Page 38 of Ask Your Mom If I'm Real

All that was left was for her to be free.

“Where do you want to ride to, my love?” I asked.

“Out to the lake.” She smiled. “Is it too cold for you?”

It’d never be too cold if she wanted to go riding with me.

Especially not on the last day that she would be there with me in body and spirit.

“No, never,” I lied.

It would be freezing.

It was, according to the weatherman, a La Niña year. It was apparently going to be much colder and wetter than any previous years.

Meaning, when we got outside, it was cold as all hell.

Even through the leather jacket, I knew that I’d be freezing.

I carried my wife out to the side car I’d purchased a year ago when she’d first gotten sick and couldn’t hold on to me anymore.

She smiled when I planted her in the seat.

When I reached for her helmet, she shook her head. “No helmet, Dix.”

I froze, the helmet in my hands, as tears started to prick my eyes.

“You’re sure?” I asked. “It’ll help you see.”

She pointed at the goggles that were there for her when she was having a bad eye day. “Put those on me only. I want to be free one last time, Dix.”

I closed my eyes as the tears blurred my gaze.

Instead of putting the helmet on her—something I’d done from the moment that we met—I put it on the grass next to where I usually parked my bike.

“I’m gonna run inside and get you some blankets,” I said.

“I’m good, Dix,” she said. “I’m not cold at all.”

My head dropped to my chest.

There was just no way she wasn’t cold.

I was frozen solid, and I wasn’t the one dying.

“Please?” she begged.

Since she didn’t put the helmet on, I didn’t either.

Pulling my skull cap out of my pocket, I tucked it on to her head and cupped her face once it was on.

“You need to stop, just tap my hand, okay, darlin’? It’ll be right here.” I placed it within easy reach.

I’d only take it away if necessary.

And it better not be necessary.

There weren’t going to be too many people on the road this time of day.

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