You Know Me Through The Years

The Last Promise

Golden rays of light danced over the lake below as he sat up on the ridge above it. It was just another beautiful autumn day for everyone else, but for Dante, it was something else. The emptiness he felt these days was always hanging around his neck like a ball and chain. It swallowed him at first, but soon enough he was so deep in his loneliness that he almost shut everyone out.

The only thing he had left of her was the urn sitting beside him.

The stupid metal container that contained the ashes of his beloved wife and took his focus away. When he tried to be himself, it was always fake. He had not been himself in months and his family knew it. Of course, they all mourned with him, but it was not the same. They did not lose the other half of themselves. Of course, Cade, Mara, and Evie lost their mother, but it was nothing like what he felt.

Maybe he was being completely selfish?

Maybe.

He could not answer that in a good way. All Dante felt now was the daily onslaught of anger and depression. From one extreme to another.

There had been closure, of course. The men responsible for taking Roe's life had been dealt with severely. Life in prison was not what Dante was rooting for, but the three men were held accountable. They had turned themselves in thanks to a certain viral video on social media.

Dante was no one to mess around with.

But he was sick of the eggshells that everyone around him walked on. Trish was the only one willing to crush them and not pussy foot around. Vergil was more tactful than Trish when it came to saying anything. He had simply told Dante to get his shit together and take care of the girls or he was going to do something about it. That was all in the beginning.

Now, Dante was not sure if he could let go just yet, but he was going to try.

He had a promise to make.

Looking out across the small valley, he picked the urn up and held it close. This was the spot he had taken her many times for fun or just to goof around when they were much younger. In the later years, it was still their spot to lay under the stars and make out. He wanted her to be here waiting for him when he died... eventually.

"Well, Babe... I guess this is it for us." He held the silver urn up and looked at it with a small smile on his lips. "We had a good life together, but now I think it's time we said au revoir." He stood up as the wind blew across the ridge. "I've got work to do and I've been out of it for way too long." He said as he opened the top of the vessel that contained the remains of his wife. "I stopped hunting because I wanted to spend every moment I could with you and the kids before the world decides to end. Now, I have to let you go so I can save it again."

He chuckled.

"Maybe not right now, but I know it's coming." He slowly tilted the urn over to let the ashes escape to the rim. "If there is an afterlife, Roe, I'll see you there." Because he was not going to stay up here forever. "I love you, always."

The wind caught her ashes and carried them away to whatever afterlife awaited her. He knew that she had left him months ago, but part of her still remained within his memories.

When he turned around, his children and his brother stood there silently watching. Mara's eyes glistened with tears as she walked up to Dante and threw her arms around him. He saw his brother gently push Evie towards him with a smaller whisper.

Evie had taken it the worst.

The younger girl gingerly walked up to her father, who held his arm out for her to jump into the embrace. Dante held his daughters tight as Cade and his brother simply waited for them to let go.

There was never a good time to say goodbye to a loved one.

Dante's world was a little smaller now, but it was in front of him and in his arms. He held on to his daughters as if they were his lifeline, and then he looked to his son with pride. Either way, his legacy was right there with him.

Now if only Vergil could figure it out.

Maybe he could, but in the meantime, this was it.