Love in Death

Chapter 5

“Your request will come with a price. If you are willing to accept them, I will grant your wish.”

“What’s the price?”

“Memories of your former life will be erased. Your time on Earth will be limited, so don’t waste any of it.”

“How much time will I have?”

“I cannot answer that, but it will be brief. Make the most of it.” He stood there, pondering his options, wondering if all this would be worth it. His gut told him to go for it, but his heart was weary. His time was limited and she would be left to pick up the pieces once he was gone. Then again, how long would he have to wait until they were together again? Years, decades?

“Alright… I’ll do it.”

I smiled when we pulled into the familiar drive way. A modest two story brick home greeted me, welcomed me back with open arms. This is where I grew up and I couldn’t wait to spend this week with my family.

“Home sweet home,” My dad said as he got out of the car. Since I no longer had access to a vehicle, I had to call my dad to pick me up. He helped me bring in my luggage and immediately the smell of something delicious assaulted my nose when we stepped inside. I heard footsteps approach and grinned when I saw my mother.

“Hey honey!” She said and I dropped my things and ran to her, the familiar feel of her instantly comforting me. She kissed my head and pulled back to take a look at me.

“It’s so good to see you! You really need to visit more often.” I shrugged, feeling guilty that I didn’t come home more often. It was a short drive from campus but I was an adult now and I felt like I needed to separate myself a little from my family.

“It’s good to be home, mom. Where’s Jamie?” I asked as I sat down at the kitchen table. I watched my mom walk back over to the stove where she was busy cooking dinner.

“Oh she’s with that boy of hers. Matt, Martin? I can’t remember. I think it starts with an M.” I laughed, realizing my sister hadn’t changed one bit, “She should be home soon. I told her to be here by seven.” I checked the clock, seeing she would hopefully be here in another twenty minutes. My dad came in the kitchen and tried to sneak in a taste of whatever my mom was cooking. She playfully slapped him away and he laughed and kissed her cheek.

Yes, my parents were still nauseatingly in love. It was sweet, don’t get me wrong, and I knew I was lucky to have parents like that. I just hoped I was fortunate enough to find a love like that, one that lasted a lifetime.

That’s another reason why Carter’s deception hadn’t completely torn me up. I knew what a great relationship was supposed to be like and honestly, I could never picture a future with him. It still hurt, of course. He was someone I trusted explicitly and he betrayed me. He taught me that even the people you trust the most could stab you in the back.

Speaking of the devil, he had called me another three times and continued to text me. I didn’t even bother to read what they said anymore, just deleted them. There was nothing he could say or do to make me want him back.

A few minutes later, I heard the front door open and a girl giggling. I rolled my eyes, knowing it was my sister and her boy-toy of the week. She walked in holding his hand and smirked when she saw me.

“Hey, sis.” She said nonchalantly and I nodded back, expecting the simple greeting. We didn’t have much in common and didn’t get along very well.

She was my opposite in almost every way. When we were younger, I always wondered if one of us had been adopted. Where I had brown hair and hazel eyes, she had shining blonde hair and striking green eyes. She got those features from mom, where as I got most of my looks from my dad.