Chapter Two:
He sighed deeply. Today was the day. The day he'd lost her. Three years ago the light had diminished in his life when she plunged to her icy death. He closed his eyes against that image. He refused to think of her that way. In his mind's eye, he pictured her brilliant smile that could light up any room. He could deal better this way.
He turned the car's engine off as he pulled up at the cemetary. He felt a jolt of surprise at the sight of a familiar vehicle. Grabbing the bouquet of roses from the passenger seat, he got out of the car and made his way to her final resting place.
"Eve," he said quietly, "are you okay?" Eve rose from her knees abruptly. She tried without success to hide her tears, but the tracks were still visible. "Luis." she said in surprise. "What are you doing here, Eve?"
"I came to pay my respects to Sheridan, Luis. It's been three years since the accident. I brought her some flowers." He looked down to the ground at his feet and said, "I know. I still remember that phone call like it was yesterday, though. It's real good of you to bring her some flowers. She really liked you, you know." He raised his head to meet her eyes and in them he saw kindness and empathy. "I liked her, too," she said softly as she placed a consoling hand on his arm. She hugged him. Then left him there. Alone.
He knelt by her grave and poured his heart out to her. Something he did all the time. He always talked to her in his mind. Imagined what she would think or say about everything he did. He missed her so much.
Finally, he said goodbye. And laid the flowers beside her stone. He didn't see the flowers Eve had mentioned. He found them resting on Julian's grave. Maybe she made a mistake, he thought. Still, he didn't remove the flowers. They stay where Eve left them. Sheridan wouldn't mind. She'd want him to leave them, he thought. She wouldn't begrudge her brother this one small kindness. With that thought, he rose to his feet and turned to go. With one last whisper of "Goodbye, Mi amor."
He drove in silence to the Crane Mansion. His throat constricted with tears as he drove past the cottage. The place of so many of their battles. So many of their happy memories, too. He pushed away the tears when he parked the car near the stables and got out of the car.
He raised a hand in greeting to Theresa who leaned on the fence gazing out at the picture in front of her. He hugged her close and offered her a shaky smile. "I love you, Luis," she breathed as she reached up to wipe away the lone tear slipping down his cheek. He pulled her to him again and hugged her tighter. He didn't know what he'd do without his family. "I love you, too, sis. Hey, let's quit this crying. Sheridan wouldn't want this. I know it." They turned back to the scene in front of them.
Her blond hair streamed behind her as she rode the pony. Her giggles were audible even from this distance. He felt a smile come over his face as he watched her. He waved back at Ivy. He saw her point him out, and a minute later, she was waving wildly, a huge grin on her adorable face, the familiar blue eyes sparkling.
This is my reason. My reason for going on. My reason for living, he thought as he held her in his arms moments later. He breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. This little girl in his arms was the reason the light in his light hadn't diminished completely three years ago. Sheridan lived on through her. His wife lived on through their daughter.
He sighed deeply. Today was the day. The day he'd lost her. Three years ago the light had diminished in his life when she plunged to her icy death. He closed his eyes against that image. He refused to think of her that way. In his mind's eye, he pictured her brilliant smile that could light up any room. He could deal better this way.
He turned the car's engine off as he pulled up at the cemetary. He felt a jolt of surprise at the sight of a familiar vehicle. Grabbing the bouquet of roses from the passenger seat, he got out of the car and made his way to her final resting place.
"Eve," he said quietly, "are you okay?" Eve rose from her knees abruptly. She tried without success to hide her tears, but the tracks were still visible. "Luis." she said in surprise. "What are you doing here, Eve?"
"I came to pay my respects to Sheridan, Luis. It's been three years since the accident. I brought her some flowers." He looked down to the ground at his feet and said, "I know. I still remember that phone call like it was yesterday, though. It's real good of you to bring her some flowers. She really liked you, you know." He raised his head to meet her eyes and in them he saw kindness and empathy. "I liked her, too," she said softly as she placed a consoling hand on his arm. She hugged him. Then left him there. Alone.
He knelt by her grave and poured his heart out to her. Something he did all the time. He always talked to her in his mind. Imagined what she would think or say about everything he did. He missed her so much.
Finally, he said goodbye. And laid the flowers beside her stone. He didn't see the flowers Eve had mentioned. He found them resting on Julian's grave. Maybe she made a mistake, he thought. Still, he didn't remove the flowers. They stay where Eve left them. Sheridan wouldn't mind. She'd want him to leave them, he thought. She wouldn't begrudge her brother this one small kindness. With that thought, he rose to his feet and turned to go. With one last whisper of "Goodbye, Mi amor."
He drove in silence to the Crane Mansion. His throat constricted with tears as he drove past the cottage. The place of so many of their battles. So many of their happy memories, too. He pushed away the tears when he parked the car near the stables and got out of the car.
He raised a hand in greeting to Theresa who leaned on the fence gazing out at the picture in front of her. He hugged her close and offered her a shaky smile. "I love you, Luis," she breathed as she reached up to wipe away the lone tear slipping down his cheek. He pulled her to him again and hugged her tighter. He didn't know what he'd do without his family. "I love you, too, sis. Hey, let's quit this crying. Sheridan wouldn't want this. I know it." They turned back to the scene in front of them.
Her blond hair streamed behind her as she rode the pony. Her giggles were audible even from this distance. He felt a smile come over his face as he watched her. He waved back at Ivy. He saw her point him out, and a minute later, she was waving wildly, a huge grin on her adorable face, the familiar blue eyes sparkling.
This is my reason. My reason for going on. My reason for living, he thought as he held her in his arms moments later. He breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. This little girl in his arms was the reason the light in his light hadn't diminished completely three years ago. Sheridan lived on through her. His wife lived on through their daughter.