THREE

The silence that followed Lynette’s declaration was palpable.

The group stood on the hill, each person processing the raw emotion that had just unfolded before them. The beauty of the sanctuary below, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, seemed incongruous with the tension that hung in the air.

Perhaps Lynette would feel guilt over it one day, but right now, she didn’t.

With his face a mixture of shock and sadness, Joshua turned to his family and Paul’s family. “Could I have a moment alone with Lynette, please?” he asked, his voice steady but tinged with a vulnerability that wasn’t often seen.

His sister Julia, still taken aback by the intensity of Lynette’s words, nodded silently, looking at Paul, who placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, a silent gesture of support. Joshua’s parents exchanged a glance, their expressions a blend of concern and understanding, before nodding their agreement. They all left, leaving only Chloe and Henry standing with Joshua and Lynette. The young woman gave Joshua a small, encouraging smile. She seemed to understand the gravity of the moment, the need for Joshua to reconcile this part of his past with his present.

A hint of guilt prickled in Lynette’s chest. Deep down, Lynette knew it wasn’t the woman’s fault. She was only here to celebrate a wedding. She didn’t know she was walking into nothing but pain and sorrow.

Henry glanced around at everyone, then stepped forward, motioning toward Chloe as he spoke. “Why don’t we give them some space? I can take you all back down to the truck,” he offered; his voice was so calm that, for a moment, Lynette didn’t want him to leave.

Who would be the one to keep her calm if he did?

Joshua and Lynette stood in silence, waiting until the others were out of earshot before speaking. The air between them was heavy with unspoken words and shared grief.

“Lynette,” Joshua began, his voice breaking the silence, “I know you’re hurting. I am, too. Kate was my world, and losing her . . .” His voice trailed off, the pain evident in his eyes. “Losing her was the worst thing that has ever happened in my life.”

“I just can’t believe you’d bring someone else here, to this place. It meant so much to Kate, to us.”

“I honestly didn’t think it would be a problem. I’ve shared a lot with Chloe, and she has supported me with everything. She understands I have a wound, and she’s been more than helpful. She doesn’t cringe when I talk about Kate or point things out that remind me of her.” Joshua took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “I would give anything to have Kate back. But she’s gone, Lynette. And I can’t spend the rest of my life alone. I’m still young. I want to find love again, to have a family. Kate wanted that for me, too. She told me several times those last few weeks that she wanted me to find love again, to be happy.”

Lynette’s eyes filled with tears. “That sounds like her. But I can’t help but feel that any family you have now . . . it’s like saying Kate didn’t exist. Those children you want . . . they should be hers.”

“I understand how you would think that, and a part of me thinks the same. I wanted a family with her. But that’s not going to happen. And no matter if I get married and have ten children, none of them will ever take away the fact that she was in my life and I loved her.” The sorrow in Joshua’s eyes mirrored Lynette’s. “I want her back every day. But she’s not coming back. And I have to find a way to live with that.”

They stood in silence for a moment, each lost in their own memories of Kate. Of course, logically, Lynette could understand where he was coming from. He was young, and he deserved to find happiness and love again. No one should be forced to live without it just because someone died before they should have. But there was a difference as a parent. For a parent, there was no finding love and happiness again. There was only the wound that would never heal. Sure, Lynette had love in life.

She had Henry.

But having Henry would never fix the pain of not having Kate.

“I hope you can give Chloe a chance, Lynette,” Joshua said, breaking their silence. “She’s not Kate, but she’s someone I can see myself building a future with.”

Lynette inhaled a sharp breath, laying her hand on her chest as she looked at him, searching his face for the sincerity in his words. She both wanted to find it and didn’t, for finding it would mean he was ready to move on and leave Kate in his past. Not finding it, though, would mean he would suffer a life of haunting memories, and she didn’t want that for him either. “Is she someone you see yourself marrying?”

Joshua met her gaze, a hint of certainty in his eyes. “I think so, yes.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Lynette alone on the hillside, the sanctuary sprawling out below her, a stark reminder of the beauty and pain that life could hold.

Overwhelmed by the weight of the conversation, Lynette sank to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Each droplet carried the pain of losing Kate, the daughter who had been her joy, her pride. The sanctuary, once a place of happiness and shared dreams, now felt like a vast expanse of memories that Lynette couldn’t escape. She thought about Kate’s laughter, her hopes for the future, and the cruel reality that those dreams would never come to fruition. The thought of Joshua moving on, of new lives being created without Kate, twisted the knife of grief even deeper. It was a future Lynette never envisioned, one where Kate’s absence was a constant shadow, a reminder of what could have been.

As she sat there, lost in her sorrow, footsteps approached, breaking the silence. Before she could look over to see who it was, Henry sat beside her, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of her emotions.

“I thought by the time I sat down, I would know what to say. But I don’t.” Henry chuckled.

“It’s okay. I’ve had a lot of moments like that today.”

“I know how hard this is for you. I can see it, and I could see it the moment that young woman got out of the car.” Henry blew out a breath, shaking his head. “I wanted to just smack that boy for doing something so stupid. But then I realized we can’t expect Joshua to live his life alone. Trust me, I know how that feels. After you left South Africa, I knew I wouldn’t be with anyone else. I’m not saying I regret that choice because we found each other again, but you just left. You didn’t die. Kate’s not coming back, and Joshua is still young. He deserves to find happiness again.”

Lynette wiped her tears, the reality of Henry’s words settling in. She knew he was right, but the thought of moving forward, of a world where Kate was just a memory, was a bitter pill to swallow.

“I know,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. “But it’s so hard, Henry. It feels like he’s letting go of her completely.”

“That’s his choice. And just because he does, doesn’t mean you have to.” Henry wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.

Lynette’s thoughts drifted to the inevitable. The thought of Joshua and Chloe, of the life they might build together, sent a fresh wave of sorrow through her. The idea of facing them, of accepting this new reality without Kate, felt like an impossible task.

But it was one she needed to tackle.

“I need to talk to them, Henry,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “To Chloe . . . and Joshua.”

“I think it would help you if you did.”