Monet’s gardens at Giverny were everything and more. I spent time walking around the land, breathing in the flowers, taking in the sights day after day. In those gardens, I almost felt like myself. Being surrounded by that much beauty reminded me of Talon’s eyes, of Graham’s crooked smile, of home.
As I walked a stone path, I smiled at all the passersby who were taking in the experience of the gardens. Oftentimes I wondered where they came from. What had brought them to the point they were at in that very moment? What was their story? Had they ever loved? Did it consume them? Had they left?
“Pod.”
My chest tightened at the word, and the recognition of the voice that produced it. I turned around and my heart landed in my throat when I saw Mari standing there. I wanted to step closer, but my feet wouldn’t move. My body wouldn’t budge. I stood still, as she had.
“I…” she started as her voice cracked. She held an envelope tight to her chest and tried again. “He told me you’d be here. He said you visit every day. I just didn’t know what time.” No words from me. Tears formed in Mari’s eyes and she tried her best to keep it together. “I’m so sorry, Lucy. I’m sorry for losing my way. I’m sorry for settling. I’m sorry for pushing you away. I just want you to know, I left Parker. The other night I was lying beside him in bed, and his arms were wrapped tightly around me. He was holding me so close, but I felt as if I was falling apart. Every time he told me he loved me, I felt less and less like myself. I’ve been so blind to the truth that I let my fear of being alone drive me back into the arms of a man who didn’t deserve me. I was so worried about being loved, that I didn’t even care if I loved back. And then, I pushed you away. You’ve been the only constant in my life, and I can’t believe I hurt you the way I did. You’re my best friend, Lucy, you’re my heartbeats, and I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m—”
She didn’t have time to say anything else before my arms wrapped around her body and I pulled her closer to me. She sobbed into my shoulder, and I held her tighter.
“I’m so sorry, Lucy. I’m so sorry for everything.”
“Shh,” I whispered, pulling her closer to me. “You have no clue how good it is to see you, Pea.”
She sighed, relief racing through her. “You have no clue how good it is to see you, Pod.”
After some time of settling down, we walked across one of the many bridges in the gardens and sat down, cross-legged. She handed me the envelope and shrugged. “He told me to give this to you, and he told me to not let you leave the gardens until each page is read.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know,” she said, standing up. “But I was instructed to give you time to read it by yourself. I’ll be exploring and I’ll meet you here when you’re done.”
“Okay. Sounds good.” I opened the package, and there was a manuscript titled The Story of G.M. Russell. I inhaled hard—his autobiography.
“Oh, and, Lucy?” Mari called out, making me turn to look her way. “I was wrong about him. The way he loves you is inspiring. The way you love him is breathtaking. If I am ever lucky enough to feel even a fourth of what you two have, then I’ll die happy.”
As she walked away, I took a deep breath and started chapter one.
Each chapter flowed effortlessly. Each sentence was important. Each word was required.
I read the story about a boy who became a monster who slowly learned to love again.
And then, I reached the final chapter.
The Wedding
His palms were sweaty as his sister, Karla, straightened his tie. He hadn’t known he could be so nervous about making the best decision of his life. Throughout his whole life, he’d never imagined falling in love with her.
A woman who felt everything.
A woman who showed him what it meant to live, to breathe, to love.
A woman who became his strength during the dark days.
There was something romantic about the way she moved throughout the world, the way she danced on her tiptoes and laughed without any regard for appearing ridiculous. There was something so true about how she held one’s eye contact, and the way she smiled.
Those eyes.
Oh, how he could’ve stared into those eyes for the rest of his life.
Those lips.
Oh, how he could’ve kissed those lips for the rest of his days.
“Are you happy, Graham?” asked Mary, his mother, as she walked into the room to see her son’s eyes glowing with excitement.
For the first time in forever, the answer came so effortlessly. “Yes.”
“Are you ready?” she questioned.
“Yes.”
She linked her arm with his, and Karla took his other. “Then let’s go get the girl.”
He stood at the end of the aisle, waiting for his forever to join him—but first, his daughter.
Talon walked down the aisle, dropping flower petals and twirling in her beautiful white gown. His angel, his light, his savior. When she reached the end of the aisle, she ran to her father and hugged him tight. He lifted her up into his arms and the two of them waited. They waited for her to join them. They waited for those eyes to meet their stare, and when they did, Graham’s breath was stolen from his soul.
She was beautiful, but that wasn’t a surprise. Everything about her was stunning, and real, and strong, and kind. Seeing her walking toward him, toward their new life, changed him in that moment. In that moment, he promised her all of him, even the cracks—they were, after all, where the light shined through.
When they stood together, they locked their hands as one. His lips parted when it was time, and he spoke words he’d dreamed of speaking. “I, Graham Michael Russell, take you, Lucille Hope Palmer, to be my wife. I promise it all to you—my broken past, my scarred present, and my complete future. I am yours before I am my own. You are my light, my love, my destiny. Air above me, earth below me, fire within me, water surround me. I give you all of my soul. I give you all of me.”
Then, in every cliché way possible, in every facet of their lives, they lived happily ever after.
The End
I stared at his words, my hands shaking as tears rolled down my cheeks. “It has a happily ever after,” I whispered to myself, stunned. Graham had never in his life written a happily ever after ending.
Until me.
Until us.
Until now.
I stood up from the bridge and hurriedly found my sister. “Mari, we have to go back.”
She smiled wide and nodded knowingly. “I was hoping you would say that.” She took off the heart-shaped necklace Mama gave to me and placed it back around my neck. “Now come on,” she softly said. “Let’s go home.”