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“There are a few things that didn’t get destroyed,” I said desperately as I picked through the box. “Your dad’s license plate is still good. Your mom’s apron got some soap on it, but we can wash that?—”
“No!” Nadine cried.
I went rigid.
“You don’t understand! If we wash it, it’s not going to smell like her anymore.” Nadine brought the apron to her nose, and the dejected look on her face broke my heart.
“It got wet, and it’s already lost her scent,” Nadine cried. “All these photos, all my memories, they’re destroyed…”
Talia knelt at Nadine’s side and spoke gently. “I know this is really hard, but you have to remember, these are just things. It was the moments and the memories that mattered.”
“No, these aren’t just things,” Nadine bit. “This is the last stuff I have to remember everyone by. My parents are gone. Grammy’s gone. This is all that’s left of them.”
“Your memories will always be with you,” Grant offered.
“Fuck my memories. I don’t want to live in the past. I want these tangible things here in the moment with me right now.” Nadine’s shoulders began to heave with heavy sobs.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” I told her softly.
She wiped her eyes. “Can I just… be alone for a while?”
I had the horrible thought that she was never going to forgive me for this. I knew it was an accident, but it still made me feel like the worst husband in the world. I should’ve been more careful. Those mementos meant everything to her.
I turned to follow Talia and Grant out the door, but Nadine stopped me. “Lucas? Where are you going?”
I paused. “I thought you wanted to be alone.”
“Alone with my husband,” she begged.
My heart lifted, and I hoped she would forgive me. I shut the door behind Talia and Grant, and Nadine moved over on the bed. I moved the mementos aside, then pulled back the covers to snuggle up beside her, taking her in my arms.
“I really am sorry,” I whispered.
She sniffled. “I know it wasn’t your fault. I’m just really sad. I need you to hold me.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Darling, I can certainly do that.”
Nadine shivered, and I quickly pulled off my sweatshirt and wrapped it around her shoulders. She pulled it close around her and inhaled the scent. For some reason, that made her cry harder.
Nadine’s tears soaked into my shirt. “I’m glad you’re here. You’re the only person who can help me when I’m grieving.”
It was really comforting to hear that. Her words repeated in my mind, and something hit me. I quickly conjured the Reaper Records and flipped the book open with one hand.
Nadine tilted her head. “What are you looking for?”
I pulled her tighter to my chest with the other arm. “What you just said… that I can help when you’re grieving. It made me think of the grief spell I couldn’t figure out. Maybe I can use my magic to help.”
I found the page I was looking for and skimmed the spell again. “It says I need to feel into your grief and draw it out. Do you want to try it?”
Nadine looked over the spell. “What does it do exactly?”
I reread the spell. “I think it puts your grief into physical form, like you can talk to someone who’s passed on—not in a literal, ghostly sense, but like an illusion. I think it will help if you can talk it out.”
Nadine nodded. “I want to talk to Grammy.”
“All right. Let’s give it a shot,” I said.
I wrapped my arms around Nadine, drawing her close to my chest. She kept her eyes closed and steadied her breathing. I reached out with my magic and let it flow into her. According to the records, I was supposed to be able to sense her grief deep in the pit of her stomach.
