Page 380 of Eternal
“Do you still see him?” she asked.
“Yeah. A lot.”
She nodded like she understood. Then curled in closer. Shoulder pressed to my chest. Face near my neck.
Then she whispered, “What was his name?”
I exhaled through my nose. “Vlad.”
She took my hand and gently pointed our fingers toward a star overhead. “Then we’ll name this one Vlad.”
I love her.That’s just…clear. No doubt.
I love everything about her, even the shit she drags with her. Maybe that’s why I bought this place.
A few days ago.
She was asleep in my arms. I couldn’t stop thinking about what she needed.
It’s not done yet. The walls in the hallway are blue. Not quite right, needs another coat.
The garden’s a mess. Wild. But there’s this view… past the trees, down the slope.
You can see the lake from here.
Not the ocean, no. But close enough. That’s what got me.
It’s far from the city. Far from Viktor and Kat. But… when I saw it? I knew she’d like it.
I want it ready for her birthday.
Something soft. Something safe. Ahome.
There’s this old swing in the garden, rusty, still hanging.
I want to fix it up. Picture her there, headphones on, eyes half closed, breathing it in.
I’m putting up a big shelf for her vinyls.
And the bedroom has this window in the ceiling, you can see the stars through it.
And irises. I looked up how to grow irises, purple ones.
She doesn’t know any of this. Not yet.
But she will.
And I hope, when she sees it, it’ll feel like home.
Fourth of July. Fireworks.Herbirthday. We’ll celebrate it because my partner deserves it.
We stayed like that for a while. Her hand in mine.
Then I shifted slightly, leaned closer, voice low. “I don’t want you to drown in whatever these thoughts are.”
She blinked slowly. Like coming back to her body.
“You’re not what your mind tells you,” I added. “Not the worst parts. Not the voice that lies when it’s too much.”
