I sat on the beach, letting the cool, salty air breeze through my hair. I watched the waves crash up on the rocks further down the beach and wished, only for a moment that I was the rocks. I wanted to be swept out, free as a bird so I could say one last goodbye to my best friend.
I heard someone behind me and as I turned, I saw him sit down beside me. His blonde hair and black suit and his dull, expressionless face full of grief.
"I'm sorry Aden,' I mumble as he also gazes out at the ocean before him.
It had been just over a year since I first left Summer Bay, saying goodbye to the small seaside town and starting my new life over.
So it had been a real shock when I had received a phone call from Miles saying that Belle had died of bowel cancer.
The phone rings as I run over to it and pick it up with an excited 'hey' when I see who is calling me.
"Mattie, hi,' Miles voice is distant and sad, and I can hear a female voice in the background crying.
"Miles, what's going on?' I ask, concern etching through the receiver and I hear Miles take a deep breath and speak the devastating words to me.
"Mattie I'm sorry. Belle is dead, cancer'
It was like my whole world came crashing down at once as the phone slipped out of my hand and hits the floor with an almighty 'thud' which instantly wakes Ric up.
Tears well up in my eyes and I can't breathe properly, my knees beginning to weaken as I finally fall to my knees, crying and screaming at the same time as I hear a quick shuffling from behind me as Ric comes racing over.
"I wish I could have been here for her when she needed me,' I whisper, the tears threatening to spill out, but I choke back a sob and try to keep the tears from streaming down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry too,' I hear his muffled reply, pain escaping his voice as I look down and see him twirling the golden band around in his thumb and index finger.
"I'm just glad you could make it for today,' he replied softly, slowly craning his head to look at me.
"So am I,' I reply, finally letting the tears slowly slip down my face. I reach one hand over and take Aden's hand in mine, holding it as we both sat there. "She was lucky she found you, after everything with Drew, and Luc and especially Dom. You made her happy Aden,'
Aden looks at me, tears stinging his eyes as he lets them fall freely down his cheeks.
"No, I'm the lucky one. Before Belle I didn't know what love was, what friendship meant, what trust was but... Belle taught me all that,' He replies, pure love etching over the pain that he was feeling. No words could explain what Aden would be feeling.
Yeah sure I had lost my best friend, but Aden had lost so much more. He had not only lost his best friend, but also his wife and soul mate, and no emotion that I was feeling would make me understand what he was going through.
"What am I going to do without her Mattie?' he asks, finally breaking down as his body begins to shake and the tears are falling more frequently. "How am I supposed to go on without her?'
Once again, the tears fall down my cheeks and I let my head drop, thinking about mum.
"When I lost mum I was lost. Ric, Luc and even Tony tried to get me to open up but I wouldn't. I went off the rails, rebelled against everyone and ran away. But then I realized that mum wouldn't want that. She would want me to pursue my dreams, do what I want to do, and I know Belle would want you to do the same,' I finish as Aden looks up at me, nodding curtly.
"Come on,' he says as he gets to his feet, keeping hold of my hand as he pulls me up. "Martha's waiting to take you to the air port, otherwise you'll miss your flight.
I nod sadly, and we begin to walk back up the beach towards the road where the others have been waiting for me. I turn and take one last look at view before me.
***
Once again I spend about half an hour hugging everyone, saying good bye to new faces, hugging Alf, Miles and Jai. I then love onto Annie, Geoff and Irene, telling them not to be a stranger and to call if they need to before moving onto Tony, Rachel and my new family member; baby Harry.
I cradle baby Harry in my arms, cooing my good bye to him before passing him back to Rachel and throwing my arms around Tony.
I don't want to let go of him but I know I have to so I hesitantly pull away and give Rachel a quick hug before waving good bye to them all. I walk to the car where Aden is standing with the door open.
For someone who has just lost their wife, he is still a gentle man... so different to the Aden I once knew.
"You take care of yourself,' I say as I feel the tears welling up in my eyes once more before Aden moves around the door and we embrace one another in a hug.
We rock back and forth before I let my head rest in the crook of his neck as he nods and pulls back.
"Good bye Aden,' I half smile as his lips part slightly and he chokes back a 'Bye Mattie,'
I look up, seeing the beautiful blue clouds and smile as I close my eyes. "You look after her mum, look after Belle for me,'
Climbing into the car, I buckle up as Martha starts the car up and Aden shuts my door. I wave to everyone one last time as they all wave back at me before Aden and I look at one another, no words needed as our eyes tell a story.
A story of a girl named Belle Taylor, a free spirited soul who is now looking down on all of us and I smile one last time as Martha starts to drive off, whispering two final words as I leave Summer Bay for the second time.
"Bye Belle.'