“What are you guys waiting for? Go get dressed!” Maddy says, waving her arms.
We all smile at each other, then suddenly it’s a mad dash of moving chairs and feet, as Nina runs upstairs, Joss runs down the hall, and I head to the pool house.
I race over the floorboards of the deck into the pool house, to my bedroom, and find a beautiful sequined evening gown complete with shoes and jewelry laying on my bed. I squeal, then quickly get dressed and run back to the main house as ladylike as I can in three-inch heels, anxious to see the other girls dresses.
I join Maddy just as Nina walks down the stairs in a beautiful, flowing goddess-looking gown. She makes a grand gesture like a queen as she takes the last few steps, then she stands next to us and we wait for Joss.
“Come on, Joss! You’re killing us,” Maddy shouts down the hallway.
Her bedroom door opens and Joss walks down the hallway wearing a floor length beautiful gown. The tips of her sparkly shoes poke out from her dress with each step she takes toward us. She stops in front of us, then does a little twirl. She looks absolutely stunning.
“Joss, you’re beautiful,” Nina says, giving her a hug.
The front door opens, then the chauffeur waits patiently. We look at each other, then squeal with excitement.
“To the marina,” I say, as we pass the chauffeur and head to the waiting limo.
The girls just left for their spa appointment, so Sadie and I start to head home. I haven’t been home in days, because I’ve been spending every second I can with Kate. As I get to the back door, the front door opens again. I turn around expecting one of the girls to have forgotten something, but I see River, Josh, and Maddy, walking in instead. Maddy is wearing her chef uniform and heads straight to the kitchen.
“Let’s go,” he says.
“Who, me?” I ask, pointing at myself.
“Is there anyone else here?” River replies.
“Go where?” I ask.
“Shopping,” he says.
“Shopping?” I question.
“We need to buy the girls dresses and I know it would mean a lot to Kate if you picked out hers,” he says.
On the way to the dress shop, River tells me his entire plan. Once inside the dress shop, it doesn’t take me long to find the perfect dress for Kate.
The three of us grab lunch, then Josh drives us to the marina. I smile when we walk up to a beautiful, large yacht and I read her name. River disappears into one of the staterooms, changes into a tuxedo, then he paces the floors anxiously. Just before three o’clock, Stephen joins us on deck and shakes River’s hand.
“Thank you for coming,” River says.
Stephen nods his head, then heads over to the bar and pours himself a drink.
Josh gets a text from the driver saying the girls are on their way. Josh races around and places rose petals in a path from the dock all the way to inside the main cabin. Half of the ones on the dock and outside the cabin quickly get carried away on the gentle breeze.
The driver pulls the limo up as close as he can and stops. He exits the vehicle, then opens the back door. He offers his hand to each of the ladies as they step out. Kate is the last one out of the vehicle. Her beauty takes my breath away, but more importantly, her mask is nowhere to be seen. It’s just Kate in her raw, stunning beauty. Stephen, Josh, and I walk down the dock to meet the girls.
“You look absolutely stunning,” I whisper in Kate’s ear, then take her hand.
Josh takes Nina’s hand, and Stephen takes both Joss and Maddy’s hands. We escort them from the dock and help them board the yacht. Joss’s face is a mixture of nervousness and excitement as she takes in the trail of rose petals. The main part of the deck is lit with hundreds of flickering candles that lead inside the cabin. Stephen lets go of Joss’s hand, then she follows the trail of rose petals and candles.
I squeeze Kate’s hand, then wrap my arm around her shoulder as we walk inside. The instant Joss’s eyes find River’s standing at the rear of the cabin, they fill with tears. She walks up to River and places her hand in his outstretched hand.
We all gather around as dead silence fills the room. The only thing that can be heard is a sniffle from Joss as she cries happy tears.
“Nutmeg,” River says, sniffing the air with a smile.
“Why did he say that?” I ask, leaning toward Kate.
“I don’t know,” she whispers back.
