“So what is waiting for you, my sweet friend Shelley, is a very large family. It’s so big, it covers two states, and you have a home with any of us should the need arise. We promise to annoy you, to bug you, to push you, to love you and stand by you. We promise to choose you. Every day. Marriage, family, life, they’re all hard and require work. Happily ever after is a choice we have to make every day. You think you’re making your choice today, but I challenge you. I challenge every single one of us. Start the day by choosing. Skip the good morning and say something infinitely more important. I do.”
She looked at her husbands, her loves, the joys of her existence. “I do, and I do. Every single day. I choose this life and these loves and I choose my family. Welcome to my family, Shelley.”
Lexi looked over and Shelley was crying. Hell, most of the women in the Feed Store Church were crying.
Shelley looked and mouthed the words “I do.”
Everyone looked out, reaching to their loved ones, reaffirming the choices they made long ago.
Lucas winked at her. “You know I do.”
Aidan put his hand over his heart. Right before he had to save their son from almost certain death as he nearly went over the top of the pew.
“Momma,” Olivia was heard whispering loudly. “I think baby Jack is saying I do to climbing on top of you, but Uncle Aidan says no. Why does my family say no so much? Lexi just told us we should all say I do and I think that means yes.”
The whole church erupted in laughter.
Her family. They were loud and obnoxious and sometimes they completely worked the system so she couldn’t even buy a new cell phone.
And she would choose them. Every time. Every day.
I do.
Chapter Twenty-Three:
The Funeral of Hiram Jones, Mayor of Bliss
Two days later, Rafe turned his face up, letting the sun shine down on him, warming his skin, reminding him that he was alive and in the company of people he loved.
Of course, most of those people were crying.
“Hiram was a great man,” Rye Harper said. He stood at the head of the party, his role as leader in this mournful act clear. Hiram hadn’t wanted a preacher. He’d wanted a short service led by Rye and Max and he’d wanted a party at Trio. In his will he’d left money for beer. “He had a vision for Bliss. He wanted to make this town something special, something we could all be proud of. Hiram knew what it meant to be from Bliss. It might not always be easy. We might face hardship, but we do it together. He knew that a town is really just another word for family. He was like a dad to us all and his passing leaves a mighty big hole to fill.”
Yes, he had big boots to fill. Enormous ones. He’d been named the mayor of Bliss just days before. He’d stood in town hall and sworn to protect this town and to fulfill his office to the best of his abilities.
He knew just how important the role was now. And he could spend a lifetime trying to live up to his predecessor. The good news was, he had a lifetime.
He looked around the cliff-top gathering spot at the highest point of the Mountain and Valley Naturist Community. The entire town had turned out for the celebration of Hiram Jones’s long life. They all stood, huddled together. Callie and Nate both held a baby while Zane had his arms around Callie. Jen was leaning on Stef while Stella cuddled her grandbaby and Sebastian stood close. Holly had a hand on both her men. Caleb had been pulled into their little conspiracy and Alexei had just gotten sniffly and talked in Russian. Gemma and Jesse and Cade stood beside Long-Haired Roger, Liz Two and their weird baby dog. The funeral seemed to have brought about a truce between long time rivals as Polly stood near Long-Haired Roger and not once did she attempt to kill him. Even Roger, Liz One and their whole brood had turned up, though they were carrying shotguns in case the apocalypse happened. Marie and Teeny stood with Seth and Logan and Georgia.
But Nell and Henry were standing apart. And Henry had a dark look in his eyes. After this was done, it was time for that meeting Cam had promised.
The mayor needed to know what the hell was going on.
But that was for after. For now, he held Laura’s hand and comforted her while Rye spoke and Max held on to his wife and baby girl. For all his stubborn craziness, Max Harper wasn’t a man who buried his sorrow. He loved Hiram and it showed on his face.
“Hiram Jones was loved and he loved and he would say that was enough. He helped build this town into something we’re all proud of, and it’s a sad day when we have to let him go.” Rye held an urn in his hands. “In his will, Hiram asked that the new mayor say a few words.”
Rafe’s breath caught in his throat. Wow, Hiram had wanted to push him. Well, it was time to open himself up, but this wasn’t a political speech. He would make enough of those. It was time to honor a man he admired by following in his footsteps and speaking from his heart.
Laura gave him a little push and Cam smiled, bringing Sierra’s hand up in a playful wave.
Rafe nodded, acknowledging that he might speak alone, but they were here with him. “I’ll just say a few words about Hiram because he would be deeply insulted if I spoke for too long. He would want to get on with the party, so to speak. We should mourn the fact that he’s no longer with us, but we shouldn’t mourn his life. His life was full and rich. I’ve been a person who counted success in terms of money and power, but Hiram taught me something different. Hiram’s success came from how well he loved the people around him. He was a builder—a builder of towns and families and friendships. He didn’t look outside his world for recognition. He knew that the best world possible is the one we build in our hearts. He knew that when the outside world says no, we do not have to accept it. When the outside world lays down roadblocks, we build a new road, a better, more inclusive road. We control our destiny and we build toward it with love and compassion. And we build it together. I will honor Hiram by learning the lessons he had to teach.”
He had already moved into the mayor’s office. The business of the town was never done. In his days as mayor, he’d already arbitrated a fight between Roger and Long-Haired Roger, had a fight with Hal the cook from Stella’s over whether or not the town’s health codes allowed puffer fish to be on the menu as the special of the day, and helped Noah Bennett start up an animal shelter. The days had been busy, and half the time he worked while Sierra kicked her legs in a playpen in his office.
It wasn’t what he’d expected from life.
It was so much better.
He turned to Rye and nodded. Max stepped up. This was their job.
Max took a long breath as Rye opened the urn. “Good-bye, Hi. Don’t think I don’t know why you did what you did. And don’t think she didn’t know it. I hope like hell you find her wherever you’re going. Find her because I think Momma knew she should have chosen you. Maybe you get another chance.”
Tears slipped from Rye’s eyes. “Thank you for being there for us. We love you, Hi. Happy journey.”
They released the last earthly remnants of Hiram Jones’s body on the mountain he loved. The wind picked up some of his ashes and took them down the mountain, a piece of Hiram to forever remain where he loved.
But another wind swept upward, to places unknown.
A man’s journey was never really over.
Rafe joined his family, his whole family.
His journey had just begun.