Beside me, Amelia brings her hand to her mouth, biting down on her clenched fist to hide her emotions.
“Why is this so damn hard?” she whispers, angrily. “Why am I standing here like he is my own. Like I must protect him?”
I wrap my arms around her waist, bringing her into me.
“It’s because you love hard. You’ve always been an advocate for family no matter what shape or form it comes in. It’s why you chose to study family law, why you’re a nurturing older sister. Why you fought so hard to keep me and your parents in your life.” I tilt my head, placing my face against hers. “It’s one of the many reasons I love you and hope one day we’ll be able to start a family of our own.”
Amelia’s lips curve upwards, a grin adorning her beautiful face.
“You want a family one day? Since when did family become important to you?”
“Since the minute you walked into my office five years ago and reminded me what was missing in my life.”
She releases a sigh, then tightens her grip on my arms. “It’s time to go home.”
“There’s one more thing I want to do before we leave Orlando…”
Our driver detours to the spot in which Ashley lost her life. It wasn’t a busy road; narrow with nothing but empty land around it. Flowers have been placed against the pole she hit while swerving to avoid the other driver.
We stand here together, holding hands, as I say goodbye to the woman who impacted my life in a way I never imagined possible.
Beside me, Amelia hands me a bunch of flowers as we both place them against the makeshift cross. I say a silent prayer for Ashley, the little boy, and for Gordon and Mildred Stone.
Amelia removes a tissue from her purse, wiping the tears falling onto her face. I bring her closer to me to comfort her as we both grieve in silence over this tragedy.
“Are you ready to go home?” I ask softly.
“I’m already home, with you.”
Squeezing her hand, we walk to the car before I stop and meet her gaze.
“I love you. I don’t think I could have done what you have done for me.” I stare into her eyes, allowing her loving gaze to shower me with warmth. “You gave me strength to keep going when all I wanted to do was give up.”
“I just wanted to be there for you. It’s what happens when you love someone so much it hurts to breathe without them,” she assures me, placing her hand flat on my chest. “We’ve been put to the test, if we survived this, we can survive anything.”
“You know this is it, right? The whole forever and no turning back?”
With a knowing grin, her emerald eyes speak well before her lips move. “I won’t have it any other way.”
24
AMELIA
We managed to buy the last two seats available on the flight back home.
Mom and Nikki were able to get on the flight before us, which, conveniently for them—happened to be business class.
“I can’t believe I’m sitting in economy,” Will complains for the hundredth time. “Why are the seats so small?”
“Quit complaining. They were the only seats available since your fancy plane had some sort of mechanical failure. I mean, doesn’t that even bother you in the slightest?”
“This bothers me.”
“But you’re with me.” I grin, poking his cheek to get him to smile. “That must count for something?”
He plants a kiss on my cheek, slowly moving toward my ear. “If this were my plane, there wouldn’t be anyone watching us.”
“You’re right. Economy sucks.”