Christmas in the City II by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Authors in the City
Published: 2016-10-31T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

LACEY

Clutching a bouquet of roses, mixed with holly and fresh pine I trek through snow and climb the steep hill. It’s been a long time since I’ve paid my respects to Christine Petra and to be honest I feared coming here today because I wasn’t certain I’d remember where her headstone laid but I spot it as soon as my boots touch the top of the hill. It’s the only stone without wilted flowers in front of it. It’s the only place of rest shoveled clear, allowing the world to see Christine’s name and remind us all that she was a part of it.

I’d still know I found the right headstone even if her name was obscured by the snow like all the rest surrounding hers—because of the beautiful fresh flowers that sat in front of the scripture that read “Beloved Wife.”

He was here.

Blackie never missed a week, always bringing Christine a fresh bouquet of flowers, never giving the groundskeeper a chance to shame her grave by keeping dead flowers in front of her stone. Well, that’s not entirely true. The only time Blackie missed his visits with his first love was when he was in a coma for weeks on end. Those were the weeks I came in his place and brought the woman I envied fresh flowers. It was those visits where I poured my heart out to her grave and prayed for her spirit to trust me with the man we both loved.

I like to think she heard me.

I like to think she’s happy that Blackie turned his life around and kept turning the pages of his story instead of shutting the book and marking it as a DNF.

I like to think she’s giving us her blessing and tomorrow when I marry Blackie I don’t want her to think I’m taking her place.

I’ll never take her place in Blackie’s life.

And that’s okay.

Because she has his past and I have his future.

Together we’ll love him and together we’ll make sure he doesn’t succumb to his demons. For when I am weak and my mind is reigning over my conscience and I am not fit to be the woman he fights his lethal temptations with, she’ll step in—she’ll guide him, keep him on the straight and narrow and remind him of all the things I can’t. She’ll force him to fight and when the storm clears, I’ll step up again. I’ll take the reins and secure our future.

God willing.

I’ve been struggling and while everyone around me thinks it’s the stress of our wedding, only I know the truth. Well, me and Reina.

“Hi Christine,” I say, falling to my knees in front of her stone. I hold the bouquet, not sure where to place it, not wanting to move Blackie’s flowers he brought her.

“I’m sorry I haven’t visited,” I begin, wondering if the roles were reversed if I’d want her visiting me. I believe in my heart I would. I believe if something should ever happen to me I’d want Blackie to find love.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.