Take Care, Sara

talk to him. She knew it was only his body and not his soul buried beneath the ground—it wasn’t really him; Cole —but it was the closest she could physically get to him.
    It was the anniversary of the car wreck and also his birthday; September 1st. In a way he was born on the same day he died.
    The tombstone was rectangular and gray; simple. It read ‘Cole Walker – Beloved Son, Brother, and Husband’ with his date of birth and date of death. Where are you, Cole? Where are you now? Sara glanced around the empty cemetery, uneasily realizing she was the only living being here. It made her skin break out in goose bumps. She knelt on the uneven ground, searching for words to say, but nothing came to her. She’d made her peace with herself; she was trying to make her peace with God as well. And Cole.
    “I don’t know what to say. I know you’re not really here. I have to believe you’re somewhere better, or I won’t be able to do this. I won’t be okay unless I think that.” Sara’s knees became stiff the longer she crouched down beside the tombstone, but it didn’t matter. “I guess the reason I’m here…I guess what I came to say is…” Her eyes burned with unshed tears and the wind picked up, tousling her hair around her face as she stared at the stone she knew would be cold and smooth. “Goodbye. I came to say goodbye. Not to you, never to you, but to—“ Sara blinked and unlocked the tears. “To the life we had together,” she whispered, brushing the tears away with a trembling hand.
    The cold breeze abruptly stopped, a warm stillness taking its place. Sara smiled in spite of the tears, love and sorrow welling in her heart for the man she’d been blessed to have. She had to remember that; she had to be thankful for the time they’d had together, instead of thinking of the time they hadn’t gotten.
    “Goodbye, Cole,” she whispered, slowly standing. A collage of images, thoughts, and emotions pierced her as she stood; blue eyes, gruff laughter, warm hands, coffee and cherry Carmex, passion, tenderness, sadness, love . Sara took a deep breath and turned; all of it fading away at the sight that met her.
    Down the gravel path, standing just inside the fence, was Lincoln.
    Sara’s pulse jumped as her eyes caressed him. It had been almost three months since she’d seen him and it had been far too long. A day was too long. She wanted to run to him. Her feet even moved forward in anticipation. Hunger propelled her, though she had no idea what kind of reciprocation she would receive. His dark locks were disheveled and wavy; the way they should be, his gray eyes riveted to her; as she now knew they always were and always had been. Lincoln wore a black tee shirt that was tight against his toned frame and khaki shorts, his stance wary as she approached.
    Her stomach was swirling, her heart pounded at a scary rate, and she thought she’d pass out or go insane if she didn’t touch him. But he seemed so far away. Her fingers longed to smooth his furrowed brow, her lips wanted to feel the firm softness of his on them. She ached for him. Sara’s eyes devoured the sight of him. If it was all she had, if it was all she was allowed, then she would let her eyes take their fill and then some. She would stare at him until he faded from her view, and even then, she’d see him in her mind. Forever.
    “How did you know I would be here?” she gasped out, trying to catch her breath that was evading her. Sara self-consciously touched her dirt-smudged pink shorts and tugged at the white shirt she wore, knowing she looked horrid. She tried to smooth her thick hair down and then gave up. This was not how she’d wanted to look for their reunion after a month’s absence. It was also not the place she’d had in mind for it either.
    “I didn’t.”
    “Oh.” Something inside her deflated and Sara tore her gaze from his, feeling immediately empty. “Did you—did you know I was back? From…where I was?” She glanced at his unreadable expression.
    “You know Boscobel. Everyone knows your business before you even do,” he said dryly. “I knew where you were, Sara,” he added softly.
    She frowned. “You did? How?”
    Lincoln sighed. “Do you really think I wouldn’t find out where you were going so I knew you’d be safe? So I knew you’d be okay?”
    “But…Spencer,” she said, realization dawning on her.
    “Having a cop for a friend can be good at times,” was all he said.
    “You two are