His Light, Her Darkness

Chapter 66: A Relief So Great

Mia Giovanni POV:

I awake, drenched and in a pool of my own sweat. On the tip of my tongue remains the ghost of a scream.

I pant, trying to bring air back into my lungs. Breathe, just breathe. Why can't I breathe?

I let out a pained sob, and double over, coughing sporadically. Tears fall down my face without warning, and it feels as if I'm being consumed by darkness and grief.

It hurts so bad, and there's nothing I can do to numb the pain.

My father is dead.

I will no longer be able to smell his warm, homely scent, nor will I be able to be embraced by one of his bear hugs. I can no longer tell him that I love him or hear him say that he loves me too.

He's gone, and he's not coming back.

For real this time.

I found a way to live without my father when I was young, because I knew I would always hear his voice at the end of the day - But now...

Now he's dead.

"Why?" I cry.

The door to the bedroom opens abruptly, and a figure steps into the room, hurrying towards me. I instinctively shuffle away, until the figure moves closer and I gain a whiff of the familiar scent of Matteo.

That only makes me lose it even more. I can't seem to hold back, as it all hits me at once. Rising up my throat and clawing its way out. I feel like I'm puking it all out, and it hurts so bad. I feel like I'm dying.

My father is dead, and he's never coming back. I never got to say goodbye, I never got to tell him how much I appreciate him. Now I'll never get to, I'll never get to tell him just how much I love him.

"Mia, it's alright." Matteo's husky voice whispers. I feel him place a hand on my shoulder. It's meant to be soothing, but it's as if I can't feel him at all.

Nothing exists besides me and this grief - This overbearing feeling of devastation. Everything in my life has changed, for the worse.

Dad was my constant, he was my always. He was never going to leave me, because it was impossible. He was immortal - And I believed that. I believed he couldn't die, but it seems he is just human as I am. He was just as human.

"Why is this happening to me?" I sob, heaving in deep breaths.

Matteo's hand rubs circles on my back. "Just let it all out."

And I do.

I cry and cry and cry until my body is too exhausted, and even breathing seems to cause me pain.

I don't know how long Matteo sits beside me, comforting me, but it's had to have been at least an hour. He just sat beside me, no words exchanged. Just us, and my overwhelming sadness.

I begin to feel my eyes fall closed, and my body relaxes into the bed as I finally succumb to sleep. Though, when Matteo's comforting hand leaves my body as he stands, my hand instantly reaches out and grabs his wrist.

"Please," I whisper. "I don't want to be alone. Stay with me."

I can't see his face in the darkness, but his body doesn't move, and his head stares down at me, as if inspecting my every feature. And then he grabs my hand in his and squeezes it.

The bed dips as he takes a seat beside my body, and he places his hand once again on my back, rubbing in soothing motions once more. "Always." He whispers.

I fall asleep with my hand in his.

***

When I woke up there was a sense of peace.