“What do you need from us?” Maya asked. She had her hand on her belly, and Border stood like a silent sentry by her side.
Blake licked her lips. “I need you guys to leave. Thank you for being here. I will forever be grateful and in your debt. But I need everyone to go.”
Maya shook her head. “Don’t do what I did and push everyone who cares about you away when you get scared. Okay, Blake? Don’t distance yourself.”
Blake raised her chin. “Just go. Please.”
They stared at her a bit before packing up their things. Jake came out of the back area soon after and shook his head before leaving without a word.
Soon, she was alone. Sure, Rowan was in the next room, but she was still alone.
That was where she’d always been, and where she needed to be.
She didn’t deserve anything more.
16
The sun beat down on Graham’s face, and the breeze that slid over his skin did nothing to tame the heat. It had been far too long since he’d stepped foot in this place, but he knew it was past time he said what he needed to say.
Today was the anniversary of Cynthia’s death, and he knew this was the only place he should be. It might have killed him a bit with each step, but this year, of all years, he wasn’t as heavy walking toward her grave.
He’d had a glimpse of the light beyond the darkness with Blake and Rowan, and that had shown him that just maybe he had another chance at life.
Not that he knew what he was going to do with it once he figured out the next step.
As he made his way through the maze of gravestones, flowers, and symbols of loss and memory, he let the breath he’d been holding seep from his lungs. He would say goodbye today, knowing it wouldn’t be the last time, but a different one nonetheless. And when he was done, he’d find a bottle to drown himself in.
Only for the night.
He’d earned that right, even though it shamed him.
Standing at her grave was the one person he’d called to meet him there. Jake, Owen, and Murphy had offered to stand by him as he placed flowers on his little girl’s grave, but he’d waved them off. As her uncles, they had made their own form of peace and grieved by his side. They would be coming by later, he knew, but for now, there was only one person who needed to be there with him.
One last time.
“You came,” he said as he walked to her side.
Candice brushed her hair back from her dark eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I did. Of course, I did.” She let out a breath. “Before…well before, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for coming to you like I did that day. I’m sorry for what I said to your Blake and how rude I was. I was just so lost, and I took it out on you. Mostly because I know you can take it. That’s not how I am, Graham. And that’s not how we are. I know we aren’t friends anymore, but we made a life together once. I shouldn’t take my pain out on you because that life isn’t there anymore.”
Graham stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I was so angry with you that day. Actually, I was angry at you a lot.”
“I was the same way,” Candice said with a sigh. “That’s why we aren’t married anymore. But I want to think that Cynthia is looking down on us, and I don’t want her to see her parents hating each other.” His ex-wife held out her hand. “I’m sorry for the way I acted, and know that I won’t be coming by your house ever again. But I do hope that one day we will meet each other again. Maybe here.”
He stared at her hand a long time before reaching out to shake it. Then he pulled her close for a hug so he could say goodbye.
“Maybe not next year,” he said softly. “But possibly the year after. We’ll meet here and show our baby girl how our lives are.”
Candice pulled back and nodded, wiping away her tears. “I’d like that. And you should bring your brothers with you. I know they’re your rocks, even if you try not to think about that.” She paused, frowning. “And maybe Blake, too. If I didn’t ruin that.”
Graham shook his head, letting out a rough chuckle. “No, I think I might have ruined that all on my own.”
“Oh, Graham, I hope that’s not the case. You were so angry with me for hurting her that I figured she must mean something to you.”
“She does.” He shrugged. “But I don’t know what’s going to come of it. And Candice? I don’t really want to talk about it right now.”
She smiled softly. “I understand.” She turned to their daughter’s gravestone. “We come here for her birthday and the anniversary. This guy I was dating said it was too much, that I cling too hard to something so far gone. But how can coming here two days out of the entire year be too much?”
Graham swallowed hard. “Did you break it off with that guy?”
Candice snorted. “He didn’t last long after he mocked my pain.”
“Good. And as for us coming here? We’ve moved on, even if we’re moving forward and backward at the same time it seems. Us coming here is for her memory, and frankly, for our own. We’re not going to forget her.”