her resolve her issue with her deceased husband and she could let the past go and move on.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It took ten minutes to get all the kids to agree on a movie, but Heather and Sierra got them settled in Heather’s big bed.
Hallee’s eyes drooped as sleep crept in, but she fought to stay awake. Heather would come back in ten minutes and move her to her crib. For now, she let her daughter hang with the big kids. She looked adorable tucked up against Oliver’s side as he lay on his back, one knee bent, his other leg crossed over it, swinging.
Danny and P.J. lay down the center, their heads at the foot of the bed. Emma lay across from Hallee and Oliver, with her own little bowl of plain popcorn because she didn’t like it salty or drenched in butter.
Sierra tapped Heather’s shoulder. “Adult beverages in the kitchen.”
Heather stared at all the kids. “Look at them. We need to do this more often.”
“So long as you don’t mind washing melted butter off your bedspread and sleeping in popcorn crumbs, sure. Let’s do this again.” Sierra chuckled, but the nostalgia and joy in her eyes said she loved the sweet scene just as much as Heather did.
“We used to crawl in Mom’s bed together and watch movies.”
“It’s been a minute since we did that.” Sierra cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “Is that a Metallica T-shirt sticking out under your pillow?”
“Yeah. David turned me on to them. Remember?”
Sierra’s eyes went soft. “He loved them. I surprised him for his thirtieth birthday with tickets. We drove to San Francisco to see them play with the symphony. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile so wide or enjoy something so much.” Sierra stared at the shirt for a long moment, nostalgia and sorrow in her eyes before she turned and headed down the hall, her head downcast.
Heather sympathized with her sister. David left a hole in all their hearts. Deeper in some of them.
She took in her little girl one last time, so happy to be included and trying so hard to keep her eyes open, then followed her sister to the kitchen.
Sierra handed her half a glass of wine, because kids.
Heather clinked her glass against Sierra’s. “To late-night movies with the ones you love.”
Sierra sipped, then turned solemn. “The boys slept in my bed for a month after David died. I’d turn on a happy cartoon to chase away their sadness. Some nights, we’d all talk like Scooby-Doo and laugh. Other nights, we sat quietly and just let the tears fall and held each other. I can’t tell you how it heals my heart to see them in there with their cousins happy and laughing. They’ll remember nights like these just like I remember you, me, and Amy sleeping in our blanket forts trying to scare each other with wild ghost stories.”
“You used to scare the pants off Amy with Franny Fright.”
Sierra busted up laughing. “One of my best stories.”
“I hope you haven’t told the boys that one.”
Sierra shook her head. “The ones I told you and Amy were far too scary for them. Instead, I made up cute little rhymes about Franny as a mischievous witch. Maybe when they’re older I’ll tell them the really scary ones. I’ll be sure Amy is around when I do.” The devilish smile died quickly.
Heather read the heavy sorrow her sister carried. “How are you doing? Today is so hard.”
Sierra took a seat at the table and stared into her wine. “I can’t believe David has been gone a whole year. It seems my every other thought this past week has been about this day. I knew it was coming, and still, I find myself unprepared to deal with my thoughts and feelings. I miss him. I’m angry he’s gone. I wish he was here to see how much the boys have grown. I think about what he’s missing all the time. It goes by so fast.”
“I know what you mean. Sometimes I look at Hallee and I feel like I can see her growing right before my eyes. She does so many new things, all faster than I can really take them in, and I think if I don’t pay attention, I’ll miss it myself.” Her father missed it all. Heather wished she could change that, but it was impossible. It wasn’t all Hallee’s father’s fault. Heather took the blame for her bad decisions and regretted all the way to