My heart skips a beat.
It’s his mother.
“You have her eyes,” I whisper, my gaze lifting from the photo to the man sitting in front of me.
A strangled sound catches in Matthew’s throat.He clears it, eyes glistening.A single tear traces a path down his cheek, silver in the light of the pool.
I cup his cheek, my thumb gently wiping the wetness from his skin.
His eyes meet mine, their green depths swimming with pain.“She was the strongest person I knew, Amy.And she spent her life married to a man who broke her spirit day by day.”His voice drops to a broken whisper.“And she stayed for one reason only: to be a shield.To keep him so focused on breaking her that he wouldn’t even notice me becoming my own man.”
“She’s a remarkable woman,” I murmur, my eyes welling up.
“And last night I dishonored her memory.”He looks at the photograph in my hand.“And I hurt you.”
“Matt—”
“No, Amy.It wasn’t right to compare you to her.But when you used that word… responsibility…” He shakes his head, his voice thick with self-loathing.“Something inside me broke.All I could see was my mother.All I could feel was that old, suffocating helplessness.I was so scared.”
“I was scared too.”I nod, tears spilling down my cheeks.“Leaving James almost cost me myself.I’m terrified of stepping right into the same trap again.So… I chose to be cruel.”I sniffle, finding it very difficult to keep my words coherent.“To take that check, that sacred gift from your mother, and twist it into something so ugly.I didn’t mean any of it.I’m so sorry.”My shoulders shake, my head bowing under the weight of my regret.
Matthew instantly pulls me to his chest.His arms wrap around me, his lips pressing to the crown of my head.“I’m the one who’s sorry, love,” he whispers in my hair.
Time itself seems to hold its breath as we sit wrapped in each other’s embrace, suspended over the water.When we pull away, I take one last look at the photograph in my hand before holding it out to him with a deeply grateful smile.
He takes it, his gaze dropping to her beautiful face.
With a reverence that makes my heart ache, he presses the photo to his lips before carefully sliding it back into his pocket.
He takes my hands in his, looking at me with a tender smile.A smile I return wholeheartedly as I give his fingers a loving squeeze.
“Would you do something for me?”I ask hesitantly.
“Anything,” he replies immediately.
“I need to go see James at the hospital tomorrow,” I say.
A shadow of fear flickers in his eyes.
“I will give him the cheque and return the key to his apartment,” I continue firmly.“I don’t want to leave any ties between us.I need things with him to be over for good.”
Matthew bites the inside of his cheek, nodding thoughtfully as he turns his gaze to the water.
I bring my hand to the side of his face, gently turning it back to me.“I was wondering if you would come with me?”
His eyes widen slightly in surprise.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go in alone to see him,” I clarify, the words tumbling out.“But I just… I want you to be there with me.”I look up at him, my shoulder rising in a timid shrug.
He slides my hand from his face to his lips, kissing my palm.His eyes are full of a love that eclipses his fear.“Of course I’ll come with you.”
He leans in, his lips meeting mine in a kiss of deep understanding.
A kiss of forgiveness.
A light laugh bubbles from my chest as we break apart.“When I sat here, I forgot I’d eventually have to get off this thing.”
His own deep chuckle joins mine.“Okay, stay put.”
