a handful of funerals in my life. Every one of them has been a social event. When the wealthy die, society sees it as a networking event.
Some go to try to sucker the heirs out of money and property. While some go climbing the social ladder and assume a new standing with the deceased out of the way. Others go just to be seen.
No matter the reason for being there, they all talk like the person who died was this heavenly human with whom they were on a first name basis. We all know it’s the furthest thing from the truth, but no one will call anyone on it.
So, when Phoenix said we were going to Cash’s brother’s funeral, I had no idea what to expect. Mostly because I had no idea what a normal funeral was like, much less what a mountain man’s funeral would be like.
The funeral was being held on Cash’s land and his brother was being buried there as well. Phoenix spent the last few days working with him to get it all set up.
When we arrive at Cash’s place, Emelie and Axel are already there and Emelie rushes over to me. ‘We’re the only girls here, so you aren’t allowed to leave my side.’
‘Who else is here?’ I ask.
‘Just Bennett, Jack, and the pastor. His brother didn’t make friends because he was too paranoid,’ Emelie says.
Everyone is in black, and Cash stares at the casket sitting next to the grave that Axel, Phoenix, and Bennett dug yesterday. The sermon is short and to the point, and then the guys step up to lower Cash’s brother into the ground.
I look at Emelie, and she seems to know what I’m thinking because we both step up on either side of Cash and hold on to his arm. His entire body shudders.
‘It’s okay, we’ve got you. You don’t have to be strong for any of us, not today,’ I whisper.
He doesn’t reply, but nods as we watch the guys slowly lower the casket into the ground.
It’s a very somber and quiet experience. No one talks but the pastor, and it seems even the birds have quieted down.
Once the grave is covered over, we all head to his cabin. Emelie and I lead Cash over to the couch and have him sit down. Axel and Bennett sit with him and Phoenix goes to the kitchen, where Emelie and I join him.
Phoenix is looking through his pantry and fridge. ‘He has enough food to last him for a while. But he hasn’t been in town shopping, much less to the grocery store. All he does is go to the shop, drop off his stuff, and come right back here. His brother handled everything else.’
Cash makes the softest fur coats and blankets I’ve ever seen. They’re so much better than anything I’ve seen my parents’ friends wear back in Denver.
‘Well, you know we’ll help him anyway we can,’ Emelie says.
We spend the next few hours helping Cash clean up. He wants to get his house back to normal, and that means packing up all the stuff his brother was using. All the medical equipment has to be returned, too.
Emelie and I pitch in to get laundry going and clean up. Thankfully, Cash’s place is set up a lot like Axel’s in that he uses solar power for the washer and dryer, the fridge, lights, and all that.
Finally, before the sun goes down, we slowly start leaving. Jack and Bennett go first, then Axel and Emelie, leaving Phoenix and me alone with Cash for a few minutes.
‘You call us if you need anything. Doesn’t matter what. If you need someone to help you in town or have questions, nothing is too small. We’ll be happy to come up and help out with anything,’ I tell him as I give him a hug.
‘Thank you.’ He hugs me a bit tighter before stepping back.
‘I’ll see you next week at the shop,’ Cash says to Phoenix.
An unspoken comment that he wants to get back to normal as soon as possible is there, but I can’t help but worry.
Where Axel, Phoenix, and Bennett are used to being alone on the mountain, Cash isn’t. He never has been because he’s always had his brother. Even if his brother was a bit crazy, he never had to face all this alone.
I can leave confident that the mountain men of Whiskey River will rally around him and make sure he’s okay. I’m sure of it.
A few weeks later I’m sitting on Emelie’s couch and having girl time while our guys are out hunting together when the radio starts to make a noise.
‘That’s odd. The only person who ever calls us on it is Phoenix, and he’s out with Axel right now,’ Emelie says as we get up and we go to the desk where the radio is.
‘Emelie, are you there? It’s Cash.’
We both look at each other before she picks up the radio and answers him. ‘I’m here, Cash. Is everything okay?’
‘Yeah, um, I went to the grocery store today.’
His first time at the store. I can only imagine the things that went wrong, and I’m ready to jump into action.
‘It was overwhelming, but I, um, I met someone.’
I can’t help but smile. We might have another girl on Whiskey Mountain before winter after all.
