Page 115 of Beautiful Trauma
I shook my head, not wanting to take it from her.
She nodded in understanding. “I’ll leave it somewhere here for when you’re ready. Where do you want it?”
I blinked back the tears, choking out, “Just put it on my bed. I’ll read it later.”
For the rest of the day, my mind returned to the envelope waiting for me on my bed. Of course, that asshole would insist on having the last word. I convinced everyone but Sergio to leave after dinner. He insisted on reading Wyatt his bedtime story in person, and honestly, it gave me the space I needed to pick up the letter.
After giving Wyatt his goodnight kisses, he shooed me from his room for his story with Sergio. I retreated to my room, ready to read my own bedtime story.
Katie,
When you read this, I’ll have been gone for a year. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to leave you and Wyatt. You two are my favorite people to ever walk this earth, and I miss you already. The hardest part of all of this is knowing I have to leave you.
I hope you didn’t do anything too stupid. I hope Wyatt is adjusting well to a new life without me. He’s the best fucking kid. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. He probably won’t remember me, he’s so young, but the time I got to spend with him was some of the best of my life.
But you, Katie. Fuck, you have always been mine. I got way more than just a pen that day in history class. I got the best damn friend ever. Hot, too. Every single second in your presence was the best gift ever, and I can’t thank you enough for being mine. I’m dying young, but I feel like I won because I had you.
I hope you are moving on. It kills me to think you’ll be lonely without me. Fall in love. Get married. Have more babies. Please don’t think for a second I don’t want these things for you. I wish it could be with me, but I know that there’s someone out there who is going to love you just as much as I do because you’re amazing. Just don’t look too far because I have a feeling he’s right under your nose.
Goodbye, my love.
E
I held the note to my chest as tears and snot fell down my face through my sobs. Fucking asshole. Making me cry like this. Reminding me I had to move on. “I love you, too,” I said to the letter.
There was a light knock on my door and Sergio poked his head in. “Aww hell, babe. Space or no space?” He always asked, even though I never wanted space. Not from him.
“No space,” I whimpered. He came over to the bed and pulled me onto his lap. “He left me a letter. Like someone in one of your fucking romance novels,” I said between sniffles.
“How dare he?” Sergio replied with mock disgust.
“Right? He thinks he can tell me what to do even after he died.”
“I think he knew you would only listen if you felt like it.”
“True.” I nodded.
He rocked me back and forth. “You’re gonna be okay.”
“Yeah, I am. I’ve got my wingman and a tiny-tyrant to keep me on my toes.” I kissed his cheek.
Seventy-One
Sergio
“Have you decided where you’re spreading his ashes tomorrow?” I asked cautiously.
She winced. “Well, I set some aside. He can’t have the last say in everything, so I will, in fact, be carrying them around for the rest of my life.” She gave me a mischievous smile despite the tears forming in her eyes.
“Compromises are good,” I suggested.
“And I’m not going to just carry around a jar of dust. I had them turned into a necklace. And a ring. You know, in case I lose one. I’ll be less devastated.”
I pursed my lips and nodded. “Smart.”
“I set some aside for the family members he still talked to. I gave those away almost immediately. Well, I had Elle do it. But the rest…” She took a deep breath. “The rest I think are going to our spot in the woods.”
“Where you used to ditch school?”