Chapter 4
That night, before Kate went to sleep, she put on one of Rick's sweatshirts so she could feel like she was close to him. She rolled over to his side of the bed and it was cold. "It still smells like you." She whispered, holding his pillow close. She started to silently cry. She looked at her nightstand where there were pictures of them together. She picked one of them up which was of them when they went to the Hamptons for the first time. She had a flashback to when she felt insecure about how there were many girls that had gone there and how she reassured her by saying "none of them were you." She cried herself to sleep.
During the night, she awoke to the sound of crying and it sounded like it was coming from Alexis's room. Kate quickly got out of bed. She gently knocked on the bedroom door. "Hey, Lex. It's Kate. Can I come in?" Alexis opened the door. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying so much. "I miss him so much. I can't believe he's really gone." "I miss him too." Kate said, pulling her into a tight hug. Once Alexis started to calm down, Kate asked, "want some herbal tea? It'll help you sleep." They went into the kitchen and she made the tea. "Thanks Kate." This made her think of all the times her and Rick thanked each other and said "always." This made her tear up. "Kate I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry." Alexis said, knowing the reason why she was crying. "I'm always going to be there for you, no matter what. Anything you need. I think of you like a daughter. I love you Alexis." Alexis smiled and hugged her again.
Days passed. Kate was falling deeper and deeper into sorrow. The time for the funeral came. Martha knocked on her bedroom door. "Kate it's Martha. We have to leave. It's time for the funeral." She slowly opened the door and saw Kate looking at her wedding dress. "I wish you were here. We were supposed to have our special day and get married. I can't believe you're really gone and you're never coming back to me." She said, not knowing Martha had walked in. She felt so empty and lost without him. "Kate, he loved you very much." Kate looked startled. "I know. What if what happened to him had something to do with my mother's murder? If we didn't meet and he never found out anything about my life, he would still be here. This is all my fault." She said blaming herself. "Don't you dare say that. That's not true. You can't blame yourself for this. This isn't your fault. You made him so happy. Don't wish you didn't meet him. There was nothing you could do to stop this from happening. Richard would not want you blaming yourself for this." Martha said and wiped away Kate's tears. "Everything is going to be okay. You're going to get through this and I'm going to be there for you." "Thank you." "Anytime. Come on. You have to get dressed. I'll be waiting outside. Come out when you're ready." It took everything in her to get out of bed. She didn't want to have to say goodbye to the love of her life.
"Rick," Kate began. "Was my partner, my soulmate, the love of my life, my one and done. He was taken away from the world too soon. We went through so much together, through the good times and the bad. He was there for me even when I didn't deserve it. He was such a good person, with a big heart." Kate started to sob and had to take a moment to pull herself together. "He was a great person to be around. He could put a smile on anyone's face. Even though he is gone, he will be with us, always." She cried, as the casket was set down at the grave. Everyone place roses on the grave. Martha and Alexis said their goodbyes to Rick. "I need some time by myself." Kate said and Martha just nodded. "alright we'll be in the car." She said and they left. Kate kneeled down at Rick's grave. "I will always love you. I would do anything to have another chance to see you. I wish I could hear your voice again. I wish you could hold me close." She looked down at her engagement ring. "I miss the way you would smile at me when you would make me coffee. I feel so broken without you here with me. Thank for you being by my side through everything. Please give me the strength to get through this. You will always be a part of my life." She placed a bouquet of flowers on the grave along with a picture of them.
Kate woke up shaking. She sat up, looked over to see Rick next to her and started crying tears of joy. Rick woke up because he felt the movement in the bed. "What's wrong, sweetie?" He asked. "You're really here. You're alive. It was just a dream." She kissed passionately. "I had a nightmare that you were in a car crash on our wedding day and you died. I lost you forever." He held her close and could feel her still shaking. "I'm right here. Everything is okay." He stroked her fast and kissed her cheek. "I love you so much, Rick. Please don't leave me." "I'm not going anywhere and I love you too."
The End.
