Page 551 of The Tempted

Beside her laid a wilted bouquet of flowers, one I hadn’t brought there either.

“Hi, it’s me again,” Lacey said, as she leaned back tucking her haunches beneath her ass. “He’ll be back soon,” she promised before her voice trailed off and the only sound became the wind blowing through the trees. “I remember you,” she said finally. “Not much, but I remember you. I was just a kid when you first came around with Blackie and well, I sort of hated you. No, that sounds horrible,” she amended. “I was envious of you. That doesn’t sound much better but it's true. I remember thinking you were pretty but then I saw him look at you and knew that wasn’t the right word to describe you. In a world full of ugly you were his beautiful. You and Blackie, it’s like you were the definition behind that saying beauty is in the eyes of the beholder because as pretty as everyone thought you were, they knew true beauty when they looked at him and watched him stare at you. You were the beautiful reflection in his eyes…the woman who made him smile. Even now that you’re gone I still envy you but I’m not sure what it is I wish for more…. for him to look at me like he used to look at you or for me to be the one that brings back that smile.”

I had no words.

None.

She was sitting here talking to my wife, confessing her feelings for me, and I stood there invading her privacy. I should’ve made my presence known, but I remained perfectly still as my heart broke for the woman I lost and began to mend because of the girl who brought her flowers.

She blew out a breath and slowly stood up, brushing dirt from her legs.

“Anyway, I’m going to get going but before I do, since this will be my last visit, I wanted to ask a favor. I’m not real religious and I know I’m probably just sitting here talking to a stone but just in case the afterlife really exists, can you look out for him? I mean I know you do already. Of course you do, you’re his wife…but still, he needs an angel to watch over him,” she whispered. “Who better than you?”

You.

She turned around, and I silently thanked God for the sunglasses that shielded my eyes as I stared at her. Her cheeks turned red as I extended my free hand and took hers.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked, glancing down at our joined hands.

“Long enough,” I said huskily, pulling her closer. “Lace.”

I glanced down at the flowers she had brought and then lifted my eyes back to hers.

“You brought her flowers,” I stated.

“I can explain,” she started.

“Just today?”

“No, since you’ve been in the hospital,” she explained. “I haven’t missed a Saturday,” she whispered.

I released her hand as I stared back at her for a moment then placed the flowers I was holding on top of the headstone. I ran my fingers through my hair as I paced the small area in front of Christine’s grave.

“Blackie— “

I turned to her.

“How’d you know?”

“About a year ago, me and my dad came to visit my brother’s grave, and we saw your bike. He told me you come here every Saturday and bring her flowers,” she swallowed. “I just figured— “ “Thank you,” I cut her off, closing the distance between us and wrapping my arms around her, bringing her against my chest I bent my head, pressing my lips to her head. “Thank you,” I repeated, murmuring the words into her hair.

“You’re welcome,” she said as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

I leaned back, tipped her chin upward with the pad of my thumb as she reached up and pushed my sunglasses up on top of my head.

“I get it, you know?” she whispered. “I know what it feels like to lose someone you love and how much it sucks being left behind.”

She dropped her hands to my chest.

“I was five years old when I watched my brother die. I’ve been told my whole life, I was just a kid, and I didn’t really know what was going on but it’s not true. It’s the one day of my life that has stuck with me and when I think about it I can’t help blaming myself. Yeah, I was a kid, and kids are supposed to be carefree but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t call for help when their little brother is running outside. I knew better, I knew that when I couldn’t get through to my dad I should’ve went next door to the neighbor’s house,” she said as her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I’ll live the rest of my life regretting I didn’t do something to help him. And when I think how undeserving of life I am, I remember that my parents have already lost one child and I tell myself that life goes on and I have to push forward because I have people that need me.”

I took her face in my hands, bending my knees to look into her eyes.

“This world needs you in it Lace,youmake it beautiful,” I rasped, leaning in and pressing my lips to hers gently. “You’re the light that makes a man want to crawl out of the darkness he worships,” I added, leaving out I was the man and she was my light.

Her lashes lowered before she peered through the fringe and back at me.

“I know you miss her. I know you blame yourself still and I also know if you could go back in time you’d trade places with her,” she said, brushing the hair away from my face before laying her palm against my cheek. “But the world, my world, it would beblackwithout you,” she whispered. “I don’t know how it happened, and I probably never will, but you’re a big part of my life and my only wish is that you start living life again.”

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