I was stunned.
He said, “I believed it too.”
He kissed me gently.
He was being careful, trying to not scare me.
And in that moment, I realized I didn’t dislike
- it.
It felt so much better than when I was with
Chad.
Was this what it felt like to be loved?
After that, I saw Mark more and more often.
I started kissing him.
<
He started blushing.
Because we were childhood friends, it was
quick work to get our wedding ready.
Wendy gossiped about Chad.
Lily had tried to win Chad back, but she didn’t
pull it off well.
I just said, “Chad must be devastated.”
Then, I was choosing my wedding dress when
I got terrible news.
Chad had killed himself, leaving me a letter.
[Olivia, I keep having the same dream.
[You stopped me from saving Lily, and later. I
く
did a terrible thing to you while you were
pregnant.
[I’m so sorry.
[Was it all a dream? Were those real?
[Is that why you hate me?
[I can’t forgive myself.
[I have to atone for my sins.
[I hope you’ll be happy.]
I didn’t know what to think.
Mark leaned in. “Don’t fall for it, Olivia.”
I gave him the letter to read.
HE TOOKEd at me, worried.
“You don’t feel bad for him?”
I laughed and kissed him.
“I only love you.”
“Only this life?”
I smiled. “The next, the next, forever, I’ll be
with you.”
He kissed me.
“I’ll hold you to that, wife.
“If you change your mind, I’ll chase you until
you keep your promise!”
く
“Only this life?”
I smiled. “The next, the next, forever, I’ll be
with you.”
He kissed me.
“I’ll hold you to that, wife.
“If you change your mind, I’ll chase you until
you keep your promise!”
We got married soon after.
That night, Mark held me close.
“Olivia, I got you this time.”
