The Resilient Bride

by Lucy McConnell

“Over there.” David pointed off to a group of boulders where two chipmunks bounced around like popcorn popping.

  Kiera leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath of clean mountain air full of depth and moisture. She wished she could drag her feet along the hiking path they’d crossed several times, but doubted Liam had the stamina for such a climb.

  The lift hustled along and soon they were at the top, where an older woman with silver hair said hello. “This way.” She walked along in front of them, pointing out the different runs.

  “They look so different in the spring,” said David as they went up and over the top of the mountain. Below them lay a sea of white and gray clouds. The surface was full of bumps and ridges, and it stretched on as far as they eye could see.

  “Oh, you’ve skied here?” asked Kiera, worried she wasn’t giving Liam a new experience.

  “Many times. Dad was good friends with the previous owner,” answered Liam.

  Kiera’s heart sank. She’d hoped this would be new to Liam like it was to her, an experience they could have together.

  “Wonderful! Then you’ve probably been here in a snowstorm, which is an amazing experience,” said their guide.

  “Utah has the best snow on earth,” agreed Liam.

  Kiera squeezed his hand, sure that if anyone had tested all the mountains in all the world for ski conditions, it would be Liam. “You’ve never been here in the spring?”

  “Nope.” Liam shook his head. Kiera felt the tension in her chest release. She hadn’t realized the anxiety she had concerning today’s adventure. Planning outings, though fun, carried a weight she hadn’t anticipated.

  Their guide nodded. “Well, today we’re going to give you a new way to get down the mountain.”

  They moved into a cluster of trees and soon came upon a platform constructed of heavy timbers. Above the platform towered a zip line, with hooks just waiting for them to strap into.

  “Zip lines have become quite popular all over the world as a way to see and experience nature without tromping through it, and Utah is finally getting on board.” The woman handed out harnesses and walked them through how to step inside and tighten the straps. “No, not like that.” Their guide reached behind David and yanked on a loop, making him jump away.

  “Hey!” His face turned red.

  Kiera and Liam laughed. David shook out his right leg, pulled his pant leg down, and scowled.

  They climbed five steps and hung back from the jumping-off point.

  “Who’s first?”

  David and Liam exchanged a look. “David’s afraid of heights,” tattled Liam.

  “Liam’s scared spitless of spiders,” countered David.

  They glared, daring the other to say something else.

  The tension between the men held more than just the zip-line argument, and it didn’t escape Kiera. Yes, she had feelings for David and sensed that he could also feel the attraction that built between them with each look, but until this moment, he had remained the gentleman. Angry, she huffed, “Boys.” Stomping to the stairs, she said, “I’ll go first.” Before she made it up the first step, she was caught, one brother holding each arm.

  Liam shook his head, “I’ll go first—doesn’t matter if the line snaps on me.”

  “It does.” Kiera held his gaze. “It matters.”

  Liam lifted his cheek in a rakish smile. “Good to know.” His thumb brushed back and forth over her arm, sending shivers over her skin.

  Having been caught up in the moment, Kiera was surprised to hear David say, “See ya at the bottom,” as he was hooked in. When did he let go of my arm?

  “You two can go at the same time,” the guide said.

  David made eye contact with Kiera for one supercharged moment before kicking his feet into the air and flying off into the clouds. Ever the gentleman. Kiera stared at the zip line. She could hear David sliding away and feel it even stronger. Being with Liam was the right thing to do—it’s what she wanted to do—but in doing so, she was losing David.

  As much as she hated to think about a time when Liam wouldn’t be around, she couldn’t help but worry about being alone once again. Where being alone had been a good thing after Jack, she now understood the magnitude of that word, and she dreaded returning to a state of unlove, where the absence of another person meant emptiness and quiet and hollow moments.

  “Are you ready to touch the clouds?” asked their guide.

  “As I’ll ever be.” Liam grinned.

