“My dad had a heart attack yesterday after dinner.” Her body crumpled and I held onto her while she cried. Shit.
“Okay, what do you need?” I asked, ready to do whatever she wanted to help.
“I need to be there. Mom really needs me. We lost Julian, and I know she is going through so much right now. God, I don’t want to leave you, Killian. I don’t want this trip to end.” She was conflicted about staying with me, or seeing her family. That was an easy choice to make.
“I’ll take you to the airport. You can take their first flight out to Tampa.” I stood up and took her with me.
The tears were still flowing, so my fingers reached up to wipe them from her rosy cheeks.
“I—” She tried to speak, but I cut her off. No way in hell was I going to let her try to choose me over her family.
“Your family needs you, sunshine. They need your light in that hospital room right now.” Her eyes were looking at me with so much emotion swimming in them right now, every one of them transparent. But she knew it was the right thing to do. Her nod was all I got, but it was enough to seal our fate.
“Okay, get dressed for a flight, and grab your stuff. The airport isn’t too far from here. I’ll go unload the bike.” Pulling away from her body was like pulling my own teeth. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to. This was what I knew was going to happen from the beginning, I just wished we still had our last week together.
She went about getting ready, and I shoved on some jeans, a jacket and boots.
My bike and I were ready to go in five minutes; all I was waiting on now was Livia, who hopped out of the truck for the last time onto the pavement. My heart was in my throat at the thought.
I sure was going to miss her.
“Okay, so, I left the rest of your cash on my bunk. And before you say no, a deal was a deal. You gave me something that was worth every single cent. You made me see I was free to be me.” She walked closer to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, my own arms holding her so tightly. Fuck, this sucked.
“I left my number on a piece of paper by the cash, in case you want to talk to me sometime.” That I would have to think about. Did I want to keep in touch with her? Absolutely. But every time I did, would it hurt like a knife being shoved into my heart?
“Thanks.” I helped her load her bag up on the back of the bike and secured it the best I could. It would be snug for the ride, but I was all right with that.
“Okay, ready to go?” I swung a leg on the bike and turned towards her; she looked so fragile right now, like the beautiful sunflower she was growing to be was wilting, and there wasn’t anything I could do to make her smile again besides get her to the airport so she could be with her family.
“Yeah.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and it was like a stab to my chest. She walked over, her boots clicking on the road, and hopped on the bike behind me.
The ride to Ronald Reagan Airport wasn’t too bad, considering it was D.C.
I parked at the terminal entrance and kicked the stand to support the bike.
Neither one of us said anything while I unhooked her bag and set it on the ground.
“Thank you, Killian. For everything.” She looked at me, and those tears were back again, making me lunge for her lips and kiss her like our lives relied on that sweet connection.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” she cried against my lips. I couldn’t say anything back without making it worse on her, so I didn’t. I simply kissed her until the airport guard told us I couldn’t stay parked there any longer. When we separated and our eyes met, it was the official moment my heart shattered. I would never be the same after this. I would go on, but never truly live. She was my air. I thought before her that I was free, and wouldn’t struggle to breathe. Now I felt I was destined to live in a constant state of gasp, so close to suffocating, but holding on to the memory of her as my lifeline.
“Bye, Livia.”
“Bye, Killian.” She tried to smile for me, but it wasn’t her normal, brightly lit smile. She grabbed her bag and walked towards the door, sparing me one last glance before disappearing into the airport.
My ride back felt empty, like I was heading back to the reality that my life was now gray again, and when I saw the truck, it truly set it. Livia had taken the color with her, and there wasn’t dick I could do about it.
After loading the bike back up, I grabbed my phone and did the only thing I wanted to do. My fingers grabbed the little piece of paper with her handwriting on it, ignoring the envelope I assumed held the cash I wanted no part of.
Killian,
*Our theme song*
Long Drive by Jason Mraz.
515-555-9809
Your Woman Forever.
