Page 59 of A Fowl Match

“Why do you think I’m planning to get him back?” I swear, sometimes she can hear my thoughts.

“We’re sisters, of course I know.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to me. We need to work on apologizing to the right person.”

“Let’s get started,” I mumble as I shove a huge fork full of food into my mouth.

Step one: eat something. Step two: make up the rest of the steps as I go.

Chapter 43

Violet

TherearetwothingsI knew I needed to do before I went to see Dustin. One, I need to visit my parents' graves. It’s time. Two, I need to go see Darcy to work things out.

The stone before me reads, In loving memory of Lily J. Hart & John A. Hart.One stone, but for two people, forever together like they always wanted.“Hi Mom. Hi Dad. I know I should have been here more often. Who am I kidding, I should have come here in the first place. I haven’t. It’s not that I didn’t love you. I loved you both more than everything in the world. More than life itself. I think about you both every single day. There’s not a day that passes that I don’t remember something you both liked or did. I was too afraid to come here because I didn’t want to make it real. I couldn’t face that you’re truly gone and can’t come back. I pray every day that I can go back and make a different decision that could have changed our trajectory. But I can’t dwell in the past anymore. There's nothing to be done now. I need to focus on the future. Darcy taught me something and she’s right. Sometimes in life you have to suck it up. She may have beentalking about meatloaf, but it applies here too.” I laugh quietly, knowing they would both get a kick out of Darcy’s shenanigans. “I need to face what I’ve been avoiding for so long. I now know what true love feels like. Love is eternal like the love you both shared for each other. And we shared it with each other. It doesn’t die when you do, it will always be there.

“I’ve needed closure for so long. I know it’s not my fault we got into the accident. I was so young and dumb. I was more worried about my hair than being on time. That doesn’t change anything; the drunk driver wasn’t my fault. Sometimes things happen. Whether that be good or bad. I love you both. And now that I love someone else, I am pushing him away because I’ve been afraid of love. Not that I’m afraid to love. I’m afraid to lose it. Just like I’m losing Darcy slowly to an inevitable disease.” I wipe my tears and hold the side of their gravestone.

“I need to go tell him how I feel; hopefully it isn’t too late. I know you’re watching over me. Laughing along with me, crying along with me. And that gives me hope. Here’s to seeing each other more often.”

I wipe another tear from the corner of my eye as I go to leave two butterflies land on their grave. I know it’s them telling me they heard me, a sign that makes me finally feel at ease.

“I love you.” And I swear I hear, “We love you too,” in the whispers of the wind.

“I visited their graves today.” I say, sitting across from Darcy.

“You did? Oh, honey I am so proud of the woman you have become.”

“You are?”

“Yes. That had to take some guts to go there after all this time. I know it was too hard for you to go after so many years. But you needed to. And now that you have you can finally rest all of the blame you place on yourself.”

“You’re right.”

“Now, why are you here? Go apologize to Dustin.”

“How do you know?”

“Sources,remember? Anyways, what’s wrong?”

“I know who H is. It’s Henry.”

“Oh my dear. I should have told you so long ago.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I didn’t want to hurt you. I needed you to think that I was never going to put anyone before you. You needed me. After time passed on it was easier to keep it from you than to tell you.”

“I wouldn’t have been hurt; I would have been happy you found someone.”

“I know that now, but you have to understand I am sorry for keeping it from you, at the time I made a decision I felt was best.”

“It’s okay, I understand that you did what's best. You’ve done so much for me.”

“I love you, Vivi. Now go get your man.”

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