What It Takes

Chapter 11- An Unconditional Love

Chapter 11

He loves me? Did he seriously just say that? I was having a hard time comprehending what Jace just said. I unwrapped my legs from around him and stood firmly on the floor. Looking up Jace was peering down at me, he looked scared. Almost as if he didn’t mean to say it. What if he really meant I love how you make me feel or I love our quick hook ups. My eyes started watering as I studied his face, his incredibly handsome face.  I loved the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel like the only woman in the world.

“Bella?” He questioned.

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of his silk like voice. “Did you really mean what you said?” I asked my heart beating erratically.

He wrapped his arms around me, we held onto each other our naked chests touching. “Of course I meant it. Isabell I love you so much I’d go to the ends of the earth for you. You and Talan are my life now, before I was bitter and selfish. I remember seeing you running early each morning, I looked forward to the days I could see you glare at me. You were so darn cute. Then I met you at the hospital, and I swear I was in heaven on earth.”

Tears were streaming down my face and Jace confessed his love for me, “I love you Jace.” I sobbed. He didn’t let me continue because his lips were on mine. We didn't have plain old sex this time, we made love. Because ultimately thats what people who are in love do, and we were those people.  

~~~

“What are we doing here?” I questioned Jace as we drove into the Harrington cemetery.

He didn’t answer simply exited the car and motioned for me to follow. Our hands were interlaced as we traveled farther on foot. I watched his arm flexed as he opened a gate that was surrounding multiple large stones. I was overcome with gratitude, he brought me to his mothers grave.

“I brought you here to meet my mother.” Jace said with a smile on his face. His white tee rode up showing his toned abdomen as he reached out to kiss my forehead.

Together we sat down in the grass by her grave, red roses were carved into the granite stone next to her name ‘Elana Marie Fairfeild’.

“She has a beautiful name.” I muttered as I traced the lettering with my fingers.

“She hated Roses, I remember her saying roses were to fancy. She was a very simple and loving woman.”

“Just like you. Not that you're a woman, but you are loving and simple.” I announced.

He looked down at me and smiled, “I’d like to think that.”

We sat in silence a while longer. I hated that I’d never get to meet the woman Jace loved first. The woman he cherished and looked up too. She sounded like a precious soul.

“She loved lilacs.” Jace said breaking the silence.

Lilacs. The flowers that filled the pews at my wedding to Andrew. The flowers that reminded me of so much pain. I admit it loved lilacs before all the pain, they reminded me of summers at my grandmothers house. The smell was so soothing. My love for Jace will now be what I remember when I see lilacs. I decided to move on at that moment. I accepted that Andrew happened and I couldn't change that, Jace was now my present and future.

“Hi.” Jace whispered to his mothers grave, “This is Isabell.” He said while looking at me, “I love her. She makes me so happy Mom. Remember when you told me to find someone that completes me, someone worth fighting for, someone I can love endlessly. We’ll I found someone and I’m looking at her.” A stray tear escaped from and eyes as I grasped his hand. His thumb rubbed circles in my palm as I cleared my throat to speak.

“Hi Elana. Your son is my rock, my shelter, and my hope. He holds me when I’m weak and loves me unconditionally. You did good when raising him. I hope I can raise my little boy Talan to be a man with as much love as Jace does. I love your son. He helped me move on from a dark past. I was positive I would never find love, but I did. In a week we will be officially done with a place built in your memory and the battle you had. I don't know if you knew but my son is sick just like you were, but you're healthy and sitting with our maker.” I couldn’t continue anymore due the immense amount of tears running down my face.

We left the cemetery just the way we entered, holding hands.