"Daddy's Girl"

Chapter 2, Part 2

Rae stood slack-jawed looking up at her sister's husband, "Why should we? I'll tell you why we should!" she exclaimed, tugging him down the stairs she helped him into his suit jacket while taking her niece and securing the swaddled newborn into her safety seat. "Number one, you're still family, family cares for family, Grayson. Two, you've got our new pride and joy, she's your daughter as well as a link to the McGinty's. Three, Lizzy loved you to bits, and we can't help but do the same. Don't you see, Gray, you can't get away from us?"

His grey eyes skimmed her over in utter disbelief of her words before he leaned down and scooped the safety seat's handle from her hands. "I'd never take your niece away from you, nor your parents only grandchild. However, I don't expect to be welcome in the family, be assured you'll have Eva around." With that said, he walked with military-like movements toward his car.

Tears pricked her eyes for the lost and lonely man before her, he'd lost his family, now his wife, and yet again he felt alone. Sighing, Rae moved her hand to her stomach, turning her eyes toward the darkening sky, I know you've always loved setting me into troublesome situations, Lizzy, but really..this is too much! With that said, she felt a bit better before she climbed into her own car and took off toward the church.

Hours later, she stood, cuddling little Eva in her arms watching as her parents tried to pry Grayson away from the grave site. Her eyes roved the fields to avoid the painful site of her sister's burial, yet her eyes caught the tiny marker a few miles away and her heart ached all the more. Why? Why did such things have to happen to her? First her baby, now her only sister! Looking down at her niece, she sighed, carrying on a silent conversation with the baby who wouldn't exactly understand her. "It'll be okay, Eva, your daddy, grandparents, and aunty love you so much."

Grayson's head cocked to the side as if listening to her talk to the tiny baby, and he stood to his feet finally. "Thank you all for being here." he said as his hands moved to his eyes briefly before he turned. Red-rimmed eyes, lacking sleep stared at her with the little one cozied up in her arms. "Can you carry her to the car for me, Raeanne?"

She nodded silenty, looking into his eyes before turning and walking toward the cars. Her heart longed to stay longer, to leave the others behind and simply sit at her sister's side for a time. Then maybe she'd walk over toward Evan's grave and leave a flower or two along with her thoughts. What was it about a cemetary that got people thinking? Maybe the sheer thought of life and death coaxed things out of a being, she wasn't exactly sure.

"Thanks Raeanne." he whispered, as she buckled the baby into the seat.

She nodded once more, then glanced back toward the site, "Listen, Grayson, I need some time alone. Can you let Dad and Mom know I'll be along in a bit?"

He reguarded her with solemn eyes before nodding his approval, "I'll let them know, don't be so long though, it is rather chilly."

With surprise, she turned and walked back over the wet grass to her sister's grave site. "I know you can't hear me anymore, Lizzy, it is rather one-sided and sad down here, however I know the good Lord is listening. You were more than just a sister to me. You were my help, my best friend, my chatty-cathy, my big sister, my guardian, oh so much I can't even explain!" she dashed away the tears that poured down her cheeks now. "You were there when I thought no one would help, would give me a comforting word, or support me. You were it. I'm here now, I'll do my best to support Grayson and help with Eva. I know you'd want me to, so that's what I'll do. I know there is nothing to repay your kidness, however it is a tiny contribution. I'm going over to see Evan now, oh I know the two of you are having such a time of things up there! Strolling along the streets of gold, in heavenly realms, oh what a happy place! Look at me with such foolish tears! How you've always longed to be in the arms of the Father." Wiping her eyes again she stood, pressing her fingers to her lips to silence a sob. Though she knew it was without cause to cry, she still did, grief should be dealt with now instead of bottled up. Lizzy had taught her that. Sighing, she walked on the wet grass away from the main fair of cemetary plots to the little headstone she visited weekly. Her own little one, nestled away in the arms of the father, as the headstone stated so eloquently.

She settled in beside the headstone, pressing a kiss to the marble, then wiping the dust away from it. Laying a tiny rose to the ground before it, she looked toward the sky where rain now fell. With a resolved sigh, she wondered if she should leave yet. However, she hadn't. She couldn't leave just yet. Not so soon. It was all too soon.