Page 149 of The Vet's Unconditional Love
"I'll take my letter and..."
"Don't go!"
"I'm not leaving.I just want to give you some space.After all these years, you'll get to hear her voice again.Well, to read it.I want you to have all the space and time you need."
He reached up to give her hand a squeeze.
"Thank you."
She walked down the steps from the deck and kept going all the way down to the creek.He squeezed his eyes shut when she sat in Emily's favorite spot.She didn't open her letter yet.She just sat there looking thoughtful.
Emmett opened his envelope carefully.He knew he'd want to keep it forever.
On the front, she'd written his name.
Emmett.
On the sheet of paper inside she'd written:
Hi Mitty.
I imagine I'll have been gone for a few years by the time you read this.Haha, but if you met someone new and married them right away, good for you.I'm not judging!
But I know you, Emmett.You've locked yourself away for a few years.Maybe not completely.People will see you out in the world and think you're okay.You'll do a great job of raising our girls, and on the surface you'll seem fine - capable, dependable - but you'll also be the one thing I don't want you to be, and that's lonely.
You're so damn capable that you'll do everything yourself and close the world out.
I hope you haven't.I hope you're still close with all the guys.I know Blane will have your back - if you're reading this, then I'm sure he's told you by now that I made him promise to.
But look at me talking about everything except the one thing this letter's about.
I asked Libby to only give it to you when you met the one - the new one.The woman who'll be by your side for the second half of your life.
So, if you're reading this, I guess you met her.
I'm happy for you.I want you to know that - need you to know.I'm happy, Emmett.Happy knowing that you love someone else.
Of course, if things were different and I could have stayed, I'd never let another woman near you!
But I'm dying, Mitty.
I've faced the fact that I won't be here.You'll have a life that I won't be in, and you need to love and be loved.It's who you are.I know that better than anyone.
I wrote her a letter.That's between me and her.
I hope the girls love her.I know you wouldn't be with her if they didn't.
But this letter?This is just me, asking you, begging you, to love her with all your heart.
I'll be mad at you if you feel any guilt over me.There's no need.God, I hope you understand that.
I won't say let me go, because I'll always be with you and the girls - in your hearts, like we said.And whenever a star shines a little too brightly at you, that’s me, checking in.
But please, please, please, Mitty, don't make me a reason that you don't love her fully.She deserves your whole heart, and so do you.
Give the girls a big hug from me.Probably best not to tell them I said hi - Tanya would start looking for me with the fairies down by the creek and Alana would freak out.
Just give them a hug, and you and I will know it's from me.
