The Homecoming: Countdown to Armageddon: Book 5 by Darrell Maloney Page B

smiled.
         “Oh, Scott, how sweet. But… these aren’t wildflowers. Where on earth did you get carnations and roses?”
         “Do you know Rhett Butler? He’s an SAPD officer now.”
         “Yes. I’ve met him a couple of times when he came in with John. I still can’t help but smile about his name. It’s rather cute.”
         “He has a wife named Scarlett, you know.”
         “John told me that, but I thought he was kidding.”
         “Nope. Of all the girls a man named Rhett Butler could have fallen in love with, he managed to find his Scarlett. Anyway, she has a pretty impressive flower garden, right between the tomatoes and potatoes she’s growing. I got some of her best stuff.”
         “Scott… you stole her flowers?”
         “No, not really. She gave them to me. I just came from the courtyard, where I left a few on Joyce’s grave. The rest go to the other girl in my life.”
         He instantly saw something in her face he couldn’t identify. But he had the distinct impression he said or did something wrong.
         “What?”
         “Nothing.”
         He took her by the hand.
          “Look at me.”
         She turned away.
         “Please?”
         She slowly turned to face him.
         “What did I do? What did I say?”
         “Nothing. I’m just being silly. I’m just being a girl .”
         “Well, I personally prefer it when you act like a girl. You’re kinda scary when you act like a guy.”
         She smiled.
         “Now, tell me what I said to hurt you.”
         “Nothing. I was getting ready to tell you how sweet you were for calling me your other girl. Then you had to spoil it by telling me you were giving me someone else’s flowers.”
         “No. You have it all wrong. Or backwards. Or I said it wrong. These weren’t meant for Joyce. These were meant for you. I came through here looking for you half an hour ago, ask around and they’ll tell you…”
         Becky looked at one of the other nurses who was eavesdropping a few feet away. The other nurse nodded her head to confirm that yes, Scott had already been there asking for her.
         Then the nurse suddenly decided to butt out and walked away to give the pair their privacy.
         “They said you were with a patient, so I went to the memorial in the courtyard to talk to Joyce. And while I was there I left a few flowers on her brick. I didn’t think you’d mind. I was sharing your flowers with her. Not the other way around.”
         Becky softened, but still wasn’t quite ready to let Scott off the hook.
         “And what did you and Joyce talk about?”
         “I told her that I would always love her. That she was an amazing woman. That she was the biggest part of my life for five and a half years. And that she saved me from death or madness in so many ways.
         “And I asked her permission to move on. I told her there was another woman who I’d come to know and love, and that I wanted to see if that other woman would be willing to fill the hole in my soul that Joyce left when she passed away.”
         He noticed that Becky’s eyes had become shiny and wet.
         “And what did she say?”
         “She told me she loved the time we had together. But that life was for the living. She said that I had too choices: either to get on with living or to get on with dying. And that I had too many good years left in me not to share them with someone special.”
         Becky turned away so Scott couldn’t see the single tear getting ready to fall down her cheek.
         With her back to him, she asked, “Does that mean you have her permission to fall in love again and move ahead with your life?”
         He put his hands on her arms and turned her back around.
         “I hope so. Because I already have. Fallen in love again, that is.”
         Several things happened at once.