𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 (18+)

- 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 -

- 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 -

POV: Archer White

"Some people in my life used to tell me to enjoy life because love doesn't last forever," I spoke into the microphone, acutely aware of all the eyes on me. "My father used to say, 'Archie, people who don't believe in love haven't experienced it yet,' and he was right."

I glanced at my gorgeous wife, sitting in the front row. "I am now sixty-two, and only recently have I found the love my father was talking about." She blew me a kiss, and I winked at her. "Why did I trust my father's words? Because I've seen his love."

I paused for a moment, my eyes growing teary. "I don't know how to thank my father enough for what he has given me: a childhood, a safe place to stay when I needed it, the best advice for every situation, and my very best friend." Audrey had aged quite a bit, but she was still as soft and fragile as when I first met her.

"Audrey is my father's heart. I am convinced that as long as she is alive, he will be too." My voice broke, and I had to cough to regain my composure. Audrey was crying desperately, tears streaming down her freckled face.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate the life of Hector White."

I got off the stage as quickly as possible and headed towards Audrey, hugging her as tightly as I could. For decades, I had seen her bubbly, happy, and peaceful with my father, and this was the first time I had seen her cry. It felt wrong for her to be so sad and desperate again.

"It's okay, Arch. I'll be okay," she whispered. "He left me a lot."

I didn't understand what she meant until I discovered the collection of novels my father had written about his muse. None were ever published, and she begged me never to touch them.

I was very old when I learned about Audrey's passing. She had moved away from London, sold the house near Hyde Park where she had lived for so long with my father, and traveled the world alone until she was finally too tired to keep all the love to herself.

In her death bed she was still asking for her darling.

The End.