She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“What’s the point of this? Why bother? Dirk is dead. Whatever objects you have in that bag are no longer his. They’re just things.”
“Mementos are important. Your grandparents didn’t take any of his possessions when they left with you. They didn’t want you to have any reminders.”
“And, what, you feel that they were trying to pretend he never existed? You don’t like that?”
“He wouldn’t have liked that. He had his faults, and he made many mistakes. But he didn’t deserve to be forgotten. Especially not by the son he loved. Dirk—”
“Is dead,” Camden finished, his voice flat. “Maybe it comforts you to keep him alive in what ways you can. Me? I’d rather let him rest.”
“But—”
“I’m some kind of living, breathing memento to you, aren’t I?”
She inhaled sharply.
“Yes, that’s why you’re here. You see me as a link to him. The biggest link there is. I don’t know why you can’t quite let him go. Maybe you feel some guilt in what happened years ago. Maybe you just miss him and can’t help wondering what could have been.”
She frowned. “I have Gustavo, I love him, I would never wish that he and I hadn’t mated. It’s just that Dirk was my best friend. I hate that people rarely talk about him anymore and that they’re happy to forget him.”
Camden could understand it to an extent. He’d hate it if people ceased to speak of Aspen, if they’d appeared to have forgotten her. But he wouldn’t attempt to push himself onto her children; wouldn’t disrespect her memory that way. Then again, he’d never survive the loss of her, so the point was moot really.
“Plus, I know he would have wanted me to look after you. I didn’t. Purposely. I was so angry with him for taking his own life. I punished him by not doing what he would have wanted, and you suffered for that. I want to make it up to you somehow.”
“But I don’t want you to,” he told her, calm yet cold. “I just want you and the rest of your pride to let me be. You don’t get to butt into my life to appease your conscience. You don’t get to treat me like I’m one of your keepsakes. Cling to whatever memories you have of Dirk if you must, but leave me out of it.”
Sighing, Gustavo tugged on her arm. “Told you this would be a waste of time.”
Judith looked at her mate. “But—”
“Honey, he doesn’t have the happy memories of Dirk that you do,” said Gustavo, looking tired. “He’s never going to be someone who’ll sit and reminisce with you about the friend you lost. And he’s right; none of us should be invading his life unless he wants us to be part of it, which he doesn’t. I still don’t agree that you owe the boy anything—that’s your own guilt talking. But if you really feel you do owe him, then pay him back by giving him what he’s asking for and just let him be.”
Judith swallowed, her eyes tearing up, and fell silent for a few moments. Finally, she nodded. Turning back to Camden, she said, “I’ll respect your wishes. It’s the least I can do. But will you please take this?” she asked, holding out the bag once more. “Please?”
A red-and-white blur of fur leapt between them and snatched the bag out of her hand.
Judith stepped back with a gasp, gaping at the bearcat who climbed onto the metal bench and began nosily rooting through the bag.
Camden shrugged. “Bearcats like to steal things.” Mostly things they wouldn’t really have a use for, and no one quite understood why.
“He’ll get the bag from the bearcat,” Gustavo assured Judith, pulling on her arm again. “You’ve done what you came here to do. Let’s go.”
Judith gave Camden a watery smile and then allowed her mate to lead her away.
Camden turned to the bearcat, who was watching the couple with a laser focus. His tiger let out a low growl, not pleased she’d come out here. Camden knew better than to rebuke her for it, though. Aspen was a strong woman with her own mind. If she wanted to watch someone’s back, nothing that anyone said would stop her. “Come on, gorgeous.”
Dragging the bag with her, she followed him into the building and up to his apartment. Inside, she shifted.
Rising to her feet, Aspen said, “I thought they’d come to talk about the vandal. But from what little I heard of the conversation while in my bearcat form, I’m guessing that wasn’t the case.”
“Judith wanted me to have some of Dirk’s things,” said Camden. “She doesn’t like that people don’t much talk about him anymore, apparently.”
Aspen eyed the bag. “Well, do we put it in the trash, or do you want to see what’s in here? There’s no right or wrong answer, Camden. If you’re curious, take a look. If you’re not, don’t. You don’t owe it to her or anyone else to look at this stuff.”