Page 98

“My love,” Daphne said as she stood there in front of her.

Iris gasped and turned away from the vision in front of her.

“Sweetheart, don’t be afraid. It’s me.”

“It’s not you. I’m just imagining you. You’re not really here.”

“Yes, I am. I’ve been here all along. I’ve been watching over you since the moment I died.”

“Please, just go. I can’t take this.” Iris closed her eyes and began to cry.

“My love, please… How can I convince you that I’m really here?”

“You can’t. Please go.”

“Okay. I’ll try this. If this is really in your head, you’re imagining me. That means you want me here, sweetheart.”

“Of course, I want you here! I love you. I can’t breathe without you.”

“Then, be here with me. Believe that it’s me.”

“I can’t… It hurts too much.” Iris turned back to see Daphne still standing there.

“Iris, it’s taking everything I have to appear before you. I’ve been trying for weeks to reach out to you, talking to you constantly, and you just heard me for the first time. Now, you can see me. Sweetheart, please just listen to me.”

“How can I? You’re in my head. You’re nother. She’s gone. Daphne is gone.”

“If I’m not her, and it’s just in your imagination, how could I tell you about the project I was working on when I died?”

“What project?”

“The one I wasn’t able to tell you about.”

“I know all this.”

“You don’t know the details. Sweetheart, I’ll tell you the details now.”

“It would be my mind making them up.”

“But how? You don’t know anything about what I did, my love. You once told me that it’s all gibberish, the science talk, as you called it.” Daphne smiled and laughed a little.

Iris’s heart stopped at the sound.

“I miss you so much,” she said, giving in a little to the idea of this moment being real.

“I miss you, too, my love.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. My whole life was you.”

“That’s not true,” Daphne told her. “You are more than you and me, Iris. You’re smart and kind and beautiful, and I love you more than you will ever know. I had to tell you that first because I don’t know how long I can stay.”

“What do you mean?”

“It takes all of my energy.”

“Where are you?”

“It’s just me here. It’s empty. I go wherever you go. I watch over you. I’m alone, though, and it’s cold here. I don’t know if this is supposed to be heaven or something else, but I don’t know if I can be here much longer. Just know that Iamhere. I love you. I will always be with you. I will always watch over you. I know we didn’t get much time together, but the time wedidhave was precious to me. I love…”