CHAPTER 39

R aleigh had helped Hollis however she could, offering to make the necessary calls for her, help with the choices for the arrangements, and, most importantly, just be there to hold her when she broke down. Hollis had moments where she’d appear to be fine, and she would walk around the house, trying to figure out where her mother had stored important documents and keep her mind focused on that task until it was complete. Then, she’d go catatonic and would stare into space, not moving. At first, Raleigh had let her remain that way for as long as she needed to. After a couple of days, though, she’d noticed a pattern: right after the staring came the uncontrollable sobbing, and after that, the anger would appear. So, Raleigh would just sit with her, and when the tears started to form, she’d pull Hollis into her and hold on as the woman let go. By doing that, she’d managed to help – or, at least, she hoped she’d helped – Hollis through the tears and the feeling that she’d missed out on so much with her mother.

The funeral was supposed to be a small one, but it was anything but. Olivia had had a book with names and addresses, but it hadn’t looked touched for years, so Raleigh hadn’t been sure any of the people in it would show up. The obituary had run in the paper, though, and they’d made a few calls. Apparently, either people still read papers, or they’d just called each other about Olivia’s death because over one hundred people had shown up for her. Dylan and Ada were among them, which surprised Raleigh, but she was so grateful. Kenna and Ripley, along with their daughter Aaliyah, were there as well. Even Sandy from Vancouver flew in for Hollis, which only showed Raleigh that while Hollis hadn’t felt all that connected to the people around her, she’d still managed to make friends .

The funeral was in the church Olivia had gone to for years when she’d still been able to attend, and people had to stand because it was so small. Detectives who had tried to find Hollis were there to pay their respects, as were all of the support group members, including Molly, who had likely arranged for all of them to be there. People had shown up for Hollis and her extraordinarily strong mother, and Raleigh would forever be grateful in a way she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to express.

“How’s she doing?” Ada checked after the service. “Ridiculous question; I know.”

“She’s doing the best she can,” Raleigh replied, looking over at Hollis, who was talking to some people Raleigh didn’t recognize.

“We’re here for you if you need anything,” Dylan said.

“Thank you. I think she’s just going to need time.”

“In the obit, it mentioned that she loved sunflowers. I hope that’s true because that’s what we sent,” Ada told her.

“It is,” Raleigh replied, smiling warmly. “Thank you.”

“Well, we should get going,” Dylan spoke again and took Ada’s hand. “We just wanted to pay our respects.”

“Thank you. This means a lot to me and to Hollis.”

Dylan and Ada both nodded and left the cemetery they’d gone to after the church service. Hollis hadn’t wanted a showing or anything back at her mother’s house. Raleigh had offered to host at her own, but Hollis had been insistent, so Raleigh had backed off. Now, people were saying their goodbyes and condolences at the cemetery.

Raleigh walked back over to Hollis just as Kenna, Ripley and Aaliyah approached her.

“We’ve got to hit the road,” Kenna said to Hollis.

“Thank you for coming. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course,” Kenna replied. “Even if you and I hadn’t formed a friendship, Hollis, I loved your mother. Olivia had the kind of strength I only hope I can possess half of. She was an inspiration to parents going through the same thing, and I’ll always be grateful for knowing her. ”

Hollis was doing a good job of holding in her tears, likely feeling like she needed to put on a brave face, but Raleigh knew they’d fall later, and she’d be there to hold her.

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Aaliyah said as Ripley stood behind her with both hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Hollis said, smiling at the little girl.

“Mom said she was awesome,” Aaliyah noted.

“I did say that,” Kenna added, laughing a little at her daughter.

“She was awesome,” Hollis agreed.

When the three of them left, Hollis stood still and waited. More people came up to her to pay their respects, including Sandy, until finally, it was just Hollis, Raleigh, and Olivia.

“What do you need?” Raleigh asked, taking Hollis’s hand.

“I need to go. I can’t watch them put her in the ground,” Hollis replied.

“Okay. Let’s go home, babe.”

“I can’t go to her house,” Hollis told her.

“My place, then?” Raleigh suggested.

“Yes, please.”

“Can we stop by your mom’s house to get you some stuff? You don’t have to go in, but I think there’s something you should see.”

Hollis nodded reluctantly and they drove in silence over to Olivia’s house. The church service had been lovely, and there had been arrangements along with an enlarged photo of Olivia taken before the cancer next to the casket, but Raleigh had made a request of the church, and they’d been able to accommodate it.

“Will you trust me?” she asked Hollis when they arrived.

“It’s okay, Raleigh. I’m fine. I just don’t want to spend the night here yet.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

They got out of the car, made their way to the house, and Raleigh unlocked and opened the door. Hollis walked in first and then stopped. Raleigh knew why.

“Oh, my God,” Hollis said.

Raleigh moved in beside her, letting the door close on its own.

“People wanted to pay their respects, so they sent her favorite flower,” she explained.

