“Popcorn. I wasn’t hungry earlier, so this is supper and snack. Wish you were here. I’d share.”

“Wish I was, too,” Hunt said. “Sounds like a good time. Maybe another time we’ll do popcorn at your place.”

She laughed. “It’s a date. In the meantime, I’ll see you tomorrow at Granny’s. Take care and sleep tight.”

“You too,” Hunt said. “And thanks for calling.” He was still smiling when he disconnected.

Ava pocketed her phone and then dumped the popcorn in a bowl, grabbed a bottle of pop, and headed for the living room. All of a sudden she was starving and happy and couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.

* * *

Morning dawned with Ava thinking about seeing Hunt today and knowing it was time to get up and get busy. This was her last day off for a bit, and there were always things waiting to be done.

Hunt was up and making coffee, knowing there was still more caulking to do and walls to scrape to get ready for painting. By the time he had coffee and cereal in his belly, he was back at work and thinking about Ava.

He knew tonight was the family viewing, but his mother would not judge him for staying away from the ritual, any more than she’d judged him for not coming home again.

She not only understood why, she had never blamed him for how he felt. Only once after he left did she ever mention it, saying how hard it was to grasp that the children she’d raised and the man she’d married had turned into people she didn’t know. She told Hunt she still loved them, but except for Birdie, who was her rock, she didn’t much like them anymore, and apologized to him for not being there for him when he needed her most.

So, Hunt didn’t care what they thought because he was honoring his mother in a different way by making good on his promise.

* * *

Emma had an early appointment at the Curl Up and Dye. Tonight was Mama’s viewing, and she wanted to look better than she felt.

Junior woke up, remembered what was happening this evening, and went back to sleep.

Ray took a more practical approach to the day and went outside early to begin cleaning out his car, while Susie left to run errands.

Birdie was getting ready for work with a heavy heart. She didn’t want to see her mother in a casket. But she reminded herself that being an adult meant doing the hard things, too, and this was hard. So far, the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.

* * *