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52

LIA

I exhaled, seeing fog forming in front of my face from the chilly air. This walk had been easier when he took me out for our first date. Of course, there wasn't any snow on the ground on our first date, and it wasn’t as cold.

It wasn’t like it was such a hard path to walk on, but I hadn’t felt like myself since I found out I was pregnant, and I knew I hadn’t exactly gained any baby weight, but I felt like I had. It also didn’t help that I was still recovering. Mael had protected me well from the fall when he took most of the impact, but that didn’t mean I had made it out of there unscathed. I was sore and bruised and just not my usual self.

Of course, Mael was in a leg cast, and he seemed to be managing this walk better than I was. Mael was ahead of me, hobbling on his good leg, and barely using the crutches. He looked back at me and smiled fondly, waiting for me to catch up to him.

“I don’t think this is such a good idea,” I said.

He let out a light laugh. “Why not?”

He wrapped his arm around me when I got close, as if he was going to help me up the hill himself.

“I don’t think you should help me,” I said, eyeing his leg.

It was a miracle that the only thing that needed to be cast was his leg, and that he didn’t break anything else, although his entire back looked like one big horror scene. And he did fracture his ribs. That was going to take some time to heal.

I still couldn’t look at all the bruises on his skin without feeling like I was about to cry.

“Bullshit,” he said stubbornly.

“Mael.”

He might have managed better than I thought most could in his situation, but that didn’t mean he was Superman.

“Don’t make me spend our date night in the hospital because your stupid ass doesn’t know how to be cautious.”

He rolled his eyes. “We’re managing. And Theo is nearby, so we’ll be fine.”

I looked in the direction of the crematorium. The lights were on, and I saw a shadow by the window.

“Maybe we should call him for help.”

“No way,” Mael said, like the stubborn man he was. I rolled my eyes at him and waved at Theo. I knew he saw me when the shadow moved. It didn’t take him long to get to us. Mael was scowling.

Theo took one look at us and let out an exasperated sigh. “I told you this is a bad idea.” His eyes focused on Mael. “You could have just taken her out to a nice dinner.”

“Are you going to help us or not?” Mael grumbled.

Theo grinned. Like me, he was still affected from seeing Mael after his fall. And I didn’t think he was going to be able to get over that anytime soon.

He walked up and grabbed the picnic basket from my hand, moving a little further away to the flat part of the grass, perfect for us to sit down on. I watched as he set the picnic basket down on the green grass. He pulled out the blanket and spread it out on the ground, then another one, setting it near the basket before he came back to me.

I squealed, more in surprise than anything else, when Theo lifted me up in his arms. I automatically wrapped my arms around his neck, and Mael grumbled something under his breath. I shot Mael a look. He couldn’t seriously be jealous of his brother helping me. Theo set me down on top of the blanket and patted my head affectionately before he walked back to Mael.

“If you try to pick me up, I will kill you,” Mael said.

Theo snorted and grabbed Mael’s arm, wrapping it around his shoulder. “Hold on to me,” he said to Mael.

They slowly made their way up the hill.

This little picnic was starting to seem like it was more trouble than it was worth. We probably should have done what Theo suggested and gone out to a nice restaurant.

Theo helped Mael sit, and I didn't know how we managed it, but Mael ended up sitting behind me, his arms wrapped tightly around my middle. And like what he had done so often since we found out I was pregnant, he cupped his hand over my belly as if to protect our child.

I snuggled in closer to him, and he buried his face in the back of my neck.

“Have fun,” Theo said. “Call me when you want to get down.”

He turned and walked away from us before I could say anything, and I stared at his retreating back. I was still worried about him, but Theo was even more closed off than Mael. I doubted he would tell me anything. I could go the annoying sister route and irritate the crap out of him until he talked to me.

I nodded, making a mental note to do just that, when a gust of wind picked up and blew on my face.

I shivered and moved in closer to Mael. He pulled away from my neck.

There was still some snow lingering on the ground, but it seemed Mael had prepared for this—or perhaps Theo did, considering Mael wasn’t as mobile—because this little spot where we were sitting was snowless and dry.

He grabbed the blanket and pulled it around us. I was wearing one of Mael’s hoodies while he had on a thermal shirt, and I had on an extra layer of pants, so I was warming up pretty quickly with him close by, sharing his heat with me, and the blanket around us.

I leaned back against his chest and took in the night sky. With the winter approaching, the sun was setting earlier and earlier each day. It wasn’t that late, but the moon and stars were out already.

We were having dinner out here, trying to get back to some normalcy after all that we went through.

Close to a month had passed now, and I could still see some of the scenes happening in my head every time I closed my eyes. The nightmares had started, and I figured it was going to be a while before I could fully get over it… or not at all, but perhaps time would lessen its impact on me.

But now…

I was glad I had Mael by my side.

My father was still being held in prison. There was no bail set because he was considered a flight risk. The trial was set to take place several months from now. I was debating whether or not I should go. My father’s lawyer really had their work cut out for them, considering I had given the book to the FBI.

I thought that was what Caden would have wanted me to do with it.

Maybe that was what he had intended to do, only he never got the chance because our father killed him.

I closed my eyes and leaned in closer to Mael, seeking comfort from him. He tightened his arms around me without me asking. He seemed to always know just what I needed, even without me saying anything.

“Okay?”

I shrugged. “I was just thinking about Caden.”

I felt him nodding against me as if he understood.

“You would have liked him,” I said, feeling my lips trembling a little. “And he would have liked you.”

“You think so?”

Tears blurred my vision. “I know so. My little brother only ever wanted me to be happy. And you make me happy. He would have loved you.”

“I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could have done. I wish we had met sooner, and I could have protected him for you.”

I didn't say anything about that. A huge part of me wished for it, too, but wishing for it didn’t make it a reality.

“It’s okay.”

Sometimes, I wish I believed in the afterlife. Then I could convince myself that Mom and Caden were finally at peace.

“What can I do?” Mael asked.

“Just hold on to me and promise to never let me go.”

“I will never let you go,” Mael said fiercely.

He grabbed my left hand and held it between his hands, comforting me. I smiled and let out a contented sigh.

I wasn’t hungry yet.

I just wanted to enjoy this time with him.

It didn’t seem Mael was hungry either, as he made no move to grab the food. He played with my fingers, making my skin get goosebumps all over.

He lingered on my ring finger.

I tensed when I felt him slip something around it.

I turned and looked at him.

His eyes were light.

“Mael.”

I pulled my hand away, and even if I had already expected it, the diamond ring glinting on my finger still surprised me.

“I’m not asking,” he said. “Asking means you have a choice in the matter. You don’t.”

This was such a Mael thing to say. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I could feel his heart racing through his shirt. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly,” he answered, his eyes focused intently on me. “You’re going to be my wife.”

I nodded as the first tear fell from my eyes. He cupped my cheek and wiped it away.

“Okay,” I said because that was all that needed to be said.

He smiled. “Okay.”

* * *

We were married a month later in a small ceremony, with Theo in attendance as our witness, and it was absolutely perfect.

It wasn’t exactly the kind of wedding I had imagined myself having, but with Mael by my side, I realized it was okay…

No, more than okay.

It was everything.