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Chapter TWENTY-FOUR ~ The Promise
The sunrise isn’t dazzling. But that’s a good thing. He could see his morning breath with each one he took. The day turned out to be cold, with a still chill in the air. It left his mind fuzzy from the lack of sleep, but he’s the sergeant in charge. It’s his duty to get his crew through each day and out alive.
He hid behind a large boulder out in the wilderness, tugged his gun closer and blinked several times. Trying to clear his vision and remain in focus. He wanted to remain hidden and unseen by the enemy. He gazed around at his crew. All bundled behind this single boulder as we laid in wait and got ready to spring a surprise attack. Wanting to shock our enemy with one mission in mind. To save the innocent, but make it out alive.
His eyes land on his best friend. He’s the best he’s got. He’s his number one. His black hair is hardly noticeable under his protective helmet, but his bright blue eyes are piercing towards him.
Matthew is a friend he never felt he deserved, but he always proved him wrong. Just the thought of it brought a grateful grin to his face as he stared at his friend. A man so caring and compassionate. The complete opposite of him. He’s cold and ruthless.
He never understood their relationship, but it’s one he always will treasure. Never questioning it when he probably should. Ever since Matthew showed him those letters from his fiancée back home. The one he loved to the moon and back again. The woman he’s going to go home to and marry for the rest of his life. The one he’s supposed to meet before their wedding day.
But then his friend showed him a picture.
The photograph he always carried in his back pocket for good luck. A picture of his fiancée outside her floral shop. The photograph of her on the day Matthew proposed to her in front of it. The same woman he met all those years ago at that small town bar in Dawson and had a one-night stand. A beautiful woman who captivated him and he never forgot.
But he couldn’t bring himself to tell Matthew that and kept it to himself. He would keep it a secret just so they could be happy together. Matthew deserved it, and so did Cassie.
“Serge, serge...” Matthew said as he brought Dante back and he awaited his command.
His trust always lies with him.
“Right... Matthew, you will be the one in charge.” Dante explained as his foggy haze cleared and he snapped back. “You go in, take out the targets and rescue the innocent. You got that?”
Matthew smirked and nodded his head with understanding. He positioned his gun in front of him and looked ready to fight. “I hear you, sergeant.”
Dante reached out, tapped the top of Matthew’s helmet and nodded his head at his friend. “Good. Now get in there and do your job.”
Matthew gazed back at the rest of the crew and pointed at three men. “You heard the man, you three are with me.”
He watched on with pride as Matthew led the mission and disappeared out of sight. He listened on his radio as their voices came through and this was his only way of knowing what’s happening in there. Listening as his eyes squint and he gets ready to strike. Laying in wait as he hears his best friend giving the commands he needs and making all the right decisions. Waiting as the minutes tick by for the right opportunity and fearing nothing could go wrong.
But suddenly, disaster hits.
A bomb explodes as the flames rise with the dirt and create an enormous dust cloud on the ground. The sound blares into his ears and pierces against his body. He can feel the shock waves of it as the explosion radiates over the sound and his mind goes numb. His ears are ringing from it and he tries to process his thoughts.
He’s stunned, but his body jumped into action and knew what to do. He ran forward and had to locate his team. He had to find them. They were ambushed with a surprise attack he never saw coming. But he should’ve known. Regret filled his body as he pushed forward, and he shouldn’t have sent Matthew in there. He should’ve been the one in charge this time.
He crept low and remained out of sight as the dust cloud subsided. His legs burned, but he moved fast. He knew he had to keep going and find Matthew. He needed to make sure he made it home. The smoke burned his lungs with each breath he took and the flames grew higher. Burning the wilderness and the structures. Making it hard to see, but he keeps his focus clear. He needs to find Matthew before it’s too late.
But that’s when his heart stopped.
The sight before him was unbearable and heartbreaking. He never wanted this and never asked for it. Never imagining it could be so, and he couldn’t even process it.
He watched with fright at the unbelievable sight of his best friend trapped in the rubble, and he bled heavily from his side. Matthew’s legs pinned underneath a structure that had fallen from the explosion and his face was almost unrecognizable. But his blue eyes glazed over with pain and fear. He would know those eyes from anywhere and it broke him into a thousand pieces that it was him.
He ran to his side and cried out to him. “Matthew, hold on! I will get you out of this buddy.”
Matthew coughed, and blood spilled from his mouth. “N-no... I-I need you to take this. I-I need you to promise me one thing.”
