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.

dad inside,” the officiant urged.

“Aaron, can I hold him for a moment?” Her voice quivered, filled with

don’t hold up the ceremony; we have a lot to

locked on Aaron. “Aaron,

a word, Aaron freed one arm and gently wrapped it around his

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

the sunlit path through the fields, a strong farmer lifted his young daughter onto his shoulders, filling

his leg, no

looking for her. On the day

she turned to leave, her dad, leaning on his crutch, would stand there, his eyes showing he didn’t want to let go. From

like a leaf in the wind, and

to gently pull Ellie away, but she held on tightly to

desperation, the officiant asked for Joanna to come.

please listen.” When Joanna spoke, Ellie lifted her head. Joanna stood a little way off, looking older than her years to the events of the past few days. Ellie felt a sharp pain in her heart

due