Page 97 of Proof Of Life
Reaching into the envelope, I pull out a shiny enameled challenge coin. I remember it well. It was our first challenge after basic. West struggled to climb a ten-foot wall in the pouring rain, and he only completed the course because I helped him. I had no idea he kept it all these years as a token of our friendship. Clutching it in my fist, the cool metal warms quickly as it bites into my skin.
“I love you, Wes.”
“Love you too, Reaper.”
Gripping his chin between my fingers, I brush my lips over his and, when he opens for me, I kiss him properly this time.
For long minutes, we just sit there clinging to each other without words until Mandy clears his throat to get our attention. He’s standing in the doorway, holding an envelope.
“Hey, Nutter Buddy, you good? Do you need something?” The left side of his face is still swollen from the surgery, but he’s up and moving about and even dressed today, which is a huge improvement.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I overheard. I have a favor to ask.”
“You can ask anything.”
“I have a letter of my own from my buddy that I never mailed to his family.” He chews his bottom lip, choking up. “There’s so many reasons why I’ve held onto it, but it’s time to let it go. I heard you say that their families deserve to hear their last words, and Sam's family deserves to hear his.” He holds the letter out to me. “Would you mail this for me?”
I exchange looks with West to make sure we’re on the same page, and he answers for the both of us. “I can’t, Mandy. You’re right, you’ve held onto that long enough. It’s time to let it go. But I can’t mail that for you. That’s something you’re going to have to do yourself.” Mandy’s shoulders droop under the weight of unwanted obligation. “But what I can do is go with you to mail it. We both can. And when we finish, we can stop off and grab a beer and toast them.”
Mandy nods. His throat works as he struggles to answer. “That sounds doable.”
“Grab your jacket and we’ll head out.”
“Today?”
“No time like the present.”
“Are you sure you want to be seen with me like this? I mean, the post office is one thing, but the Black Mountain Tavern?”
“Hell, like the guys said the other day, your face is a damn improvement over what it was,” I tease.
Managing a small smile, Mandy says, “I’ll grab my jacket.”
When he walks away, West says, “There’s one more place I need to stop.”
“Today?”
“No, not today. Tomorrow or the next day is soon enough.”
“Someone else you need to say goodbye to?”
“No, not really. More like someone I need to say hello to.”
When I step out of the shower, there’s a note etched into the foggy mirror drawn by West's finger.
Meet me outside
Smiling to myself as I roll on deodorant and brush my teeth, I figure he’s probably waiting for me in the hot tub, which means I’ll have to shower again. But it will be one hundred percent worthwhile.
But when I open the sliding glass door from our bedroom, West isn’t in the hot tub, he’s standing by the rail, bathed in moonlight. There’s a trail of wildflower petals leading directly to him.
Did he pick those for me?
God, I fucking love you.
“What’s this? What are you doing?”
“When you promise the rest of your life to someone, you don’t do it in the fucking bathroom.”