Page 73 of This Heart
She reached for my hand and squeezed it once again. I turned to her and saw the tears in her eyes and felt my own eyes burn.
“Liam, you deserve happiness. You deserve to have someone love you for who you are. If you can’t listen to your own heart, then listen to me. I was the closest person to Hope besides you, and I’m telling you this because I need you to hear it. Let go of your guilt. Let go of Hope. You’re not the reason she got cancer. Her lying to you about Winnie or Ronald isn’t the reason she got cancer. It was dumb fucking luck that she got cancer, and she had no right to use that against you in the way that she did. Yes, she was sick, and maybe she didn’t realize she was doing it, but either way, it was wrong. Stop thinking about what Hope wanted and start thinking about what you want and the future you want for Winnie.”
Our eyes met again, and this time I didn’t bother to try and hold back my tears.
“When did you get so wise?”
She smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know, but this adulting shit is for the birds! My emotions are all over the damn place and I need chocolate and ice cream so freaking bad right now.”
We both laughed. Mary reached over and hugged me. When we drew apart, she said, “Talk to Aurora, Liam.”
Nodding, I replied, “I will.”
Her brow rose.
Laughing once again, I said, “I promise, I will.”
The sound of Winnie’s voice calling for me caused me to turn and look at the playground. She was jumping with excitement and motioning for me to come to her. I stood and kept my gaze on her.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go play with my daughter.”
Aurora
I held up the white kitten and smiled. “Isn’t she adorable?”
My sister sneezed. “No. She’s going to make me miserable.”
With a roll of my eyes, I said, “You’re not allergic to her, Lou. You just don’t want to clean out the litter box.”
Pointing her finger to her nose, she said, “Bingo.”
“I’m not cleaning it,” Granny said while folding her arms over her chest as she leaned against the counter.
Ignoring them both, I smiled at the kitten and said, “I’m going to be your momma, and I’ll take care of you. I’ll feed you and clean out your litter. All of it! We don’t need these two meanies.”
“You say that now,” Lou said as she rounded the corner and stopped in front of me. “What happens when you go on vacation? Who watches the white monster then?”
I covered the kitten’s ears. “Don’t call her a monster. What is wrong with you, Lou?”
She flashed me an evil smile.
“Besides, I don’t take vacations.”
Granny walked up and scratched the kitten behind the ears. “That’s because you need a man. Maybe if you dated and got laid, you wouldn’t need a kitten because your ownkittenwould be getting some action.”
My mouth fell open while my sister lost it laughing.
“Tell it like it is, Granny!” Lou said, barely able to breathe through her tears.
Trying my hardest not to laugh, I said. “Granny! I cannot believe you just said that.”
She shrugged. “I’m just being honest. You need a man, Aurora. You spend all your time in this bookstore, and when you do get free time, you’re over at Liam and Winnie’s pretending you don’t have feelings for him.”
My mouth fell open. “I am not.”
Lou let out a huff. “Please. You’re both denying your feelings for one another. And everyone in town knows it.”
“That is not true!” I said, almost whining like a child. Granny raised her brows, like she was waiting for me to stomp my foot.
