Page 32 of Absolution

Reese switches positions, getting closer to me as my voice lowers. “Keep talking, it doesn’t matter what you say, just keep letting it go.”

“We met in college and fell in love. Losing him has been harder than when I lost my parents. We’re were so in love, Reese.” The vastness that lies within me echoes my sorrow. It’s the only time I don’t feel alone with my pain.

“If you know he’s gone, what’s keeping you from moving on? I mean, why not find someone else?”

"My broken heart. Emmie and being a single parent. The loss of him and how bad I still hurt. Loving him still. Why's and why not? Everything and nothing. Life." My pulse slows, and my extremities feel numb. I only wish it were my heart.

She listens until I'm finished and then sits forward. "Are you about done?"

"Yeah, I suppose." I pout, hoping she'll think I'm on the verge of losing it and not put me in my place. But alas, that's not who Reese is, and I wouldn't want her any other way. Well, maybe today I do.

"Good, because I don't ever want you to utter that shit again." I refuse to look at her, so she does what all great women do... she raises the stakes, not her voice. "You are a successful veterinarian with your own practice. Emmie is well cared for, intelligent, and the spitting image of her mom. Except for her eyes, they're her dads, but we can't beat her for that yet. She'll be a teen soon, save that shit for then.”

"I digress... you own your home, your bank account is sweet, and need no one, and that includes a man. You're smart and business savvy, do I even need to tell you how beautiful you are, inside and out? I didn't think so, cause we're family. Right here, girl." She holds her fist out for me to bump it.

I run my hand over my face, drying it. "So why do I feel like I've lost everything?"

"Because you did," she takes my hand. "but you didn't allow it to kill you. You took it by the horns and used it to become a strong and independent woman."

"You're right," I roll my eyes, wiping my nose on the back of my hand. "you're also older than me."

"Hag!" She slaps my leg and runs as fast as she can through the house.

I gape before dashing after her. "Oh, no, you didn't! I’m gonna snap me a ginger!"

We spend the day laughing and playing with our children. Nothing I should be doing but precisely the soup my soul needed. I long for days just like this, full of family and love. Emmie and I may not have everything, but together, we have it all.

Chapter Ten

Creed

"Hello, gorgeous."

"Hi," Mark sticks his head around the corner as I greet Lee. I really wasn't looking forward to seeing him today, I know he's going to ask questions I don't want to answer.

Lee waves from her desk. "Come on over and sit down, we want all the details."

"We'll chat later when it's less crowded in here."

"For fuck's sake, sit your ass in the seat and talk." I flip Mark off as I pass by him. I take the chair closest to Lee, snickering when Mark's big ass squeezes into the smaller one next to me.

"You alright, Twilight?" I smirk. "Sprinkle some sparkly dust on it, maybe it'll help."

"How did things go?" Lee intervenes, knowing all too well; this could go on for the rest of the day.

"I hate to admit it, but I had a good time. They never pressured me, we had conversations about everything but the obvious, and Kathryn hugged me."

"I'm so happy for you. All of this worry and things went great."

"You've got to be kidding me?" Mark cuts his eyes to Lee. "You mean to tell me we've been in this thing with you for all this time, and you're going to hold out on telling us about the girl?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I feign innocence. Which gets me nowhere with these two and Mark’s uncanny spidey senses. Damn special forces training!

"Just tell us, we'll find out one way or the other."

Lee's brow quirks. "You're smiling, and Doc isn't with you. It’s a natural deduction that you met a woman."

"So, now I can't smile without there being a reason. I like to smile. Smiling is nice. It's easy." How in the hell did these two figure this out? Lee, I understand, but this bone head beside me... no way is he that astute.