In the living room alone, there were over thirty potted sunflowers or bouquets of them that Raleigh had put into water that morning while Hollis had been sleeping at her house. Hollis had been taking sleeping pills to get through the tough nights, so Raleigh had known she wouldn’t wake up if she left for a bit. When the flowers had begun pouring into the church, they hadn’t had enough room for them, but knowing they’d be sent home with Hollis anyway, Raleigh had asked that they be taken to the house the day before since Hollis was staying with her.

“There are more in the kitchen, and I put some in her room, too.”

Hollis turned to her and asked, “How many are there?”

“I counted over a hundred,” she replied. “Most are from people who’d been at the funeral, but some are from the ones who couldn’t make it. Some of the cards weren’t in envelopes, so I was able to read them. Your mom helped a lot of people, Hollis.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you should read the cards when you’re ready, but she helped people who went through what she was going through. They’re very grateful to her.”

“I didn’t know that,” Hollis said, tears welling in her eyes.

Raleigh took her hand and asked, “Do you want to see the rest of them?”

“Yeah,” Hollis said.

After they walked around the house, with Raleigh pointing out some of the ways she had to get creative with water vessels for the plants, they left with more clothes for Hollis and the stack of cards for her to read when she was ready to take it all in.

“You used the toothbrush holder?” Hollis said, laughing a little.

It was the first time Raleigh had heard her laugh in a week.

“I leaned the flower against the wall. You didn’t have enough vases, and I’d already used the pots and pans.”

Hollis laughed again, and this time, as they drove to Raleigh’s house, she took Raleigh’s hand instead of it being the other way around recently. Hollis had stayed over since that day. Raleigh preferred it. She wanted to keep an eye on her. The conversation that they’d had weeks ago with Olivia’s lawyer had been beneficial because it meant that Hollis didn’t have to deal with legalities just yet; she already knew that her mom had left the house and the old car that sat in the garage to her. Hollis would have to sell the car for parts because it hadn’t run in years. The house, though, Raleigh knew, Hollis wasn’t sure what to do with yet.

“They’ll need new water,” Hollis said.

“I bookmarked an article on sunflower growth and maintenance for you, if you want to take a look at it.”

“Maybe later,” Hollis replied.

“Can I fix you something to eat?” Raleigh asked when they pulled into her garage.

“I’m not really hungry.”

“People cooked for you,” Raleigh revealed. “I have casseroles for days in my freezer.”

“They did?” Hollis asked, looking over at her. “Mom must have told them I’m not a cook.”

“I think it’s the human way of saying that there are no words to express sorrow like this, so we send flowers and food and hope they help in some small way.”

“They sent her sunflowers, Raleigh.” Hollis gave her a half-smile.

She smiled back at her, and they went inside. Raleigh pulled out a piece of one of the pies she’d been given for Hollis in hopes that Hollis would at least eat this if nothing else. Then, she also made her a cup of tea that would help her sleep and headed to her bedroom, where she found Hollis curled up on her side, facing away from the door. Raleigh walked around to check on her and was surprised to find her not coiled up in tears but actually asleep. The first couple of nights had been rough. Hollis hadn’t slept at all, despite the sleeping pills the nurse had suggested Raleigh pick up at the drugstore. Exhaustion had finally taken her, though, and Raleigh was happy for it. She returned to the kitchen, rewrapped the pie for later, and decided to sip on the calming tea herself as she tried to get some work done.

Her office was a mess because she’d been helping Hollis with arrangements in it instead of working there, so she decided to take her computer to the living room and reach out to her clients at least, thanking them for their patience while she dealt with a loss in the family. That was all the information she’d given them, but it was important to her that she begin to share these things with them. Financially, she needed all of her clients and a couple more, but they were also good people, and she was starting to wonder if she should’ve told them about Eden from the beginning. They likely would’ve been understanding and even supportive, but it had been such a shock to her; she hadn’t known how to tell them that her work would likely suffer because her daughter was missing without making it sound like an excuse. And Raleigh didn’t want to ever use her daughter’s disappearance as an excuse.

She sent the emails she needed to and checked on Hollis, who was stirring, meaning she’d wake up soon. Raleigh unwrapped the pie, made new tea, and went back into her room, where she found Hollis with her tired eyes open.

“I brought you pie and tea, not shitty diner coffee.”

Hollis smiled at her and said, “Thank you.”

“Will you at least eat this for me?”

“Yeah,” Hollis said, sitting up.

As Raleigh passed Hollis the small plate and put the tea on the bedside table, she heard her phone ring from where she’d left it on the table in the living room.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” She kissed Hollis’s forehead.

“Raleigh?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” Hollis said.

Raleigh smiled wide and replied, “I love you, too.”

Then, she went to the living room, where she picked up her phone, which showed that Dylan was calling.

“Hi,” she said into the phone.

“Raleigh?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sitting down?”

“What?” she asked, her body moving to sit on the sofa of its own accord. “Why are you asking me that, Dylan?”

“Because we found her. We found Eden. It’s her.”

“What?” she said and cupped her hand over her mouth in disbelief.