Page 131 of With Spite

“Where you go, I go,” I agreed.

“And the diamond,” she said. “Tell Mattie that when her firstborn gets married, she has to pass it down.”

“Okay.”

“And when Cade gets married, he gets to have the one I’m wearing now.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

“Damien can give his wife my wedding band,” she continued, her voice slowing.

“Okay.”

“Take them all to The Crater of Diamonds,” she said. “Every single year. Find all the diamonds, Hux.”

“Okay.”

She was a little slower to respond this time.

“Tell Sage that…” She was quiet for a moment. “I’m going to miss working with her every single day.”

“Okay.”

“Tell Odin that I’ll mostly miss him. He is cantankerous, though.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

Her breathing slowed even more.

“Tell my brother that he was the best…” A slow, deep breath. “Big brother that a little sister…” Another deep breath. “Could ask for.”

I smoothed my hand down her cheek. “Okay.”

“And tell Birdee.” She paused.

She paused for so long that I felt my heart lurch.

“She’s asleep.”

I looked over at Odin.

“For the last time.”

“Yeah, probably.” Odin sounded just as hurt and broken up as I was.

All of us were.

Odin and Sage were there.

My kids. My brother-in-law. My family.

Our friends.

They were all there.

Bernice had lived one hell of a life.

She was the best person that I’d ever met.