Extended Epilogue
brIELLE
ONE YEAR LATER
Roman’s hand is warm and steady in mine as we move through the graveyard.
The summer sun shines down over us, warming my cheeks. I give his hand a squeeze and feel the cool press of his wedding band against my finger. Considering that he never takes it off, I should be used to this sensation. It never gets old, though.
I spin my rings around and smile softly.
On my opposite side, Evie walks in time with us, not speaking a word.
This is the second time the three of us have gone to Lena’s grave together.
The first was shortly after our engagement party.
I wanted to introduce myself to Lena, and while that is what I did, I also spent a few minutes alone at her grave, telling her all about what an amazing decision she’d made leaving Roman as Evie’s guardian.
If there truly is an afterlife out there and she was able to hear me that day, I hope she was so damn proud of her family, if it were ever possible for her to stop in the first place.
“I don’t know if you can hear me or whether I’m just standing here talking to a really fancy rock, but what the hell, right?
I’m Brielle Hayes, and I love your brother.
I’m a bit late coming here and introducing myself, I know.
I’d apologize for that, but we both know that up until right now, your brother wasn’t ready to have this happen. ”
I lower myself to the damp grass in front of the grave and cross my legs.
“I hope you’ve gotten the chance to watch over them these last few years and have seen how truly amazing they are.
Your daughter? She’s incredible. I’ve had the honour of getting to know her these last few months, and every time I think I’ve found my favourite thing about her, she turns around and surprises me with another facet of her personality that I didn’t see coming.
First, it was her talent with a camera. And I mean talent, Lena.
She can find the beauty in the goriest, most bone-chilling canvas, and that’s not a skill many people have.
Then there’s her heart, which I’m pretty sure grows another size every morning.
And I can’t forget her desire to see the Earth grow cleaner and healthier.
She wears these graphic tees with the funniest sayings on them, like ‘Don’t Moss Around With Planet Earth,’ or my personal favourite, ‘Keep The Earth Clean, It’s Not Uranus.
’ I really do think she’ll help change the world one day.
Either that, or she’ll create another one entirely just to spite all of the people who treat Earth like a personal trash bag. ”
Turning my head, I watch as Evie wraps her arms around Roman and clutches the back of his jacket. The soft shake of her shoulders tightens my chest to the point of pain. I look forward again, reading the name engraved on the stone.
“They miss you. I know that isn’t new information, but I needed to say it anyway.
They’re okay, though. You don’t know me at all, and I doubt you trust me, but I’m going to make you this promise anyway.
I’ll take care of them for you. Not just Evie, but Roman, too.
Even when he acts like he doesn’t need it.
I love him so much it almost hurts to think about.
Hell, I’m going to marry him after only knowing him a few months because that’s how sure I am that he’s my person.
Falling in love with him was like stepping through a door that I’ve always walked past, knowing the chains around it were too thick to break.
Then, I woke up one day, and the chains were broken, and the door was cracked an inch.
It’s like Roman woke something up inside of me that had been dormant and maybe even a little bruised.
Now . . . I don’t think I could ever find my way to that door again. ”
I smile, blinking away the burn in my eyes.
“This is getting a bit long-winded, so I just want to say one last thing, and I doubt you can make it happen, but it’s worth a shot.
If there’s a way for you to let him know that you don’t blame him for what happened and haven’t been spending the last five years cursing his name, I’d appreciate that.
He really, really needs to feel some sort of forgiveness from you. ”
I can hear footsteps headed my way. Without glancing in their direction, I bring my hand to the thick, smooth stone and rub my thumb over her name, as if sealing my words inside of it.
“It was nice to meet you, Lena,” I whisper.
Roman’s voice cuts through the memory. “You okay?”
“I’m supposed to be asking you that,” I counter, my voice scratchy. Clearing my throat, I bring his knuckles to my lips. “Are you?”
“It’s easier this time.”
My chest constricts around my thumping heart. “You’re not just saying that?”
“He’s not quick enough on his feet to do that,” Evie says.
The sadness I pick up in her words has me frowning. As much as I want to think I’ve been helping distract her from her pain today, nothing seems to be enough. I curl my arm around hers and hold her tightly, hoping that’s enough to numb some of it for now.
“Do you want to talk to her on your own for a bit?” Roman asks softly.
Evie’s swallow is forceful enough to be audible. “No. I don’t—I’ll just . . . I want to stay with you this time.”
“Then you’ll stay,” he says.
His fingers twitch in mine, and I glance up at him, seeing the glistening in his eyes and the pained twitch in the corner of his flat lips.
I suck in a breath and try and transfer some of my strength into both of them.
There are only so many things I can say to try and help, but in reality, there’s not a single word that could undo all of the hurt they both feel.
This kind of grief and loss stays forever.
I can only try to prove to them that I’m here and that I can help shoulder whatever they want me to carry for them, whenever they need me to.
Because that’s what family does, and that’s what we are.
“Do you want to speak to her at all?” I ask softly.
Roman rubs his thumb across my knuckles, shaking his head. “Not today. I just want to stand here like this for a while.”
“Me too,” Evie agrees, staring straight ahead at the grave.
There are fresh flowers there today, though I don’t know who brought them. Evie, maybe, or by some miracle, Roman’s parents.
I let myself smile, even just slightly. “We’ll stand here, then.”
Roman’s lips find my temple, resting there for one minute, then two. He inhales, and I lean closer, unable to help myself.
“I love you, Brielle Shore. Do you know that?”
Flames engulf my blood. “I do. And I love you, husband. Did you know that?”
“I had a bit of a gut feeling.”
I let my giggle escape, and fuck, it feels so good to laugh right now. It’s like a fury of lightning flashes in a pitch-black world. For a few moments, everything is so bright, so electrified.
Evie whips her head to the side and stares at me for a long, hard second before the skin beside her eyes crinkles, and she joins me. I don’t have a chance to let my bewilderment show because in the next second, Roman’s low, rough chuckle hits me.
Time slows in this moment. Nothing exists besides this symphony of laughter and the comfort of having these two important people in my life beside me, trusting that they can rely on me and know that I won’t ever let them fall.
Suddenly, I realize that this is not only the most beautiful sound in the history of the world, but a fundamental moment that I’ll never forget.
Not tomorrow, and not for the rest of my life.