Her Reluctant Wife: A Lesbian Age Gap Romance

“That’s probably a good idea.”

“I’ve already said goodbye. I don’t want to do it again.

Alone.”

“That’s understandable.” Jennifer smoothed a hand over

Coralyn’s messy hair. She probably looked terrible. What did

it matter? “Everyone is different, and everyone says goodbye

in their own way. Everyone has their own process for grief.

He’d be proud of you; I do know that. He was so proud

whenever he talked about you when you weren’t here. I could

truly see the love between you.” She pressed her hand to

Coralyn’s chest. “I know it’s corny to talk about him being in

here, but I’m sure he is. Or at least, in your memories. Hold

onto those.”

Coralyn teared up. “I will.”

She made her way downstairs after, with the heaviest feet

and a heart that felt like it had been cut out but was still

attached to her body and was dragging, sloshing, splatting and

thunking behind her. It was a gruesome image, and she erased

it as she took a chair next to an elderly woman in a wheelchair

with an IV drip attached. Was she waiting for someone?

Coralyn forced a smile as she sat, her back to the windows

near the hospital’s entrance. The old lady smiled back, and it

was warm and wrinkled and kind and it made Coralyn want to

bawl.

She raised the phone back to her ear. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah. I’m still here.”

It had been an eternity. Giana had hung on that whole time,

listening to muffled background noise. Coralyn’s chest

pinched and her breath came out compressed. “Okay.”

“What’s your favorite thing to do?”