  Kiera gave him a weak smile in return; even she could feel the lack of enthusiasm. Brushing away her thoughts of what would happen when … wasn’t working. “I’m ready.” I’m so not ready.

  With a one-two-three, they pushed off from the platform at the same time. Picking up speed, they slipped into the clouds, where they entered a different world. Wisps of white floated by, and all she could see was a wall of gray in every direction. It never came closer, nor did it move farther away. Kiera’s sense of direction came from the wind running chilled fingers across her cheeks, arms, and legs.

  “Liam?” she called out, her throat tight.

  “I’m here,” came his sweet reply. His voice was all around her, bouncing off moisture droplets and coming from every direction at once.

  “I can’t see you.” Swinging her legs, she twisted to see to her right.

  “Doesn’t mean I’m not nearby, loving you.”

  Kiera yearned to hold his hand, to feel the solidness of him against her skin. “Liam, stay close to me.”

  “Always.”

  Kiera hugged her arms to her chest, a sense of calm encircling her heart. Liam would be with her, always, because she’d never stop loving him.

  There were a few moments of quiet and clouds, and then the valley opened up below them. Green and blue and beautiful, the sight made hope soar in Kiera’s chest. A reservoir spread out like a mirror on their left, and the city of Midway, with small houses and large hay fields, bowed at their feet. The overcast sky broke apart, allowing the sun to warm their skin.

  Liam tipped his head up to the light and threw out his arms, flying and floating and serene.

  Hot tears pressed from Kiera’s lashes to her hairline, driven off her face with the stiff breeze. She had been so excited about this trip, about the opportunity to give Liam something he didn’t have, the chance to touch a cloud. Instead, all she’d done was remind herself of everything she was about to lose. Tears streamed down her face. She hoped Liam couldn’t see them from his wire and wiped furiously as they neared the bottom.

  “You okay?” he called.

  “Yep.” She swallowed the lump in her throat to clear her voice. “The wind made my eyes water.”

  “That was amazing.” Liam flashed her a smile as he came to a stop.

  The attendant unhooked his harness, and Liam’s smile faltered. He fell forward, landing on his hands and his knees. Kiera cried out, thrashing against her harness.

  David rushed over.

  “Get me out!” she called to the worker, who stared at Liam like he was demented. Kicking her feet and clawing at the harness frightened the teen even more. Perhaps it was the hysteria in her voice that got him moving, because he jolted into action. In an instant, she was on her knees next to Liam. “Can you move?”

  “Maybe,” he replied.

  With a little help, he turned over and settled on his backside, leaning against David. Sweat beaded on his upper lip, and he breathed hard. Hands shaking, he wiped his brow. “I think it’s time to go to the cabin.”

  David’s face contorted. His eyes drifted shut, and the life and laughter Kiera had come to associate with David oozed away.

  “What cabin?” she asked.

  Liam placed his hand on her forearm. “A resting place.”

  “Are you sure?” David stared up at the mountain, seemingly unable to face Liam, or face Liam’s words, or face what this would do to him.

  Liam grimaced. “I have pains that don’t stop.”

  “Pains?”
David clarified.

  Liam nodded.

  Kiera shook her head so fast her hair whipped her cheek. “A resting place? As in the resting place?” She looked at David, begging him to tell her that she’d misunderstood. She was doing everything—everything the doctors asked. They should have more time—she should have more time.

  Liam continued, his eyes full of apology. “This time with you has completed my life. I’m ready to rest now.”

  Her cheeks, dry a moment ago, were wet with grief. Liam might be ready, but she wasn’t anywhere close. Three months, he’d told her he had three months, and they’d shared one.

  Liam moved to stand and she and David were there, side by side, to help him to his feet. They understood one another’s movements, knowing where to fill in where the other left off. Together, they were the whole of what Liam needed. Kiera couldn’t seem to find the handle to turn off the faucet and continued to cry. This is what you agreed to, she reminded herself.

  Liam brushed her cheek.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t seem to stop.” Kiera swiped at the other side. “I’m so stupid.”

