by Ali Vali
Her parents wept as they closed the casket and placed the spray of yellow roses on it. Tucker had ordered the flowers because they were her mother’s favorites, and her mom kissed her cheek when she saw them. “You’re a good kid, my love,” Stella said, “and you’re all I have left.”
“We’ll get through this together, Mama. I know it won’t be easy, but we’ve got to find a way to move forward.”
St. Louis Cathedral opened its center doors so they could place Jim Bob’s casket at the front of the church. There was already a line of mourners waiting outside, and Tucker guided her parents in and sat them down until the pallbearers were done. The next three hours were filled with the long procession of people who’d come to pay their respects.
Bishop Andrew Goodman finally made it to the front of the church and got everyone to sit down. Tucker took a deep breath as she stood to deliver Jim Bob’s eulogy. “Remember,” Bishop Andy said, “he’ll be with you. That means he’ll most probably be pissed if you cry through the whole thing.”
She laughed, knowing how true that was. “You’re not talking crap there, Father.”
“Tucker,” her mom said, dragging out her name. “You’re in the Lord’s house.”
“Forget it, Stella.” Bishop Andy sat with her parents. “She learned more from Jim Bob than you’d probably like, and it’s too engrained now to fuss about it.”
She took another deep breath and headed for the pulpit, stopping for a second to stare at the casket. “Thank you all for coming. My family and I appreciate you celebrating Jim Bob’s life with us.”
The cathedral was full of people from every part of her brother’s life. It seemed that it didn’t matter if they were old school friends, business contacts, or social connections—Jim Bob had touched a lot of lives, and all of them were shocked he was gone so soon.
She started with his early life, family, and business career before talking about the man she knew and loved. “If I asked everyone in here, all of you could tell me a story about Jim Bob, and most of them couldn’t be shared in a church.” Everyone laughed, and most of the congregation nodded. “I’ve gotten quite a few calls since this happened, and I had to laugh when most people told me they always heard Jimbo before they saw him. He was loud, sometimes as crude as what we pump out of the ground, but he filled every room he was in and people gravitated to him. I’d like to think that’s because of his enthusiasm for life and everything in it.”
The tears dropping on her pages made her stop momentarily, not wanting her voice to crack. He really did deserve a good send-off.
“My brother always liked to say that we’re all bound by family, and that’s so true. For me, it’s defined the greatest relationship I’ve ever had. Jim Bob was not only my big brother, but he was my best friend. He was already twenty when I came along, and I remember him being there from my first memory, like my parents. Most guys would’ve run at the thought of a little sister at that point in their lives, but he taught me how to break curfew, how to bring in a prized fish, and how to enjoy the life we’ve been fortunate enough to have. That love of family only intensified when he had a family of his own. He always said it was love at first sight when Bubba was born, and the only other thing that rivaled it was the birth of his baby girl—Tara.”
She smiled when she stopped to wipe her eyes. She glanced out at the congregation before she went on and noticed Jefferson’s paralegal. The pretty blonde sat toward the back and appeared more upset than Ivy as her shoulders shook with her sobs. It wasn’t the time, but she’d have to remember to ask Jefferson about it later. As well as the other stuff they hadn’t finished talking about. Like who the hell Grady was. She had a feeling she knew, but it wasn’t something she could deal with just yet.
“I was privileged to work at his side for almost fifteen years as we carried on our family business. His life was more than work, though, since he volunteered for many good causes, and that, as will his children, will carry on his legacy. There wasn’t much he said no to if he knew it would help someone, especially a child in need, and he proved that on the last day he was with us and made the ultimate donation. We can all take comfort in that he will live on as an organ donor, and if whoever received that gift from him was a scoop of vanilla ice cream before, I’m positive they woke up as more of a rocky road with nuts, colorful loud sprinkles, and a can of cold beer chaser kind of person.”
She took a deep breath to get her through the last little bit. “Jim Bob, your life was way too short, but you truly enjoyed the days you were given. I pray you find only smooth seas with plenty of fish, and a cup that’ll never run dry. No matter the years that will pass before we see each other again, you’ll be missed as well as loved.”
The services followed, and they finished the day at the cemetery where they placed Jim Bob’s casket in the family crypt. She spent a few minutes alone inside the tomb, hoping the crowd outside would thin. They had a lot of friends, but she’d had an ass full of people for the day and was all talked out.
“You know where to find me if you need to talk to someone,” Bishop Andy said from behind her. “This loss was hard, and I know how close you two were, but trust me, it gets better with time. I’m a poor substitute, but I’m always willing to listen.”
“Thank you, Father. I’m having a hard time finding any reason for God to have done this, but I guess that’s why you stay in business.” She put her arms around him when he hugged her. “Did you send someone to the funeral home like I asked?”
“I went myself early this morning, so he’s ready for God. All you need to remember is that what we bury is only a shell. His spirit’s moved on and he’s in paradise. Don’t be in a rush, but he’ll be waiting for you the day your time comes.” He kissed her cheek before he placed his hand on her head and said a short silent prayer. “Safe sailing, Tucker.”
