Part 253 (1/2)

selfish with it, as if holding it to myself would make it only mine. But

it's ours, the way he was ours.”

He said nothing. Tears were clogging his throat. Understanding, she

turned to him. Holding each other, they sat in silence as the sun rose

higher and dried the dew on the tall gra.s.s.

”I should never have left you,” he murmured.

”We left each other.”

”Why?” He tightened his grip. ”Why?”

”I've thought about it so many times. I think we couldn't bear to be

happy. That we felt, or I did, that if we could be happy after he was

gone, it would be like dishonoring him. It was wrong.”

”Bev.” He turned his face into her hair. ”Don't go. Please don't go.”

”No,” she said quietly. ”I won't.”

They walked, hands linked, back to the farmhouse. The sun shone bright

through the windows as they went upstairs. They undressed each other,

stopping only for long, quiet kisses, gentle caresses.

He wasn't the young man who had once loved her. Nor was she the same

woman. They were more patient now. They didn't tumble onto the bed,

but lowered slowly, knowing each moment was precious when so many had

been lost.

And yet, though they had changed, their bodies moved easily together.

When she reached for him the years seemed to vanish. With his mouth

pressed against her throat, he drew in the familiar scent, the familiar

taste.

Even as pa.s.sion built, they glided along its edges, unwilling to be

ruled by it as they once had been. Her lips curved as she ran a hand