Page 68 of Make You Love Me

Lottie-

It can't be him… can it?The one I've read so much about. All the journal entries, notes, and keepsakes have all been about this one man.

Instinct takes over and I run to him, wrapping my arms around his stomach as a sob rips from my throat. I feel like a piece of my mother is here with us and I hold on to Smith for what feels like an eternity. His embrace is strong as he strokes the back of my head to help calm my overwhelming emotions.

Pulling back slightly to wipe my eyes and feeling a bit embarrassed, I say, “I'm sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I just can't believe it's you. I feel like I know so much about you from my mom.”

By the way he startles, I can tell my words surprise him. “Leah told you about me?” His warm ocean-blue eyes fill with what appears to be hope.

“She did, but I learned more about you from all the journals she kept and her notes from you. My Gigi gave them to me when she thought I was old enough to read them. I think I've read each one at least a dozen times,” I say, smiling through the tears. He stands there in silence for a while, as if he's unsure how to cope with me being here. Greyson’s hand rests on my lower back and for a few moments, I forget where I am.

“Dad are you alright?” he asks.

Smith nods in his son's direction, but his eyes never leave me. “You look so much like her, I thought I was seeing a ghost,” his voice almost a whisper.

“My Gigi used to say that all the time, that I look a lot like her before she got sick.” I'm trying my hardest to keep it together. I twirl my mom's bracelet to feel her presence, to silently thank her for leading me along the way.

My fidgeting causes Smith’s eyes to catch on the bracelet, and his hand goes to it. His fingers touch the dangling charms so delicately. Smith's eyes meet mine as his hand remains on the charms. “Do you mind?” I shake my head, allowing him to look at it.

He twirls it a few times and stops on the ocean-blue colored seahorse. His breath catches and I can see tears well in his eyes. He releases a shaky breath and runs his hands under his eyes to dry up any wetness that might have escaped.

I wonder what this must be like for him. Seeing me, a spitting image of the woman he used to love… well, still loves, according to Greyson.

Smith reaches for the seahorse charm again, rubbing his thumb back-and-forth over it. He says so quietly I think I'm the only one who hears, “Seahorses mate for life,” and I know immediately what he’s remembering.

Dear Journal,

We rode throughout the mountains today. I don’t think I'll ever get over the thrill of riding in his large truck with the top off. It’s so freeing, having the wind whipping through your hair. Like you have the world at your fingertips.

Smith says after my next treatments are over, he’ll take me on a road trip over to Gatlinburg. Just the two of us in his Bronco, stopping wherever we please, enjoying each other's company and the beauty of the mountains around us.

We stopped for a picnic at a lookout along the road today. Always so incredibly thoughtful, he had delicious sandwiches and snacks packed for us. I'm sure Nana helped, that woman sure is something special. Always goes out of her way to make me feel welcome, like I'm part of their family.

After we finished, he surprised me with a gift box. He told me it was a year to the day that we met, and his life was forever changed. Swoon!!

He gave me a beautiful seahorse charm to add to my bracelet! It's the same color as his eyes too. Smith said seahorses mate for life, and that he’ll forever be by my side no matter what comes our way. I literally jumped his bones right then and there! (don’t worry no one was around)

I can't help but stare at it. It's so perfect, he's so perfect.

I love him with all that I am, always and forever.

xox,

Leah

“I can't believe you have this…” he says, shaking his head to clear his racing thoughts. I can see all the emotions running across his face. He gave her this charm; he was supposed to be her seahorse. They really did have a tragic love story, but I never learned how it ended.

He clears his throat once more, “I'm sorry, I wasn’t prepared for this. Greyson said he was bringing you, but I—. He said your last name was Richmond. I wasn’t expecting you to be Leah’s daughter. Wasn’t aware she had a daughter. Doctors told her when she was hospitalized, when we were around seventeen, that she was unable to have kids.”

I grab his hand to help calm him. I know this must be as overwhelming for him as it is for me. To think the love of my mother's life is the father of my Greyson.My Love.

I hear Greyson approach us. “Hey dad, can you excuse us for a second?”

“Sure thing,” Smith quietly replies, but Greyson is already leading me a few steps away.

He spins me to face him, eyes taking in my face, gauging my emotions. “Holy shit. I can't believe this… are you okay?” he questions, looking as shocked by this revelation as I am. I nod.

“I think I'm in shock, to be honest.” I'm not really sure what I'm feeling.

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