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He kissed her one more time then closed his eyes and allowed sleep to wash over him.
EPILOGUE
Amelia never thought that she would feel so much at ease at a place like this, a place everyone considered to be the cradle of death. Graveyards were never her favorite place in the world, not even second favorite. She visited her mother’s grave with her sister often, but she always felt some sort of sadness. After all, how could she not? She was visiting someone who was no longer there, hoping that they could still hear her.
This time, however, was different – much different than ever before. She paced through the small graveyard, holding Arthur by the hand. Someone was taking very good care of it as the grass was green and kept to a certain length. There were rose bushes scattered about and big trees offering shade to a wary traveler. In fact, this place resembled a park more than it did a graveyard if only it wasn’t for the gravestones and weeping angels. One of those weeping angels belonged to Arthur and his family.
He had a small bouquet of wildflowers in his hand. When he stopped, so did Amelia. A soft breeze blew, ruffling his curls. He didn’t lift his hand to fix his hair. He smiled at the gravestone and the names engraved on it.
That morning, he asked her to accompany him here. It was the anniversary of their deaths, and he hoped she would join him. The fact that he invited her meant so much to her. She didn’t need any proof of his love. She was more than certain of that. But inviting her to accompany him here… that was beyond special. He had not only allowed her but welcomed her into the smallest circle that comprised his world, and she considered herself truly fortunate.
Arthur breathed softly, deeply. She couldn’t hear him, but she could see his chest heaving. He was still holding her by the hand, even when he bowed down to put the flowers on the grave.
“They were my mother’s favorite,” he said, breaking the silence. “She was always a woman of simple tastes but of a great heart.”
“If she had a son like you, I cannot imagine her any differently,” Amelia smiled, squeezing his hand with hers.
He turned to her, giving her a grateful glance. She could see how difficult this was for him. She wanted him to know that she was there, no matter what. So, she did what she would have wanted him to do if the situation was reversed. She just stood there by his side in silence, not asking anything, not telling him anything. Her mere presence was enough to soothe him. That was the kind of soothing effect he had on her as well.
“She would have liked you,” he said pensively, still looking at the grave.
“I’m sure I would have liked her, too,” Amelia nodded.
“You promised me no lies, Amelia,” he suddenly said, his voice changing. “That is why I have brought you here, to the one place where I believe no one would have the heart to lie to me.”
Amelia turned pale. “What are you talking about?”
She swallowed heavily. It wasn’t a secret. Not in the real sense of the word. She had been meaning to talk to him about it… she just never seemed to find the perfect moment for it because it wasn’t as if they would be discussing the weather.
“You have been going on secret errands these past two weeks,” he pointed out calmly. “Do not think I haven’t noticed.”
“Arthur, I– “
“Are you in some kind of trouble?” he asked then quickly changed his mind, shaking his head. “No, no. I am certain you would tell me. Is it your father then? Is he in debt again?” He paused just for a moment, and at the same time that Amelia wanted to start replying, he continued again with his own reasoning. “You know that I will help him as well. Please do not push me away and keep me in the dark. Just tell me what it is so we can sort it out together.”
She immediately wrapped her arms around him, disregarding any sense of impropriety there might be. She was her husband, and if she wished to hug him lovingly in public, then that was what she was going to do.
This was the man she loved. This was the man who loved her more than anything and anyone in the entire world. It never even occurred to him that she was hiding something dreadful. He immediately thought that there was something she needed help him, something she was too embarrassed to ask. She wanted to shower his face with kisses, but she decided that would have to wait for the moment when they came home.
“You sweet, kind man,” she told him as she cupped his cheeks with the palms of her hands. “I hate keeping secrets from you, you know this. And this… well, I’ve been meaning to tell you, but honestly, I am not certain how you would react.”
“That’s why you wouldn’t tell me where you were going?” he asked.
“Yes,” she agreed, “because I didn’t know how you would feel about him.”
“Him?” Arthur frowned.
“Yes,” Amelia confirmed. “Oliver.”
“Oliver?” Arthur repeated again. “The little boy?”
“Yes,” Amelia also felt like all she was doing right now was repeating the one word that was simply confirming what she had already said. This time, she would explain it all. “I have been going to see him. I…”
Amelia didn’t know how to ask him this. Would it be too much? After all, the boy had set his house on fire. It was pure providence that Arthur managed to discover it in time so that no harm was done. Oliver knew that what he had done was wrong. He felt horrible about it. Amelia could see it in his eyes. He was not a bad child. He was simply a child who never had a good life, who never had anyone to take care of him. Amelia wanted to change all of that, to provide a loving home for him. But she could not do any of that unless Arthur agreed to it as well.
“I know what you want, Amelia,” Arthur spoke softly, cupping her chin with the tips of his fingers. “I just don’t understand why you couldn’t come to me about it immediately.”
“How could I tell you that I want to adopt the same boy who almost burned down your house?” Amelia finally said the words out loud.
