The Legacy - The Legacy Saga

The Legacy - Part 19

  Eighty-two

After the boys are in bed asleep, we stand in the doorway of their room and gaze at our youngest son. We are grateful beyond words to have him back and I'm constantly sending up prayers of thanks for his return. I also thank God for helping us endure this whole ordeal. Never again will I hear of another child being kidnapped without feeling a deep sorrow for that child and his family.

Striving to be strong has taken more out of me than I realized. As I continue to watch Phillip sleep, a strong wave of emotion comes over me. I turn to Adagio as tears splash down my cheeks.

"It's all right, amore," he whispers, taking my shaking shoulders in his hands.

I manage to hold everything inside just long enough to make it to our bedroom. Then the flood of emotional grief that has filled me for so long comes forth. Adagio pulls me into his arms, sinking to the floor with me as I weep.

"Everything is all right," he whispers against my ear. "It's okay."

 * * * 

Adagio understands her tears and knows her feelings well because his are the same. They are grateful the ordeal is over, and they can now get on with their lives. But the pain will take time to fade. He is sure this time of letting go of their emotions is a good start. Leaning back against the bed, he cradles Cisely against his chest until her sob subside.

"I'm sorry," she finally says, her raspy, silky voice softly filling the silence. "Must be hormones."

Adagio presses a kiss to her brow. "Then what is my excuse? I am not pregnant and I don't get PMS often."

She chuckles and takes in his soaked shirt. "It seems like I'm always wetting your shirts these days."

"And like I told you years ago when Ingo died, I have many and you can cry on them all. I just want to be here for you."

"And you always have been. You helped me through one of the hardest times of my life."

"Even then, there was no other place I wanted to be than with you."

"I don't know what I would have done without you."

Smiling, he presses his forehead to hers. "You would never have had the chance to find out." He looks into her eyes. "I was supposed to be there for you, Cisely."

"I know," she says, touching his face. "Through all these years you have never let me down, and you've never failed in your devotion to me." She brushes a hand back through his hair.

"And I never will."

Snuggling closer, she buries her face in the curve of his neck, sighing deeply. "How can I be so happy and still feel so much pain? How can I feel so much love and gratitude and still have this ache?"

"I don't know, amore. I also wonder about those things because I feel the same."

After a few moments of silent contemplation, Cisely says, "I guess we just have to believe that the joy we feel now will slowly replace the rest of the hurt because it is stronger than the pain. I know we will never forget the pain, nor would I want to because it has been refining. And that refinement will only add to the joy we feel, making it that much greater later on. A little while ago I couldn't see that. But I do now."

"And because of your strength, I now see that too." Tears fill his eyes. "I'm so grateful for you."

"And I'm grateful for you." She touches her fingers to his lips before pulling his head down.