Thirty-one – 02

Thom pressed a kiss to the back of my neck, holding me close, holding me tight. “It’ll be all right,” he whispered, a bare hint of desperation buried beneath the certainty in his voice. I reached down and squeezed one of his hands.

“Of course,” I murmured, staring blankly across the barrow ground. The grass had grown high over the years. The tree that J.T. and I had planted at the dawn of the second year had spread its branches wide, shading the space. The building and the rubble from its destruction so long ago had been erased by time and weather. Wildflowers had sprouted there, mixed with the grass. My eyes drifted toward the stones lined up against the edge of the barrows, painstakingly etched with the names of the fallen, the names of the lost. Too many. Far, far too many.

“You don’t believe me.”

 “It’s not that.” I swallowed hard, looking up over my shoulder at him. “Please. You know it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“You can’t leave him here all alone, Thom. We can’t do that.”

I already made my choice. Jay and your brother and I talked. The decision’s made. When the time comes, if the time comes, you and I go together.”

“That’s not your choice to make.”

“I swore that I’d never leave you,” he said, arms tightening around me. “I mean to keep that promise.”

“But our son—”

“You know as well as I do that he’ll be fine.”

Hot tears welled up in my eyes. “What if he’s not, Thom? What if we’re wrong?”

“They’ll take care of him.” He pressed another kiss to my neck, then my ear. “You know that. Don’t start doubting now, Mar. We’ve come this far. Somehow, you taught me to believe again. We both know in our hearts what’s meant to be and what’s going to happen. Don’t lose faith now.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, the tears splashing down my cheeks. “I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you more. I’ll love you forever.”

I pressed myself into his arms and wept.

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This entry was posted in Book 4, Chapter 31, Story, Winter. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Thirty-one – 02

  1. This doesn’t sound good. Knowing your child is going to be parent-less is a hard one to swallow. They are pretty calm about it, all things considered.

    Thanks for another addition to the story.

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