Chapter 23 #2
Remy rushed to his side and stood next to him as they both stared at the portal. A blond-haired, blue-eyed man with a mischievous smile stepped out of the portal.
“Who is that?” Remy whispered.
Ellis rapidly shook his head. “I-I don't know.”
The blond man turned and winked at Lucy. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Joel!” Lucy cried joyfully.
Ellis whipped his head around and looked at Lucy.
“This is my friend, Joel,” Lucy told Ellis with a reassuring smile. “And he’s from heaven.”
Ellis slowly turned his head and looked at Joel and the portal behind him. Remy watched as an otherworldly expression of peace came over Ellis's face. He was going home to heaven. In watching his tranquil face, it seemed like he was halfway there already.
“Ellis, my name is Joel Casey, and I'm here to take you home.” Joel smiled warmly at Ellis.
Ellis nodded, the look of peace growing even stronger somehow.
“You can have a few minutes to say goodbye to your friends,” Joel told him. Then added gently, “You can touch them now.”
Ellis turned and walked straight toward Lucy. Jesse took a step forward, but Remy reached up and grabbed him by the shoulder.
“It's okay, Jesse,” Remy told him.
Jesse stared at Ellis, ready to rush over and scoop Lucy up in his arms if need be.
Ellis looked tenderly at Lucy and said, “Lucy, I am so sorry for hurting you.”
“I forgive you,” Lucy whispered.
He bowed his head to her and said, “Thank you.” He looked up at her again and told her, “I'm so sorry for all those horrible things I said to you. You're a lady, and you deserve to be treated like one.”
Jesse visibly tensed as Ellis reached for Lucy’s hand. He kissed it gently, then looked fondly down at her engagement ring. He looked into her eyes and said, “You’re going to be the most beautiful bride.”
Lucy’s eyes lit up, and she smiled like she always did when anyone spoke of her marrying Jesse.
Ellis turned to face Remy. She relished the incredible calmness and quiet joy on his face. That haunted look had vanished, and she knew his days and nights of suffering were over.
“Remy, I don't even have the words…” Ellis began.
“You don’t have to say anything, Ellis. I am just so happy for you!” Remy's bright blue eyes lit up with joy. She would miss him, but she would sleep better at night knowing he was safe in heaven. Safe and loved and whole again.
“I should tell you that I lied to you before,” Ellis said with a grin full of mischief. “You actually have great tits.”
Remy burst into laughter. “Thank you. I think.”
“Oh, Remy. I’m so much in love with you.”
Ellis had said the words so casually that they didn’t register in Remy’s brain at first. “Wh- what?” Remy said, staring at him.
“I think that’s probably why I flipped out so bad.” Ellis looked over at Lucy apologetically. “Not that it’s any excuse for what I did, but I was falling in love with you and, well, the last time I fell in love it didn’t turn out so well. So when I thought you betrayed me, I just snapped.”
Ellis looked at her so adoringly that Remy couldn’t believe how oblivious she had been to his feelings for her. Had she known, she wouldn’t have gone on and on about how much she loved Avery. She would never have twisted the knife in Ellis's heart on purpose.
“No one in my life or in my death has ever been so kind and so unbelievably patient with me. I don’t know how you did it! But you stuck with me. You saved me.”
“You saved yourself,” Remy said, still trying to recover from the shock of his profession of love for her. “I just reminded you that you were worth saving.”
“Remy,” Ellis said, looking her directly in the eye. He grabbed hold of her shoulders, and she gasped in surprise that he could touch her. “I know that Avery is the man you love.” Ellis looked up at Avery with a smile and said, “You’re all she ever talks about, man.”
Avery stared at him, stunned. He couldn't get over Ellis's confession either.
Ellis gazed into Remy's eyes again and said firmly, “I know how much you love him. Remy, I swear, when I get to the other side, if there is any way that Avery can come back to life to be with you, I will find it, you hear me?”
Remy nodded, eyes filling with hopeful tears.
Ellis wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “I'm not giving up on you and Avery, so don't you give up, you hear?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Ellis pulled away from her, looking at her one last time.
“Thank you for everything, Remy. Goodbye, sweet girl.”
With that, Ellis walked over to the portal and reached for Joel’s outstretched hand. Just before Joel pulled him to the other side, he looked at Jesse and shouted, “And by the way, screw you, Secesh!”
Jesse laughed heartily, then flipped him the middle finger.
“Some things never change,” Lucy said, looking at Joel and Jesse fondly.
The portal vanished, taking Ellis and Joel with it.
Avery looked at Remy and held up his hands questioningly.
“A-Avery, I swear, I had no idea that he…” Remy tried to explain.
Avery laughed that deep, sexy laugh that Remy loved. “I know, me darlin’. I could tell by the look on your face when he told you. I’m just jealous that he got to touch you.”
Remy smiled fondly and said, “It was nice to hug him.”
“Lucy, please let me take you home now,” Jesse pleaded with her. He was still, understandably, a nervous wreck having her standing on a battlefield.
“Yes, yes, we can go now,” Lucy said. She dashed over to Remy and threw her arms around her first, though. “Great job, Remy. He’s at peace now.”
“Yes,” Remy said, breathing out a sigh of relief.
Jesse walked over and put his arm around Lucy, then guided her away toward the main road.
Remy turned to Avery and asked, “Do you think Ellis can help us from where he is now?”
“I don’t know, a chuisle. I just don’t know.”