Love Metamorphosis

Chapter 35

The next morning was an in-service day for Adele's school and Jemma woke up early because there was something she needed to do. She was going to drive to Jeff's grave and leave their wedding bands with him. She woke up early, full of energy, she needed to be honest with Eric, and tell him exactly how she felt. Once she buried their wedding bands with Jeff, she would come back and tell him.

She was surprised to find Eric in the kitchen, fully dressed for work, pouring a cup of coffee. "Good morning." She called out.

He stiffened a little before turning around with a fake smile on his face. "Good morning." He managed to say.

"I am surprised to see you up so early, it is only 6:30." Jemma said, pulling out a coffee mug from the cabinet.

"I didn't sleep very well so I decided to go to work early today," he said, sipping his coffee, "You are up early for an in-service day."

"I am going to go to D.C. and take Adele to get a few winter clothes," Jemma said, adding milk and sugar to her coffee, "We should be back in time for dinner since Adele has school tomorrow."

"Why go to D.C. to shop?" He asked, sitting down at the island.

"I am going to visit Jeff," she said, turning around to look at him, "I missed the anniversary of our engagement and I feel I need to pay my respects."

Eric nodded his head, his face set, "Of course."

A silence fell between them, a very strained one and for the life of her Jemma couldn't think of a single thing to say. She stared at the green marble-like countertops as though she could divine an answer from their colors. She sipped her coffee to give her hands something to do but failed to come up with anything.

"I had better leave for work," Eric said standing, leaving the coffee cup there and walking from the kitchen.

"Have a nice day," Jemma managed awkwardly.

At 9:00 am she roused Adele and began getting her ready for the picnic, the shopping and her plan to say goodbye to Jeff. The drive over in her Honda Civic was a dream, she loved the freedom of having her own car. Adele and she sung along to a collection of Norah Jones and Sarah McLaughlin, it had been a favorite CD of Adele's mother, Elizabeth. Adele opened up with a few stories but eventually admitted she really missed her mother.

When they pulled up to the cemetery, Jemma sat in the car a minute, gripping the steering wheel. She turned off the car and slowly got out, helping Adele from the car as well.

"You were going to marry him, like my mommy was married to my daddy?" Adele asked curiously, her eyes watching Jemma expectantly.

"Yes," Jemma answered, "But he died, just like your mommy and daddy."

Adele looked straight ahead before saying softly, "That is very sad."

"It is," Jemma answered, "But we have to think about the happy things, like that despite everything that happened we are together now. I wouldn't be here with you if we hadn't lost our loved ones."

"I am very happy with you, Aunt Jemma," Adele said with a great smile.

"I am happy with you too Adele," Jemma answered honestly, tightening her hold on Adele's hand.

"I am happy with Uncle Eric too," Adele said, "We are all best when we're together."

There was a little bit of a strain in her smile that she couldn't push away entirely, "Uncle Eric loves you very much."

She stopped at the grave and looked down the plaque, it was perfectly kept and there was no sign of the flowers she had left there the month before, "Adele, wait here a moment."

She set the flowers down, red carnations like last time before pulling a spoon from her pocket and releasing Adele's hand to dig up a little bit of grass by his plaque. She took the little cloth that held their wedding bands and set it in the newly dug earth before replacing the grass over top. Standing she dusted off her hands and looked down at his grave.

"You will always be with me but I am going to do what you wanted me to do. I am going to go where I am needed," taking Adele's hand she added, "Where I am loved."

They turned back toward her car, she didn't glance back because she didn't have to, Jeff was tucked away in a part of her heart. The rest of her was looking to the future and when she sent Adele to school tomorrow morning she was going to tell Eric exactly how she felt. She knew that he would love her, that he did love her but she hoped that they could build something that could last. She had to grab the moment quickly and never let anything she loved slip through her fingers again.

Every inch of her was hopeful until that evening when they returned to an empty house. She could smell Missy Jones's perfume in the entry way and it didn't take much for her to guess where he likely was. Her suspicions were further confirmed when she found the message Eric had left on the counter top. It said he had to handle something and that they should eat without him because he wouldn't be home until late.

She had let him slip right through her fingers; instead of telling him when she had the chance she had turned away from him. It was her fault; she had been the one to push him away by calling their relationship 'a fake engagement.' She deserved every second of suffering.