back to you. part 12. [previous: part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11]

Dani stood from the bed and walked to the mirror. For a moment, she stared at her beautiful dress but she had to stop trying to distract herself from reality. When she finally looked at her own eyes in her reflection, she saw what Ava saw… sadness. It was an emotion that shouldn’t consume a woman on her wedding day.

Dani felt her tears welling up again. Everything inside her was screaming and she could barely breathe. With her hand over her heart, she sighed. She didn’t know if she felt tortured because she wanted the past back or because she wanted to let it go.

With a deep breath, Dani let her eyes wander past her own reflection in the mirror. She saw Ava’s dress draped over the bed behind her. Thinking the dress should be hanging, Dani turned around and walked to the bed. For a moment, she stood and stared, remembering the fun she and Ava had dress shopping. But her thoughts were derailed when she saw something lying beside Ava’s dress.

Dani sat down and opened the small velvet box. Her hand flew to her heart as she gasped at the gorgeous earrings inside. She recognized them. She’d seen them before… on Ava’s grandmother. Something borrowed.

With a sigh, Dani reached to her ears and removed the earrings she was wearing… the ones that were simple and pretty… the ones that were from Finn. She rested them on the table by the bed and again turned her attention back to the contents of the box on her lap.

After putting on the beautiful earrings, she began to close the box, but she noticed a piece of paper nestled into the lid. She pulled gently on it until it fell into her hand. She couldn’t explain her trembling fingers, but despite them, she unfolded the paper.

Dani,

The day Gram gave me these, I knew they would be yours. When Gramps gave them to her on their wedding day, he told her they were given with ‘all the love in the world’. I cannot imagine giving them to anyone but you. I’ve always imagined you wearing them on your wedding day. And even though today isn’t what I thought it’d be, they are still for you.

My God, this is even harder than I imagined. And I’m sorry for what I’m about to say. I would never stand in the way of your happiness. Never. But you need to know the truth.

I can’t get over you. I tried but I just can’t. Maybe I don’t want to. I wish I’d never let you go. I will regret that moment for the rest of my life. I know it’s incredibly selfish of me to tell you this today. But I had to. I can’t keep it locked up forever. Maybe telling you will quiet the screams inside me.

Even as I lose you today, a piece of me will be waiting for our next life… a life where I’ll be with you again… because I can try to forget but it never works. It always comes back to you.

Love,
Adam

Dani took a deep breath and rested the box and the note on the bed beside her. Adam’s words sank into her and forced her to stop ignoring the thoughts she’d been so desperately trying to bury. He crept inside her, like he always did.

She grabbed a pen and paper and wrote as fast as she could. She knew that if she didn’t give herself a chance to overthink, her honest feelings would land on the page. And they did… at least the ones that needed to be in that note.

… love, Dani

She folded the page and wrote his name on it… Finn. When Ava returned to Dani’s room, she would find the note, and she would get it to Finn. Dani knew she didn’t have to ask. Ava would know what to do.

Taking a deep breath, Dani stood and walked to the window. She gazed through her tears out into the trees and the street just beyond. She felt suffocated in that room. She needed to get out. And in that moment, it was as though some higher power was watching over her because as she stared out into the afternoon sun, she saw a pristine white limousine pull up to the house. It was for her and she needed to use it.

Without another thought, Dani headed for the door. Quietly, she slipped out of her room and descended the stairs. She crept to the front door and snuck outside unnoticed. As she reached the car, the driver stepped out and turned to her. He looked confused when he saw Dani emerge from the house in her dress alone and in a hurry. But still, he smiled and opened a door for her. As she got into the car, she told him where she needed to go.

“Can you take me to Hodges Lake?”

“Of course,” the driver nodded.

“Thank you.”

©2017 what sandra thinks