A devoted widow Ava Douglas griefs the unexpected death of her husband David. A couple of years after his death an old military buddy shows up with twenty-five letters instructing her to find love again.
The sound of an electric drill rotating from downstairs woke me up. Either it was The Grinch taking my Christmas tree or Nehemiah broke into my home. David believed we could share our lives. Nehemiah did not even believe in boundaries. I stumbled to my silk robe and covered my body as I walked down to the kitchen. Nehemiah was now elevating the kitchen cabinets. He stepped back and looked at his work. He took a measuring tape and placed it against the next cabinet and proceeded with the drill. "Can you please turn that off?" I yelled over the loud tool. "Sorry, I thought you were up already." "What time is it?" "It's three in the afternoon." I groggily checked the time on the Keurig and pressed the start button. Time slipped away from me. I guess I did get into the cellar last night. All I wanted to do was go to bed. I needed David's sweats and a glass of red wine. "How did you get in?" "I knocked several times and no answer. The door was unlocked." "So you decided to come in anyway?" "Ava, I wanted to make sure you were okay." "That is not your job." "It's my responsibility to David to make sure you are okay." "I am fine Nehemiah." "Ava, I know your tough." "Why do you think you know me because some dead guy left you letters?" Nehemiah reached for my hand and lead me to the sofa in the living room. He fluffed a pillow and placed it behind me. "You need to rest. You're not thinking straight." I grabbed the pillow cushion and threw it to the ground. His perfect face was next but thought against it. I grabbed another bottle of wine from the cellar behind the bar. Nehemiah suggested, "How about we take it easy on the wine?" "I need antioxidants." "I wish you would talk to me. We both lost someone." "You lost a co-worker. David was my husband, partner, and my damn best friend.." "David was my best friend too. We went through boot camp and we fought to the end together." "And now you are here trying to seduce his wife." "That is not what this is Ava. No one is being forced to love anyone here." "Even if you don't love me you are still going to stay?" "At first I wanted to come here and give you the letters. Let you know there was a friend out there but then I saw you." "What did you see?" He whispered, "You are so beautiful." My hands started to tremble around the wine bottle. I had to escape this madness. This was a nightmare. I wanted to wake up with David sleeping next to me. "Fix the cabinets and leave. My heart will always be broken." I sadly confessed. "Ava let me fix that too." Nehemiah picked me off the ground and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. Then he carried me up the dark staircase to the bedroom. Through the dimmed lights I admired his caring nature and the stubble growing from his chin. "Thank you." I whispered through the tension. "I'll fix the cabinets tomorrow. There is another letter from David on the nightstand. Get some rest." Nehemiah kissed the top of my head. I grabbed the letter next to me and ripped open the envelope. I was never prepared for what was on David's mind. Before or After.
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LETTER THREE Dear Ava, I am sorry. I know it is hard without me. Trust me I am dying to be with you. Too soon? My dove, I hope you are still there reading my letters. I pray you are not angry with me. Your heart is a little broken but it still works. If I know Nehemiah like I think I do he took one look at you and decided to stay. I know there is something inside of you telling you to let him in. Fall in love again. Let someone be there for you. God knows I wish it could be me. There is not a day that goes by I do not think about you. You are my everything. In life and in death. I want you to be happy. Ava it is time to let me go. With love, David I kicked the letters off the bed. There were no tears this time. I was frozen in place. My mind raced to the last memories of David. I thought about his laugh. The last time he kissed me. I ran my hands over the Egyptian cotton sapphire sheets. The best memories were made here. My heart ached at the thoughts of never seeing or touching him again.
