Chapter 273
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Before Ellie’s eyes, a sea of mourners dressed in black surrounded her. Some were weeping, some were lamenting, and some were offering comfort.
“Ellie, your dad’s ashes are here. You need to greet him,” urged a distant relative. But she felt as if her feet were stuck to the ground, unable to move or cry.
With her eyes stinging and swollen, she looked into the distance, seeing the relatives crying around her dad’s urn. Their cries cut through the air, bringing shared sorrow even to the ones who weren’t related.
Aaron came near, holding Harold’s urn, and said, “Dad, we’re home.” Each step he took toward Ellie made her heart shudder and her breath catch.
Lacey and Diana stood beside Ellie, quietly supporting her. In just two days, grief had deeply etched itself into Aaron’s face, making him look almost unrecognizable. He stopped in front of Ellie.
“Aaron, please don’t wait. Bring your dad inside,” the officiant urged. But Aaron didn’t move.
With a hoarse whisper, Ellie pleaded, “Aaron, can I hold him for a moment?” Her voice quivered, filled with pain.
“Ellie, don’t hold up the ceremony; we have a lot to do.” the officiant insisted.
Ellie’s lips trembled, her dry eyes locked on Aaron. “Aaron, I need a hug.”
Without a word, Aaron freed one arm and gently wrapped it around his sister, who clung tightly to Harold’s urn.
The urn felt warm against her, like her dad’s embrace. In her mind, she imagined him standing in the wheat field, smiling and beckoning her, saying, “Little Ellie, come here. Let Daddy hold you.”
On the sunlit path through the fields, a strong farmer lifted his young daughter onto his shoulders, filling the air with their happy laughter.
Ever since Harold had hurt his leg, no one had lifted her like that
In the years that followed, each time she visited, Harold would lean on his crutch by the door, looking for her. On the day she left, he would walk her to the station, saying over and over, You should head back.”
Every time she turned to leave, her dad, leaning on his crutch, would stand there, his eyes showing he didn’t want to let go. From now on, her dad could no longer walk her to the station or wave goodbye with his usual words.
Aaron held his crying sister tightly, her body shaking like a leaf in the wind, and declared, “Maybe this is a kind of freedom for dad.”
The officiant called two relatives to gently pull Ellie away, but she held on tightly to Harold’s ashes, her head buried in Aaron’s shoulder, refusing to let go.
In desperation, the officiant asked for Joanna to come.
“Ellie, please listen.” When Joanna spoke, Ellie lifted her head. Joanna stood a little way off, looking older than her years to the events of the past few days. Ellie felt a sharp pain in her heart and let go.
due
As she watched her brother carry Harold’s ashes toward the house, every time he said, “Dad, we’re home,” felt like a dagger
07:20 Wed, Feb 12 >>>
Chapter 273
stabbing her heart–cold and painful.
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Her vision began to blur, leaving only a shadow of Harold. “Ellie Just as she started to faint, Lacey and Diana caught her.
