You have to do this, Clara, I remind myself. This is what she wanted. It’s one of the last things she ever asked for.
The pilot gives us a thumbs-up and the plane roars to life and Paul leads me to it, squeezing my hand, trying to comfort me. I glance back and see Marcus, Ashley, Zane, and Mills watch us climb in the plane just as the sun is about to set. Zane brings his camera out, ready to film. Once we’re on board and the plane takes off, Paul leans over so I can hear him.
“It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
I nod animatedly as I suck in a deep breath.
When we’ve reach the proper altitude, Paul pats my leg, letting me know it’s time for us to hook ourselves together. I get on my knees and turn my back to him so he can connect us. He hooks us together and pushes me gently so that I’ll move toward the door. Then he opens it and the wind rushes in causing my hair to fly everywhere. I tug the bag of Neena’s ashes out of the urn and hold it tightly.
“It’s time, Clara,” Paul tells me. I’m shaking I’m so terrified. I know I’m safe. I know Paul has done this a million times. I just can’t help it. But I know it’s time. I put my feet out on the small platform, bracing myself against the wind. He’s explained the procedure to me several times, so I know what to do when he tells me to.
“On the count of three,” he yells. “One. Two. Three!”
Then . . . we’re flying. For a few seconds, I don’t breathe as the adrenaline pumps through me. The dive seems to go in slow motion, yet it happens in the blink of an eye.
When he pulls the chute, we lurch slightly and our fall slows. The view is breathtaking. “This is amazing,” I say.
Paul chuckles. “See what you’ve been missing out on?”
I look up as much as I can, and see something floating off the side of the chute. The way the fading sunlight is shining, I can’t make it out. “What is that?” I inquire.
“Her purple scarf,” he replies.
My heart swells with love for this man as my eyes tear up. “Paul,” I say his name. “Thank you for being so strong through all of this. I couldn’t have survived it without you.”
“I’m here, Clara. I’m not going anywhere. I promise. Where you go, I go.”
I let out a soft sigh. They were the exact words I needed to hear. We’ve been through so much. We’ve both made so many mistakes. We’ve both lost greatly. But we still have each other. No other man has made me feel the way Paul James does. No man ever will.
He is it for me.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
“Let’s let our girl fly,” he answers.
I clutch the bag once more, saying one last farewell to my daughter. “Live free, Neena. I love you.” Opening the bag, I tilt it, slowly letting Neena’s ashes drift softly into the air. The ashes float out in a stream, dissipating before us. When I’ve poured the last of them, I smile through my tears as Paul kisses my temple.
Then he whispers, “Rest in peace, baby.”
The office is closed when I pull into the parking lot. The hours were different years ago when I came here almost weekly to interview Paul and Clara. I went to their house first, but there was no answer when I knocked. With an hour to kill, I play on my phone as I sit in my rental car and wait.
It’s twenty before noon when a Ford truck pulls in and parks beside me. He’s oblivious to me being there. I had backed into the parking spot. When Paul climbs out, I smile to myself. Last I saw him his hair was dark with hints of gray, but now it would seem the opposite. Gray hair or not, he still looks incredibly handsome.
As he unlocks the office door, I climb out of my car and approach him, clearing my throat to alert him of my presence. He turns and it takes him a few seconds to recognize me, but when he does, his face lights up with a gigantic grin.
“You sure grew up,” he chuckles as he opens his arms up for a hug.
I snort a laugh and hug him. He’s more mellow now. “I’m all grown up, but I’m still a pain in the ass.”
“I don’t doubt it for a second.”
We pull away and he cocks his head to the side, a thoughtful expression on his face. “How have you been?”
I give a nervous smirk. “Good,” I answer halfheartedly. Paul’s eyes narrow and I can tell he isn’t buying my answer. “I was hoping to catch you and Clara together.”
Paul turns back to the door and proceeds to unlock it while he says, “Let’s give her a call. She went into town this morning to do some shopping but she should be back home by now.”
He holds the door open for me and after I enter, he says, “Be right back. No one’s here yet. Bowman and Larry won’t be in for another hour or two. Make yourself comfortable.”