“It was right after Christmas, wasn’t it?” I remembered that day. All day long, I’d felt that I would see him, that he was close. I’d anticipated it, waited for it, hoped and prayed for it, but it never happened. I never saw him. It was bitterly disappointing, and I’d cried myself to sleep that night. It was a setback that shook me.

“Yes. You were with Jane, walking up the path to your apartment. Will ran up to you and hugged you. He was in love with you. I always knew that…” He looked past me to the window. “I figured, eventually, you would let him take care of you.”

I felt the pain again, the loss of him. The sorrow I’d felt back then came at me like a slap in the face. It didn’t have to be that way. He’d been there.

“Damn it, Luke, you stubborn ass.” His eyes darted to mine. “You should have talked to me. Why didn’t you just come to me? All these years…” Tears filled my eyes, but this time I didn’t fight them. I couldn’t, there were too many to stop the flow, the drops hit my chest at the vee of my shirt. I let out a harsh laugh as I brushed them away.

He reached a hand out and I stepped away to avoid it. My anger trembled through my body leaving a cold numbness in its place.

“Let it out, Lily. I ran away from you all those years ago. I thought you would be better without me. I didn’t want to hurt you ever again.”

“I was not better without you!” I shouted, my voice harsh and broken. “And if you thought I was with Will—I wasn’t with him—he took care of me. I was so—” I flinched at the terrible memories invading my thoughts. “I didn’t get out of bed. I wouldn’t listen to anyone, not Rose, not even Jane. My family stayed away because I demanded it, and I was in such a state that they were afraid of not doing what I asked. But Will would not stay away. He brought me food, made me eat it. He dragged me out on walks. ‘Fresh air would do me good,’ he told me. Later, I started to get sick, nauseated for no reason, dizzy spells, insomnia. I stopped getting my period.” I laughed, shaky and bitter. “Will was the one who figured out I was pregnant. He brought a bunch of tests home. Every single one was positive.” My voice broke and I took a deep shuddering breath to regain control.

Tears ran openly down Luke’s face. “I’m so sorry, Lily.” He reached out his hand to touch me, then pulled it back.