Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

No matter how many people attended, it was still my favorite part of the
week.
I loved those evenings, even though I haven’t gotten to enjoy them in a
while. I’d been busy with the case, and then the girls moved in, it was hectic.
But a part of me thought maybe I could bring them to the next get together. I
thought they might like it, given how much family meant to them.
Locking my phone, I looked back up to Sofia, whose back was still
shaking due to the force of her sobs. Her slender shoulders moved up and
down as she leaned over, until finally she fell to her knees.
My first instinct was to jump out of the car and go to her. But Valentina
was sleeping in the back and I knew Sofia would freak out if she knew I’d
left her alone even one second. I had to swallow down my every instinct and
remain seated while watching the object of my desires being wrecked by her
sorrow.
It was like watching someone rip my own heart out.
Eventually, she calmed down, but remained on her knees, haunched over
between the two graves.
I was so focused on her that I didn’t even notice the woman approaching
from behind.
A frown marred my face as I couldn’t recognize her. She wasn’t in
church, nor was she there when the caskets were lowered into the graves. I
had never seen her around town either.
Much like Sofia, I could only see her from the back, long curly black hair
fell down her back. She wore a long black bodycon dress with black
platform boots, hidden by a black leather coat which pockets her hands were
stuffed in. She had on a hat— you guessed it, black too.
She stopped in front of Sofia, facing Marcela Raymond’s grave and
giving her back to the late woman’s daughter. I could see the latter’s head