“Thanks.” She wasn’t a regular churchgoer, but Bishop Andy was someone she really enjoyed talking to. “You’re not going to fuss?”
“Your brother was one of a kind, and I prayed for him sometimes because of his nonstop string of mischief, but he did stop by every so often for coffee. He loved to have fun, but I never doubted the depth of his faith or his devotion to his family. The last time we sat together, he talked about the future he wanted, as well as the funeral he wanted when the time came. I see no sin after his explanation, so no fussing.” He touched her cheek gently and shook his head. “You tell Stella, though, and you’re on your own.”
“Trust me, I’m sad, not clinically insane.”
The get-together at her house ended a few hours later, and she drove her parents home with a promise to come by for breakfast the next morning. She went back to her house and changed before picking Jefferson up. It would take them over an hour to reach the house Jim Bob and she had built down in Montegut, Louisiana, that was now hers as well, where they kept the boat moored. They’d spent plenty of time there since the canal next to the property had been dredged to handle the Pole Dancer Addict.
It was a beautiful getaway Jim Bob had enjoyed for years, and that’s where he was waiting for them. “Do you think this is nuts?” Jefferson asked.
“Totally, but this is Jim Bob we’re talking about.” She took the exit off the highway and drove to the very end of the road, turning onto the private drive. The house was lit up, and the boat crew was sitting on the porch. “Hey, fellas.”
“Sorry for your loss, Tucker,” the younger guy said. “We got everything ready.”
“Great, let’s cast off.”
They all walked to the wharf where the boat was moored and Mark was waiting, leaning against a hearse. It took all of them to load the casket onboard, and they were all quiet as Tucker guided them out to the Gulf. The coordinates in the GPS would take her to the structure her guys had built and anchored as best they could earlier that day. Even if it’d drifted a bit, she’d still find it.
It took two hours, and they all worked together again as they placed Jim Bob on the wooden barg
e and took him out of the casket. Their family history was French, but her brother wanted a Viking funeral for some reason. That didn’t shock her as much as Mark knowing all the steps they’d need to follow to make it work.
She poured a glass of GlenDronach 18 and placed it in Jim Bob’s hand as she gazed at his face for the last time. This really was the end and she couldn’t breathe. “Don’t worry about us. I’ll make sure everyone is okay. You rest easy and go out in the blaze you always wanted.” She cut the four anchors before stepping back on the boat so they could move a little away. Jefferson handed everyone a glass and poured from the bottle of Jim Bob’s favorite whiskey. They stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the sun hang right over the water.
“We’re here to send you to the deep, old man. You spent a long time in these waters, and you enjoyed taking what they had to offer. It’s time to give back. Keep an eye on us, and we’ll keep you alive by retelling all your crazy stories over a drink every so often. Right now, though, we raise our glasses one last time before you go.” She lifted hers and the guys did as well. “To James Robert Delacroix Senior and all he meant to us. He was one crazy bastard, but we loved him. Smooth sailing, Jimbo, we love you.”
They drank and she lit the arrow, happy she hit the damn thing through her tears. No one moved for the half hour it took for the barge to burn out and sink, taking Jim Bob into the inky black water. They’d gone out far enough that no one would ever find any trace of this, even if there were a few pieces of wood still floating.
“I can’t believe you’re gone.” She started the engines and headed back. “I’ll carry you with me always.”
Chapter Nine
Two Months Later
Willow trudged up the steps to the apartment the company had rented for her in Corpus, saving her from weeks on end in a hotel. Her days had been long as she oversaw the construction as well as all her other responsibilities.
“Join me for dinner.” Junior phrased it like an order, the way he did every night he ran up to join her. Big Earl’s son wasn’t a fan of the word no, for dinner reservations and for anything having to do with work. The idiot gave alpha males all over the globe a bad name.
He was the main reason she was exhausted every night, since they spent most of their time arguing over the changes Big Earl ordered and Junior fought to implement. All their changes had to do with saving money, which made her believe they were building more of a ticking time bomb instead of a super platform.
“I’d love to, but I’m having female problems.” She pressed her hands to her abdomen as she said it, liking the excuse because it always seemed to make him squirm. That he wasn’t bright enough to figure out she should’ve bled to death by now if her period had lasted the whole time they’d been there wasn’t a problem she lost sleep over. “Some other time.”
“See you in the morning, then.”
“I can’t wait.”
The apartment was small and the definition of utilitarian. She’d been stuck in this Formica hell for two months, but now that the bones of the structure were well on their way, Mann was sending her replacement. The next big steps they faced were the modules they were putting onboard.
Back home, Monique gave her the news that her house was done, and she’d taken care of moving all Willow’s stuff in and had it unpacked for her arrival. It was a really nice thing to do, since who the hell liked moving, but Monique had done it without being asked. Their time apart seemed to have cooled Monique’s anger, but she sounded flat in all their phone calls.
“Hey,” she said as she took her suitcase out and dropped it on the bed designed by people who obviously hated sleep. “I have good news.”
Monique didn’t say anything right away, but she heard Grady’s baby talk and splashing, which meant she’d interrupted bath time. “What’s that?”
