Not Your Fault

When our lips part, he kisses my cheek and then my forehead and my eyebrow and nose in quick succession. “I love you, Delaney.”

I smile up at him, getting lost his eyes. “I love you, Kris.”

I don’t know what the future holds for Kris and me. I don’t know if my mother will be able to put this behind her and move on. But I do know one thing—in the same way that Tyler’s death was unexpected, life is unexpected. While we’re alive we need to make the most of every moment. That’s something I’ve heard a million times, but only now do I truly understand the weight of those words.

This is my life. I didn’t need a lobotomy toggle switch to get me through it—I needed love. Love comes and it goes but when it comes for real, you know it. I stare at the beautiful man standing in front of me and my heart swells with so much love, love that you can’t possibly feel without having experienced pain. He takes my hand and we head into the next journey of our lives, together.

And I know that everything will be okay.