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And it was because of me; her man; her husband; her protector.
With one final breath of contentment, I closed my eyes and joined my wife in her dreamless sleep.
***
What was left of the Flores Family gathered at the cemetery as we finally laid Michael to rest. The harp being played at the gravesite added to the already somber atmosphere.
Mia didn’t want a long service; she thought her brother was restless like we were. He had no more reason to be kept in a cold storage room or pranced around a church as people looked at his dead body that was brutalized.
I stood with my shades, dressed in my usual black attire as I scanned those that placed wreaths on his casket while my family stood to the side to pay their respects.
It was expected we attended; we were joined by marriage and, therefore, he was family. His legacy would live on through his sister; my wife.
Mia stood next to me, her back straightened, a black veil hiding her face from onlookers. She looked angelic. She always did.
My wife didn’t cry. I think she cried all the tears she could spare the night she found out- the night she shattered in my arms as I held her. Now, she just wore a look of satisfaction as her brother was lowered into his place in the earth.
Unlike us, the Banrov Family would never know peace. Alexsei’s body would never be found. He would roam the earth in complete disarray for eternity. No one would pay for his death. No one would mourn him. He was sentenced by me to be a lost soul.
I walked to the edge of the coffin-shaped hole, took a handful of dirt, and threw it onto the wooden box.
“Rest in everlasting peace,” I muttered before I returned to my wife’s side.
On cue, the hole was filled as people began to leave the cemetery.
My wife fitted her hand to my own and squeezed as the coffin was finally covered.
From, the corner of my eye, I saw a figure walking to me. My men stood alert, guarding me with their guns trained on the man that wore the familiar initials of the Banrov Family on his ring finger.
He held his hands up in surrender, showing he had no weapons on his person.
Yet, I didn’t call my men off. His family irked every nerve in my body. I wanted to get rid of them but now that Michael was dead, there was no one to replace their body on the council and take command of the territory.
The man sighed, “Mr. and Mrs. Galdur, I wanted to formally introduce myself. I’m Alexander Banrov. Alexsei was… somewhat of a distant relative. I say all of that to say I’ll be taking his place as the head of our family and I hope in time, our families can become allies…”
He trailed off when he saw he would elicit no response from us.
He cleared his throat, taking a few steps forward causing my men to stiffen as their fingers itched to their triggers, “…Mrs. Galdur…my family extends their deepest condolences.”
My wife didn’t say anything but she nodded her head.
With a final look my way, he walked away and back to the town car that was parked on the opposite side of the cemetery.
When he drove off, my men relaxed as Silas came to my side.
“We need to watch him,” he whispered.
I was way ahead of him.
***
I pushed the door to our home as I led my wife into the foyer. She had taken the veil from her face as she stared at me.
Those eyes told tales that a 21-year-old had no reason to experience.
I couldn't erase them but I would commit new ones to memory; happier and lovelier tales.
“Mr. Galdur. Mrs. Galdur.” I heard from behind my wife causing me to look over her shoulder.
