Letting Go (Triple Eight Ranch) - By Mary Beth Lee Page 0,49
heaven.”
“With the angels,” Mackenzie said, and Clarissa smiled.
“Yes ma’am. With the angels.”
She dug into the canvas bag she’d packed with the bible and prayer journal.
“Momma loved this bible. It’s obvious in the amount of use it got. I’d like to read from it before I spread her ashes.”
Clarissa opened the bible to the place marked with notebook paper written on in her momma’s perfect penmanship.
The paper held the same verse but in a different translation with the words I like this one better across the top.
“Psalm 23.”
Clarissa started the verse and everyone there spoke along with her, even Mackenzie.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
When she finished the reading, everyone said amen.
She started to open the urn, but Paul Dillon stepped forward and took a piece of paper from his pocket.
Susie reached over and hugged her. “We were hoping you’d allow us this honor, Clarissa. Paul’s been carrying that with him on the chance you would.”
Clarissa nodded and tried to blink back tears as Paul spoke the words she’d seen and heard over the years but never really understood.
“In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our sister Tammy Jo Dye; and we commit her body to the ground;” he stopped and nodded at Clarissa. Clarissa opened the urn and bent to scatter her mother’s ashes in the place she loved while Paul continued the liturgy.
“Earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless her and keep her, the Lord make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her and give her peace. Amen.”
When he finished speaking everyone again said amen. A few of the men made the sign of the cross.
The ride back to the truck was somber until they passed Moo’s field and Mackenzie noticed the gate open again.
“Gran’s going to be so mad.”
They all laughed. Sure enough the cow was in the front yard eating marigolds.
Susie jumped out of the ATV yelling and Mackenzie and Paul took off at the same time.
Clarissa and Jed made their way to the yard a little behind everyone else. When Moo passed her this time, Clarissa wasn’t afraid at all. She just opened the gate and stepped back.
Jed helped Clarissa unpack the truck, which was ridiculously easy considering how long she’d been at the bunkhouse.
The new apartment behind Pete’s was still small, but it was lighter than the old one had been. He felt significantly better leaving Clarissa here now that he’d seen it.
“You sure you want to move in here?”
“I’m sure,” she said. “Besides someone’s got to take care of Lemmalu.”
“Yeah, Daddy,” Mackenzie said.
Jed wanted Clarissa at the ranch. He wanted her with them forever. But he knew he had to be careful. Clarissa had gone though major changes the last few days, and God was working miracles for both of them, but the troubled young woman she’d been still lurked, ready to return. Salvation didn’t make a person’s troubles disappear.
“How about we go to the grocery store and pick you up some food then maybe go to Shawnee and see a movie?”
“You need groceries, Clarissa, or your glycema will come back and you’ll faint and Doc Anson won’t give you no stickers.”
Mack seemed truly worried about Clarissa’s health, which worried him. Just like her talk of Lemmalu’s mid evil mother worried him. He didn’t want Mackenzie to worry Clarissa would leave. Especially not now when things were going so well.
Clarissa must’ve sensed the same thing because she easily agreed to the grocery trip and movie.
At the grocery store Clarissa marveled at how quickly their relationship had become common knowledge. No startled glances, no worried frowns. Everyone called out hello to them.
At the checkout counter, though, when Jed tried to pay she pushed his hand out of the way.
“No way,