Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
His chuckle echoes from the other room just before he returns with a bag in his hand. “I ordered this for you.” He comes closer, letting the bag hang from his fingers in front of me.
There are no distinguishing markings on the outside to identify what’s inside, so I take it and yank out the tissue in excitement. “What is it?” My smile falls too fast to catch it. I cover my mouth when it drops open, and tears fill my eyes as I stare inside.
Brandon kneels before me this time, rubbing my legs to comfort me. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He moves next to me, wrapping his arm around me to pull me into his side. “I saw that your perfume bottle was empty and thought it would make you happy to get a new one.”
“This is—” A sob grabs hold of my heart as I release years of pain over the most thoughtful gift anyone’s ever given me. I throw my arms around his neck and cry on his shoulder. In the comfort of his care, I can finally breathe again. Taking the Jo Malone bottle from the gift bag, I pluck the cap and hold it to my nose just to smell it again.
“English Pear & Freesia. That’s the right perfume?”
“You got it right.” I lift to give him a quick peck before closing my eyes as the scent takes me back to when she was alive. The morning sun shone through the sheers, bathing her in light as she sat by the window. Her fair hair, freshly brushed, reflected the light. “My mom would spritz her neck each morning. Her room smelled like a field of wildflowers and a fruit orchard. I loved it. I’d run to hug her, just so I could smell like her all day.” Wiping the tears away, I look at this gentle giant of a man sitting by my side with only kindness in his eyes. His heart is so big, and he wanted so badly to share it with someone that he built a house for a family. I will never take it for granted that I’m that lucky someone. “She gave me the best hugs.”
“She loved you so much, Autumn. I just know it. And you carry her with you in everything you do and in how you care for others.”
I pull the bluebird token from my pocket, holding it in the palm of my hand. Feeling the gravity of that night all over again, I ask, “Do you think they died because I—”
“No.” He’s so confident that it’s hard not to believe him. I witness that confidence set in the contentment of his eyes, and then look at the coin in my hand again. He takes my chin between his fingertips and lifts until my eyes connect with his again. “You aren’t responsible for the accident. Only the rain and bad roads are. If she had had that charm, the outcome would have been the same. So, just like with me, you need to let those old feelings go. They’re only holding you back in life.”
He’s right. I’ve carried the guilt of their death for so long that I had ingrained it into my belief system. That wasn’t fair for me to bear the burden. Just as with other pains, it’s time to release this one and appreciate the gift she gave me. And Brandon, because I have no doubt that my parents sent him to heal me, as I did him.
Standing up, I walk toward the windows, letting the sunlight cover me, and spray the perfume on my neck like she used to do.
Brandon comes to me once more and kisses just below my earlobe. “You smell so pretty.”
“I think I’m going to make this my signature scent just like my mom.”
“I didn’t know people had signature scents, but you picked a good one. It reminds me of what we love about Mountain Laurel Cove.”
The ocean breeze, the green grass, the kind hearts, the honeybees, the helpful nature of our neighbors and this, us. “I agree. It’s all the best this town has to offer.” I toss the coin in my hand, then set it on the dresser. “I think it’s okay if I don’t carry it all the time anymore. It’s given what she always wanted for me—what I need when I needed it most.” I turn to him and embrace him with my entire being, so grateful to have found him again.
“What’s that?”
“You.”
Seeing Brandon standing on that stage with not only a medal around his neck and a key in his hand, but also a new promotion to captain, has me beaming with pride for him. But when the spaniel he saved comes barreling across the stage and jumps into his arms, the tears start flowing.