Can't Let Go by Michelle Brewer

few signatures—”
    “Taken care of?”  Abby questioned.  “By who?”  
    “Well, of course we were waiting for your approval—”
    “Who?”   Abby questioned again, confused.  Hayley had made clear that her family was no longer welcome in her life—Abby thought she had made that clear last night.  They wanted nothing to do with her in life—why should that change in death?
    “Well,”   the girl looked over Abby’s shoulder and instinctively, she turned.  “By Mr. Sheppard, of course.”  
    And as her eyes landed on the familiar shaggy haired figure, she felt her heart drop in her chest.  “Hello, Abby.”
    “Hello, Logan.”  She whispered. 
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    It was hard to control the wave of emotion that passed through her as she stood there, staring at him.  It had been at least six years since she’d seen him last.  The morning he’d left her was probably one of the worst experiences of her life—and the pain had not lessened with time. 
    She cursed herself as she stood there, wondering exactly why she hadn’t thought of this.  Surely she should have expected Logan to be there—Logan was Blake’s best friend.  She knew the two had remained close.  Even if she had doubted it, Hayley made certain to remind her all about Logan Sheppard every chance she had.
    Abby found it difficult to breathe for a long moment.  She watched as he rose to his feet and walked toward her.  It was obvious he didn’t know how to greet her.  “ You doing okay?”  His voice was so warm—so comforting, even though she knew it shouldn’t be.  She wanted to be angry—she wanted to be upset. 
    But she couldn’t. 
    Her emotions were out of control, bouncing back and forth from one to the next.  It only made sense that she would find the familiarity of him comforting.
    Seeing him brought another wave of memories wafting through her mind—memories of happiness and laughter.  Memories of her friends, memories of him.   She felt her eyes well up with tears and she was grateful she still wore her sunglasses.  She wasn’t prepared for this—not for any of it.
    “I’ve been better,”   she whispered, her voice shaky. 
    “I could have guessed that.”  He reached out, as if to touch her, but she backed away. 
    If he touched her, she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it together. 
    Logan looked down, his eyes trained on the floor.  Her instinct—some stirring of emotion buried deep within her—told her to go to him, but she stayed still, too stunned to move.  She couldn’t believe that he was here—in front of her.  Here , of all places.  The tiny little funeral home in this tiny little town.
    “I’ve—I—”   He paused, clearing his throat.  “I’ve picked out some—”  She could tell that he was having difficulty saying whatever it was he was trying to say.  “I looked at the caskets.  I picked out the ones I thought they would like best.  You can—”
    “I’m sure you did fine.”  Her voice was still barely louder than a whisper.  “You know what they would like and wouldn’t.”
    “I thought you could pick out the flowers—you’re better at that than I am.  We’re supposed to bring in some…clothes.  And we’re supposed to choose a plot.”
    “We?”   She was returning to her daze.  This was all just too surreal.  She’d imagined running into Logan many times throughout the years they’d been separated—but never like this.  Never under these circumstances.   She always imagined being able to call Hayley and tell her how it went—to tell her how she felt as she met his eyes for the first time after so many years had gone by. 
    But she wouldn’t be able to do that now. 
    “I mean—if you don’t mind me being here.” 
    “I…”  Abby was suddenly feeling very light headed.  “No—no, sure.   Of course.   They were your friends, too.”  She shook her head, feeling silly. 
    She was an adult now.  Those