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“Okay!” She held her hands up indoesn’t fit into a neat and tidy box Sos are complicated And they are supposed to be that way”

“Point taken,” he said “I love you”

“Almost asthe flowers Send Lola back up here Then we’ll put the flowers on the grave and have some lunch by the pond”

“Are you getting tired?”

“No I’ll let you knohen I a I want a minute alone, please”

“Okay” He kissed her on the forehead and started to walk toward Lou as still gathering flowers by the pond He o back up and sit with his mother while he walked over to Lou

“Are you doing all right?” she asked quietly

“Yeah But we had better get ho She looks a little tired”

“I’m ready when you are,” Lou replied and put the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand with a smile

They turned to walk back to where Lola and Mrs Wester waited at the gravesite Then they heard Lola scream “Dr Wester! You had better come quick!”

Brody and Lou both broke into a fast run and reached her at the sa to one side, eyes closed, and a slight shtly on the shoulder but she did not stir He grabbed Lola’s stethoscope from where it rested around her neck and listened to his mother’s heart

He stood up and turned to grab Lou in a tight embrace He buried his face in her hair and he pulled her close to hi only slightly as he said it

The next twenty-four hours rushed by like a fast-ue washed over them all as they prepared for the funeral and dealt with the eht in a summer storm

Lou stood in her bedrooht at the funeral home when the reality of the situation finally hit her Mrs Wester was gone She had given Lou opportunities and chances for a good life but she had also done ave Lou a roleto aspire to be And she was gone

Lou tucked her black silk blouse into her black skirt and slid on her dress shoes She turned to open her door to walk out of the room and the emotions slapped her in the face