Exquisite

Epilogue

Lena made her way across the grass holding Mason’s hand. They’d just arrived at the cemetery and she was holding a large sunflower. The sun was shining down on them and as they got to the grave they were looking for Mason squeezed her hand gently and she leaned down removing the oldest flower from the vase and replacing it with the new. Standing back up next to him she smiled and he leaned down to kiss her on the lips.

“Think she’d approve?” he asked watching her closely. Lena raised their joined hands kissing his knuckles.

“Oh I know she does. She’s been listening to me whine and complain about you for months.”

Laughing he reached out brushing a strand of hair back from her face. “Oh really?”

“Yep.” she replied. “If anything she’d approve just so I’d shut up.”

He leaned down and kissed her quickly then looked at the tulips in his own hand. “Come on, one more stop to make.”

Nodding Lena took his hand and followed him back to the car. They drove a little ways around the curve and up over a slight hill then pulled up in another familiar grassy field that was lined with tombstones.

True, she thought as they got out and made their way through the flowers and granite markers, some may think this was a morbid tradition but to them it was a way to say hello and still talk to the ones they loved. They finally stopped in front of Mason’s father and Catherine’s grave. Lena looked over at the bouquet of tulips they’d put together this morning at Precious Petals and watched as he crouched down placing them at the head of the grass just in front of the head stone.

“Hey mom, I brought a stranger by.”

Lena gripped his hand when he stood and he continued softly, “She said she hadn’t been by for awhile but we both wanted to be the ones to tell you. You were right. Fate did bring her to you,” Pausing Mason looked over at her and Lena felt a tear fall down her cheek. He reached out and wiped it away, “Don’t cry this is happy news, she’d be thrilled.”

He turned back gripping Lena’s hand tight and announced, “And you brought her to me. We wanted you to be the first to know mom.”

He reached out and wrapped his arm around Lena’s shoulders, “We’re getting married.”

Lena felt him turn toward her and pull her in close and kiss her nose. “You were right. I just needed to forgive her, because after that everything was easy. I love her.”

He took her hand in his and smiled then they turned to move away, but before they were clear of the site Lena turned and whispered over her shoulder.

“Just so you know I fought tooth and nail for him. We saved each other.”

Looking down at her Mason tilted his head and Lena smiled and answered, “Don’t worry it’s just a little something between your mom and me.”

He kissed her nose whispering, “I love you.” and they walked back to the car hand in hand.

Lena could quiet honestly say life was perfect at this moment. In fact she would even venture out and say it was absolutely Exquisite.