Summer Love

Chapter 20

A/N: Thank you for 60 followers! Plenty of Laya in this chapter, but beware of a kinda-cliffhanger...

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Lucas's POV

There's nothing worse than breaking a bone the day before the big game. Or spilling ice cream on yourself on the coldest day of the year. Or having a friend move away.

That's what I thought, at least. But there is something worse, much worse.

Death.

As my father falls into his pillow, I quickly grab his hand. This just can't be happening. This has to be a dream. He can't be gone.

But he is.

I gasp for air. I put my hands over my face and sob, just trying to will myself to believe that everything is okay.

The door to the room opens and I see Maya standing there. She rushes over to me and just hugs me. She rubs my back and I can feel tears on my cheek. Mostly mine, but some are hers too.

"I'm so sorry Lucas," she murmurs. I try to respond but I can't, and I continue to cry.

She picks up a folded piece of paper on the floor. "What's this?"

The word "Lucas" is written in shaky writing on the front.

"I think it's for you," she says, pressing it into my hand. Her fingers touch mine as she hands it to me, and before I know it, we're holding hands.

I open the letter with my available hand. I scan down to the bottom, which reads "Your loving father." Maya squeezes my hand. I squeeze back.

Dear Lucas,

If you're reading this, I am no longer with you. So I guess I hope you aren't reading this.

Don't cry, son. I'm gone from the Earth, but my heart's still with you. I'll always be with you.

If I had any last words at all, they'd be to never lose sight of the right path. Don't wander away from what you know is right. I know you've done that before, don't deny it; I saw the letter the school gave you when you got yourself expelled! But hopefully that was just a one-time thing. You've made better friends now that won't let you do something like that. One of them being my beautiful future daughter-in-law, Maya.

You don't know this and she doesn't know this, but I've met Miss Maya Penelope Hart before, and so have you. When your mother and I went to the hospital for your however-many-months old checkup, a baby had just been born. Maya. I saw her and so did you. You were crying because you'd just had shots, but you saw Maya in her mother's arms and stopped your crying immediately. You smiled and she opened her eyes for the first time. You smiling and her with her eyes wide open. A perfect moment.

I really don't know how to end this. I wish I could go on and on and "talk" to you forever, but I know my time left is getting smaller and smaller, so here's what you need to know: Hold your mom close, hold your friends close, hold your Maya close. Never let them go.

Your loving father.

Maya's still holding my hand. I don't stop her.

She's staring at the letter. She looks so perfect standing there. She looks up at me and I realize once again how much I love her. I can't control myself. I lean in...