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“Nope,” she called back without bothering to look at me.
“You know I’m gonna read it, right?”
“Yup.”
I watched her take two more steps, then quickly swiped up the note, opened it up, and began skimming the contents.
67
Leo,
It’s been a while since I’ve visited, eh? But what can I say? I’ve always been good at holding a grudge. And, well, as I’m sure you’re aware, I thought your dumb ass shot me.
Found out not all that long ago that I was wrong. I know. Me? Wrong? I’m just as shocked as you are. There’s a first time for everything, I guess. So here I am.
It took me a bit to come up with what I wanted to say to you. If I wanted to say anything at all. Since there ain’t much of a chance you can hear me. But my new therapist insisted this was more about me than you. No surprise there. 'Cause when isn’t it about me? And, yes, you heard me right. I said therapist.
Look at your girl, getting healthy and shit.
According to Doc, it’s PTSD and the blackouts are my brain’s way of protecting itself when something’s especially triggering.
I know. Sounded like a crock of bull to me too. In the beginning. But his voodoo nonsense… it’s been working. I’ve figured out ways to stay in the present. Even got a rubber band around my wrist that I can snap whenever I feel that familiar darkness coming on.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being angry for so long. For blaming you and myself for the way things turned out between us. I’ve been fucked in the head for a while now. And it had nothing to do with the bulletyour brother put there and everything to do with me thinking you’d fooled me. Betrayed my ass and broke my heart.
Because you did, Leo. You broke my fucking heart, shattered it to bits without even meaning to. It seems. There’ve been moments when I wondered what things would have been like for us. But some part of me believes it was always gonna end up this way. With one of us in the ground.
We were young and dumb. And there was just too much bad blood surrounding us. I was never gonna stay, and as much as you liked to argue with me about it, you were never gonna leave. You would have got fed up with me refusing to settle down, and I would have resented you for trying to change me. We would have hated each other. Eventually.
At least that’s the conclusion I’ve come to in my head. Though I admit it’s been a lot to process over the last few weeks.
Maybe, as time goes on, I’ll think differently on the matter. Who knows what the future will bring? It’s not like I ever thought I’d step foot in this cemetery again. Surprise, surprise.
Well, as nice as it’s been catching up, I won’t be back. And I mean it this time. Ya see, I’ve met someone and I’m not sure hanging out with my ex (dead or otherwise) is the right thing to do if I want him to stick around.
And I do want him to stick around, Leo. I like this one. Love him, if I’m being honest. But don’t you dare tell him that. Gotta keep the guy on his toes or he might just get bored with me.
In summary, I really am sorry. And I really did love you. But I love someone else now.
Yours in memory only,
Dani
68
“Ya hear that, pal?” I folded the note back up into four perfect squares and glanced at the name embedded in the stone. “Sorry to break it to ya, León, but she loves me now. Yeah, I know. I’m a little shocked myself but ya had a good run. And I wish ya the best wherever you are.”
I slapped a hand over the top of the slab and watched the sun set in the distance for a few minutes, letting Dani’s words sink in. And, if I were being honest, gloating a bit in front of my silent rival. The guy really was taking it like a champ though. No whining or nothin’. A real gentlemanly approach if I said so myself.
“Too bad things didn’t end better for ya. From what our girl told me, I think we coulda been friends, shared a beer, watched the game, enjoyed some of my ma’s ale pie—shit’sto die for. Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.” I grinned and some part of me knew the fucker in the grave was grinning too. “I mean, I would have had to kick your ass eventually. Because there’s no universe where that woman wasn’t meant to be mine. But I think it woulda been a fair fight. And in the end, something tells me we woulda shook hands and you woulda have asked me to take goodcare of her. Which is exactly what I plan to do. Take care of her for as long as she’ll let me. And long after that too.”
I pushed off the cold stone, rubbing my palms together before stepping forward again. There was definitely a fresh chill in the air now that the last rays of sunlight were gone. I glanced over my shoulder one last time, my spine tingling with that feeling of someone watching me.
“You’re off the hook, brother. I got her now.” I allowed the wind to carry my words off into the early evening sky as I stalked back up the path to my girl and whatever craziness the future would bring us. Together.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR AND ELEVEN MONTHS LATER