“Joss Lynn Meyer,” he starts.
I lean in again and quietly whisper in Kate’s ear, “Her name is Jocelyn?”
“No, her name is Joss . . . pause . . . Lynn,” she whispers back.
“That’s what I said, except without the pause.”
“Her first name is Joss, her middle name is Lynn,” she clarifies.
“Oh.”
“Now, shush,” Kate says, giving me a little shove.
“There’s never been anyone in my life who has completed my heart, until the day I met you. You’ve shown me things beyond what the human eye can see. You’ve filled my thoughts with color I thought I lost so long ago. You make me a better man. Joss Lynn Meyer, will you do me the honor and become my wife?” River asks, bending down on one knee.
I look at Kate standing next to me, and she has silent tears running down her cheeks with a huge, proud smile on her face.
River opens a box in his hand and Joss gasps. She gets on the floor on her knees in front of River, then places her hands on his cheeks.
“River Mason, you are the light that fills my soul. Yes, I will marry you,” she says, then kisses him.
Everyone cheers as River removes the ring from the box, then slips it on Joss’s finger.
Champagne is popped and everyone toasts to the newly engaged couple. I take Kate’s hand and lead her outside.
“Do you like your dress?” I ask.
“It’s beautiful,” she replies, taking the fabric in her hand with a smile.
“I knew it was you the second I saw it.”
Her eyes come to me and a surprised look fills her face.
“You picked it out?” she asks.
“I did. Did I do good?” I ask.
“You did more than good,” she replies, placing her hand on my cheek.
She leans in and places a warm kiss on my lips. I pull her slender body to mine and deepen the kiss.
I lean her back against the railing, then run my hand from the part in her hair down the side of her face, when a fishing vessel catches my eye.
“Didn’t the fisherman who helped rescue you call you Little Missy? I ask.
“Yeah, he did,” she answers. “What made you think of that?” she asks.
“Look,” I say, pointing to the vessel behind her.
Kate turns around and sees the boat I’m referring to. It’s a new, state of the art fishing vessel, and her name, elegantly stenciled on the bow says, Little Missy. The pilot sees us, toots his horn, then waves an enthusiastic wave to us. It is, in fact, the man who helped rescue Kate.
“River,” Kate whispers with a smile.
River is the kindest man I know. The weathered man who saved my life disappeared and quietly slipped away the night I almost drowned. He didn’t stick around looking for praise or reward and sadly I don’t even know his name. He, however, has been on my mind nonstop. I can’t thank him or Sadie enough, for their precious gift of life.
“Can I talk to my sister alone for a few minutes?” River says, standing next to me.
“Absolutely,” Cooper says, kisses me on the cheek, then heads inside the main cabin with everyone else.
“Little Missy,” I say.
River smiles, then tips his face up to the warm evening sun.
“Pedro,” he says, slipping his hand into his pants pocket. “He refused to accept it at first. I told him there was no gift large enough that could thank him for saving someone that means so much to me. I told him he either accepted the boat or everything else I had. He accepted the boat.”
Pedro is my hero and it
feels complete to know his name.
“I have something I want to return to you,” River says, reaching into the breast pocket of his tux.
He removes a wrinkled, worn, and stained piece of paper, then holds it out to me. I instantly recognize the personal stationery. It’s the letter I wrote to River the night I tried to commit suicide. I wondered what happened to it. I wondered, more wished, that he didn’t find it and read it. I left a mess of a life in that apartment, and I wish that note had somehow just disappeared. So much has changed in such a short time. Tears run down my cheeks, as I look at the letter in his hand.
“Did you . . .” I start to ask.
I have to know if he read it. If he read it, that also means that Josh has read it. It also means he knows I solely blame myself for our parents’ death and for him being blind.
“I did,” he replies.
My heart sinks with regret.
“I want you to have it back. I’ve held it close to remind me why I was doing what I was doing. Now, I don’t need it anymore. I have my sister back,” he says, holding it out.
