AllFreeNovel
Share Us
How was it possible that we’d both lost the people we expected to spend the rest of our lives with?
“I am so sorry, Lamise. I had no idea. In fact, you aren’t the only one who made assumptions, because I saw your engagement ring, and when I asked you to come back here today, I was expecting you to tell me you had plans with him. God, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
She bit her lip slowly, two of her fingers slowly spinning the engagement ring around her finger on the opposite hand. “Thank you,” she croaked.
“How is this possible?”
Curiosity washed over her. “What do you mean?”
The thought of Lamise suffering through the same kind of grief I’d gone through wasn’t something that should have made me feel good. And deep down, I couldn’t say that it did. But in some twisted way, it helped to know she could understand what I was feeling. I believed she’d just know how some things felt without me needing to say the words. That was something nobody else would be able to do for me, and I found comfort in that.
“We’re sitting here together months after the both of us lost someone important to us. I lost my wife; you lost your fiancé. It seems crazy we’d both be going through the same thing.”
“Now that I know you can understand what I’m feeling, I hope you won’t think I’m crazy when I tell you that the last week with Rhys has been the best week of my life in months,” she revealed. “I went home last night, and I was convinced you didn’t want me to come back. Getting up every morning was a struggle until I had something to look forward to. He’s made me feel happy for the first time, and I’d be devastated to lose this job. I don’t… I don’t think I can suffer another loss and survive it.”
By the time she’d gotten out those last few words, Lamise was just one step away from full-fledged sobs. Without thinking twice, I shifted myself closer to her on the couch, wrapped my arms around her, and tugged her close.
Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling guilty about this, because it was completely innocent. Lamise and I were both beaten down and broken from suffering some of the worst losses imaginable, and I didn’t think it was wrong for us to lean on one another for support.
In fact, I’d convinced myself that talking to anyone about Violet wouldn’t work, because they’d never truly be able to understand what it was like. Sure, the guys I workedwith understood the concept of loss probably better than anyone. But losing your buddies on the battlefield wasn’t the same as losing the person you were in love with. Both were awful, but they were different.
Lamise would understand, because she was going through it, too. And because I believed she needed it as much as I did, I didn’t hesitate to share that with her.
“I’m sorry for making you feel the way I did last night, but trust me now when I say that it’d be an incredible loss to us if you weren’t here looking after Rhys. He adores you.”
She nodded her head against my chest. “I think the world of him, too.”
My arms tightened around her, and I had to admit it felt good to have her there. To know I was comforting a woman who’d lost as much as I had. I just had to remind myself that this moment was about me making her feel better and not the other way around. Because if I was honest, I had several seconds of wishing she’d wrap her arms around me, too.
“I don’t know what your support system looks like, Lamise, but I want you to know that if you ever want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen,” I shared. “If you don’t want it, I understand, but I really believe the two of us could become good friends and help each other through what feels like a never-ending nightmare.”
My offer was met with silence.
Just as I started to regret it, Lamise pulled back, forcing me to loosen my hold on her. She swiped at the tears that had spilled down her cheeks. “Are you serious?”
That was hope. I could hear the hopefulness in her voice. “Of course. I don’t think there’s anyone who can understand what I’m feeling right now better than you.”
For the first time since I came homefrom work yesterday and was met with it, Lamise sent a genuine smile in my direction. “I’d love that, Banks. Honestly, I think that’s an incredible idea.”
I smiled back. “I’m glad. And I’d love to hear more about this guy, Henry. What kind of dog was he?”
At that, the tension lingering in the air dissipated, and I shifted back slightly from Lamise to give her some space. Then, she told me all about a boxer named Henry.
TWELVE
Lamise
“How was he today?”
I wanted to laugh at the question, because I didn’t doubt Banks already knew what my answer would be. The truth was that Rhys could have been a monster by any parent’s standards, and I would have thought he was an angel.
Fortunately, I wasn’t going to have to make anything up, because Rhys had been a total delight today.
Banks had just gotten home from work, and though I always hated this time of day, I was grateful for it. Because at least I still had this job as Rhys’s nanny.
It was Tuesday during the third official week here, and things were going great. I said a silent prayer of thanks every day for being able to continue being here. I’d assumed the absolute worst was going to happen, but fortunately, Banks and I ran into one another and cleared the air.
We had this new understanding between us. Or perhaps it was more of an appreciation for what each of ushad been through. Whatever it was, I didn’t care. I was merely grateful we had gotten to this place.
