Chapter 55
I was at a party.
Bass thumping. Bodies moving. Colored lights flashing so fast they blurred together. My eyes scanned the room in confusion, and I saw the fraternity insignia hanging on the wall. I was at a college party…but not mine.
Floating through the room, my eyes locked on a figure pressed against the wall. Head bopping slightly, red SOLO cup dangling from his fingers while his eyes casually moved around the room.
His energy felt familiar. Curious, I floated closer. The strobe lights flashed over his face and my heart fluttered. "Remy?" I whispered.
He looked the same. Still ridiculously handsome. But younger. A little less muscles and tattoos. Less facial hair and less weight in his eyes. But it was my Remy all the same.
Emotion swelled in my chest. I reached for him instinctively, but he seemed so far away. No matter how much I moved toward him I couldn't fully reach him. "Baby—it's me."
His head turned suddenly.
Hope exploded inside me. Maybe he heard me or saw me.
But his gaze slid right past me toward the center of the room.
I followed his line of vision. A woman danced in the middle of the crowd surrounded by her friends, head thrown back in laughter, hands in the air completely carefree. Beautiful. Bright. Alive.
And the way Remy looked at her…like he had just found something he'd been searching for his whole life. The sight made my chest ache strangely.
Then everything faded. The music. The lights. The party. Gone.
Now I stood outside surrounded by sunshine so warm it kissed my skin. A soft breeze drifted through the air carrying the scent of flowers. White roses stretched endlessly around me.
The mood felt celebratory. Sacred almost. I stood at the end of a long aisle. Looking down toward the front, I saw Remy dressed in an all-white tuxedo. His eyes glossy with tears as he smiled.
Music swelled somewhere around us. I turned slowly. A woman stood at the opposite end of the aisle in a gorgeous white gown, her face hidden beneath light so bright I couldn't make out her features. But I felt her.
The love. Pure overwhelming love. It crashed into me so hard tears instantly sprang to my eyes. And Remy… He looked at her she was his everything.
Then I was gone again—
Now I was standing inside a delivery room filled with voices and movement.
"Push baby! You got this!" Remy's voice cracked with emotion. "I'm so proud of you."
I turned.
He was beside a hospital bed gripping a woman's hand tightly, kissing her knuckles over and over. The woman's face was hidden behind damp strands of hair sticking to sweaty skin as she cried out in pain.
Remy kissed her forehead desperately. "I love you," he whispered. "Thank you so much."
The woman lifted her head—
I gasped stumbling backward.
It was...me. Sweaty. Exhausted. Determined.
Moments later, a beautiful baby was cradled against my chest while tears streamed down both our faces.
Images started crashing around me rapidly after that—
Remy standing proudly at the opening of another restaurant.
Me laughing in his arms.
Melo older.
Family dinners.
Christmas mornings.
Dancing in the kitchen.
Arguments.
Kisses.
Life.
A whole life. So much love. Then suddenly—
Darkness. The warmth vanished instantly.
I landed inside his bedroom. Different furniture.
Different walls. The air felt thick and heavy.
All I could feel was grief. Grief so suffocating it settled into my bones and stole the air from my lungs.
A figure lay motionless on the bed. Remy collapsed beside it sobbing.
Deep aching, body-wracking sobs that pierced straight through me.
"No…" I whispered.
His cries got louder. Rawer.
"No. No. No. Please." The sound shattered me. I covered my ears crying too. "Stop!" I screamed. "Please stop!"
Then everything went silent…
The softness of the carpet now replaced by the cool dew of moist grass that tickled my legs.
Tentatively, I looked up. I was surrounded by headstones.
Rising to my feet I saw him a few feet in front of me in an all-black suit on his knees.
His head was down as he gripped the headstone shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
"Baby…" I whispered moving toward him. I reached for him again. Still couldn't touch him.
My eyes slowly lowered toward the tombstone. The words blurry but slowly becoming clearer the closer I got—
GIANNA TAYLOR.
"No," I gasped shaking my head violently stumbling backward. "No—this isn't right."
I tripped—but before I could hit the ground, warm firm hands caught me gently.
