Chapter 15 - The Unbroken Circle
Six months later, the high plains of Nebraska looked entirely different.
The biting freeze of winter had melted away under a brilliant spring sun, replaced by rolling waves of emerald-green grass, blooming wildflowers, and the endless, sapphire-blue sky of June.
The Reed farmhouse had undergone a subtle transformation. The windows were thrown open to catch the warm prairie breeze, fresh white paint gleamed in the sunlight, and the heavy, guarded atmosphere that had once choked the hallways was gone completely.
On a bright Saturday afternoon in early June, the gravel driveway was lined with cars.
In the backyard beneath the shade of the old cottonwood trees, a long wooden table had been set up, draped in white linen and overflowing with platters of food, fresh flowers, and laughter.
Sophie, wearing a flower crown instead of her plastic turkey glasses, ran across the lawn chasing a stray golden retriever puppy, her high-pitched giggles echoing across the fields.
Luke and Hannah were busy arguing over the barbecue grill while Maggie loaded down a tray with homemade lemonade.
At the head of the long wooden table sat Evelyn, her silver hair neat, her eyes sharp and triumphant as she watched the chaos unfold.
And right beside her—sitting comfortably in the chair that had once been left empty for six long years—was Cassidy.
She wore a light summer sundress patterned with small yellow daisies, laughing as Ronan walked over from the kitchen carrying a heavy platter of grilled steak, his shirtsleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms, a faint, easy smile on his face.
Ronan set the platter down in the center of the table, leaned over behind Cassidy’s chair, and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head before taking the seat right beside her.
There were no ghost chairs today. There were no empty spaces guarded by grief.
The table was full, the plates were piled high, and the circle was completely, perfectly unbroken.
Evelyn raised her glass of lemonade, her sharp eyes sweeping around the table, landing finally on Cassidy and Ronan, before looking out over the sunlit horizon.
May you like
“To new beginnings,” Evelyn announced, her voice strong and resonant in the warm June air. “And to people who know how to crash a Thanksgiving dinner.”
Everyone raised their glasses, the silver and glass clinking together in a bright, joyful chorus that carried far across the Nebraska plains, straight into the open, welcoming sky.
