Page 75 of All Inn Thyme
“Thank you for coming here. For telling me in person. I really appreciate that.” I look at Preston and tears fill my eyes. This isn’t the worst day of my life, but it’s a mile marker.
Ty pushes open the gate to the lavender garden and we walk inside, his arm around me.
“I thought I’d feel differently if this happened, but I just feel sad.”
“Grief is weird.” Ty holds my hand firmly. “There’s really no handbook. Everyone grieves differently. Sometimes people are angry, hurt, or sad, or all of the above, especially when it’s for someone who abused you.”
“I’m relieved, but I also feel sad that two people died. And one being someone I shared a child with. I don’t know what to tell Kase.” I can’t believe I’m feeling bad for Bradley even after what he’s done, but I am.
“I’m supposed to go into work, but I can call in,” Ty tells me.
“I think I need to be alone for a while. I’m okay, I just need to think about everything. I think I’ll work some more out here and then see you in the morning, okay?”
“Mellie…” I hear over my shoulder and look to Beth and Allie coming toward us.
“You sure?” Ty asks, still holding onto my hand. I can tell he doesn’t want to leave me.
“I’ll be alright. Thank you for coming. I love you.”
He kisses the top of my head and says, “Love you. Text me if you need me and I’ll come right back. Okay?”
“I will.”
“What happened? Preston just left looking worried and wouldn’t tell us anything. He said we had to ask you.”
“My ex-husband died.”
Allie looks shocked. “Holy shit. I was only kidding about throwing him off a cliff, I swear.”
“Wow. What happened?” Beth asks.
“It’s over.” I shrug. “He can’t hurt us anymore, and I no longer have to hide from him.”
“You’re free. But I can also see where there’s sadness, too,” Beth says, her eyes searching mine. I know she knows grief having lost her husband and baby to a drunk driving accident.
“There is. I’m sad that he couldn’t be the husband and father he should have been, but he did terrible things. He was a terrible person.”
“I’m sorry, Mellie. You built this life here and you did it while carrying all of this weight, but now you can build your life with Ty and finally be happy. That doesn’t mean you can’t still grieve your old life, though.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I wipe my face and lean against Beth as she pulls me into a hug.
“It’s going to be okay. You have us. You’re safe. Kase is safe. We’ve all got you,” Beth says.
Allie reaches in and pulls me in for a hug on the other side. “What’s going to happen now?”
“I guess I can just live my life now and finally stop looking over my shoulder. It’s a blessing in so many ways.” I blow out a deep breath.
“Whatever you feel, just feel it. You didn’t deserve the hell you went through.”
I nod and wipe my eyes.
“But don’t forget you do deserve the new life you have here. You have to believe that. Every good thing that comes your way, you deserve.”
“I love you guys,” I say, pulling them in for a hug.
“We love you, too,” Allie says. “It takes a village and we’re each other’s.”
“It smells really good out here,” Beth says.