I take the vomit stained letter in my hand. I remember each and every word written in this letter like the day I wrote it. Most of it is what haunts me at night. As much therapy as I get, and as many times I’ve been told it isn’t my fault, I still just can’t let this last piece go. I blame myself.
I grip the letter in my hand, then River places his hand over mine and squeezes.
“I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it to believe it, but I sincerely hope it only takes this one time. It never is, and never was, your fault. I never once, not even for a half of a second, then or now, blamed you. You were five, Kate, just a little girl in pigtails. You didn’t bring the alcohol to the lips of the other driver. You didn’t get behind the wheel of a car and enter a freeway. Listen to my words. It wasn’t your fault. You can’t accept the blame for something someone else did.”
My chest constricts, as I feel the guilt clawing its way to the surface. Angry, hot tears sear down my cheeks, as every word he said conflicts with the reality in my head. I look up at his pale blue eyes, and as sincere as they are, they are a constant reminder of what I did. I turn away, then wipe away the tears streaming down my face. River puts one hand on my shoulder, then the other, and turns me toward him. He wraps his arms around me and squeezes me tightly to his body. My body trembles with emotions in his arms.
“But, it was my . . .” I spit out broken.
“I don’t ever want to hear you say that again,” he says, squeezing me harder. “It’s not. It never was and it never will be. It’s not your fault.”
River keeps repeating the same words over and over again, it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault, while squeezing me tight. The air in my lungs burn, as I listen to him repeat them over and over again.
After what feels like an hour, I finally settle down and stop crying. River’s tux jacket is soaked with my tears. He wraps his fingers around my upper arms, then pulls me off his chest.
He lifts his hand and gently places it on my face. As he feels my face, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Finally, clarity sinks in. After months of actually really hearing my counselors, is what helped me dig my way out of the depths of depression. Finally, I hear River and take it to heart. My lips tip up into a small smile, as I realize the depths of what I was taking responsibility for was never mine to take in the first place.
“I see the real you,” River says with a smile, as he feels my face.
“I hear you,” I reply, and give him a hug.
“You’re going to be alright,” he says, giving me a hug. “I’m going to go find my future bride now,” he says, releasing me.
I watch as he walks away, then I look at the letter in my hand. I don’t open it. I don’t need to. I rip the letter in half, then place the two pieces together and rip it in half again. I repeat it several more times, until it’s in tiny pieces and I can’t rip it anymore. I open my hand and let the last messy piece of my life flutter away. The pieces scatter in the wind, then fall into the water below.
A warm hand is slid around my waist, then brought up to my head. Cooper tilts my head toward his lips and places a firm kiss on my temple. I lean my head on his shoulder, until the last piece of torn paper sinks below the ocean surface.
“Are you hungry?” Cooper asks.
I lift my head and smile at him, then reply, “Yes.”
The last heavy weight, that I didn’t even realize was so very heavy, is lifted from my shoulders as we head inside the cabin.
Joss’s eyes find me immediately and she smiles a warm smile. She walks over to me and gives me a hug.
“Let me see that ring!” I say, hugging her back.
She pulls away and brings her hand closer to my face.
“I’m pretty sure I know what it says, but I’m dying to know for sure. Do you remember any Braille from your childhood?” she asks.
I take her hand in mine and look at the gorgeous ring. He had Braille written on her ring. That’s so perfect. There are three beautiful, large, flawless diamonds in the center, and raised Braille written on either side, in the platinum band. I smile up at Joss, knowing exactly what it says.
“On one side of the diamonds, it says, ‘I See,’ then the three diamonds, then the word ‘Love’ is on the other.”
Put together, it says, I See . . . Love. The three diamonds are the ellipsis. It’s absolutely beautiful. It’s what I hear River say to Joss on a daily basis. Some people say, I love you, but sometimes there are more powerful words between a couple.
