Page 88 of Sweet Silver Bells
Minerva stood up and exited the room.
Mark cleared his throat while Hunter took Olivia’s hand under the table.
“She thought she’d lost you after Sarah, son. You’re starting to come back to life. I know Olivia here is to thank you for that. You know that she’s trying—she’s trying so hard to make Olivia feel welcome. I can tell that she will be a part of your life for a long time.”
Hunter looked over toward Olivia. “If she wants me, I’ll be there.”
Olivia smiled.
“I want you, but I don’t want this,” she said.
I know.
Mark frowned, his hands out, gesturing toward the rest of the house. “You’re well suited for each other, then. Hunter doesn’t want this either.”
“I know,” she replied, “isn't he perfect?”
25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.
Without Olivia by his side, Hunter felt like he was missing a limb. At least that was how it seemed as he stepped up to the church the next morning.
He was alone with a clear blue sky, the sun shining with a vengeance despite the temperature plummeting more than in the previous few days. When the gray and the clouds departed, it was always colder. There was a strange comfort in the claustrophobic press of the storm. The haunting, stormy skies wrapped around him like a blanket, holding in the warmth—just like the phantom ache of his missing limb.
Just like Olivia.
Hunter stood there on the walkway, and the tan brick structure's gothic, tall, pointed architecture didn’t feel welcoming at all. Inside, he knew, would be his coworkers, and a person who’d been killed at the hands of the person he loved.
Loved.
You fucking love her.
Of course, he did. He wouldn’t be here, he wouldn’t be protecting her from what she did, if he didn’t. She was no monster. She was his.
My moon. My tree siren.
It’s time, Sarah. It’s time to move on.
Tears started accumulating in Hunter’s eyes, a few droplets falling and staining his white button-up shirt and black tie.
“No shame, man.” Darius walked up behind him, slapping his shoulders. “I didn’t care about Tom, but I don’t think I’ll be able to get through this without crying either.”
“Saying goodbye, closing a door for good, is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Hunter admitted, nodding his head. “But I love Olivia. I can’t believe I’d ever say that again.”
“We are talking about two different people,” Darius said. “But congratulations, I’m happy for you. I could see you disappearing, wrapped in love, never to be seen again.”
“That would kill my mom.”
“Kill, what a word to use here,” said Sadie, walking up behind them. “Let’s get this over with, shall we? I think the rest of our group is already inside.”
A few other people dressed in black walked around the three of them, entering the church. Hunter, Darius, and Sadie walked in behind them, entering a large room with wooden pews, a closed coffin surrounded by flowers at the front. He had been here before. He had done this before. His chest slowly rose and fell as he was hurled towards a pew in the middle of the room.
Before he sat down, he spotted a grieving Nina in the front row, her body shaking as she wiped her tears from her face. He knew this. He had been through this.
I’m sorry, Nina.
Hunter sat between Darius and Nina, noticing Elaine and Celia a few spots down. Both of them looked entirely too fabulous with bold red lips and dark glasses, even indoors.
