Page 42 of Thin Lives

“Would you mind if I caught up with you in a couple of minutes?” Emma asked.

Affonso tossed her a look, cocking a brow. “I can’t see how watching the gravekeeper toss in dirt will be more enjoyable than the dry, warm backseat of my Mercedes.”

Emma brushed his comment off. “It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“I thought I should go say hello to the baby, since I’m here and all.”

Affonso straightened a bit, his passive, uncaring mask firmly back in place. “Oh.”

Emma didn’t let his response, or lack of one for that matter, bother her all that much. Affonso wasn’t an emotional man, and on the topic of things that did poke at his nerves, he was content with acting like he didn’t have feelings at all.

Their dead son was just one of those things.

“Will you make it fast?” Affonso asked. “I have a meeting to get to.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. “What meeting?”

“It was a last-minute thing. Something came up. I told you not to worry about it. Make it fast, yes?”

“Fine.”

But she wasn’t promising a damn thing.

Emma

Emma tugged her jacket tighter, wanting to keep the cold October wind out. It didn’t do very much to help. The light sprinkling of rain had practically stopped altogether as she crossed down the rows of headstones, looking for the one belonging to her child.

It wasn’t exactly hard to find it.

Coming to a stop under the maple tree, Emma’s sadness welled hard and swift in her heart. Just like it always did. She bent down to brush a few leaves off the marble headstone, letting her thumb linger on the carved letters of her boy’s name.

A sleeping baby angel wrapped in his own wings had been carved into the shiny black marble. She had thought it was appropriate at the time, seeing as how little Affonso had come into the world doomed to grow his wings before it was his time.

Even with the fallen leaves coloring up the small grave, Emma thought the spot looked a little lonely. She made a mental note to pick up some poinsettias and tiger lilies for the next time she visited.

Straightening back up, Emma hugged her jacket closer again, shivering under the wool. She was so focused on the headstone that she didn't realize someone was coming up behind her until a thick, warm jacket was thrown over her shoulders, and two hands squeezed her gently.

The touch was heavy, but familiar and supportive.

Emma took a quick breath, knowing who it was before he even said a word.

“I saw you shivering over here as I was getting ready to leave,” Calisto said behind her.

“I’m not sure if it’s just the cold doing it, or this day.”

Calisto chuckled softly. “I know what you mean.”

Emma turned around to face Calisto, and kept a hold on his jacket to keep it in place. She was worried that if she didn't give her hands something to do, she might just reach out and grab him instead.

She had wanted him closer for a long time.

She missed him all the time.

“What were you doing, anyway?” Calisto asked, throwing a glance over her shoulder.

Emma smiled brightly, hoping it was enough to deflect his attention. It worked for a quick second. “Just wanted to take a walk.”