Cooper hands me a champagne glass, then I wrap my arm around Joss’s waist and say, “If I could have everyone’s attention. I’d like to make a toast.”
Everyone gathers around, and Josh makes sure everyone has a glass of champagne in their hand. Nina eyes Joss a secret oh crap, then raises her glass into the air like everyone else is.
“River, I couldn’t be more proud of the man you’ve become today. Joss, I couldn’t imagine a better woman for my brother, and I’m honored to call you my sister. Separately, you each have amazing qualities that when brought together, make one beautiful couple that complete one soul. Congratulations on your engagement,” I say, and raise my glass in the air.
“Um, before we toast . . .” Joss interrupts before anyone can take a drink.
Everyone stops raising their glasses to their lips and looks at Joss. River gets a worried look on his face, but I spot the look on Joss’s face toward Nina.
“Just one sec, though,” she says, then runs to her purse.
She removes an elegantly wrapped gift, then walks over to Nina and hands it to her.
“Now?” Nina asks, nervously. “This is your special day, honey,” she says, taking the gift.
“I couldn’t think of a better day. It will make my perfect day absolutely perfect to share it with my best friend,” she replies, reaching for Nina’s arm and squeezing. “I’ll take that,” Joss says, then removes the champagne glass from Nina’s other hand.
Nina takes a calming breath, then turns to Josh.
“This is for you,” she says, handing him the gift.
“Me?” he says shocked, taking the gift from Nina.
Nina removes the glass from his other hand and sets it down on an end table.
“Open it,” Nina insists, as her eyes glisten with happy tears.
Josh removes the paper from the eight by ten framed photo and stares at it.
“Nina, this is beautiful,” Josh replies, running his finger down her photo.
“Maddy took it for a school project,” she tells him, then looks at Maddy and smiles.
“I don’t understand,” Josh says, reading the writing written on the glass.
“We love you,” Nina says the words out loud, as tears spill down her cheeks.
“We?” Josh repeats.
“We,” Nina says, placing her hand on her flat stomach.
“Nina,” Josh whispers, then ge
ts down on his knees in front of her.
He places his lips on her stomach and wraps his arms around her. Josh stands up and kisses Nina, then wraps his arms around her, twirling her around in circles.
“God, I love you so much,” he whispers in her ear.
Joss walks over to them and places her hand on Nina’s arm. Nina looks at her, then throws herself into Joss’s arms. River walks up to Josh and extends his hand. Josh places his hand in his, then brings him in for a hug.
“To River and Joss, and, Josh and Nina,” I say raising my glass, then everyone toasts to the happy couples.
“Everyone ready to set sail?” River asks.
A half a second of fear fills my chest at the thought of going out into the open ocean, then Cooper threads his fingers through mine.
“I’ve got you. I’m never letting go,” he says.
Kate peacefully sleeps on my chest, with Sadie at our feet, in her pool house after an eventful day. No mask, no headphones, no guilt, and no regret. Tomorrow is the last day we have off. Monday, Kate is heading into the yoga studio where new flooring is being installed, and I’m back to work as well. As I run my thumb and forefinger down Kate’s side, I slowly drift to sleep.
The next morning, like most, I wake to an empty bed. No Kate and no Sadie. I slip on a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt, then head out to the family room. I immediately look out the glass door, and see Kate and Sadie doing yoga side-by-side. I pour myself a cup of coffee, then set it back down without taking a sip. I walk to the door, then outside into the warm, early morning sun. Kate is sitting in a pose I think I can handle. I sit down next to her and mimic her exact body position. Kate doesn’t open her eyes, but her smile grows on her face. As she begins to move her body, she starts instructing me on how to move each and every muscle in my body, and how to breathe. She’s the perfect teacher.
After thirty minutes, she instructs me how to close the session, then turns to me and says, “Did you like it?”
“I more than liked it,” I tell her, helping her to her feet.
As we walk inside, she says, “I was thinking about taking a drive today.”
I Hear...Love (A Different Road #2) Page 17