Chapter 0137
By midday, the priest arrived to officiate the mass. The gathering was small, intimate, meant to give Albert Preston a dignified farewell. After the service, Catherine and Leonard would accompany his body to the crematorium. Mary had been gently persuaded to stay behind; her health and the baby’s safety took precedence over her insistence on going.
The mass went smoothly, though heavy with emotion Mary sat trembling, her hand held tightly by Peter. Her face was streaked with tears, and though her eyes burned and her heart ached, the lump in her chest wouldn’t let her stop crying
Maximus sat beside his grandmother, holding her had. He didn’t speak–he didn’t need to. He could see she was struggling to keep her composure. Catherine’s grief was silent, with only an occasional tear slipping down her cheek, but she worked hard to maintain her usual strong demeanor.
At the end of the mass, Mary rose slowly and made her way to the coffin. With unsteady hands, she opened it and gently caressed her grandfather’s face. She said her final goodbye in silence, her thoughts flooding with memories and sorrow:
*“Grandpa, it hurts so much that you’re gone. It hurts to think I’ll never see you again. We had just found each other again… I don’t even know how to thank you for taking me away from my father, for giving me this life. I’ve learned to live on my own, but it’s never been the same as when we were together. Now we can’t escape together anymore… you’ve slipped through my fingers.
You never got to meet your great–grandchild… There’s so much left unfinished. I’m sorry we never had, that glass of wine you promised me when I was little.
I missed you all this time, but I held on to the hope of seeing you again. And now you’re gone…. You were my father, my friend, my confidant. Please watch over me, wherever you are. I promise that someday, with my family by my side, I’ll try to fulfill our dreams
As she thought this, tears streamed down her face.
Peter held her firmly in his arms. She could hear his heart pounding in his chest, fast and erratic, but his expression was calm, his embrace steady. He wanted her to feel safe, to know he was her anchor. If he faltered, he knew she would crumble entirely.
After several minutes, Mary let go of her grandfather’s face, closed the coffin, and leaned against it as though hugging him one last time. Tears poured from her eyes, and Peter gently urged her to sit.
“Amor, please. You need to rest. Standing like this isn good for you or the baby,” he whispered, helping her back to her seat.
Once seated, she clung to Peter’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Peter kissed her hair and held her tightly, pouring his love and support into every gesture, hoping to ease her pain, if only a little.
After Mary’s farewell, Catherine stood and approached the coffin. Maximus supported her, holding her arm firmly. She seemed calm, but he could feel the weight of her grief.
7/2
+25 BONUS
Chapter DY17
‘My dear Albert… we tried in this life, and it didn’t last I hope to see you again in the next one, and if you’re still free, I’ll come find you,
‘I’ll miss our afternoons of wine and cheese. I promise that as long as I live, I’ll take care of Mary and our great–grandchildren. I hope we have many–I’d love to see them running around this house. You got to meet Peter, and I know he’ll take good care of her. Someday, I’ll take them to see the vineyard where I took you to live. It’s such a beautiful place, perfect for settling down.
‘Soon, I hope to retire and live there. I’ll keep our project alive, and I’ll make sure it succeeds. You’ll be proud of us.‘
Tears welled in Catherine’s eyes as she finished her silent goodbye. She lingered for a moment, her gaze locked on the coffin, then turned to address Mary.
“Mary, I know this isn’t the farewell Albert deserves. It’s painful, but we have to be strong. We must carry on his legacy. You are the clearest example of all the good he did. He loved you from the moment you were born. And now, with your baby on the way, I’m sure he’ll watch over you both from wherever he is.”
Mary looked at Catherine with tear–filled eyes, nodding faintly. She tried to stop crying, but the weight in her chest, the lump in her throat, and the ache in her heart refused to let her.
After a few more hours, Catherine, Leonard, and Maximus left for the crematorium. Catherine had already selected a beautiful white onyx urn for Albert’s ashes. Though her steps were steady, her face revealed the deep sorrow she carried. The urn would soon hold the remains of the man who had meant so much to her a love rekindled too late, yet cherished deeply.
