Page 69 of Death
My lips twitch. “Well, I’ve heard that I tend to bring patience out in people, so...”
He smiles.
I breathe through a quake in my chest. “I have to go with you,” I say. “I know that.”
His face gently falls. “Do you want to?” he asks.
“I don’t not want to. If that makes sense.” I hesitate, torn between worlds. “I want to live and breathe and… love.” I look at him again and my heart skips. “But I don’t want you to be alone anymore.”
I step forward and pull my hand from my pocket. Ari watches with deep fascination as I rest my palm on his chest.
“And this…” I pause, feeling the charge pulse throughout my own heart. “I can feel everything. Your hope, your pain. This feeling between us is there for a reason… and I shouldn’t be scared of it anymore.”
Ari places his hand over mine and holds it against him. “Tannis…”
“In my sleep.” My lip quivers. “That’s the preferred way to go, isn’t it? Nice and quiet and…” My throat tightens. “Will it hurt?” I ask.
He cups my face and draws me in. He kisses my forehead, my cheeks, and my nose. “No need to think about that yet,” he whispers. “I still have one more promise to keep.”
I squint in question as he leaves a soft kiss on my lips.
“Close your eyes,” he says.
My eyes flutter closed as his mouth envelopes mine again. He pulls me against him, wrapping a strong arm around my back and holding me still as the ground disappears beneath my feet. I keep my eyes closed, easily comforted by his firm kiss.
Within moments, I feel the ground beneath me again but it’s not hard like the concrete sidewalk. It’s soft like dirt. My nose perks to the scent of the outdoors. A warm wind teases my skin — skin that was covered just moments before.
“Keep your eyes closed,” Ari says, placing his hands on my shoulders. “And stand... right...” He shifts me a side step to the left. “Here.”
I laugh beneath the sound of a bird singing in the trees. “Where did you take me?” I ask.
“Just a second.”
His touch disappears but I wait.
“Can I open them yet?” I ask.
“No.” His voice sounds far away.
I sigh. “How about now?”
“Okay,” he says, suddenly in front of me again. “Open your eyes.”
I open them to find myself standing in front of another porch. It takes a moment but I recognize the woods from before and the cabin we created to weather the storm together.
“What are we doing back here?” I ask, taking in the strangely warm weather.
I look at Ari and my heart pulses twice. He stands beside me in a jet black tuxedo and presents a small velvet box to me.
“I promised a wedding,” he says.
My breath catches as I notice what I’m wearing.
A sleeveless dress. Long, silk, and white.
“Ari…” I say, out of words.
Ari turns to face me and opens the box, revealing the old diamond ring sitting inside. “Your mother gave me this,” he says. “Said it belonged to your great-grandmother.”