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“Is he ... ?” She couldn’t bring herself to ask if Papi was dead.
“It won’t be long now.” Aaron put his arm around her shoulders, and they moved as one to her father’s bedroom.
Isabella bit her lip to keep from crying. She wanted to be happy for Papi. He was not going to suffer anymore. He wasn’t afraid of leaving them now that Aaron had agreed to take care of everything, so she didn’t want to show any fear or sadness.
Mama sat beside Papi on the bed. She was holding hishand and smiled when Isabella and Aaron came through the door.
“Look, my darling, Isabella and Aaron are here to see you off.”
Papi opened his eyes, and a smile formed on his lips. “I love you all.” His words were raspy and barely audible.
Isabella sat on his other side. “And we love you, Papi.” Tears came unbidden, and try as she might, she couldn’t contain them. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry. I know you are going to a better place, but I will miss you so much. I wasted so much time.” The tears slid down her cheeks as she leaned forward to kiss her father’s forehead.
“I wish,” her father said, trying his best to reach up to touch her, “I could have walked you ... down the aisle.”
Isabella took his hand and drew it to her cheek. She held it there so he wouldn’t have to spend his own strength. “I wish you could have seen us married, but you put us together, and now God will do the rest.”
“She’s right, you know,” Aaron said, setting his hands on Isabella’s shoulders. “Neither of us would have considered the other for a mate had it not been for you and your prayers.”
“And his drive to see it done,” Mama said, smiling. “Many a blessing has come out of his drive to see something done.”
“When God ... gives a vision,” Papi said, sounding more and more distant, “He gives the ... the ... power to ... see it done.” He looked at each of them, then closed his eyes. “I’m ... going ... to see you ... again.”
“Yes, Papi. You will see us again.” Isabella’s voice broke, and she gently placed his arm at his side.
“Oh, my darling, it will be so hard without you.” Mama leaned forward and kissed Papi’s cheek. “I love you so.”
“I love ... you.”
He continued to breathe, but the breaths were slow and very shallow. It was as if they were all frozen in time, waiting, watching.
Light was just edging the horizon when a gurgling sound rattled from Papi’s throat. Isabella waited for him to draw another breath, but he didn’t. She looked to Aaron, who pulled her into his arms.
“He’s gone,” Mama whispered. She laid her head on his chest and nodded. “Gone.”
Sobs broke from Isabella, and she buried her face against Aaron’s shoulder.
After seeing Isabella and her mother taken care of and back in bed, Aaron rode for the undertaker.
The sheriff was just heading to the jail when he saw Aaron and gave a wave. “How are things up at the house?”
“Mr. Garcia just passed an hour or so ago.” Aaron climbed down from his horse. “I’m coming for the undertaker.”
Sheriff Jones nodded. “Definitely a big loss for these people. You have some huge shoes to fill.”
“Don’t I know it. I have no idea how to be even half as helpful to this town as he was.”
“Just do what you can and trust God for the rest.”
“I know trusting God is the only way I’m going to get through this. In the past when things were rough, I would pray and then go to Daniel for advice. With him gone, I feel such a huge loss.” He shook his head and tied off the horse. “I’d better go. My first official duty awaits.”
He had started across the street when he spied a man on horseback coming down the mountain road from the house. It was Jim Jensen. Aaron had wanted to talk to himthis morning, but since Jim had been up all night helping to rescue Isabella, Aaron had decided to let him sleep. But now his friend was here, just when Aaron needed him.
Jim pulled his horse up alongside Aaron’s and dismounted. “Maya told me about Mr. Garcia.” He tied the reins around the hitching post.
“Yeah. We were all with him, and it was an easy death.”
“I’m glad for his sake and for all of you.” He gave Aaron’s shoulder a squeeze. “You should have woken me up.”
