Jasper.
“Aye. The angels call. Ye are free. Mi presence be no longer
needed.” Jasper looked at Lynn. His eyes darkened with sadness. “Take care o’
him. See him home safely for mi.”
She stepped forward, reaching in the direction of Jasper’s
cheek. It didn’t matter her fingertips sank into his image and coldness shot
along her arm. “Tell him,” she simply stated as she held his heartbroken stare.
When he shook his head, she said it again. “Tell him. Leave this world in peace
with your heart free. Don’t let regret darken your heavenly travels.”
Jasper looked as if he wanted to protest but changed his
mind. He floated to kneel before Padon and took his face in his hands. Lynn
swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat at the beauty of what happened
in front of her. If Padon felt the chill she knew graced his skin from Jasper’s
touch, he didn’t show it.
“I have loved ye mi whole life and more,” Jasper said.
Passion and love filled each word of his declaration and Lynn had to breathe
deeply to keep from crying.
“And I have loved ye as close as one o’ mi brathairs ,”
Padon answered. His rich baritone seemed to falter as he spoke.
“I know, mi gaol— love , m’caraid— my
friend , ” Jasper continued. His fingers on one hand disappeared when he
ran them through Padon’s hair, yet the hair didn’t move from the touch. “I have
been thy bloodless brathair . In mi heart, ye have been mi leannan— lover.”
Jasper rose. His image became less visible by the second.
Padon leapt to his feet, reaching for Jasper, but his hands
swept through his ghostly frame. “I knew, Jasper,” Padon admitted, raw emotion
lacing his words. “I knew. But I did no feel the same kind o’ gaol for
ye.” His head hung low. “Please forgive mi.”
Jasper’s hand cupped Padon’s chin and though Lynn knew he
felt nothing but cold, Padon lifted his face to meet Jasper’s gaze. “There be
nothing ta forgive. We shared a friendship like no other.” Jasper smiled. “I am
free ta walk in the Garden o’ Angels. Ye are free ta follow thy heart, mi gaol .”
He leaned and brushed a kiss across Padon’s lips and Lynn
could no longer hold back her tears. The look in Padon’s eyes said it all. He
loved Jasper and that was a memory Jasper would take with him to the other
side.
Jasper floated until he was near the ceiling then spun at a
rapid rate of speed. Padon placed a fist across his heart and stared directly
at Jasper. “Thank ye, m’caraid . May ye rest in peace. Ye deserved so
much more than mi.”
“Nay,” came Jasper’s voice from the spinning ball of light.
“Ye were m’caraid and that was enough for mi.”
Jasper suddenly stopped spinning. He shot Padon a smile then
burst into a flash of brilliant colors and stars, which rained down upon them.
His spirit was gone.
Chapter Seven
She couldn’t be sure how much they heard or saw, but the
spell of the scene that had just played out before her was broken when either
Travis or Fin cleared his throat loudly. Padon swiped the back of his hand
across his eyes, and she knew he hid his tears from the men. But if he’d looked
at them as she did, he would have seen them both brushing tears from their eyes
as well. They understood the love between men.
She swallowed hard. Padon and Jasper never had a chance.
Though their feelings were not exactly the same for one another, they still
loved each other deeply. Their unrequited affair made her realize love was a
valuable gift from the heart, to be cherished when it hit. Mixed emotions had
her rethinking her feelings for Padon. What if this was more than just a sexual
attraction? What if she hadn’t cheated on Eddie’s memory , but in fact
started a new relationship off with a ban g ?
He abruptly interrupted her train of thought.
“We must leave,” Padon stated then turned and headed for the
waterfall again.
No one questioned his direction. He walked along the ledge
that ran toward the
“Aye. The angels call. Ye are free. Mi presence be no longer
needed.” Jasper looked at Lynn. His eyes darkened with sadness. “Take care o’
him. See him home safely for mi.”
She stepped forward, reaching in the direction of Jasper’s
cheek. It didn’t matter her fingertips sank into his image and coldness shot
along her arm. “Tell him,” she simply stated as she held his heartbroken stare.
When he shook his head, she said it again. “Tell him. Leave this world in peace
with your heart free. Don’t let regret darken your heavenly travels.”
Jasper looked as if he wanted to protest but changed his
mind. He floated to kneel before Padon and took his face in his hands. Lynn
swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat at the beauty of what happened
in front of her. If Padon felt the chill she knew graced his skin from Jasper’s
touch, he didn’t show it.
“I have loved ye mi whole life and more,” Jasper said.
Passion and love filled each word of his declaration and Lynn had to breathe
deeply to keep from crying.
“And I have loved ye as close as one o’ mi brathairs ,”
Padon answered. His rich baritone seemed to falter as he spoke.
“I know, mi gaol— love , m’caraid— my
friend , ” Jasper continued. His fingers on one hand disappeared when he
ran them through Padon’s hair, yet the hair didn’t move from the touch. “I have
been thy bloodless brathair . In mi heart, ye have been mi leannan— lover.”
Jasper rose. His image became less visible by the second.
Padon leapt to his feet, reaching for Jasper, but his hands
swept through his ghostly frame. “I knew, Jasper,” Padon admitted, raw emotion
lacing his words. “I knew. But I did no feel the same kind o’ gaol for
ye.” His head hung low. “Please forgive mi.”
Jasper’s hand cupped Padon’s chin and though Lynn knew he
felt nothing but cold, Padon lifted his face to meet Jasper’s gaze. “There be
nothing ta forgive. We shared a friendship like no other.” Jasper smiled. “I am
free ta walk in the Garden o’ Angels. Ye are free ta follow thy heart, mi gaol .”
He leaned and brushed a kiss across Padon’s lips and Lynn
could no longer hold back her tears. The look in Padon’s eyes said it all. He
loved Jasper and that was a memory Jasper would take with him to the other
side.
Jasper floated until he was near the ceiling then spun at a
rapid rate of speed. Padon placed a fist across his heart and stared directly
at Jasper. “Thank ye, m’caraid . May ye rest in peace. Ye deserved so
much more than mi.”
“Nay,” came Jasper’s voice from the spinning ball of light.
“Ye were m’caraid and that was enough for mi.”
Jasper suddenly stopped spinning. He shot Padon a smile then
burst into a flash of brilliant colors and stars, which rained down upon them.
His spirit was gone.
Chapter Seven
She couldn’t be sure how much they heard or saw, but the
spell of the scene that had just played out before her was broken when either
Travis or Fin cleared his throat loudly. Padon swiped the back of his hand
across his eyes, and she knew he hid his tears from the men. But if he’d looked
at them as she did, he would have seen them both brushing tears from their eyes
as well. They understood the love between men.
She swallowed hard. Padon and Jasper never had a chance.
Though their feelings were not exactly the same for one another, they still
loved each other deeply. Their unrequited affair made her realize love was a
valuable gift from the heart, to be cherished when it hit. Mixed emotions had
her rethinking her feelings for Padon. What if this was more than just a sexual
attraction? What if she hadn’t cheated on Eddie’s memory , but in fact
started a new relationship off with a ban g ?
He abruptly interrupted her train of thought.
“We must leave,” Padon stated then turned and headed for the
waterfall again.
No one questioned his direction. He walked along the ledge
that ran toward the
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