"Easy, Gianna." A soft voice said.
I whipped around, eyes blinking in disbelief. "Kendrix?" I whispered.
She smiled instantly. Warm and soft. She was beautiful. Glowing beneath sunlight in a flowing dress. "Yes. It's me." She laughed lightly. "I've been waiting to meet you, girl."
Tears instantly flooded my eyes. "Am I…dead?"
She reached out taking my hand. Her touch felt so warm and soft, my fingers squeezed around her grip. "No," she said softly. "Not if you don't stop fighting."
I stared at her trembling. "I don't understand."
Her eyes moved toward Remy kneeling at my grave. "He loves hard, don't he?" she smiled sadly.
My chest tightened. "He does. I tried to leave him," I whispered emotionally.
"I know." Kendrix squeezed my hand gently. "And that hardheaded man still chased after you anyway, huh?"
"He deserves better than me," I whispered.
Kendrix face softened. "Gianna…" She stepped closer brushing tears from my cheeks. "You are exactly what he deserves." She glanced toward him again. "Trust me."
I swallowed hard looking at him too. "He lost you."
"Yes," she answered softly. "And losing me almost destroyed him." Her eyes came back to mine. "But loving you brought him back to life again."
Fresh tears slid down my face. "I ruined everything."
"No." Kendrix shook her head firmly. "Broken people ruin themselves, Gianna. Not you. You're not broken."
Her words wrapped around something shattered inside me. I felt some of the guilt loosen its grip around my throat. "I was trying to protect them," I whispered. "Remy…Melo… I just wanted them safe."
"I know." Kendrix smiled softly. "And that's exactly why I knew you were the one."
My brows pinched together. "Really?"
"You think I don't see my boys?" she asked warmly. "I visit them all the time. I know what they need."
Emotion instantly climbed up my throat.
"Melo talks to me in his head," she continued gently. "Especially when he's scared or missing me really bad." Her smile softened. "He told me all about his GG."
A sob escaped me. "He loves you so much," I cried quietly.
"I know." Kendrix squeezed my hands. "And you love him like he's yours."
"I do." I nodded.
"I know you do." Her eyes shimmered warmly.
"That's why I trusted you with him. I watched my baby boy grieve me before he even understood what grief really was.
" Her voice softened. "And I watched Remy bury himself alive trying to survive losing me while still being a father.
You brought them life. And for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Gianna.
The breeze around us moved softly through the grass and flowers. I couldn't speak. Emotion had me by the throat.
"I've been waiting to send you to them," she added quietly. Waiting until you were ready."
"Ready for what?" I asked thickly.
Her smile turned almost teasing. "To finally stay still and let love find you."
That hit me straight in the chest.
Kendrix wrapped both hands wrapping around mine warmly. "You're safe now, Gianna." Her voice was so soft. "You don't have to just survive anymore."
My lips trembled instantly.
"You are so loved." Tears filled her eyes now. "By Remy. By Melo. Your best friend. Your family. And both of our families are waiting to love you too." She laughed softly. "Mine is a little wild, so I apologize in advance."
I laughed through my tears.
Kendrix brushed my cheek tenderly. "Remy…" She glanced toward him still kneeling in the cemetery. "He is ready to worship the ground you walk on for the rest of his life."
Emotion overwhelmed me completely. "But what if something happens to him because of me?"
Kendrix expression turned serious but peaceful. "Life is always gonna happen." She shrugged softly. "People die. Hearts break. Bad things happen whether we love people or not." Her thumb brushed across my hand. "But avoiding love doesn't save anybody either."
I stared at her quietly.
"He deserves to be loved fully again," she whispered. "And you deserve to receive that love without guilt."
The cemetery around us slowly started fading. Warmth spread through my body.
Light. Soft beautiful light.
Kendrix smiled wider. "Go back to my boys, Gianna."
Tears streamed harder down my face. "I'm scared," I admitted.
"I know." She squeezed my hands one last time. "But you're not carrying everything by yourself anymore." Her voice softened into something almost motherly. "Relax, sweetheart. You're home now."