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I faced her, mouth slightly parted. I shook my head back and forth. “Why?”

She reached forward and grabbed my hand, placing mine in both of hers. “Follow me.”

Do

Reluctantly, I walked behind them, keeping my distance. I went over every possible reason why I was brought here but nothing prepared me for seeing the rest of the Brooks clan. There they stood by a freshly dug plot and a small casket that was no bigger than the size of an . . . infant. I stopped in my tracks, my hand going to my mouth. I gasped, shaking my head back and forth. Turner heard me and started to come to my aid. Do

“It’s going to be okay,” she told me.

My mouth opened and closed. “Is that?” I didn’t want to finish.

She nodded. “I made a few phone calls. I know you probably don’t want to be here or do this, but when this pain starts to feel a little less and you think about Noah, I want you to know exactly where he is, and that he had a place . . . with you.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I was speechless. The anger I’d previously felt was pushed back and sadness seeped into me. “But the rest of the family is here.”

She looked confused. “Of course they are. Don’t you know why?”

I shook my head no.

A serene smile came across her lips. “Because, honey, my Turner has fallen for you. The moment I saw it, you became family, and that means we are all here for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will. Come.” She guided me to where everyone was standing.

Turner took my hand and gave it a squeeze. Paul stood in front of everyone and spoke.

“A

I couldn’t take it anymore. My tears turned into a river, and I was full on sobbing. Never in my life would I have thought people would care enough about me to do something like this. Paul wasn’t done. Just as his last words left his mouth, he stepped aside. I was too preoccupied by the gathering of everyone, and the baby’s casket, I hadn’t even seen what had been behind him. There was a small grave stone that read:

Baby Noah

Oct 21, 2015

Loved by one, felt by many

I went to my knees. Turner had the mind to try and catch me, but I shooed him away. I needed my space. “Oh my God,” I whispered. Both of my hands were covering my mouth and my cheeks were soaked. “I never even thought . . .” I trailed off. If a person was capable of sensory overload, I was having it. My brain didn’t want to wrap around the possibility that there were such generous people in this world, or people who thought beyond themselves to do such a kind thing.

I glanced up at everyone around me as they all watched me. Turner, Do

Turner kneeled by me. “Yeah, beautiful, this is family.” He kissed my forehead and wiped some of my tears away.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Keegan sniffled, and Camden put his arm around her.

“Anybody need a joke to lighten the mood?” Wrigley asked.

Dodger slapped the back of his head. I’m starting to think that was his defense against anything that made him uncomfortable—making people laugh.

“Geez, so dead around here,” he grumbled.

“Wrig, go wait in the car, would ya?” Paul sighed.

A giggle bubbled up my throat. I couldn’t help it. “He doesn’t have to go. It’s okay.”

Reaching his hand out to me, Wrigley offered to help me up. Turner growled. I took it and stood.

“You’re my girl, Belle.”

“Thank you.” I beamed. “In fact, thank you to all of you. Especially you, Do

“No doubt he did,” Turner said, pulling me into an embrace.

“You’re in trouble Mr.,” I mumbled into his chest.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” he replied.

A groundskeeper approached all of us and asked if he could go ahead with lowering the casket into the ground. He said we could stay to watch if we wanted. I didn’t. This was all more than I could handle in one day, and I felt like I was ready for a nap.

“Would you two like to come to the house for di

“Thanks, Mom. But I’ve gone some plans with A

My eyes shot to Turner’s. “What now?”

“You’ll see.”

Great! He may not live to see another day the way he was going with all the unexpected stuff today.

“Oh, Do

“Yes, dear?”

I looked at the ground and swallowed the lump in my throat. “Th-thanks. For this. For all of this. For Noah and me. It was more than I could have ever expected or known I wanted.”

Her eyes became glassy. She strode toward me and pulled me into the most caring and motherly embrace I’d received since my own mom had held me.

“Always.”

She turned and walked away. Family . . . it really was the cornerstone or foundation of who we are.

“Turner,” I warned.

“Before you say anything, just hear me out.”

“No. No, no, no. And I mean absolutely not!”

“A

His “nothing” was certainly something. I was currently standing in front of a building that had a sign on the outside that said: Touch the sky, and fall to the earth.