  “Hey!” Both Liam and David snapped. David’s jaw hardened and he clamped his mouth shut, looking away.

  Liam pulled her close. His calm amid Kiera’s storm was an open door to the flood of self-decimation. “I am stupid. I threw you down a mountain on a wire, and you’re in pain. I should never have planned this dumb trip. I’m a nurse, I should know better. What an idiot.” She sniffed loudly and unladylike and then hated herself for that too.

  “Kiera, I’m thrilled you planned this trip. When we hit the clouds and you called out for me, I realized that I’m not leaving, not for good. We are linked by our marriage now, but something far greater holds us together, my heavenly friend.” He brushed her hair over her shoulder. “If only you could see your soul—Kiera, you shine like the sun.”

  Kiera smiled through the tears. “My soul?”

  Liam glanced down, hesitant. “For a couple of days, when I look at people, I can see this outline or glow. On some it’s dingy, but yours … yours is a beacon. I even saw you through the clouds.”

  “Oh, Liam.” Kiera wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Liam’s strength seemed to return and he stood straighter, fitting her against his frame. For just that one moment, Kiera sensed a part of him, a part of his eternal spirit, reach out and erase Jack’s influence from her life. Like taking off a lampshade, the brightness underneath burst forth, and she gasped, breaking the kiss. “How?” She pressed her fingers to her lips.

  “I don’t know.” Liam smiled, cupping her cheek.

  The sound of an approaching vehicle snagged Kiera’s attention. “The car’s here.” She snuggled into that spot under his chin. “Can we just stay right here—forever?”

  “We can stay as long as you like.” Liam rubbed circles on her back. After a moment, Kiera could feel his legs quaking and knew he’d given her his all.

  “I’ll bet Ella has dinner waiting,” said Kiera, giving Liam an excuse to find rest.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes,” she answered, though she didn’t think food would ever taste good again.

  22

  The plane ride from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole was just under an hour. Once they landed, Ella took a car ahead of them. She’d spent the time on the plane coordinating with doctors and the private hospice company Liam selected six months ago. Kiera asked questions that Ella relayed to the doctors, taking notes that Kiera said she would look over later. Kiera melted into her role as nurse, but Liam was thankful she didn’t let go of his hand.

  “The house is already stocked with medical supplies; it’s just a matter of getting the right personnel in place,” Ella explained before she bolted off the plane and into a waiting car. She wanted to get to the cabin and check things over before they arrived. Liam had bought Ella an island, complete with a hammock on the beach and a young and handsome masseuse. She didn’t know about her gift and wouldn’t until he passed.

  Liam moved slower down the stairs than his ever-energetic assistant. The pain was a factor, but he noticed that it took a greater amount of concentration to walk. The thought terrified him. He wasn’t afraid to die; he was worried about the dying process. Still, the medication Kiera injected had taken effect, and he was able to support his own weight. Kiera tucked her arm under his and stayed close to his side. He marveled at her womanly ability to hold him up while appearing to lean on him.

  David had been silent since the zip line, staring out the window. He too hung close, but it came at a cost. Liam wasn’t sure what upset David more, going to the cabin or the kiss he’d witnessed.

  “You’ll have to fight over color,” said Liam, gesturing to the shiny new Lamborghinis waiting in side-by-side parking spots.

  “I don’t understand.” Kiera shook her head.

  “I bought you and David cars. Since we’ll be staying in town for a while, I wanted you both to have a way to get about without having to rely on drivers, or anyone for that matter. Freedom is precious.” What he’d provided was a way for them to escape what was coming if needed. He wouldn’t force them to remain at his side—love demanded was not love at all. Kiera had been with him and David nonstop for a month. She was an independent woman who was used to taking care of others and never taking care of herself. That needed to change, and this car was the first step in that direction.

  “Thank you. That’s very kind.”

  “Which one do you want, Kiera?” asked David.

