“I’m tired, Ever,” I explained, swiping the tear that rolled down the side of my face.
Silence.
This time, it was her response that was delayed.
“The plane.”
Silence. I didn’t have to confirm what she already knew.
“Baby… Talk to me.”
“I just want to go to sleep. I just can’t do it without you.”
“Get in bed,” she instructed. “Rest your head on the pillow.”
I followed directions, climbing up the bed and resting my head on the pillow.
“Put the phone on speaker.”
I did as I was told.
“Are you laying down?”
“Yes.”
“Close your eyes.”
They were the last words I’d heard before tapping out.
EPILOGUE
“Fuck for better or worse,it’s forever and for Ever for us. Richer and richer. Through wealth, questionable health, disagreements, failures, struggles, and everything that comes with life, I’ll continue to love you, continue to pour into you, continue to be the man for you, and continue to meet you where you are.
“Because, wherever you are, Ever, that’s where I want to be. I’ve never felt anything like this before. That’s how I know it’s real. That’s how I know it’s true. The day I saw you in my sister’s Jeep, sleeping without a care in the world, I knew then. I couldn’t even see your face, but I knew. When you finally opened your eyes, I knew. When you opened your mouth, I knew.
“My heart was comforted. My thoughts were lulled to a more pleasant place.That’s my wife. Right there was where they rested and I couldn’t be happier. Or at least I thought I couldn’t be, but then I discovered there were two more of you. My heart nearly exploded the day I saw those hazel eyes on Emorey. She fit so perfectly in my arms when she climbed into them. I knew then, too.
“She’s mine, I thought. You were written all over her. I found myself falling in love all over again. And, then, a third time when Essence’s tiny, timid soul made me want to protect her from all forms of hurt, harm, and danger.
“Ever, I don’t think you’ll ever comprehend how much better you’ve made me. How much peace you’ve brought me. If it means I’ll meet you again in the next lifetime, I’d repeat every single thing in this one. I’d serve my sentence a hundred times if every one of them ends with you waiting at those gates. I love you. I’m in love with you. And, that’ll never change. I’m yours until the day that I die.”
As beautiful as Ever was in the simple white dress that resembled a slip of some kind, her face was a mess. Her small nose was red at the very tip and her eyes were swollen. She’d cried all morning. I knew because I’d answered four calls from her, each starting and ending with her in tears.
“Mine weren’t that good.” She sniffed.
The words were straight off the dome. I didn’t need a pen and paper to confess my love for Ever. They were at the forefront of my brain always, though they weren’t enough to truly convey my feelings.
“Yes they were,” I assured her.
The words of the pastor blended into the background as I listened to Ever. She was a fucking dream in that dress.
“Then kiss me.”
Obliging, I leaned forward, pulling her closer to me with a hand on the back of her head. I devoured her, caring less about the people around us and more about the woman that I’d promised to love, honor, and cherish for the rest of our lives.
“That’s why you?—”
“Shut up!” I pulled back to silence Lyric.
