I swallow, my voice barely audible. "I... It's not supposed to be here,” I ramble. “I've had it for years but didn't have the courage to open it. Now it's like the universe is tellin' me it's time."
Red’s brow furrows deeper as he takes a seat on the bed next to me. “Years?”
Despite turning my body toward him, I can’t tear my eyes away from the letter. “It came in the mail after she passed. I wasn’t in a place to handle whatever it might say, so I put it away safely, knowin’ I’d open itoneday.”
“OK…” he says quietly, still sounding confused.
“Months ago, that damn duck of yours turned up at Char and Austin’s door with the envelope in its beak, and they gave it back to me and it’s been sittin’ in my kitchen ever since.”
He falls silent and so do I.
“Are you… do you wantmeto open it? I know it’s private and she meant it for you, but if you want me to read it for you, or just be here while you do it, I can do that for you.” He rests his hand on my thigh, his touch soft and soothing, warm and comforting.
My eyes snap up to his. “You’re not mad?”
His body jerks. "Darlin', Anna was my wife but she was also your best friend,yoursoulmate as much as mine. On our first date, she told me in no uncertain terms that I had to accept you as our third wheel in life because otherwise, I'd be out the door and down the road." An unexpected smile curves his lips, his gaze softening as it roams over my face. "You been worried about this, haven’t you?”
“Wouldn’tyoube? I’ve kept this hidden from you foryears, Red. You’re right, she was my best friend, but she was yourwife. Onethat was tragically taken from you, cutting your life together so much shorter than it should’ve been. She was meant to be by your side till the very end, not leavin’ you and Wy well before her time.”
He nods, but because he’s the man he is, he gives me his full attention. All of his worry and concern is forme, not for himself or whatever Anna had to say to me. Shifting further onto the bed, he pulls me between his legs so that we’re facing each other, all the while I keep the letter clasped tightly in my hand.
Cupping my face, he holds my gaze, commanding me to listen.
“I loved her with my whole bein’, and I know she doesn’t have a place between us, but–”
“Sheisbetween us though,” I say, hurrying to talk again when his frown returns. “I don’t mean in a bad way, not at all. I mean she’s always goin’ to be there. She was ahugepart of our lives, and I wouldn’t ever want her to be forgotten or not talked about. She wasbothour soulmates, mine in friendship and yours in love. And now–”
“Now she’s what has brought us together. Whatever she wanted to say to you will not change what you and I have. Nothin’ will. You need to know that, and I need to know youbelievethat before you read it." His voice is so strong and sure that he leaves absolutely no room for doubt. “I love you, Mags. I want to spend the rest of my life withyou. Whatever Anna said to you in that letter will not change that.” I nod, words escaping me at the conviction in his voice. “But if you want to read it together or if you need me to give you time to do it by yourself, that’sOK.”
I stare deep into his eyes, feeling the strength and courage I’ve been missing until now. “I want you here,” I whisper and I seejust how much he wants that by the way his whole body softens around me.
“OK, darlin’. I can do that.”
With a slow fortifying breath, I turn the crinkled envelope over and ease my finger under the flap before pulling out the folded letter inside. My hands shake slightly, but Red smooths his palm up and down my arm, silently reminding me that I’m not alone.
Closing my eyes, I brace myself for whatever Anna might say before opening them again and do what I’ve been putting off forwaytoo long.
Maggie,
If you’re reading this, it means that my name was called and I’ve passed.
You might be wondering why I’d write a letter to be sent to you in the event of my death, but since you know me almost better than I know myself, you know why.
The day I met you, my life was never the same. They say that when you meet your soulmate, you know the minute you lay eyes on them. That is what happened with you. I just knew I'd met my best friend for life.
You got me, you understood me, and I thought you were the coolest girl I'd ever met. With you by my side, I knew that life would never be boring, it would never stall, and that we'd have far too many adventures to talk about, let alone write down.
When I met Red, I told him that he had to accept you as our third wheel in life because you were always going to be an important part of my life just as I would be in yours.
My wide wet eyes snap up to meet Red’s to find his brow arched. “See. I told you she said that.”
A startled snort escapes me before I turn back to the letter.
Which brings me to what I want to say to you.
If I’m gone, my sole wish is for you to love him like I loved him. Actually, no. I want you to love him more than I loved him. I want you to help him raise Wy and mold our son into the man he was always meant to be. A good, honest, loyal man like Red.
I don’t want my husband to live out his life alone, giving everything he has for others and sacrificing his own happiness because of it. Because you and I both know that is exactly what he will do without you.
