The limo pulls into the parking lot of St. Andrew's Church and the lot seems empty. The only car there is the hearse that will be transporting Mr Kristofferson to the cemetery after we have the funeral.

Chad steps out of the car first and he holds his hand out for me take, which I do. Standing next to him he says. "I can't believe my family aren't here yet. First they don't help us with organising it and then they can't be here on time."

I place my hand on his face. "Don't worry about them. Your father knows who his true family was and if they don't show up it's their problem. This day is about the memories you have of him and I'm here for you. When you give your speech and you start to get choked up, just look at me and I'll help you get through it."

A half smile spreads across his face. "Thanks, Grace." He wraps his arms around me. "If you weren't here with me this week I don't think I would have made it through it all." He leans forwards and claims my lips. He pushes his tongue into my mouth and I allow him access.

Someone clears their throat from behind us and we pull apart to see Mrs Kristofferson with her arms crossed. She has a smile on her face. "Hello, Chad. Grace."

Chad and I stand up. He looks at his Mom. "Hey, Mom." He wraps his arms around her, giving her hug. "How are you feeling?"

She looks away from him to the guy that's standing next to the stairs and he nods. "I'm getting there, Chad. I'm sorry for what I said to you when you're father was in the hospital. I'll always carry the guilt of those actions with me until I die."

He whispers. "You weren't yourself, Mom. You were losing Dad and the last member of your family. All the kids you had grew up and moved on with their lives. They don't have time for you and lastly they're probably not going to let you live with them."

She has tears falling down her face and I walk over to them. "You can stay with us until you're ready to get back on your feet." Looking at me she says. "How can you be so kind to me after the way I treated you?"

"With the sincerity of the apology that you gave Chad, shows me that it was grief that led to your actions in the hospital. Since, I married, chad, I have realised that I have been distracted with starting a life with him that I have forgotten about my family too."

Mrs Kristofferson steps away from her son. "I need to apologise to you too, Grace. I hurt you the most and I didn't mean too." The next second she's in my arms crying and I pat her back. "Thank you for apologising to me, Mrs Kristofferson." She pulls slightly away from me. "Call me, Katerina. It feels weird to hear that name without my husband with me."

Everyone starts arriving shortly after that conversation and we greet the guests as they walk into the church. My feet and back start to hurt and I say to Chad. "I need to go inside. My back and legs are hurting."

"Shit," he lifts me up and carries me inside. "I should have taken better care of my wife instead of allowing her to stay on her feet for that long, greeting the people that are walking the door."

The room begins to fill up and we sit in the front row with Katerina. Chad's brothers, sisters and their families sit next to us and on the chair on the other side in the front row. On the stage in front of us is a maroon casket and theirs picture of Mr Kristofferson on it, with his family and friends. There a jersey with his name on it as well.

Chad points at a trophy on the casket. "I'm putting that in the casket. It was the first trophy I ever won and it was the most prized possession that my father received. He told me that when he died he wanted it with him. I can't deny my father the one thing he wanted in the world."

"That's sweet, Chad. Even in death he's surrounded by love and prized possessions."

A smile spreads across his face as he thinks of his father. "Do you think Dad is with my mother?"

I nod. "I believe he is. After all I think your mother was the love of his life, but he got a second chance when it came with Katerina. He loved her as well, but in a different way to his fated one."

The priest stands at the podium and he reads a few things from the program, before he asks if anyone has anything to say.

Katerina is the first one to stand and she walks over to the podium. She looks into the crowd and say. "My husband meant the world to me and now that he's gone I don't know what I'm supposed to do, but I do have some memories I would like to share with you." Her eyes land on Chad. "Most of you don't know how I met my husband, so I think right now is the perfect time to tell you."

Chad holds my hand. "I haven't heard this story before, Grace. I don't remember much before Katerina came into my life."

"I was at the park with my niece when a little boy ran over to me and stole the ball my niece was playing with. She started crying and told me that a boy stole the ball. I walked over to the boy and tried to take the ball from him, but the father was standing close by and he walked over to me and he said 'what are you doing with my son?' I looked into the brown eyes of the handsomest man I have ever laid eyes on and I said. 'Your son stole the ball from my niece.' He apologised to me, before asking if he could take my niece and I out for ice cream. I agreed and then from there we exchanged numbers and kept in touch all the time. After a while he asked me to marry him and I said. 'Yes,' we had some amazing children." She looks at her sons and daughters with tears falling down her face.

One of Chad's sisters climbs out of her seat and walks over to her mother. She helps Katerina off the stage and leads her to seat close to her. She holds her mother's hand and whispers soothing words to her.

The memories from everyone keeps coming and I see Chad swallow hard. He looks at me. "I don't think I'll be able to give this speech."

I kiss him. "You'll be perfect, Chad. If you don't get up there and share your memories you're going to regret it. That's something that I don't want you to do."

Chad adjusts his ties and he stands up and walks over to the podium. He looks at everyone and clear his throat. "I want to thank you all for coming to the funeral today. If Dad was here he would have probably put a bucket of water over the front door and waited for someone to open it and the water spilling all over them."

Everyone laughs at that.

From what I heard from Chad, Mr Kristofferson was a prankster and his favourite day was April fools. He got to pull all the pranks he wanted until midday that day or he would have looked like a fool by the afternoon.

"I remember one April Fools Day, Dad put glad wrap around the toilet bowl and when I had to pee I didn't realise that there was plastic on it until it landed on the floor. I had to clean up the mess and when I walked out of the bathroom I saw Dad standing by the door with tears in his eyes from laughing so much." He begins to choke up and tears well up in his eyes.

I stand up and move over to him. "Continue reading and hold onto me for strength."

He nods, before continuing. "Dad was one of the kindest and hardworking man I ever met and he's going to leave a hole in my heart. He showed me what it is meant to be a man and I just wish that he had the opportunity to meet his Grandkids."

After the speeches the priest talks a little bit more about Mr Kristofferson, before putting the movie into the computer. We watch as all sorts of clips of his life comes onto the screen, with music that Mr Kristofferson was into."

Chad looks at me. "I love what you did."

When the movie finishes, Chad, his brothers and uncles all walk over to the casket and they carry it to the hearse.

The limo pulls behind the hearse as it makes the half hour trip to the cemetery. I turn around and see the headlights on the car in front and behind us. I ask Chad. "Why do you have your headlights on when you're driving to a cemetery?"

"It's part of the funeral procession to have your headlights on. It shows other road users that there's an entourage of funeral goers and it's against the law if a road user separates the cars from the procession. We have the right of the road, while other road users have to give way to us."

I look out the window as we continue to drive through Los Angeles.

When the car comes to a stop at the cemetery I grab the flowers from behind the seat in front of me. I step out of the car and walk over to grave.

Chad and his family pick up the casket and they carry it over to the grave. They put it on the silver holder that lowers the casket into the ground.

The priest says a few things before the casket is lowered into the hole.

I pass out flowers to guests and throw it in there, saying goodbye to Mr Kristofferson. I throw mine in and say. "Goodbye, Mr Kristofferson."

Chad throws his in next and says. "Goodbye, Dad." He looks at me and then back at the ground. "My wife and I are going to name our son after you, Dad. That way we'll still have you close to us."

Katerina wraps her arms around him. "Your father will like that." She kisses his cheek. "I have to get back to the hospital. Thank you so much for organising this for my family, Grace."

"Your welcome."

Katerina walks over to the doctor and they climb into the car driving away.