Page 78 of Make Your Shot
CALEB
Acool breeze pushes strands of hair into my face as I stare down at the gravestone a few feet in front of me. The sun pokes through the clouds as it drifts closer to the horizon line. My shoulders lift as I take a deep breath and slowly exhale, emotion washing over me as I shake my head at Amelia’s grave.
“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, Amelia.” I let out a deep breath, raking a hand through my hair. “I wish you were here, I wish you could tell me what to do.”
My forehead creases and I let out a harsh laugh. “Okay, that doesn’t sound right. If you were here, I don’t think I’d be in this position.” My heart clenches as Mia’s face flashes into my mind. “None of this makes sense,” I say, my shoulders sagging in defeat.
“If you were here, I wouldn’t have had the chance to fall in love with Mia. But the thought of not loving herfeels equally wrong.” I close my eyes, tilting my head back. “You’re not here and you’re not coming back and I’ve accepted that. Please don’t hate me for moving forward with my life.”
The soft breeze dances across my face again, except this time there’s a subtle warmth to it. The faint smell of orange blossoms invades my senses. I slowly lift my eyelids and glance around.
I’m alone, except for the groundskeeper, who is nowhere to be seen.
“If roles would have been reversed, I would have wanted you to be happy. I wouldn’t have wanted you to stop living your life and it kills me to not know how you would have felt.”
A butterfly darts in front of me, fluttering in a circle before it comes to rest on her headstone. It flutters its wings once more as it turns to face me, the breeze blows a little harder. The memory of her voice enters my mind.
“Just remember to always find the joy in life. Laugh and love, always.”
The corners of my eyes burn and I blink hard against the feeling. “I found the joy, Amelia,” I whisper, my voice catching in my throat. “It’s her. It’s Mia.”
The butterfly lifts from where it was resting and it flies toward me, fluttering in front of my face. My gaze is transfixed, my heart stuttering in my chest as it floats around my head lingering again in front of me before it drifts away.
I stare down at the gravesite, my throat constricting. “I’ll always love you,” I breathe, emotion washing overme. “And I will never forget you, but I have to let go of the guilt.” The weight that’s been sitting on my chest lifts and my heart stutters. “I have to let go of you so I can hold onto her.”
The smell of orange blossoms drifts through the breeze again and something brushes against my hand. I glance down and there’s nothing there. I can’t see her, but I know she’s here. I know she’s telling me it’s okay.
She’s telling me to let go.
Slowly pressing my foot against the brake, I turn the wheel to the left, pulling my car onto the winding driveway. It’s lined by four massive oak trees on either side and as I reach the clearing, I ease my car up to the front of the house. It’s a beautiful home with a well manicured front lawn. Flower beds line the perimeter, grey siding for a modern appeal, and bright white trim around the massive windows.
Mia’s car is parked in front of the garage and I park mine behind hers. I turn off the engine while simultaneously pushing my door open. I’ve already wasted too much time avoiding her. I’ve let her sit without an explanation or a viable response from me.
My chest still aches from the cemetery, but there’s a renewed sense of hope. There’s a weight that’s been lifted, as if I can finally let my lungs expand fully. Like I can finally breathe again.
I need to fix this between Mia and me. I’ve let my fear get in my own way and unfortunately, I’m not theonly one who suffers from it. I let her down. I did the one thing I never wanted to do to her.
I hurt her.
My strides are long and I break out into a jog in an effort to cover as much ground as possible. I reach the front porch and pause when I pull open the screen door. My left hand lifts and pushes the doorbell.
The faint sound of it ringing within the house touches my ears, but that’s the only sound I hear. There’s no hint of Mia moving inside. Lifting my hand above my brow, I duck to the side, peering through the glass pane along the side of the door. There’s no sign of her from where I’m standing.
It doesn’t seem like there are any lights on inside the house. Instead, it’s just dimly lit from the fading natural light outside as the sun begins to fall beneath the horizon. I continue to look through the window, knocking on the door with my opposite hand as the screen door rests against my back.
Where are you, Mia?
My stomach knots with panic and my heart beats faster as I knock again. Her car is here, so she should be here, but I don’t know where the hell she is. I don’t want to walk in on her uninvited, but I can’t stop myself from reaching for the door knob.
I expect it to be locked but it turns with ease. The door swings open as I give it a gentle push. I suck in a deep breath before stepping into the house. Silence greets me as I step into the foyer, the faint smell of lavender and vanilla permeates the air.
She’s here somewhere.
She has to be.
Reaching behind me, I pull the door closed making sure to soften the contact with the frame to not make a sound, and kick off my shoes next to the door out of habit. I duck my head through the doorway to my left and find an empty living room. The pillows on the couch are ruffled with a book and blanket thrown next to them, as if she were sitting there earlier.
I look into the room across the hall—an empty office. My feet carry me through the foyer until I’m reaching the end of the hall and pause in the doorway that opens to the kitchen and dining area. The air leaves my lungs in the rush, relief encapsulating me.Mia.
