I stepped down into the hole instead, putting my feet either side of her body. I’d push the earth with my hands, instead. I’d gently cover her face and then I’d just be shoveling earth onto earth and it would be easier.
Jesus, she looked so perfect. Like she was sleeping.
I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers one last time.
And heard a tiny noise from her throat.
I jumped back, staring down at her. But there was nothing else. My eyes filled up with tears. I’d just squeezed her chest a little and the air had moved.
I put both hands behind the earth that covered her stomach and started to push it onto her face.
And her eyes opened.
60
SYLVIE
I couldn’t see,at first. My eyes had been closed too long. There was just blinding brightness and then I felt myself being lifted up. Was this heaven?
The shapes resolved and I focused on Aedan’s face as he lifted me out of the grave and hugged me to him. He was saying my name over and over again but my tongue was thick and slow and I couldn’t seem to move enough air to form words. He put his ear to my chest and listened intently and I knew that it was going to be okay.
He put me in the back seat and drove us a little way away, in case anyone came along and saw the hole and started asking questions. Then he sat in the back seat with me and held me as the drugs slowly wore off. It was another half hour before I could speak again. Full movement took an hour and I was still weak and shaky.
But I was alive. And the very first thing I could do, as soon as I was able, was to pull my man close and never let go of him again.
EPILOGUE
SYLVIE
I calledHeather to tell her that the plan had worked. Then I spent a week holed up in Aedan’s apartment, going stir-crazy, while we figured out what to do. I’d quit my job before the fight so no one was looking for me, but we couldn’t take the chance that word would get back to Rick that I was alive.
Then Heather called to tell us that Alec had shown signs of movement. Apparently, his vitals had started to perk up every time a certain nurse came in and, that morning, he’d opened his eyes.
I picked out the nurse at the nurses’ station when we passed, because all her friends were clustered around her saying how great it was. Blonde and curvy. Alec had somehow known, even in his sleep.
When we walked in, he was able to weakly turn his head to look at us.
“Don’t exhaust him,” Heather told us. “It’s going to be a while before he’s up and around. But from the tests we’ve done so far, there should be no lasting damage.”
Alec croaked something. I had to put my ear right to his mouth to make out the words. “Everything feels heavy.”
I hugged him close. “Yeah. I’ve been there.”
Alec turned to look suspiciously at Aedan. “What’s he”—he coughed—“doing here?”
Aedan and I looked at each other. “There’s a lot we need to catch you up on,” I said. And took Aedan’s hand firmly in mine.
Alec stared at our clasped hands...and nodded, still looking suspicious. Then a hint of a smile broke across his face.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,”Alec croaked. “Just remembered a dream I had.”And this time, when he looked at Aedan, he smiled.
What the hell is that all about?I turned to Heather. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You can thank me by never going near those people again,” she said.
I pulled Aedan and Alec into a three-way hug. “Never again.”
