redeverythingabouthiheoved,hiseasysle,theorroade,aneightbytenthatsheuldsetonheightstand,thesailedsadly,realizingevennootherhadgivenherituchtoseehisfaceeveryday,andshereadyforthatyet
sinonthsrolledon,hoentionhisnaeriesofgarrettasachildorrelatingtotheresaoverandoverthethingshedsaidaboutherintheirlongabsencesapart
injulytheresaandkevinfle,thoughchclearertheyspenteightdaysthere,divingeveryingandrelaxingonthebeachintheafteoonontheiragazineironically,thefirstissueincludedastoryabouttheshiphenorthcarolinaast,includingtheoneinshalloertheyhadvisitedhgarrett
thoughshedbeenasked,shehadntdatedanyonesincegarrettsdeathpeopleatenalleandeligible,butshepolitelydeclinedeveryinvitationnohensheoverheardherlleagueswhispers:
”idontunderstandoreunderstanding,silyobservedthatshedeventuallyrever,inheroe
itjebthreehathadledherbacktocaped
oveon,theostofthenight,butthefollooingshekneadethearrangentstoretuhereeasyenough,sinceithenthatherhealingfinallybegan
asshestoodonthebeaeeredittobeshee,thinkingofgarrett,untilsheheardthegrohunderechothroughtheersky
theinddriftbesideher,brushingthehairfroerfacehehaddohatorethereanythingssheanyregrets
nosheshedknothentshesaonthedocks,andshekneenorhisdeathuldchangetheasshedidso
”issyou,garrettblake,”shesaidsoftlyandforant,sheiginedhedsohoestillthefirstfeesheunrkedthesileehefirstlettershedeverfound
thelittlelightthatreinedallbyheart,anylyasshebeganreading
darling,
oneyearhaspassedsihatifinallyansion
ofurseiforgiveyouiforgiveyounoontireadyourletterinheart,ihadnootherustillgrievingoverighthavebeen,ifindselfthankfulthatyoueinthebeginning,idassudthatehoeofgriefyetnoetobelievethatitheotherwayaround
ironioveonsotisgriefisovering,andeventhoughiunderstandthatethatetodothatbeeoneelseghtdinishriesofyouyet,thisistheparadox:eventhoughissyougreatly,itsbeehope,darlingyoutaughtthatitspossibletoveforatterhoadebelievethattruelovecannotbedenied
rightnoready,butthisiseyourselfbehopefulthatthereeadayysadnessisreplacedbysothingbeautifulbecauseofyou,ihavethestrength
togoon
idontknotheageintheskyyouarenotgoneforever,notteresintolifeyouarestandingysoul,helpingtoguidetourethaticannotpredict
thisisnotagoodbye,darling,thisisathankyouthankyouforingintolifeandgivingjoy,thankyouforlovingandreeriesiostofall,thankyouforshoethatthereeatianev
