People reached toward her as she passed, some whispering “God bless you,” and others expressing a word or two of sympathy. Their compassion undid her. She was in tears by the time Bowie got her seated.
When the minister began to speak, she reached for Bowie’s hand and held on tight, wishing she was anywhere else. She heard the eulogy and the first few words of the minister’s message, then everything around her began to fade.
*
The sun was shining.
The crowd around the open gravesite was silent as the minister began to speak.
Her father’s eyes were red from crying, but he was holding her so close against him that they were almost sitting on the same chair.
She knew her mother was dead but had yet to fully grasp that also meant she was never coming back. All she knew was that her stomach hurt and she wanted to go home.
She was looking down at the ground instead of at the casket in front of them, desperate to find something new on which to focus, when something rather wonderful happened. A robin flew beneath the canopy under which they were sitting and landed on the top of the casket.
The crowd gasped.
It was a sign, they said.
Faith Champion was letting her family know she was with the Lord, they said.
Talia looked up at her father. Tears were running down his cheeks.
She watched the bird as it hopped across the flower-draped casket and flew away. She wanted to chase after it, just in case it really had been Mama, but Daddy was holding on to her so tight she couldn’t move, and then it was too late.
The bird was gone.
*
“Amen,” the minister said, and Talia jumped, only this time it wasn’t her father holding her close, it was Bowie, and the service was already over.
Before she could compose herself, people began filing past where they were seated. Most of them came just to say hello, to tell her they were sorry, to excuse themselves for never calling, to ask if there was anything they could do.
It was their last chance to do the right thing, so they’d come to the burying partly “to see how hard she took it” and partly to pay their respects to the man Marshall Champion had been. To say they were surprised to see Bowie Youngblood at her side was putting it mildly. Few of them knew they’d ever been a couple, but all of them knew Youngblood had just lost his father, too, and in a tragic way.
Talia was shaking by the time the last of the mourners had passed beneath the canopy. Bowie took it upon himself to end things.
He stood up to see where their driver had gone and saw him standing beside the Lincoln, so he helped her up and quickly moved her through the lingering guests and into the car.
“Miss Champion needs to leave now,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” the driver said, and took them back into Eden, then to her house.
Just as they were about to go inside, Bowie’s phone rang. He frowned when he saw who it was, knowing that, because of the funeral, she wouldn’t have called unless something was wrong.
“It’s Mama,” he said, then answered, “Hello?”
“Bowie, I’m sorry to bother you. Is the service over?”
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Jesse got it into his head to go hunting and I told him no, but now I can’t find him, and his hunting rifle is gone. Samuel is out of town. Michael is working, and Aidan is on his way here. Could you—”
“I’m on my way,” he said. “Be there as soon as I can. Don’t worry. We’ll find him.”
“I’m so sorry. I don’t want Talia left on her own today, but this is how our life goes with Jesse. Bring her with you, why don’t you?”
“I’ll see,” he said, and disconnected.
“What’s wrong?” Talia asked.
“Jesse went hunting without permission, and Mama can’t find him. I’ve got to get home and help search. I meant to stay here with you, but—”
Talia brushed a kiss across his mouth.
“I’m fine. Go home and help your mother.”
Bowie didn’t like to just walk off and leave her on her own like this. It wasn’t right.
“Go change clothes and come with me,” he said. “I don’t want to leave you here alone, and Mama is going to skin me if I come back without you.”
“Really?” Talia said.
“Yes, really.”
Talia hesitated.
“Okay, but you need to get home now, and I want to take a few minutes and pull myself together. I’ll drive myself. I promise I’ll be right behind you, okay?”
“Yes, okay. Be careful, and I’ll see you soon,” he said, then gave her a quick goodbye kiss and jumped in the truck.
She waved as he drove away and went into the house to change.
Fourteen
Bowie accelerated once he passed the city limits. There was no telling how long his mother had searched before giving up and calling for help, and he was worried. He was trying to remember all the hunting places his dad would have taken Jesse when his cell rang again. This time it was Aidan.
“Bowie, are you on your way home?”
“Yes. Are you already there?”
“No, I’m probably behind you now. I got held up at home. Johnny fell and cut his lip. He’s okay, but I couldn’t leave until I made sure he didn’t need stitches.”