“I have to go,” she told Lyric when she saw a uniformed man approaching her sister.
“The plane is making its final descent,” she heard him say. “Please, follow me.”
“Who are all these other people?” Blythe asked the officer as they escorted Bree out of the building and to the tarmac, when she saw a crowd of people.
“The Dignified Arrival team, ma’am,” he answered as though Blythe would know what that meant.
“Protocol,” he added.
“What can we do?” Jace called Renie and asked.
“I don’t know. Nothing right now.”
“How is she?”
“Okay, more worried about her sister, of course. They’ll be back in Colorado tomorrow morning.”
“Tucker and I would like to attend the services, but we don’t want to intrude.”
“I’m sure it would mean a lot to her if you were there, Jace.”
“What did she say?” Tucker asked when Jace hung up.
“She’ll let us know.”
“This can’t be a game anymore.”
“It never has been to me, Tucker.”
“Me, neither.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...” Jace couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence. Here he was, giving up again. First Renie, now Blythe.
“I wish I could be the bigger man here, but I can’t. I think I love her. I know that sounds crazy, but there hasn’t been anyone I’ve felt this way about since—”
“I know,” Jace stopped him. He owed his brother, and even though Tucker would never know the real reason he was giving up on Blythe, Jace would assuage part of the guilt he’d been carrying around with him these last few years.
He rubbed his chest, the place where it felt like a ton of bricks sat.
Three days later, Blythe and Bree boarded the plane that would carry Zack’s body to Peterson Air Force base in Colorado Springs, where the funeral would take place.
They spent the night at their parents’ house, and the next morning, rode in the car with them, while Zack’s family followed behind them. Several other vehicles were in the procession, but Blythe had no idea who was in them.
They waited at the front gate, for their escort to the tarmac.
“No!” Bree gasped when the military personnel directed them where to park.
“What, honey? What’s wrong?” asked Paige.
“No hearses. I said no.”
Paige looked at Blythe, who shrugged her shoulders.
Mark put his hand on Bree’s. “Honey, tell us what you’re talking about.”
“I said no hearses.”
“I’ll take care of it,” said their mother.