Part 6
Kevin watched as Taylor wound her way through the garden picking flowers to place on Tyler’s grave. Memories were racing through his mind as he watched his daughter, memories of the garden and Tyler’s insistence that they have it….and that HE had to be the one to help her with it.
"Kevin, please!" she begged as he tried to get out of the house with his golf bag. "You PROMISED me you’d break up the land for my flower garden."
"Why do we need a flower garden anyway?"
"All southern plantations have flower gardens so there can be fresh-cut flowers on the tables and in the guests’ rooms."
"Then order them from a florist! I’m going to play golf. This is my only day off before the tour starts and I want to get in 18 holes."
Tyler smirked at him. "I’ve got ONE hole you aren’t gonna get in again if you DON’T do this."
"You’re EVIL, woman!" shot Kevin. "Why can’t you just get them from a florist?"
"Because that’s too expensive and not nearly as nice."
"Fine, then hire a gardener."
"AGGG!" fumed Tyler as she turned Kevin away from the door. "You’ve gotten LAZY in your old age, Kevin Scott! You promised me YOU would do it."
Laughing as he took her in his arms, Kevin said, "No, I said I’d THINK about it. And I’m NOT old….or lazy. Remember all those rehearsals you’ve been putting us through lately?"
"Yes, and I also recall all the times I had to drag your butt there and all the back rubs afterwards because you were ‘sooooo soar’ and the leg rubs because your thighs hurt so bad. Please, Kevin! I really want this garden,"she pleaded, giving him her best pout.
"'OKAY! OKAY!! I give!!" conceded Kevin as he set his clubs down. "And what is my beautiful but persistent wife going to do while I do this job for her?"
"Why, Mr. Richardson," flirted Tyler in her best southern belle accent and batting her eyelashes, "I am going to sit on the veranda and sip my ice tea."
"What? No mint julep? What kind of Southern Belle ARE you?" teased Kevin scrunching his nose.
"Mint juleps aren’t appropriate for someone in my delicate condition."
Kevin’s eyes grew wide with excitement. "You mean….you’re….we’re…." he stammered.
With a big smile, Tyler nodded, "Yes, Kevin, I’m pregnant."
"Hey….Kevin!! Where were you?" asked Howie, touching the older man’s arm.
"Huh?"
"I called your name four times. What were you daydreaming about?"
"Sorry. I was just remembering the day Tyler insisted I break up the land for this garden. It was the day she told me she was pregnant with Jerald."
"She always did get into the ‘Susie Homemaker’ mood when she was pregnant," laughed Howie, remembering all the projects she’d done while pregnant with first Scott, then Jerald, and finally Taylor.
Looking around the grounds, Kevin closed his eyes and a single teardrop slid down his cheek. "I bought this place for her and she’s everywhere. I don’t think I can stay here."
"It’s going to take a while to adjust but you can’t just walk away from your home….the home you and Tyler made together. Let the boys finish school and take a vacation. Get away for a little while. It’ll do you and the kids some good."
"Actually, Tyler and I had made reservations at Disney world and were going to visit with your family."
"Why don’t you take them to Disney land instead ... .somewhere where Tyler isn’t everywhere you turn?"
Kevin remained silent but more tears trickled down his cheeks.
Howie looked at the broken man before him and his heart broke all over again. Putting his hand on the older man’s shoulder, he said gently, "You decide what you want to do and Kryss and I will be there for you to help with the kids."
Kevin shook his head, "No, thanks anyway but I need to do this alone….just me and the kids. I appreciate the offer though."
"We’re all here for you, Kevin."
"You’d think I’d be able to get past this having lost my father," sighed Kevin as he took a seat on the swing that Tyler had put up.
"Death is never easy, Kevin, and even harder when it’s so unexpected like Tyler’s. You expected to spend the rest of your lives together raising your children."
That sent Kevin spiraling, the tears flowing like a waterfall, unchecked. "Howie….she….Tyler….was pregnant. That’s why she left the tour early."
Kevin might as well have punched him because Howie felt the wind go out of him and he had to sit down.
"How far along was she?" he struggled to ask.
"Almost four months. The impact of the wreck caused her to lose the baby."
"Do you know if it was a girl or a boy?"
"No, Tyler and I had both agreed we didn’t want to know."
Taylor came dancing to where her daddy and uncle were sitting, a big bouquet of flowers and weeds in her hand. Handing them to Kevin, she asked, "Do you think Mama will like these?"
"I think she’ll love them, baby. You ready to go?"
"Yes sir." Turning to Howie, "Uncle Howie, are you going with us?"
"Not this time, Tay. You and your daddy need some time together. I’ll be here when you get back, okay?"
"Okie dokie."
"Let your mom know we’ll be back for lunch," Kevin requested as he scooped his daughter up in his arms.
Howie watched as the father and daughter walked across to the stables where Kevin had a horse waiting to ride to the cemetery next to the tiny chapel where the couple had been married. He couldn’t hold his tears any longer and they began to fall.
