Section+7

A private burial was held the next week, with Adele, Gretchen, and Harrison being the only ones in attendance. The branches of the maple trees provided little refuge from the hot Georgian sun as it beat down on the trio, all dressed in black. The diamond on Adele’s left hand caught the sunlight refracted a beam of light onto Rachel’s coffin as it was lowered into the solemn earth. Both father and daughter wore the same expression; not of anguish, or loss, or even guilt. There was something very definite and resolute about the setting of their jaws and the light coming from behind their eyes. They wore the visage of someone who was letting go. Harrison was letting go of the constant worry, to endless torment that had been his life; always thinking about where Rachel was and when she would come home and hurt his daughter once more. But more than the worry, Harrison was letting go of the hopeless dream that Rachel would one day walk through his door and be his wife and his daughter’s mother once more. Adele was letting go of something that everyone must let go of at some point in their lives. She was saying goodbye to her childhood fantasy. Her fantasy had been of a glamorous, powerful mother who didn’t need a home or a family of judgmental southern society to help her do anything in the world. She could go off on her own to new and exciting places every day. Rachel’s homecoming had ruined all that for Adele. The moment she had seen her mother lying, motionless in bed, she had seen her for what she truly had been. Penniless, derelict, desperate, and alone. Her mother had taught her a harsh lesson by way of a cautionary tale, and at the expense of her life. And for that at least, Adele was somewhat thankful. Immediately following the funeral service, Gretchen was taking Adele to the bridal salon to select a gown and veil. Rene and Adele had chosen on a short engagement. In Rene’s eyes, he had been loving Adele since she was in pigtails. He did not need any more time to prepare himself for ‘I do’. Adele was equally as optimistic about her upcoming nuptials. Being with Rene had helped to open her eyes to the more enjoyable aspects of Blue Ridge’s society. The past week had been a flurry of luncheons, dinner parties, and congratulatory festivities all arranged by Rene’s loving family, as well as his substantial cluster of close friends. He had taken time to introduce Adele to his companions, many of whom, to Adele’s surprise, were not a stuffy and boring as she had first expected them to be. Many of them were actually quite enjoyable company to keep. They delighted in her tales of sneaking out to go dancing ( although Adele left out some of the more risqué details of her secret outings). With the help of Rene’s guiding hand and gentle smile, Adele found herself not feeling so alone. Harrison watched his only child walk down the aisle with a bittersweet disposition. She was truly a vision in white, just like Rachel had been. But Adele was no Rachel and Rene was no Harrison. They would not make the same mistakes, nor would they push each other away. The wedding was said to be one of the finest and most fashionable summer weddings in the county that season. As the party was winding down and the guests were preparing to wish bid farewell to the happy couple, Rene took out a single pink rose from his jacket pocket and places it behind Adele’s ear. The soft pings of rice hitting the pavement were lost on the couple, as they grinned at each other from within their new car. Upon being carried though the threshold and placed down onto the new wooden floor, Adele smiled and surveyed the home that would become her shelter, her kingdom, and her comfort; never her prison.