Page 122 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

He looked confused at my request, but he nodded and walked away.

I stared at the tombstones and whispered, “You can watch over him from heaven, and I promise to watch over him from here.” I leaned down and placed my palm against Fiona’s tombstone. I pulled away and walked to the car, where Tristan was waiting.

I felt different. It was as if I’d needed to come here. I could feel Tristan watching me as I entered the car.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“I’m sorry if it was—”

“Don’t apologize,” I cut in. “Actually, thank you for bringing me here. I can’t describe what it means to me, but thank you,” I said, smiling through the tears.

“Come here.”

He opened his arms, and I crawled to his lap, straddling him as he pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his neck, and his palm cupped the back of my head as he held me against him. Maybe we needed to find each other again after all the pain.

He wiped my tears away when I pulled back. “I do miss them, and they will always be a part of me, but I promise it doesn’t diminish my love for you and our babies. I will always love and cherish you till my last breath, Chloe,” he said, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

“Don’t make me cry again,” I said, and he chuckled.

I beamed as I stared at him, and it was at that moment that I realized something. I loved him. Not maybe. Not someday, but right now, as his laughter poured on my heart like honey.

I loved him.

Those three words were at the tip of my tongue. I wanted to say them to him, but they got stuck in my throat.

“We’d better get going.” Tristan snapped me out of my trance.

I nodded and returned to my seat.

***

It was past seven when my manager called me to his stuffy, small office. I had a couple of orders to attend to, but he said it was urgent. I wiped my hands on the apron around my waist as I stepped into his office. He sat behind the desk, a box of pizza and soda before him.

“You can leave,” he said before I could utter a word.

“Huh?”

“I said, you’re free to go.”

“Am I fired?” My heart sank.

“Of course not. I’m letting you off early.”

“But there is still so much to do.”

“Jules and Kate will be fine without you. Now, go.”

I remained standing, confused at the sudden request.

“You have two days off. Consider it paid leave,” he added.

Paid leave? Since when did he give paid leave? Is he drunk, or did he hit his head?

“Uh … okay. Thanks,” I said and walked away before he changed his mind.

“Klein gave me a few days off,” I told the girls as I untied my apron.

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