let go.
Darcy sighed. It was up to her. No one else that Jeff knew had the gift. Only her. So regardless of how much pain Jeff had brought into her life, and into the lives of others, she would have to be the one.
The one to help him cross over.
Sucking in a deep breath and letting it go slowly, she brought her hands up to the sides of his face. She could feel the tingle on her skin as his spirit touched her flesh. Physical contact was necessary to accomplish this. Without it, she couldn’t act as a conduit.
He smiled at her, his eyes growing brighter. “I’m sorry,” he repeated one more time.
“I know you are, Jeff. I know you did things you’re sorry for now. I know you did things to me you never told me about, and I know you feel bad about that. Now, at least.” She held her breath until it had built up enough pressure for her to force the words out. “Jeff, I forgive you. I no longer hold your bad acts against you. Go, now. Go in peace, and find your rest.”
He lifted a hand to touch her cheek, almost lovingly, and the prickly sensation became ice. Then his spirit began to fade, becoming fainter and fainter until it was gone for good, gone over to the other side.
Darcy clamped her mouth tightly shut. Even so, a tear trickled down her cheek.
The door to the hotel room opened and Jon came in. He hesitated when he saw her like that. “What’s wrong?”
Wiping at the tear, she went back to packing. “Nothing. Jeff’s gone, is all.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” he said.
She let that comment go. Her emotions were in too much of a tangle right then. “Are we ready to go?”
“Yes. We are. Darcy…” He came over to her and with a gentle grip pulled her into his arms. “Look, I’m sorry you had to go through all this. I know your gift gets you into trouble, or into situations that cause you trouble, and all that. This one was bad, though. Right?”
She n odded, and stopped trying to hold herself back from him. She laid her head down on his shoulder. “I’m glad you came out to be with me.”
“Me too. There’s no one I’d rather get hit in the head for than you.” He rubbed a hand around her back. “Are you okay?”
His warmth spread through her body and somehow, she found it easier to breathe. “I am now. Let’s just go home.”
“Agreed,” he said.
Still, they held each other that way for a long time.
***
On the ride home they fell into a comfortable mood that was almost like any other day for them. They talked, and joked about things they heard on the radio, and listened to music. By the time they made it back to their house, Darcy had put the events of Ryansburg behind her. At least for now.
As soon as she stepped through the door Smudge pounced on her, rubbing his face and body around and around her legs, meowing like he had incredibly important things to tell her. She laughed, stepping carefully around him to make it inside to the couch where she could put her bags down. She bent to pick her big tomcat up and hold him tight while she stroked the fur between his ears. His purring was loud and happy.
“Did you miss me?” she asked. “Did Lilly take good care of you?”
Smudge gave her a look that Darcy read as, “The kid has promise but no one feeds me like you.”
She laughed and set Smudge down again. Lilly was the daughter of her new next door neighbor, Izzy. Jon had asked her to watch out for Smudge while he was gone. Apparently she’d done a good job, because Smudge certainly didn’t look like he was starving.
Jon came in from parking the car and Darcy watched as he and Smudge stopped and faced each other. Reluctantly, it seemed to Darcy, Smudge went over and rubbed against Jon’s leg. It was a lot less enthusiastic than what the cat had done with Darcy, but it was a grudging show of affection for the new man in Darcy’s life.
Then Smudge jetted across the
Darcy sighed. It was up to her. No one else that Jeff knew had the gift. Only her. So regardless of how much pain Jeff had brought into her life, and into the lives of others, she would have to be the one.
The one to help him cross over.
Sucking in a deep breath and letting it go slowly, she brought her hands up to the sides of his face. She could feel the tingle on her skin as his spirit touched her flesh. Physical contact was necessary to accomplish this. Without it, she couldn’t act as a conduit.
He smiled at her, his eyes growing brighter. “I’m sorry,” he repeated one more time.
“I know you are, Jeff. I know you did things you’re sorry for now. I know you did things to me you never told me about, and I know you feel bad about that. Now, at least.” She held her breath until it had built up enough pressure for her to force the words out. “Jeff, I forgive you. I no longer hold your bad acts against you. Go, now. Go in peace, and find your rest.”
He lifted a hand to touch her cheek, almost lovingly, and the prickly sensation became ice. Then his spirit began to fade, becoming fainter and fainter until it was gone for good, gone over to the other side.
Darcy clamped her mouth tightly shut. Even so, a tear trickled down her cheek.
The door to the hotel room opened and Jon came in. He hesitated when he saw her like that. “What’s wrong?”
Wiping at the tear, she went back to packing. “Nothing. Jeff’s gone, is all.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” he said.
She let that comment go. Her emotions were in too much of a tangle right then. “Are we ready to go?”
“Yes. We are. Darcy…” He came over to her and with a gentle grip pulled her into his arms. “Look, I’m sorry you had to go through all this. I know your gift gets you into trouble, or into situations that cause you trouble, and all that. This one was bad, though. Right?”
She n odded, and stopped trying to hold herself back from him. She laid her head down on his shoulder. “I’m glad you came out to be with me.”
“Me too. There’s no one I’d rather get hit in the head for than you.” He rubbed a hand around her back. “Are you okay?”
His warmth spread through her body and somehow, she found it easier to breathe. “I am now. Let’s just go home.”
“Agreed,” he said.
Still, they held each other that way for a long time.
***
On the ride home they fell into a comfortable mood that was almost like any other day for them. They talked, and joked about things they heard on the radio, and listened to music. By the time they made it back to their house, Darcy had put the events of Ryansburg behind her. At least for now.
As soon as she stepped through the door Smudge pounced on her, rubbing his face and body around and around her legs, meowing like he had incredibly important things to tell her. She laughed, stepping carefully around him to make it inside to the couch where she could put her bags down. She bent to pick her big tomcat up and hold him tight while she stroked the fur between his ears. His purring was loud and happy.
“Did you miss me?” she asked. “Did Lilly take good care of you?”
Smudge gave her a look that Darcy read as, “The kid has promise but no one feeds me like you.”
She laughed and set Smudge down again. Lilly was the daughter of her new next door neighbor, Izzy. Jon had asked her to watch out for Smudge while he was gone. Apparently she’d done a good job, because Smudge certainly didn’t look like he was starving.
Jon came in from parking the car and Darcy watched as he and Smudge stopped and faced each other. Reluctantly, it seemed to Darcy, Smudge went over and rubbed against Jon’s leg. It was a lot less enthusiastic than what the cat had done with Darcy, but it was a grudging show of affection for the new man in Darcy’s life.
Then Smudge jetted across the
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