“Love doesn’t run out, sweetheart,” Beth had said. “Your heart just makes more room.”
A tear plopped onto her hand, making the petal stick to her skin. Maddie hadn’t realized she was crying. But they weren’t sad tears. They were… different tears.
Maddie carefully opened the locket. Very gently, she placed the petal inside next to the tiny picture, then closed it carefully. She put it back in her secret pocket and patted it to make sure it was safe. Then she looked up at the sky, which was turning pink and orange as the sun started to set.
“I think my heart made more room, Mom,” she whispered to the sky.
Hailey
Hailey’s flower crown kept falling sideways. No matter how many times she pushed it back up, it slipped again. But that was okay because today was the Most Special Day Ever and nothing could make it bad. Not even itchy flower crowns.
“Watch me, watch me!” she had shouted to everyone as she twirled and twirled with Grandpa. He was the best twirler. When she got too dizzy and almost fell over, everyone laughed, and that made her want to do it again.
But then she saw it — a butterfly! It was orange and yellow like the sunset, and it was the prettiest thing Hailey had ever seen. Well, except for Sunny in her wedding dress.
The butterfly fluttered past the tables where grown-ups were talking about boring grown-up things. Hailey knew she was supposed to stay at the party, but the butterfly might have a message. An important butterfly message.
You see butterflies were special. That’s what she told everyone, but only Maddie really understood. Butterflies carried messages to heaven for people who couldn’t go there yet. And Hailey had a Very Important Message today.
She ducked under someone’s arm and ran after the butterfly, her shoes making little thumps on the grass. Her flower girl dress bounced around her legs, the sparkly part catching sunlight and making her look magical..
“Wait, butterfly!” she called.
The butterfly didn’t wait, but that was okay. Hailey followed it past the big tree with the swing, past the roses that she wasn’t allowed to pick, all the way to the back garden where the wild flowers grew tall.
And then she stopped, her mouth making a perfect “O” shape.
There were butterflies everywhere! Blue ones and yellow ones and white ones with black dots. They were having their own party in the flowers!
“It’s a butterfly wedding!” Hailey whispered, crouching down to watch them. Some were drinking from the flowers. Some were dancing together in the air. Hailey sat down carefully, trying not to squish her pretty dress too much.
This was Mommy’s butterfly party, she decided. Mommy was having a party in heaven at the same time as Daddy and Sunny’s party. That’s why there were so many butterflies today!
“Hello, butterflies,” she said in her best princess voice. “I’m Hailey and I got a message for my Mommy.”
The butterflies kept fluttering around, which meant they were listening. Hailey knew that for sure.
“Today Daddy married Sunny, and I was the flower girl. I had the most beautifulest dress and I didn’t spill anything on it, not even juice. Maddie was a flower girl too, but she doesn’t twirl as good as me.”
A small orange butterfly landed right on Hailey’s hand. She held her breath, afraid to scare it away. This was it — this was her butterfly messenger!
“Hello,” she whispered to it. “You’re the prettiest. Can you take a message to my Mommy?”
The butterfly’s wings opened and closed slowly.
“Tell Mommy that I’m happy. And Daddy’s happy. And even Maddie’s happy,even though she tries to be serious like a grown-up.” Hailey watched the butterfly carefully.
“Sometimes I call Sunny ‘Mom’ by accident. Is that okay? Maddie got all quiet when I did it, but Sunny just gave me a big hug. I miss you, Mom.”
The butterfly suddenly took flight, circling Hailey’s head once before flying up toward the sky that was turning orange and pink as the sun went down.
Hailey watched it go, feeling like she’d done something important. The butterfly would find her Mommy and tell her everything. And Mommy would be happy too, at her butterfly party in heaven.
Liam
“Liam.” A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.
Kate’s mother stood before them, her posture rigid but her eyes soft. “The ceremony was lovely.”
