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My sight’s no longer burdened by guilt and fear.
Aiden moves toward the lake, standing where the dirt and water meet. He’s as close as he can be without getting wet, staring forward, lost in thought. I’m about to ask him what he’s thinking when he speaks.
“I forgive you,” he practically whispers into the air. To his mother. “I forgive you, and I’m ready to move on.”
He removes the lid and tips the urn forward, pouring the contents into the water. “Be free, Mom. Let the things that plagued you here on earth go. I know I will now. Finally.”
He puts the lid back on and steps away, glancing at me.
“My turn?”
“Your turn,” Aiden agrees. He reaches into his pocket with his free hand and pulls out the lighter. “You sure you want to do this?”
“There are no good memories in these. Everything I need to remember is right here.” I tap my head with my finger. “I’m ready to be free too.” I smile up at him, his blue eyes softer than they have been for as long as I’ve known him.
He hands over the lighter, and I take it happily. With the cold metal in my hand, I pull out the letters I wrote Aiden one by one, setting each on fire. I watch them burn, and once the flame licks my fingertips, I drop the remaining remnants onto the ground, allowing them to continue to burn until they’re ashes, ready to be swept off with the current.
A final resting place for the past.
Once the last one is gone. I take Aiden’s free hand in mine, and we look out across the lake, happy to be free. To be together.
“I love you,” I say to the side of Aiden’s head as he continues to watch the horizon.
He turns toward me, and for the first time in my life, I see so much love shining back at me. So much adoration. I hope he can see it reflected in me.
“I love you too.”
We both look out at the water once more. I take a deep breath, and with the exhale, I feel completely at peace.
“Now, let’s go,” Aiden says, grabbing my hand and pulling me back to the car. “We’ve got places to go.”
I quirk a brow. “Oh, do we?”
He grins. “Always.”
The shackles that have tethered me to this place are gone, and with that, I feel lighter. Happy.
Excited for the future.
Because my future is Aiden.
And I am his.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re back in the car, the trailer long behind us, when Aiden pulls the car over in the middle of no-man’s-land on the way back to Ohio.
I turn to face him, my brow raised.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” A silly smile lights his face, and my eyes are wide, waiting for him to explain the sudden stop.
When he doesn’t appear ready to spill, I ask, “So then…why did we stop?”
I stare at him, eyes narrowed in confusion and amusement. He leans forward, and I think he might kiss me, but then he pops open the glove compartment.
“What’s going on?” I ask, as I hear him rummaging, but he doesn’t answer.
This is so unlike Aiden. The suspense is killing me.
