Yesterday's Embers Read Free Page A

her eye, and a startling thought nudged her. The last time she’d been here for a funeral had also been the funeral of a mother and child. Trevor Ashlock’s wife, Amy, and their little boy. It would be five years come summer.
    As if conjured by her thoughts, Trevor’s green pickup pulled in beside her. Mickey watched in her side mirror as he parked, then helped his young wife climb out of the passenger side. Meg walked with the gait of an obviously pregnant woman, and Trevor put a hand at the small of her back, guiding her over the uneven sod toward the funeral tent.
    Mickey looked away. Seeing Trevor still brought a wave of sadness. Because of his profound loss, yes. But more selfishly, for her own loss. She’d fallen hard for him after Amy’s death—and had entertained hopes that he might feel the same about her. That she might be able to ease his grief. But he was too deep in grief to even notice her.
    Then Meg Anders had moved to town and almost before Mickey knew what happened, Trevor was married. He and Meg seemed very much in love, and Mickey didn’t begrudge either of them an ounce ofthat happiness. But it didn’t mean she was immune to a pang of envy whenever she saw them together.
    This day had to be doubly difficult for Trevor. It must be a comfort to Doug having Trevor here—someone who’d walked in his shoes and still somehow managed to get up the next morning—and the next and the next.
    Again, she had to wonder what God was thinking. Where was He when these tragedies struck? How could He stand by and let these terrible things happen to good men…the best men she knew, next to her brothers? None of it made sense. And the only One she knew to turn to for answers had stood by and let it all happen.
    Everyone else had gone home, back to their normal lives. Decent lives they failed to appreciate and griped about for no good reason. He knew, because he’d been just like them.
    Chapter Two
    D oug put the car in park and punched the garage door remote. It made a grinding noise as it settled onto the concrete floor. It seemed a terrible echo of the contraption that had lowered the caskets into the ground only an hour ago. “Go on in the house, kids. Now. And change out of your good clothes.”
    Sarah’s and Sadie’s faces crumpled. He hadn’t meant to bark the words, but he was too tired to apologize. Kayeleigh and Landon didn’t seem to notice, and Harley was half asleep in the car seat, sucking her thumb a mile a minute. He wondered how much of all this she’d picked up on.
    “Kayeleigh, get Harley, would you? Put her down for a nap if you can.”
    “She won’t sleep tonight if you put her down this late, Daddy.” Kayeleigh looked at him, as if waiting for an answer.
    When he didn’t say anything, she reached to unbuckle the baby.
    He didn’t have the strength to argue, or to hurry her along. What was there to hurry for anyway? The funeral was over. Everyone else had gone home, back to their normal lives. Decent lives they failed to appreciate and griped about for no good reason.
    He knew, because he’d been just like them. Taking for granted the blessing of a cup of coffee and the morning paper at the kitchen table. While in the bathroom down the hall, your wife stood under the shower for a few extra minutes, and your kids slept that serene sleep that only children could.
    His kids would never sleep that way again. Two nights in a row, Landon had dragged his bedding downstairs at two in the morning, knocking on Doug’s half-closed door, whimpering that he heard somebody trying to break in.
    Doug slammed the door to the old Suburban and prodded the twins toward the house. Out of habit he started a head count. The twins were here…Kayeleigh had Harley, Landon was already in the house. That was five. Who was miss—?
    His knees nearly buckled as it hit him afresh. Rachel . His sweet girl was missing from the lineup. Forever. It was bad enough losing Kaye, but Rachel, too? How long would he