The short answers with that sedate tone were also new, no matter what she asked or said. She’d give anything to get the old Monique back, but she was convinced time was the answer. Monique was too loving and kind to stay buried under all this sadness forever. “I’ll be home tomorrow morning.”
“Great. We’ll see you whenever you have time. I can drop your keys off at your office if you want.”
“I’ll pick them up from you, if that’s okay, and I’ll order some takeout and come over. I miss you guys and want to see how you’re doing.” She placed all her clothes in the bag and was ready to go now, but the flights were done for the day.
“Sure. I should be home by five. See you then.”
The call disconnected before she could say or ask anything else, and she wanted to call back but wasn’t sure what to say. It was like Monique’s spirit had been buried with Jim Bob and she’d been left all alone. That truth had left Willow not only cold but ashamed that she’d been so blind. She had never attempted to support Monique in what she’d wanted, and she’d never be able to change that. She dialed another number instead.
“Hey, Jefferson.” At least she’d found someone who’d talk to her and didn’t sound like it was a chore to do so.
“Hey, good to hear your voice. How’s it going? Monique hasn’t really told me what big project you’re working on, but you’ve been gone for too long.”
“I’m packing to come home, so I’m great.” She collected all the stuff in the bathroom before heading to her frozen dinner. Her life was super exciting these days. “How do you think Monique’s doing? She barely talks to me.” That was a subject she was comfortable talking to him about, and she hoped he didn’t push about work. There had to be changes made to the direction of this project, but she wanted to run them by Mann first, before Jefferson could broach it with Tucker. That mess still had to be dealt with too. She’d left numerous messages with Tucker and had yet to hear from her, which was on Tucker, but they still had to talk. At least she’d given Tucker the information about Big Earl. She’d done her part.
“She’s not much better at the office, but it’s only because she’s hurting. Neither of us can fathom what it’s like to lose the love of our lives, so we have to be patient with her. You didn’t really know Jim Bob, but the guy has left a void that’s never going to be filled in her life. Like I’ve told you before, he was in love with Monique, and I mean head over heels in love.”
“Thank you for caring about her so much. We’re both lucky you decided to give her a chance.” The hillbilly love songs started next door, which proved Junior was pouting. Either that or he was way more pathetic than she thought. Not that she minded the genre, but his sharing his displeasure over her rejection through the thin walls was beyond childish.
“That was easy, and she had the ambition to grow from the day I met her. She worked hard to help you, and now we need to work together to get her out of that hole his death dropped her in. Don’t worry, she’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, Jefferson. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.”
Hopefully time was all they needed. She closed her eyes and sent a message to the universe. “I’m not giving up on you, Monique, and I could use some help if you’re listening, Jim Bob.”
* * *
Monique sighed as she shut her phone off. All the time with only Grady for company had magnified how much she missed Jim Bob. That her world had been completely blown to hell had devastated her more than she’d expected, but maybe it was a blessing. If fate had to leave one of them behind, it was good that it wasn’t the one who could’ve never handled the pain. Jim Bob might’ve conquered the business world, but he wasn’t strong all the time.
She smiled when Grady brought his hands down hard and splashed her with water. “No matter what happens, big boy, you’re the best thing about both of us.” Grady shivered when she lifted him out of the water and kissed his forehead. “It’s time to make sure you know your place in the world, and to knit your safety net.”
It didn’t take long to get him dressed and get his bottle ready. Her days of breastfeeding were over since the doctor wanted her to start conserving her
strength. That had been a concession, but she still enjoyed holding him, and the way he focused on her face as she spoke to him.
“Do you think your aunt is going to enjoy meeting you?” Grady paused and let go of the bottle as if he was going to answer her. “I bet she knows a lot of stories about your daddy, and she’ll tell you all of them.”
Grady finished and she put him to bed with the lamp that projected fish on his wall. It’d been something Jim Bob had picked for him in hopes he’d come to love fishing as much as he and Tucker did. “Sweet dreams, my love.”
She procrastinated by cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, taking the time to build her courage. If she was going to make the call, it had to be now. “Hey, Jefferson.”
“Monique, is everything okay?” Jefferson as always sounded as if he cared deeply about her.
“Do you think you can come by? I need to talk to you.”
“I’m still at the office, so give me a few minutes. Maybe when we finish everything for Tucker, I can get home early enough to have dinner with my family. I’m ready to go back to our normal days of federal red tape and leases. There’s a big reason I didn’t go into family law, and Jim Bob’s family drives that point home with a battering ram.”
“Thanks, Jefferson. I appreciate it.” The twenty minutes she had to wait made her pace to bleed off the nervous jitters that had developed since she’d made this decision. Jefferson knocked softly and she smiled at his thoughtfulness, his not wanting to wake Grady. “Thanks for coming, boss.”
“No problem, and it’s the first time you’ve asked me over here.” Jefferson took his coat off and threw it over a chair. He and Jim Bob had been the same age, but Jefferson was starting to lose his hair at a faster pace.
“Sorry, I figured you got enough of me during the day, but I can show you around if you want.”
Jefferson dropped onto the sofa and shook his head. “Nah, come talk to me. I’ve been worried about you.”