  Kiera considered the two. “Which one looks more bad-A?”

  David and Liam chuckled. Some of the impending doom that had enveloped them in Park City unfolded, reminding them all to cherish this moment while still dreading the one to come. “I think the red one,” replied David.

  “Then you’d better take that one. I’ll take the white.”

  “Are you sure?” David was already walking towards the apple colored vehicle.

  “Yep.” Kiera opened her door and settled behind the wheel. She ran her hands over the leather steering wheel cover and took a deep breath of that new car smell.

  Liam climbed into the passenger seat. “I’m glad you picked the white.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s the color angels wear, and you are most definitely my angel.”

  “I wish I was an angel—angels can work miracles.”

  “You already have.” Liam kissed her hand and then allowed her to slip away to grab the wheel. That one movement summarized their marriage in a bittersweet picture, making it difficult for Liam to fight off melancholy once again. How quickly depression could overshadow his life. Lord, I need some help to get through this. Being sad was not the way to spend your final days—at least, that wasn’t how Liam wanted to spend them.

  The engine roared to life, and Kiera blinked. “How much did this cost?”

  “Why?”

  “Because it sounds expensive.” She held up both hands. “Wait, I don’t want to know,” she said in warning.

  Liam grinned. “Why not?”

  “Because if I know, I will treat it like a NICU baby. If I don’t know, I’ll feel free to rev the engine.”

  “Hey, Bugatti,” David called through his open window. “Try to keep up.”

  Kiera slammed her door shut. “Hang on,” she told Liam as she shifted into drive and floored the accelerator. The tires squealed and they shot forward.

  “Whoop!” Kiera shifted into second and then third without hesitation. “It’s been a few years since I drove a stick,” she called over the engine. “It’s like riding a bike.”

  Liam cursed and grabbed the door handle. “It’s a very expensive car!” he yelled, trying to slow her down as she edged next to David’s bumper in an attempt to pass.

  Kiera tipped her chin and laughed, a deep, throaty laugh full of joy that punched through to Liam’s core. Delighted, Liam joined her.

  Kiera let up on the gas so she didn’t hit the ba
ck of David’s car as he slowed for a turn she would have taken at full speed. This vehicle could hug the curves like an excited twenty-one-year-old. David surged forward and she did the same, tailing him through downtown Jackson at a respectable speed and up into the hills where private estates and iron gates dotted the hillside. Not that Kiera saw any of them. All she focused on was the road, the wheel, and the gas.

  “In one hundred feet, your destination will be on the right,” came a voice over the speakers. Liam offered a prayer of gratitude right out loud.

  They pulled into a circular driveway lined with cement curbing. Setting the parking brake, Kiera looked through the windshield and beheld an architectural masterpiece.

  David jumped from his car and ran over to yank open Liam’s door. “You’re a jerk, man.” His words sounded angry, but his smile contradicted them with force. Liam offered a hand, and David pulled him all the way up to his feet and into his arms, where he proceeded to pound him on the back.

  Kiera cringed, looking for a way to stop the exuberant hug.

  “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “Did what?” Kiera stood with the door open, one foot still in the car.

  “He built my cabin.” David threw his arm out to indicate the two-story log structure with windows the size of hotel rooms and a front door big enough for a beanstalk and a giant.

  “Your cabin?”

  Liam prodded David towards the front door. “David drew the plans for this cabin a couple years ago.”

  The sun disappeared. In response, outdoor lighting came on, bathing the flower beds and pathways in buttery light. Torches on either side of the door sputtered to life. David sprinted inside.

  “It’s beautiful.” This is our home.

  “It’s exquisite,” Liam agreed. “From out here, anyway. I haven’t been inside yet.”

  “Then how did you pick carpet and cabinets and stuff?”

  He shrugged. “I had a designer do all that.”

  “Oh.”

  They walked through the huge double doors to find a distressed wood floor covered in a red shag carpet. Kiera kicked off her shoes and sank her toes into the soft fibers.