leaving the hospital after her shift. I want to go to her, but I hold back. Last night shouldn’t have happened. We’ve gone out a few times, hung out a bit, just taking things slow. Last night, though, I gave in and finally had her under me, on top of me, against the wall… fuck.
And then I went and moaned out Hilary’s name as I came inside Moira. Hurt, betrayal, all of it crossed over Moira’s face. She left the second she got her clothes on, ignored my calls and me calling after her when she ran out my front door. My conversation with Eden has me feeling all kinds of fucked in the head.
It hasn’t even been a year since Hilary died. It’s too early to move on. Fuck, I don’t even know if I want to move on. I thought I did…
I’ve betrayed Hilary before, and if I move on, wouldn’t that mean I’m betraying her again?
My phone rings, making me look away from Moira. Grabbing it, I see Angel’s number. I don’t want to answer. I haven’t talked to him since the day I quit the shop, but I answer anyway.
“What?”
“Man, shit man, Mrs. Shepard passed away,” he says gruffly into the phone.
That old bat was nuts, but she was an amazing woman. She was a big part of my growing up—part of my sounding board when Hilary first passed away. Hell, when I talked to her last week about Moira, she told me it wasn’t too soon to move on and that the heart wants what it wants. She also told me if I didn’t get my head out of my ass about Eden, she’d remove it for me.
She’s gone. Shit. “How’d she go?” I ask.
“Peacefully. Eden went over to check on her this morning. Found her in bed, a smile on her face. Gone.” Angel starts choking up.
***
I arrive at the funeral home five minutes late; the place is packed. I spot the guys with Eden at the front, consoling her. I can’t believe Mrs. Shepard is gone. Fuck, I was just talking to her last night. She was fine.
Something tugs at me, and before I even realize what I’m doing, I walk up to Eden, pull her out of Angel’s arms, and hug her. Her arms wrap around me instantly, her face in my chest. I can feel her tears soaking through my shirt. Since I can tell it’s about to start, I unwrap Eden’s arms from around me and pull her into my side, walking to find a seat.
Through the whole service, she’s snuggled up close to me, and I even see a slight grin on both Zippo and Angel’s faces. The service is somewhat lively, something she would have wanted. Everyone is sharing stories about the crazy woman. She touched all our lives in a way. She was a pain, but damn I will miss her. We all will.
We walk out of the service and head to the cemetery. Once they begin lowering her casket into the ground, Eden, Angel, Zippo, and Lilly all come close to me. I step away slightly from Eden, and I see the hurt written all over her face. I can’t stop fuckin’ up... God.
“Mrs. Shepard had a Will done up. Some lawyer wants us all at her place tomorrow,” Angel says.
I nod. “I’ll be there.” This is too much. I gotta get out of here. I walk away and am just about to my bike, when I hear Eden calling my name.
I stop and turn around slowly.
“Are you okay?” she asks me quietly.
“Yeah,” I reply gruffly.
“Are we going to be okay?”
I stare at her and look away for a moment, remembering all the shit Mrs. Shepard put into my head—the talks she had with me about Eden. Then I look back to her. “One day at a time, Eden, but we’ll get there.”
Hope flares in her eyes, and she rushes me, hugging me tight. “That’s all I can ask for, Mason. Love you,” she says.
“Yeah. Same, Edie,” I tell her.
“We are all going over to the bakery for coffee. You want to meet us there?” she asks, appearing hopeful.
I start to say no, but the look on her face... “Yeah, just for a few minutes. Need to get back to Hunter.”
*~*
The next day is gloomy. We all get to Mrs. Shepard’s house around ten in the morning, and the second
And then I went and moaned out Hilary’s name as I came inside Moira. Hurt, betrayal, all of it crossed over Moira’s face. She left the second she got her clothes on, ignored my calls and me calling after her when she ran out my front door. My conversation with Eden has me feeling all kinds of fucked in the head.
It hasn’t even been a year since Hilary died. It’s too early to move on. Fuck, I don’t even know if I want to move on. I thought I did…
I’ve betrayed Hilary before, and if I move on, wouldn’t that mean I’m betraying her again?
My phone rings, making me look away from Moira. Grabbing it, I see Angel’s number. I don’t want to answer. I haven’t talked to him since the day I quit the shop, but I answer anyway.
“What?”
“Man, shit man, Mrs. Shepard passed away,” he says gruffly into the phone.
That old bat was nuts, but she was an amazing woman. She was a big part of my growing up—part of my sounding board when Hilary first passed away. Hell, when I talked to her last week about Moira, she told me it wasn’t too soon to move on and that the heart wants what it wants. She also told me if I didn’t get my head out of my ass about Eden, she’d remove it for me.
She’s gone. Shit. “How’d she go?” I ask.
“Peacefully. Eden went over to check on her this morning. Found her in bed, a smile on her face. Gone.” Angel starts choking up.
***
I arrive at the funeral home five minutes late; the place is packed. I spot the guys with Eden at the front, consoling her. I can’t believe Mrs. Shepard is gone. Fuck, I was just talking to her last night. She was fine.
Something tugs at me, and before I even realize what I’m doing, I walk up to Eden, pull her out of Angel’s arms, and hug her. Her arms wrap around me instantly, her face in my chest. I can feel her tears soaking through my shirt. Since I can tell it’s about to start, I unwrap Eden’s arms from around me and pull her into my side, walking to find a seat.
Through the whole service, she’s snuggled up close to me, and I even see a slight grin on both Zippo and Angel’s faces. The service is somewhat lively, something she would have wanted. Everyone is sharing stories about the crazy woman. She touched all our lives in a way. She was a pain, but damn I will miss her. We all will.
We walk out of the service and head to the cemetery. Once they begin lowering her casket into the ground, Eden, Angel, Zippo, and Lilly all come close to me. I step away slightly from Eden, and I see the hurt written all over her face. I can’t stop fuckin’ up... God.
“Mrs. Shepard had a Will done up. Some lawyer wants us all at her place tomorrow,” Angel says.
I nod. “I’ll be there.” This is too much. I gotta get out of here. I walk away and am just about to my bike, when I hear Eden calling my name.
I stop and turn around slowly.
“Are you okay?” she asks me quietly.
“Yeah,” I reply gruffly.
“Are we going to be okay?”
I stare at her and look away for a moment, remembering all the shit Mrs. Shepard put into my head—the talks she had with me about Eden. Then I look back to her. “One day at a time, Eden, but we’ll get there.”
Hope flares in her eyes, and she rushes me, hugging me tight. “That’s all I can ask for, Mason. Love you,” she says.
“Yeah. Same, Edie,” I tell her.
“We are all going over to the bakery for coffee. You want to meet us there?” she asks, appearing hopeful.
I start to say no, but the look on her face... “Yeah, just for a few minutes. Need to get back to Hunter.”
*~*
The next day is gloomy. We all get to Mrs. Shepard’s house around ten in the morning, and the second
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