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EPILOGUE THREE the finale
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IN THE DAYS leading up to Camille's burial, Rafe suffered a numerous amount of near-overdoses.
He'd fallen into a cycle ever since he got intel on her autopsy report- the one thing that secured the fact that she was dead. He refused to believe she died just like that for the first few days; his Cami didn't give up so easily.
But, then again, he'd stumble upon her letter to him. He'd reread it with flooded eyes, cursing each droplet that fell on the paper and smudged her imperfectly scribbled words. Her note made him more angry than he wished, though less angry at her and rather at himself.
He hated that he couldn't see that she was desperate for help before it was too late. Instead of persisting to ensure she was alright, he accepted every unclear answer she'd give him in response to his concern, and then he moved on. Ignorance was bliss when it came to his own emotions, but it was the one thing he hated to pass onto her.
All the signs Camille gave him- whether they were silent or screamed- he dismissed them.
So, in order to deal with his overpowering guilt, Rafe started a routine. Every evening following the news of her cause of death, he'd drive to Dave's Liquors and pick up 2 bottles of her Peach Liqueur, chase the sickly sweet taste down his throat, and proceed to drink until he reached a .27 blood alcohol content level.
That was how much Camille drank before she stepped into that car, and inevitably the amount that caused her to crash straight into a fallen tree.
Rafe knew full well that Cami couldn't drive, let alone under such intoxication. There were times where he bargained with his thoughts, persisting that she wasn't in the right state of mind and that the following events were accidental. However, no amount of booze can restrict someone from the ability to swerve, which is exactly what she didn't do.
Camille didn't swerve away from the obstruction. Horrifyingly, it seemed that she'd gone towards it on purpose. A short and sweet ending to her life, a death so painless that she didn't even bleed externally. Much like her suffering, all her injuries were internal, the blood that rushed to her brain once she hit the steering wheel causing an end to it all.
Her death was ruled a suicide, to Rafe's objection as he continued forcing the idea of an accident.
Accidents often take the same form as mistakes, and with growing acceptance he wondered if she really meant to do what she did. If she'd known ahead of time just how badly he'd be affected, would she have still killed herself?
With that question came the counter action; if Rafe knew that he'd lose the one person he loved once he fired that shot in Peterkin's direction, would he have still done it?
