Someday: 3 (Sunrise) Read Online Free PDF

“Is Mom okay? To hug, I mean?”
    Landon uttered a soft chuckle. “She’s fine. You can hug her, buddy.” As he said the words, he looked at Ashley and a knowing passed between them. She wasn’t fine, and neither was he. Maybe someday, but for now it would be a very long time before they could use that word and mean it. Still, it was important to get things back to normal for their boys, especially Cole, with his great sense of perception and concern for the people in his family.
    Cole smiled, relieved. He put his arms around Ashley longer than usual. “Your tummy’s almost flat again.”
    “Yes. Almost.” Ashley smiled and ran her hand along the back of Cole’s head. He hadn’t been a baby for many years, but as he hugged her, she could remember what it felt like to hold him when he was. The feeling brought her some relief from the ache that had been with her all morning.
    Landon moved closer and put his arm around Cole’s shoulders. “Have you been sad today?”
    “A little.” Cole squinted up at Landon and then Ashley. “Sarah shoulda had a party today, and I was gonna be in charge of her so Devin wouldn’t be too rough. I wanted to teach him how to be a big brother.” He thought for a few seconds. “Babies are too young for heaven—don’t you think?”
    Ashley felt a lump in her throat, and with her free hand she massaged it. “I do. Much too young.”
    “But—” Landon grinned despite the sadness in his eyes—“I bet you did a good job of being in charge of Devin this morning.”
    They heard steps from the family room, and Ashley’s father came quietly around the corner. “He did a great job.”
    Cole lit up at the sight of his grandpa. “Tell ’em how me and Devin played with those giant LEGOs and built the biggest bridge ever!”
    “Definitely the biggest.”
    “It was so big Devin wanted to climb on it, but I told him LEGO bridges didn’t work like that.” Cole stepped away from Ashley and grinned at his papa. “Right?”
    “Right. You told him.” Ashley’s dad mussed up Cole’s blond hair and cast a concerned look at Ashley and Landon.
    “Hey!” An idea seemed to pop into Cole’s head. “I’ll go check on the bridge before Mom and Dad come see it.” He darted off and ran halfway through the dining room before he stopped and quieted his footsteps, probably remembering that Devin was still asleep. “That was loud,” he whispered. “Sorry!”
    When Cole was out of earshot, Ashley’s dad put a hand on her shoulder and then Landon’s. “I won’t stay. You need your family time.” He leaned close and kissed her cheek. Then he turned to Landon. “You can do this. Your faith will get you through.”
    Landon nodded. “And I have a feeling family’s going to help a whole lot too.”
    When Ashley’s dad was gone, Landon wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long while. They could hear Cole in the distant playroom, shuffling about, probably making sure every LEGO connection was firm and in place.
    Ashley rested her head against Landon’s chest. She was still so tired. In two days they’d have a small, private funeral, but right now even the thought of so much sadness seemed overwhelming. “Think he’ll remember her?” She looked up. “A year from now? . . . Five years?”
    “I don’t know.” Landon’s eyes were deep, thoughtful. “But that little girl will stay with us, between us . . . a part of us until we see her again.”
    “Right there next to my mom.”
    “And Irvel.”
    Ashley smiled, and with that they followed the sound of Cole and spent the next ten minutes marveling at the bridge, which was bigger than Cole and Devin combined. Landon grabbed the camera and took half a dozen photos. Not long after, Devin woke and the four of them sat cross-legged on the playroom floor, taking apart the bridge and using the blocks to build a tower instead.
    Every now and then, Ashley was painfully aware that amid the happy sounds of her family, one was