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“I’m sorry for what happened the night of your accident. I’m sorry I got so angry at you. It wasn’t fair to you, the way I acted, especially after you gave me such a wonderful gift.” I swallowed hard as I looked out over the water. “I hope you can forgive me.”
I paused, taking a moment to just look at the scenery in front of me as I formed the words in my mind.
“I met someone, Darren. Someone I like very much. In fact, I think I’m in love with him. It’s taken me days to figure that out and to be somewhat okay with it. As much as I don’t want to tell you this part, I need to say it. We took an important step a few nights ago, and now he’s asked me to move in with him,” I said, swallowing hard.
I sat there, hearing another car door shut, and turned to see the girl and her mother get into their car and pull away from the curb. Glancing around the cemetery, I was once again the only one here. I let out a breath and turned back to look at Darren’s headstone, my eyes blurring with tears.
“I’m having a hard time with things, Darren. I can’t forgive myself. I can’t move past you and let you go because if I hadn’t flipped out, you never would have left me. You’d have been right behind me and home with me for dinner.”
I buried my face in my hands and cried. “I need to forgive myself or I need you to forgive me. Let me know you know I loved you. I just wish you could give me some sort of sign.” I wiped the tears from my cheeks.
A large splash in the water caused me to look up in time to see the same lone Trumpeter swan swimming once again in the water. It began swimming toward me, staring right at me, before he turned and swam in another direction just as thunder roared above me. I felt a drop of rain, and then a streak of lightning bolted through the sky. I watched as the swan lifted its body out of the water and took off in flight, just as another crack of thunder roared above.
I looked up at the darkening sky and gathered my things. Feeling a couple of drops of rain as I made my way to the car, I climbed in just in time for the skies to open and rain to pour down.
Sitting there for a few minutes, until the downpour let up a bit, I then started the car and pulled away.
I stopped into the local coffee shop and grabbed a coffee and muffin before starting back to Willow Valley. It was darker than it should have been with the storm. That, combined with the heavy rain and lack of streetlights, was making it hard to see once I was outside of Cedar Landing city limits. I glanced at the clock on my dash; it was just about 8, so I flipped the radio on to catch one of my favourite programs.
It only took one second for my eyes to leave the road. One second to see a flash of light, and something or someone standing in the road, right in the path of my vehicle, and I swerved. That was the last thing I remembered.
* * *
Ethan
I stood in my living room, pacing back and forth, as I watched the storm out the window. I glanced at my watch. It was 9. Walking over to the phone, I dialed Peggy’s number again. I’d been calling every fifteen minutes, but like all the times before, all it did was ring. She should have been back by now, I thought to myself.
Pacing once again, I decided to call Bluebird Books. On the second ring, Trinity answered the phone. “Hello, Bluebird Books.”
“Trinity, it’s Ethan.”
“Hey, Ethan. You’re lucky you caught me. I was just getting ready to head up to the apartment for the night. What can I do for you?”
“You haven’t heard from Peggy by chance?” I asked, swallowing hard.
“No, I’m sorry, I haven’t. I know she was heading out to Cedar Landing today, but I am sure she is back by now.”
“I’ve tried calling. She hasn’t answered.”
“Did you try the store?”
“I did. No answer there either.”
“Well, perhaps her phone is down. Sometimes that happens in these storms here. I wouldn’t worry about it. I know she doesn’t answer the shop phone once the place is closed, though. So perhaps that is why you can’t get her.”
“Okay.” The nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach still told me this wasn’t right.
“Maybe try her again. She also could be out at the grocery store as well. It is her grocery night,” Trinity said, trying to be reassuring.
“Okay,” I said, still feeling uneasy. “I’m sorry to bother you.”
“Never a bother. Have a good night, Ethan.”
“You too.”
I hung up the phone and looked out the window, the rain falling harder now than before. The nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach was getting worse, and I knew it wouldn’t calm down until I knew she was okay. I grabbed my keys and headed to my truck.
I drove up Cardinal Street to Peggy’s house. The lights were off, and there was no car in the driveway. My stomach began turning, so I continued over to the flower shop, only to see the same thing. Lights off, no car, and the note still hung up in the window. I looked up the road and then in my rearview mirror. The street was empty.
