Epilogue
“Ican’t believe that she did that,” I trace a whorl on her skin.
“It’s taken me a long time to realize that she wasn’t well.”
“But to do that…”
Shock on her sweet face makes me smile gently even though I hate that I’m telling her this.
“I’m not sure. I just have this feeling that she did it on purpose. Wrecked the damn car and messed up all our lives.”
“She was sick.”
“She was.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know. I am too. I wish I’d seen it sooner.”
I sigh and curl around Harper. I wish everything had happened differently. I talked to a therapist afterwards. Not sure if I could have stopped what happened.
I think a lot of people think things like that.
I rub my cheek on her caramel curls. “I don’t want to forget my kids. Don’t want to let their memories fade to nothing. But I want a life with you. And it makes me feel yucky when I say it.”
“Don’t.” She sits up. “You’re allowed to live.”
I nod my head. That’s what the therapist said.
“Would you come with me to their…?”
She nods and kisses my palm. “Whatever you need.”
“There’s something I need to take care of first.”
I sit up and jump out of the bed. She yawns.
And curls back up. “I’m not ready to get up yet.”
“That’s okay. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
I dress quickly and call Monroe.
And then we head out to take care of one problem so that we both are free of our pasts and our troubles. Free to love again.