Chapter 41
Andrey hugged Harper tightly. Her eyes were closed, and yet she still code thold back jur tears,
The next morning, Audrey took Harper to the funeral home to see me for the last age. That was why she had asked for Anne’s body to be delivered from Sheysen Chy,
Harper had cried and stayed up all night. Her eyes were so swollen that de cord’s open them. But she was afraid Audrey would be worried about her, so she tried to pull herself wether.
When she saw Anne’s body, Harper had an emotional breakdown and wanted to red over to hold Anne. However, the staff stopped her.
The funeral director applied makeup onto Anne’s face. They also dressed her well, which made her look like she was sound asleep.
Audrey embraced Harper who could hardly stand still. Harper opened her mouth and tried her best to say “Mom“, but she couldn’t make a sound.
Harper struggled but couldn’t say the word, even as Anne was pushed into the cremator
While they sat on a bench waiting for the ashes, Harper soaked Audrey’s clothes with tears. Audrey looked calm as the hugged Harper, but her bloodshot eyes couldn’t hide her sorrow
They didn’t know how long they had waited when a small urn with Anne’s ashes was delivered to
Audrey.
“Let’s take Aunt Anne home!” Audrey told Harper, whose face was wet with tears.
Harper nodded tearfully.
Anne and Harper lived above the small store. They placed the urn next to a photo of hers on a shelf in the living room. Then, they sat at the dining table to discuss what would happen next.
“The semester is ending in a couple of weeks. You’ll come to Cloudmill with me and go to school there next semester,” Audrey said slowly, “From now on, you’ll live with me.”
Harper nodded.
“As for the store downstairs, I’ll ask someone to sell it. As for this house, we’ll keep it. It’ll be in your
name.”
Harper quickly gestured, “Mom bought this house before she adopted me. It’s for you! I don’t want it!
“Do you know the Yeomans family?” Audrey whispered, “I can’t keep the house if it’s in my name. Aunt Anne worked hard for decades to buy this house. She said it was where she belonged. We can’t let it fall into the hands of others.”
Harper nodded solemnly.
Audrey reached her hand out to touch Harper’s head. “You have school tomorrow, and you didn’t sleep last night. Take a nap. I’ll cook and wake you up when it’s ready,”
Harper pointed at the wound on Audrey’s head and signed, “You get some rest, I’ll cook.”
Listen to me!” Andrey told Harper. Then, she got up and washed her hands to start cooking
But a while later, Harper walked into the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves to cut the vegetables next to Audrey as she washed them.
She didn’t wait for Audrey to drive her out. She gestured, “I only feel at ease when I’m with you.”
As she signed, her tears fell again. She quieldy wiped them away.
Audrey didn’t ask Harper to leave again. She instructed her to heat up some bread rolls. It was only the two of them, so Audrey made some scrambled eggs and a Greek salad,
After a few quick bites, Audrey did the dishes. Harper did her homework at the dining table, discreetly wiping away her tears.
