“Do you believe in soulmates, Ella?”He raises the question and keeps observing the two birds.
I’m not sure where my opinion stands on that.I never told Mr.Marlin about Miles.But I told him about ending my engagement, when I explained that I was moving out of Verryn, three months ago.He’s a curious inquirer and a very good listener.
“I don’t know.Maybe,” I say.“Maybe some people have such a connection that theirsoulsare perfectmates.Do you believe in soulmates, Mr.Marlin?”I look at him playfully and wait to see if he’ll answer this time.
He glances at me and chuckles, then says, “I believe love is complex.You water it the same way you water a plant.Consistently and carefully.”
“So you believe that people fall in love and work every day for it to work,” I say.
“Yes, but sometimes it’s more difficult than that.Sometimes, not even love can stand against life’s unpredictability.”He sighs and turns his attention back to the two birds.After a moment of both of us staring at the small creatures in flight, he adds, “Or maybe sometimes we’re the ones that make it difficult.”
I look at Mr.Marlin.He looks lost in thought, his hands resting on his legs.Legs that can’t jump, run, or dance.And yet, he thanks life every day.Shouldn’t we all thank life more often?
He’s never told me about a girlfriend, wife, or old lover.And I’ve never seen one come to visit him.
“Is there anything you regret?”I ask him, referring tolovein his life.
“Oh.”He looks at me with a weak smile.It’s rare to see his face lose its smile.“Yes, there is.”
He exhales slowly, his gaze drifting toward the ground as he adjusts the sleeves of his sweater, tugging at the fabric as if the rest of the answer could be hidden there.I sense that he means a lot with those words, but that he won’t tell me about it.
We return to the interior of the building.
I walk beside Mr.Marlin, guiding his wheelchair through the corridor when, clumsily, I get too close to a small table at the entrance of one of the common areas.The wheel nudges the table, making it wobble, and a stack of blank papers slips off, one of them floating down right in front of Mr.Marlin’s feet.
He bends forward with effort, taking a moment to retrieve it from the floor.
And I stand still, motionless.Not picking up a single paper.Flashing back.Reliving everything.My heart pounds.My breath catches…
I’m flying to New York.
Chapter 63
Miles
August 14th, 2009
Friday
Ella called me yesterday.She’s meeting me at my apartment in less than an hour.
I’m nervous and excited to see her.My legs can’t stop moving as my brain analyzes what she might have to say.When she called me, her voice was shaken and faltering.She greeted me sweetly, then said, “Can we meet?It’s important.”I still asked what happened, but after a moment of silence, she said she would prefer to talk to me in person.
“She broke off her engagement!”Asher speculates, pacing around the apartment, too excited to leave.“She’s coming to tell you she can’t live without you!That would be a great birthday gift.”
“We have no idea what happened.”I can’t help but chuckle at his exhilaration.
“Man, can I stay here?I’ll hide in my bedroom, she won’t know I’m here.”
“You’re leaving,” I tell him as I open the front door.“And we’ll talk about what she said later.”
Asher drops his arms like a disappointed kid who’s just been told there’s no more ice cream in the freezer.The “later” part is killing his curiosity.I laugh at him.Truthfully, his reaction is distracting me, helping me keep my own emotions under the surface.
When he steps out of the apartment, he taps my shoulder and wishes me good luck.
The moment I’m left with my thoughts, a frame of possible options explodes in my mind.Could it be something wrong with her life?Has something serious happened in Evermere?What if she has ended her engagement?What will I say?I don’t want to overwhelm her, but can I tell her that I’ve missed her terribly?
I glance at the kitchen clock.It’s 4:03 p.m.when she rings the doorbell.
