Theirs Read Online Free Page A

father.
    Lilly
looked at the three of them, their family torn apart and each trying to keep
the pieces together. It was heart-wrenching to witness and something Lilly
couldn’t handle. She turned away and leaned against the window frame, taking a
drink of her flavorless punch as she continued to stare at the snowfall.
    “You
can’t truly know life until you’ve accepted death.”
    Lilly
didn’t need to turn and see who spoke in that deep tone. Riley was right next
to her, his words spearing into her heart and clenching it in pain.
    “You
and your elucidations. You were like Christian in that sense.”
    She
felt his hand rub up and down her back.
    “It’s
true though.”
    “I
know.” And she did know that, even if it was a hard thing to come to terms
with. “Everything happens for a reason. Isn’t that what Christian always said?”
She turned and stared into Riley’s eyes, seeing the dark circles that lay under
them and the haunted expression he held. She lifted her hand and cupped his
cheek. “I love you, Riley. I want you to know that since you never know what
life has in store.”
    “Don’t
say stuff like that.”
    She
couldn’t help the sad smile that tilted her lips. “What? Don’t say that I love
you?” She knew what he had been referring to, but she could see that a little
teasing would be therapeutic. He shook his head and breathed out, his
expression hard still. She dropped her hand and looked back out the window.
    “Don’t
start talking about death.”
    “Why
not? Isn’t it all around us?” The words that came out of her mouth were barren
of any kind of emotion. Death surrounded her, and that seemed to be all she
could think about.
    “What
happened to Christian was a fucking tragedy, an accident, but you will not let death encompass you.”
    She
turned with a small amount of surprise as she stared at him. Riley rarely
swore, a true testament to the pain he was really feeling. “How can I not think
about death? Anyone of us could die at the drop of a hat. I didn’t even get to
tell Christian how much he meant to me. I won’t make that mistake again, not
with you, Tallin , or anyone else for that matter.”
She heard the determination in her own voice and wondered where it had come
from.
    He
breathed out as he ran his hand over the back of his neck. “It just breaks my
heart seeing you in so much pain.”
    His
gaze locked with hers for a suspended moment before he leaned in and kissed the
top of her head. “I love you, too, Lilly, so damn much.” He walked away, his
head down, his movements unhurried.
    As
he walked into the kitchen, her eyes moved over the room. She took in all the
blackness, all the sadness and grief despite the appearance of happiness. She
saw Tallin sitting on the stairs, his red cup in his
hand, his firearms braced on his thighs. He watched her intently. She smiled
softly at him, realizing Tallin hadn’t spoken more
than two words since last night. The funeral had been hard on all of them, but
staring into Tallin’s dark eyes, she knew he was
taking it hard even though he tried to appear strong.
    She
pushed away from the window frame and walked toward him, stopping briefly to
gaze at the posters that were set up on easels around the room. The posters had
various pictures of Christian’s life glued to them, ranging from infancy to
adulthood. She stopped scanning the room and examined a picture that she knew
was recent, knew this because it was similar to the one Christian had sent to
her via text just a week ago. That had been their last conversation.
    He
stood by an unfinished cabin, the snow-covered ground bright white against the
dark coloring of his clothing. His smile was big as he posed, his arm
outstretched behind him, showing the camera the incredible work he was
accomplishing. His auburn hair seemed redder in the picture, as if the sun had
chosen that moment to peek through the clouds and shine down on him.
    A
tear slipped from her eye and made its way