Page 96 of Meet Me in the Vines
Chapter Thirty-Three
DONOVAN
I wake up lying in a soft bed of grass. My eyes slowly flutter open—the sun is warm, shining bright above me. I squint at the sky, raising a hand to shield the rays. Not one cloud in sight, a bluebird day. My fingers brush through the soft blades as I slowly bring myself into a sitting position. My toes wiggle, stretching across the grass beneath me. The air is clean, like a spring morning laced with dew and earthy soil. The faint chirping of songbirds floats on the air. My hands clutch the white cotton fabric of my shirt. I look down and see no blood.
But I thought I’d been shot…
I slink my hand behind me, gripping where the bullet entered my back and through my chest. Nothing.
Had I fallen asleep out here and dreamed it all?
I whip my head around in a panic, surrounded by nothing but lush green rolling hills. It takes a second for me to realize that I know this place. As I turn around, I see a white gazebo in the distance. A flicker of strawberry blonde hair blowing in the breeze. Her back is to me, looking ahead.
Audrey.
I quickly get to my feet and jog down the hill, needing to get close to her. I need to feel her. I need to breathe her in.
“Audrey!” I call out, but she doesn’t move. She remains seated on the bench inside the gazebo, no reaction. I get to the steps and see her beautiful fair skin and signature sunset hair. She’s wearing a flowy ivory dress that reminds me of the night I fell in love with her. I walk toward her and reach for her hand. But when she turns around, I look closer. The freckles on her nose are there, but her eyes are not my Audrey’s. They’re green, but a different shade. The gold flecks that dance in the sun’s rays are missing. I take a step back, confusion and panic rise in my throat.
She stands up, slightly taller than my Audrey. She reaches for my hand and I flinch, snapping it back.
“Donovan, sweetheart. It’s okay. Don’t be afraid,” she coos. That’s not Audrey’s voice. She looks similar, with the same dainty, feminine features. But it’s not my girl. Not my Mouse.
“Where’s Audrey? Who are you?” I ask, with pain lacing my voice. She smiles and sits back down, patting the open space beside her.
“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. Let’s just talk,” she says. I don’t know why, but a wave of peace washes over me. Like someone tapped into my body and shifted my emotions. Suddenly, I’m not afraid. I take the seat next to her and look into her eyes.
“So, you’re wondering who I am and how I know you,” she says, the corner of her lips curling. I swallow a lump in my throat and nod. She chuckles, her laugh resembling Audrey’s, and I wonder if I am in a dream. I must be dreaming.
“My name is Wren.”
Wren? Like Audrey’s middle name Wren?
“Wait…you’re...y—?” I stutter. The words fail me, unable to articulate my thoughts.
“Yes. I’m Wren Winthrop. Audrey’s mother.” I stand up too fast and stumble back, my hands flying to the back of my head inutter disbelief. Audrey’s mother? That explains the similarities. But Audrey’s mother is…
Dead.
Tears brim the edges of my eyes. She reaches out and holds my hands, standing before me like she’s the most real thing. She’s real, isn’t she? If I can see her, does this mean that I’m…dead? She responds, answering the questions in my head as if I’ve said them out loud. “Donovan, it’s hard to explain. You’re tethered between worlds. You’re in what we call half heaven.”
My eyes dart back and forth, suddenly feeling lightheaded. I will myself not to faint. She squeezes my hands. Her fingers are long and dainty, palms so soft and comforting.
“Breathe, honey. I know you because I’ve always known you. I’ve known that you have loved my little girl with your whole heart for a long time. And she loves you, too. So much, Donovan.”
I let the tears fall, unable to keep them in any longer. I lean into her, and she holds me against her lean frame while sobs rack my body.
Half heaven.
Did that mean I was...half dead? Dying? Dead but not ready to go? She pulls away from me, putting both of her hands on my cheeks, holding me there to meet her gaze.
I pause, letting myself saturate in Wren’s calming energy. The eyes that stare back are comforting and familiar, as if I’ve known them my whole life. I need to get back to my girl, but the sobs continue at the thought that I don’t think I’ll see her again.
“Donovan, half heaven is an in between place. Your soul hasn’t crossed over yet,” she murmurs. I shake my head, not wanting to believe her. “No, NO. I can’t be gone. I can’t leave her. We didn’t have enough time. There wasn’t enough ti—” I sob, falling to my knees as my hands cover my face. I failed her.I failed to protect her. I promised her I’d keep her safe, and now I’m here.
Not down there.
I feel a hand squeeze my shoulder and I look up, expecting to see Wren, but it’s not her. My voice shakes and I struggle to stand as my body trembles.
