Love's Tangled Web by Donna Taylor

Chapter 273

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Before Ellie’s eyes, a sea of mourners dressed in black surrounded her. Some were weeping, some were lamenting, and some were offering comfort.

“Ellie, your dad’s ashes are here. You need to greet him,” urged a distant relative. But she felt as if her feet were stuck to the ground, unable to move or cry.

With her eyes stinging and swollen, she looked into the distance, seeing the relatives crying around her dad’s urn. Their cries cut through the air, bringing shared sorrow even to the ones who weren’t related.

Aaron came near, holding Harold’s urn, and said, “Dad, we’re home.” Each step he took toward Ellie made her heart shudder and her breath catch.

Lacey and Diana stood beside Ellie, quietly supporting her. In just two days, grief had deeply etched itself into Aaron’s face, making him look almost unrecognizable. He stopped in front of Ellie.

your dad inside,” the officiant urged. But Aaron

hoarse whisper, Ellie pleaded, “Aaron, can I hold him for

have a lot to do.”

lips trembled, her dry eyes locked on Aaron.

and gently wrapped it around his sister, who

her dad’s embrace. In her mind, she imagined him standing in the wheat field, smiling and beckoning her, saying, “Little Ellie, come here.

path through the fields, a strong farmer lifted his young daughter onto his shoulders, filling the air with their

since Harold had hurt his leg, no one had

door, looking for her. On the day she left,

crutch, would stand there, his eyes showing he didn’t want to let go. From now on, her dad could no longer walk her to the station or wave goodbye with

tightly, her body shaking like a leaf in the wind,

pull Ellie away, but she held on tightly to Harold’s ashes, her head buried in Aaron’s shoulder,

the officiant asked for

little way off, looking older than her years to the events of the past few days. Ellie felt a sharp pain in her heart and

due