Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(61)

He looked off. “Just laughing and laughing.”

Ashley was sitting so close to Kari she could feel her sister breathing, feel the way the sorrow of this moment brought to the surface their own past heartache. One from not that long ago.

Everyone in Bloomington knew about the accident that took the lives of Erin and Sam and their family. Theo and Alma had lived here all their lives. So it was no surprise when Theo looked straight at Kari and then at Ashley. “How?”

Tears stung at Ashley’s eyes. The man didn’t have to explain himself. “One day at a time.”

Kari nodded. “At first you think time will stop.” Her voice was soft, marked by her intimate understanding of tragedy. “You can’t believe the sun can set and rise again the next morning. Or that people are going about their days like nothing happened.”

“Completely unaware that your whole world just stopped turning.” Ashley took hold of her sister’s hand. She felt sick at the thought of that time right after her sister’s car accident, what it had felt like sitting at the hospital while the news went from bad to worse.

“I . . . can’t imagine another hour of this.” Alma took a tissue and pressed it to her eyes. “Let alone a lifetime.”

Ashley wasn’t sure of the family’s faith, or what they believed about life after death. But if God would give her the opportunity, she wanted to talk about it. Heaven was the only hope at a time like this.

The opening came ten minutes later. Theo leaned back, his hand on Alma’s shoulder. “Our family, we love Jesus. Always have.”

New tears spilled from Alma’s eyes. “I just can’t understand why He’d take our Vienna now. When . . .” She couldn’t finish her sentence.

“When she had so much life ahead.” Theo pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “I miss her so much. Dear God, I miss her.”

Alma moved her hand around in the space in front of her. “She was just here. She was dancing and talking about an encore and how it was going to surprise everyone.”

Ashley waited, choosing the right moment. After another bit of silence, she sat up a little straighter. “My nieces loved to dance. All of them.”

Theo lifted his eyes to hers. “I keep thinking about something. Since we got the news.” He sniffed and shook his head, like he was trying to find control but couldn’t. His face scrunched up, like the sobs were pushing in from his heart. “Do you think . . . my little girl can dance in heaven?”

Here was her moment. Ashley stood and took the spot on the other side of Theo. Kari did the same, sitting next to Alma. For a while they sat like that, Ashley and Kari surrounding the devastated parents with a physical reminder of God’s presence. The way His people were supposed to do.

“Yes, Theo.” Ashley shifted so she could see the man’s eyes. “There’s dancing in heaven. Vienna is dancing right now. I believe that.”

The man covered his face with his hand and pulled his wife closer. “She is. I can see her.”

And in a rush Ashley could feel the imitation leather seat beneath her, smell the mix of medicine and bleach in the hospital waiting room that summer day when Erin was killed. “You asked us how.”

Kari handed Theo and Alma each another tissue. Alma was still holding the framed photo of Vienna. It took a few seconds, but eventually the Browns turned to Ashley, waiting. As if they were desperate for anything that might keep them going.

“The answer is Jesus.” Ashley took a slow breath. “Because of Jesus, this isn’t the end. It’s farewell for now. But it’s never goodbye.”

On the other side of Alma, Kari nodded. “My dad always says Erin and her family are still alive. They just live in heaven now.”

The statement seemed to spark something in Theo. “I gave my life to Jesus a long time ago.” He smiled at Alma through his tears. “We both did, isn’t that right, baby?”

“Yes.” Alma dabbed the tissue at her eyes and nose. “Do you remember what the pastor said that day?”

“Of course.” Theo seemed a little stronger. Talk of eternity was clearly helping. “He said the odds were simple. Every one of us is going to die. Every single person. But the people who choose faith in Jesus would live forever in heaven.”

Ashley couldn’t see through the tears blurring her eyes. “You’ll see her again.”

“Yes.” Theo was still crying, still broken. “I just wish . . . it wasn’t so long. I . . .” He covered his face with his hand again. “I wanted to see that dance recital so bad.”

Kari put her arm around Alma and waited. Finally she looked at the Browns. “I believe she’ll have a window. And she’ll be dancing right along with her team that day.”

A minute later the pastor from Mt. Zion Church arrived. The man explained to Ashley and Kari that he’d known Vienna since she was born. Ashley and Kari chatted with him and then used the moment to say goodbye.

Out front near their cars, Ashley hugged her sister. The tears they’d held back when they were inside came now. “A hundred years goes by in a blink.” Ashley took a tissue from her purse and held it to her cheek. “But days like this, earth feels like eternity.”

Kari was shaking, her shoulders trembling despite the warm April afternoon. “What if Jessie hadn’t had homework? What if . . .”