Epilogue
The air was soft and still warm at this time of the day. The sun disappeared in the horizon behind the mountains that loomed in the distance, after these huge bands of farmland. After these fields, the meadows, the city that grew a few kilometers away. This August was warm and pleasant, and he wanted to enjoy this evening to get to this place to watch the sun disappear, as he had done for so many years. Today he was alone on the stone bench under the big oak tree at the top of this small hill from which he could see his house down the road into gravel. Today, he no longer held in the palm of his hand that of his wife, the woman he had loved for years. They had seen countless sunsets on the bench together. And today he was on the same bench, looking at the grave in front of him. She had left him three years ago, three years he lived without her and he missed her terribly. He came often as possible to lay flowers on the dark stone, laying a kiss on his fingers he slid on her engraved name, as when he stroked Julia's lips. William spent hours sitting in front of the gravestone in silence, lost in memories.
A small breeze caressed his skin and he smiled tenderly, thrilling his white mustache.
-Still sitting here Dad, threw the voice of the young woman approaching.
He looked up at her and she smiled back. Her blond curls flying in the wind, her eyes as blue as the ocean was soft and tender, her thin lips stretched into a long smile. Olivia was the spitting image of her mother. She approached William to sit beside him and take his hand, resting her head on his shoulder, sighing deeply.
-You know I can not bring myself not to come on her grave, William whispered in a deep voice and hurt by time, especially today.
-I know, sighed the young woman, she misses you.
-I miss her since the day she disappeared, every second.
Olivia did not answer, she pressed a little against the old man to enjoy his comforting embrace. He held her a long time against him, before looking down at her and placed a kiss in her hair.
-You're looks so much like her.
-I'll never be as good a Doctor as she was.
-She always said you were well endowed she could.
-She will remain for me the best Doctor I've ever experienced, strong, courageous, compassionate, gentle.
-And incredibly stubborn, said William, laughing followed by the young woman, so are you.
Olivia sat up to meet the eyes of William who tenderly stroked her cheek before speaking again.
-And you're as beautiful as your mother was.
The young woman blushed and the old man gently took her hands in his before inhaling deeply.
-I'm tired Olivia, he muttered under his breath.
-We should return home then, dinner ...
-Really tired, William gently cut by plunging his eyes into hers.
The young woman did not answer, keeping her mouth half open, understanding what he was trying to tell her. She felt a tear slide down her cheek as he wiped his fingertips.
-I know that everything will go well for you, for your brother and sister. Sophie is about to have another child and she takes care of the ranch brilliantly, Matthew was promoted to Detective and you're the director of the children's hospital in the city. I have nothing to worry about you. You have all three family, the life of your dreams, you no longer need your parents.
-Don't say that, Olivia threw angry, we need you, you can not leave us dad.
-I am not immortal. We showed you the path to follow, you made your own choices and you have to live today. I do not want to fight anymore Olivia. My life was busy, of joys, trials and pain. I lived the best years of it with your mother here, I was with her when she passed and now it's my turn to say goodbye.
The young woman then wept a few seconds and he pulled against him for a tender embrace.
-I'll always be here Olivia, like your mother is there in your heart. But the time has come for me.
Olivia did not answer, she pressed a little against him, crying softly in the hollow of his neck. Then, when she calmed down, they separated only to cross their eyes. William wiped one of her tears before speaking again.
-Come, we must go back to the ranch, dinner should be ready.
Olivia nodded and just one movement, they rose. William flickered and his daughter held him a few seconds for him to grab his cane. They cast a last look at the grave of Julia and gently, they borrowed the path to reach the remains low against.
The dinner was already finished, were seated William head of the table, Olivia beside him, Matthew another side, and Sophie a little further. All three were with their respective husband and wife, leaving their children heckle around the long wooden table. In front of William, many meters away was an empty chair, that had occupied the hostess for years. Despite heated discussions, laughter and exclamations, Olivia noticed repeatedly William glance at the empty chair. He said very little about that night except to give his opinion on a particular conversation. Yet he had a long look at his children, Matthew, who was a handsome man of about forty, with black hair and blue eyes, Olivia was the portrait of her mother and seven years older and Sophie, the youngest daughter, whose red hair rippled in her back and whose dark gaze throwing flashes of malice. Their two youngest children were the perfect blend of their father and their mother and William were proud of them. Proud of the choice they made, proud to have had two wonderful children with the woman he deeply loved. Proud to be considered the father of Olivia from the first year where he had lived with her. She was not his biological daughter unlike the others, but he loved her as much as if that detail had not had any importance to him.
After watching turns his children and his grandchildren, he finally spoke in a calm, steady voice.
-Sophie, he called his daughter, what if you played us something tonight.
-Chopin? Suggested the young woman.
-She would have loved.
-Oh, no Matthew sighed, and why not something more happy? Mom loved Glen Miller too. I think for her birthday it is more appropriate.
-I play the piano Matt, gave Sophie, rising from the table, not trumpet.
The man rolled his eyes and William could not help laughing, he had so often seen bickering between his two youngest children he never tired of seeing tease is so. So Sophie began the sweet melody in a cathedral silence, even the youngest were silent. William listened attentively this melody that reminded him so many memories, that melody that Julia liked so much. A tear slid down his cheek without he realized and immediately Olivia noticing, she slipped her hand into his. They exchanged a single shy smile and once the music ended, the father stood up.
-I'm going to go to bed, I'm exhausted.
He walked to Sophie that he hugged to file a long kiss in her hair.
-Thank you my angel, he whispered tenderly.
He walked away from her and smiled before she lays a kiss on his cheek.
-Goodnight Dad.
He turned to Matthew who came to him for a hug.
-Goodnight Dad, he said already away.
-Goodnight son.
-We can talk about the case tomorrow, I really need your advice.
-I'm sure you'll find the answer by yourself, you're a very good investigator.
He smiled and walked towards the door of the large dining room, walking slowly when Olivia arrived next to him , her eyes moist. Already the other people did not pay attention to them, resuming their conversation when the young woman curled up in his arms.
-Take care of them Olivia, William whispered in her hair, they will need you. I love you, never forget.
-I will not, Olivia sobbed.
He dropped another kiss in her hair and he just away from her. She looked up him steps of the staircase leading upstairs. He tenderly smiled one last time and the heart of the young woman sank in her chest. She knew that she saw him for the last time, that the man who had raised her had decided to let go, he was ready.
William took long minutes to prepare that night, he lay in the darkness of the room he had shared with Julia for years in this bed where he had found her every night. He turned his face towards the nightstand to see a photograph there enthroned proudly. They were held every two entwined beneath the great oak, she wore a gorgeous wedding dress and he a dark suit. They smiled at the photographer, happy, together.
-I will find you my love, he whispered before closing his eyes just before sleep for what was his last and eternal sleep.
He was in a mouthful prairie sun, surrounded by poppies and grass. The sun dazzled yet he did not feel its heat. He saw the grass dance around him, but he did not feel the wind on his skin. His leg was no longer hurt him, his breathing was regular.
-William, said a voice he knew well.
He turned in his direction to see her stand in front of him. Julia was as she had been the day he met her. She kept this eternal youth. Her long blond hair flying around her like a halo of light. She wore a simple white dress. He smiled at her and she did the same before extending her hand towards him. He simply walked, feeling her cold skin against his. She stared into his and she tenderly stroked his cheek, smiling.
-You're here, she whispered.
-Always, he answered the same way.
They smiled again and he pressed his lips against hers for the purest and most beautiful kisses. An eternal kiss.