“But I can get you out of this.” Dante breathed as he looked down at Matthew and wanted this to all be a bad dream. “I’m not leaving you behind.”
He grabbed the large metal piece that pinned his legs and pushed. Grunting as his muscles try with all their might, but it doesn’t budge. His eyes grow wide as he feels the terror of the situation kick in and his friend’s grave state. He knew this could be the end, and he’d be damned if he let it. But as he looks at Matthew, he can see the fight leaving his body and doesn’t want it to be true.
Matthew clenched the only photograph he carried in his grasp and held it up with a shaky hand. “Promise me you will give this picture to Cassie.”
Matthew’s blue eyes pleaded with him to understand, and he held back tears. He’s trying to stay strong for his best friend, who was dying right in front of him. “I promise my friend.”
Matthew’s breaths slow down, but he smiles slightly, and his eyes meet his. “T-thank you, Dante.”
He stopped trying to free him and held onto his friend. Holding his head in his arms as Matthew takes his last breath and his eyes go dark. Life leaves them and his body runs cold. He can’t hold back his tears any longer as they stream down his cheeks and fall onto his dead best friend. Grieving a man who is dead all because of him.
“Goddamnit, Matthew...” He sobbed as he pulled the picture from Matthew’s tight dead grip and looked down at Cassie.
She smiled with pride out in front of Cassie’s Blossoms and her radiant beauty shone through. The same beautiful woman he always remembered and couldn’t forget. The one he longed for all these years, and now it was time to face it all over again. It was now his mission to uphold Matthew’s last dying wish, and Cassie was the reason he would return to Dawson.
***
ALL I COULD DO WASstare at Dante with disbelief. Utter shock that this was even happening as tears rolled down my face at his memory of the man I had lost. A man so honest and true.
The complete opposite of the man that stood before me. A man who I’ve grown to love. But now only mixed with the sting of betrayal.
All this time, he knew Matthew. He had such a close relationship with him and he kept it from me. He was his best friend. Matthew spoke so highly of him and I would’ve met him if none of this ever happened. I would’ve known the truth instead of Dante keeping it hidden from me. He wanted to help me, but he hurt me. And now I have to live with the pain of what he did.
His breath fanned my face and his eyes searched mine for an understanding that I couldn’t give him. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I came here with a mission to tell you the truth, but I fucked it all up.”
“Damn right you did.” I huffed with anger as my eyes glared into his and I hated his guts. “You knew Matthew, and you kept it from me.”
Dante broke eye contact and looked down. Only to peer backup into my icy stony stare with regret in his deep brown eyes. “No matter how much you hate me right now, please don’t take it out on him. He always carried this in his back pocket and said it was his good luck charm. It’s yours now, and he wanted you to have it.”
My hate-filled eyes left his and peered down at the photograph of myself. Standing outside of my floral shop with accomplishment and joy. Pride beaming on my face and a memory I could never forget. Tears filled my eyes and my hand trembled as I took the photograph from his grasp. Our fingers brushed, but I don’t feel the warmth I once felt.
Instead, I’m left numb by his unwillingness to tell me the truth. His need to keep the truth from me and help me, but causing me even more pain. A pain I have to relive as all the memories come crashing back down. But this time it’s worse because I’ve gone and done the one thing I shouldn’t have. I’ve fallen in love with my fiancé’s best friend.
And now it’s too late.
“Get out...” I breathed with bitterness as I stared at the picture and didn’t dare look at him.
“Please, Cassie, if you just...” Dante pleaded, as his voice stabbed my soul and hurt me even more.
“Did you not hear me?” I shouted as my entire being shook with rage and my visions blurry from tears. “I said get out!”
Dante reached for me, but I flinched and he breathed a sigh of defeat. “I shouldn’t have fallen for my best friend’s girl.”
I listened as his heavy breath waited for my response, but he got none. Listening as he turns away and walks right out the door. Never stopping and walking right out of my life. Leaving me alone and lost in my memories. The pain eating away at me and the hurt so great my body can’t take it.
Sobbing loudly as I fall to the floor and look at the one thing I have left. A picture that makes everything make sense. The photograph that connects us all together. Two men that I fell in love with but at completely different times. Two men that were the complete opposite of one another, but are best friends. A friendship that was hidden from me, but now revealed.
And I’m lost.
Lost in the grief all over again. But this time, it’s not just for Matthew. It’s now for his best friend, the one I’ve fallen in love with and can never escape. The one that left me all those years ago and I could never forget. He’s been with me all along and he’s stolen my heart.
And I fear I will never recover.
