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Travis had spent the past week focused on his family and his business.
He went to work every day, as did Gage. But rather than mope as he had been for weeks, Travis engaged with others, checking on things himself rather than leaving it to everyone else to figure out. He even managed to have lunch with Kaleb and Sawyer, the three of them talking about surviving the snow-pocalypse.
With the winter storm behind them, school was back in session, the kids returning to their routine. He alternated taking them to daycare to give Gage a break, and he picked them up the same. He helped Kate with her homework, although he still didn’t understand why she had it. She was six. There were plenty of homework years ahead of her. No sense stressing out a first grader.
And when they were settled in at night, Travis ensured it was time well spent. He didn’t stalk Brantley or Reese, and he didn’t comb through the internet looking for possible news updates. He left it to them to deal with, trusting that when the time came, they would let him know. Instead, he avoided his home office, opting to be where Gage and the kids were.
But today was the day they’d set to check off one of the things on Kylie’s list. With the weather warming up nicely, and quickly, they decided it was the perfect time to plant a tree. Or rather multiple since, yes, Gage had liked the idea of helping the environment, too.
“Where’re we goin’, Daddy-O?” Kade asked when Travis helped the kids buckle into their seats.
Kade, Avery, and Haden were with him, while Gage had taken Kate and Maddox to run a couple of errands before they met up in a little while.
“We’ve got somethin’ to take care of today,” Travis explained.
“What somethin’?” Kade inquired, always with the questions.
Travis looked at the boy and smiled. “You’re gonna plant a tree.”
Kade’s eyes widened, a look of confusion and concern on his little face. “Why would I do that? Trees come from the grass.”
Grinning, he tapped the brim of Kade’s baseball cap. “Actually, they don’t.”
“What about me?” Avery called out. “I wanna plant a tree.”
“You’re gonna help. We’ve got three to plant.”
“Three?” Kade’s shock was dramatic. “That’s a buncha trees.”
“It is, yes. But I figure you can handle it, right?”
“What about me?” Avery repeated, a harumph in her voice this time. “I wanna plant a buncha tree.”
Travis chuckled. This could go on forever, he knew.
He adjusted Haden’s seat belt, touched his nose, and made the little boy giggle.
“Where’re we gonna put the trees?” Kade asked.
Travis shook his head. They had decided they would spread the trees around so that everyone had a reminder of Kylie.
Gage had suggested they show the letter to Kylie’s parents, her sister, as well as Curtis and Lorrie to help them understand the significance of what they wanted to do. So they had carved out time in the evenings, which meant later than usual nights. As he’d expected, there weren’t any dry eyes when the letter was being read. Travis had shed plenty through the week, rereading it over and over. A couple of times he’d caught Gage doing the same, sitting in Travis’s office—the one place they could usually find privacy—his eyes glued to the paper.
Most people probably wouldn’t see the letter as much, but for them it was a bit of closure. Though difficult to process, it was a part of Kylie they had when they thought they would get no more.
“Are they all gonna be at Pop’s house?” Kade asked.
“Nope. One at Pop’s, one at Grandpa Joe’s, and one here. We’ll do ours later.”
“Where’s Daddy?” Avery asked when Travis climbed into the driver’s seat.
“He’s at Pop’s house already. With the tree.”
Kade inhaled sharply, another dramatic effect of his. “What if he plants the tree without us?”
“He won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
Travis laughed, briefly glancing back at them in the rearview mirror before turning his attention to the road.
“I wanna plant a huge tree,” Kade said, demonstrating his idea of huge by spreading his arms wide.
“We’ll have to see what Dad’s picked out,” he told them.
“I hope it’s giganormous,” Avery said softly.
“That’s not a word,” Kade told his sister.