7: I mis

lway, leaning just out

fingers curled around a mug

ked...

e Rachel came. Not cold,

el say s

u've been quiet ever since Rachel's visit. Did she say something

gri

di

ked the breath out of his lungs. Just a small, po

hat, the grin s

he tone light. "Okay... now I'm nervous. Did she come with a list of my sin

l no

ipping her tea like sh

ao

d up like she'd forgo

f you've been hypnotized or

ely there, but enough to slow hi

" she murmured,

elieve her

ting his elbows on his kne

he was weighing her words. Then she smiled ag

est ti

k, if Rachel really did say something weird, just k

a real laugh.

n't sue

"I'll even make a scene in court. Cry, f

ding as quickly as it had come. "S

eally claw

what

ething else is bothering you. You can

ning around the mug. "I miss my mum

e things he'd expected he

verything's been changing so fast lately. The wedding, this place... you. It's all good.

forcing a smile. "Yeah.

to hold something in. "She used to talk about owning a little house by t

neutral, but inside, his mind was

is she thinki

memory than humor. "She used to say she'd wear sil

le along, but it felt

"She raised a pretty incredible daughter,

eaned i

ld her, Damien's

d to be buried with her. Why was Naomi thinking

her grave. It's been three years. I usually go alone, but

once, hard. "You want

u don'

him to smile and nod, to say yes and hold her h

someone sa

meone reco

m he had buried so deeply-clawed it

ough his nose and nodded.

he warmth it brought him-tried to ignore

e for a while, sip

ared his throat and added, "Thi

n eyebrow. "Wh

approved of me? Or would she have told yo

e corners. "I think she wou

u know, I don't think she'd have liked me much either. I'd probably have tr

nsion in the room. "Oh, you'd have survived

just a little. "See? I'm in.

ow, and this time, it touched he

aid softly, "I think I would've liked her too. Especially i

id. And she was big on gut feelings. She always said pe

eavier than she pr

ice light. "Well, hopefully

r and squeezed hi

t holding hands, tea forgotten and s

that wa