Two perfect roses

I can do this, I told myself….I can do this without crying….I CAN DO THIS! I went into the florist shop and asked for two red roses. The sweet sales lady told me they were $3.50 apiece. That’s fine, I said….they’re for my brother. She went to the cooler and came back with two perfect long stemmed red roses. She smiled at me when she told me that instead of $3.50 apiece, they would only be $1.00 apiece. I paid her for them, then she cut the stems and tied a beautiful ribbon around them. I thanked her and carried them to the car, being very gentle with my precious cargo. My son’s fiancee, Mia, took them from me in the car and laid them carefully on her lap.

We drove to the cemetary and parked. I took the roses from Mia, and she and I and my son Josh got out of the car and walked. It was cold, but it was a beautiful sunny day. I found the tiny grave marker and called to them "here it is." They came and stood by me. I can do this, I can do this, I kept telling myself. I knelt down and placed those two perfect roses on the marker, letting my fingers trace his name…..Gregory Walter Rose. I whispered "hey baby brother….it’s been a while, I’m sorry." I told him his nephew was there…told him how much I wish he could have known Josh, how much I wish Josh could have known him…that I just know they would’ve been the best of buddies. And then the tears came….dripping down my face and landing on that tiny little grave marker. "These are from me and Stacey" I whispered before I stood up, the tears still coming. My son’s arms encircled me from the front, Mia’s from the back, and they held me while I cried. I silently thanked God for my son, and for the amazing young woman who is his fiancee, while I hugged them both, and wished my brother could be here when they get married. But I know, in my heart, that he knows all these things, and that he’s smiling down at us from Heaven.