Whispers of the South Wind

Chapter 5

"I mean being alone. I ain't stupid, Y/N. I saw the way you two looked at each other at the market. It's obvious there was somethin' there," he said, his words getting caught in his throat slightly.

You couldn't help the laugh that fell from your lips, though there was no humor in the sound. "There was absolutely nothin' there," you hissed, clenching your jaw and praying that he would drop whatever this was.

"I'm not blind, ya know. Anyone with eyes could've seen there was."

"Is that the real reason ya invited him to this party tonight? Ya tryin' to play matchmaker?" you asked, trying hard to keep your patience in check. "Cause I don't need your help."

You watched Anthony clench his jaw, glancing into the rearview before he swiftly pulled the truck over, the rumble strip causing the cab of the truck to vibrate. What the actual hell was he doing? You rolled to a stop before he quickly threw it into park despite your protests, turning to look at you with a large frown.

"No, I invited him because I've seen him 'round town, and he looks just as miserable as you. It's obvious he needs some friends. But him lookin' at ya like you're the only woman he's ever seen before was just an added bonus," he said with a small smile, before his eyes softened as he gazed at you.

"Luke wouldn't want this for you, Y/N. He'd want ya to finally move on, to be happy. All that domestic shit you were tellin' me about this mornin', you deserve it too."

"It ain't that simple, Anthony. I can't replace Luke like that; I just ain't ready," you said, fighting the lump quickly forming in your throat. You couldn't cry, not here, because Anthony would insist on making this a far bigger deal. You just wanted to go home and sit in silence for a few hours. Was that too much to ask?

"I ain't saying ya replace Luke, but ya can't be stuck in the past like this forever. It's like you're in some never-ending grief cycle. This ain't good for ya, and I just can't sit by anymore and watch you waste your chance at a life."

You opened your mouth to tell him to mind his own damn business, but he was swift to stop you, pressing a finger to your lips before you could even speak. He turned, putting the truck back into drive and quickly pulling back onto the road with a large sigh.

"Look, I ain't saying be romantic with him or nothin', but maybe just be his friend? If he fled Japan after the war, he's probably hurtin' too. Who knows what he lost over there. Maybe it would help havin' someone who understands whatchu've been through."

You grimaced, refusing to continue the conversation from there. Who the hell was he to tell you what Luke would've wanted? It's not like he was here to confirm that he'd want you to find someone else. Plus, how the hell was he going to put a timeline on your grief like that?

It didn't take much longer before he pulled up to your house, and you said absolutely nothing, quickly getting out of his truck and slamming the door shut. You could hear him roll his window down, calling after you, but you ignored him. Slamming the door to the house shut for good measure, you leaned against it, waiting until you finally heard him leaving before you allowed yourself to slide the smooth wood to sit. You quickly brought your knees up to your chest and started sobbing, unable to stop the emotions suddenly overwhelming you.

You cried until you couldn't anymore, your sniffles finally fading into silence as you tried to find your composure. Pulling your phone from your pocket, you eyed the time with a sigh. You'd spent the last hour wallowing, lost in your pity party, which meant if you wanted to shower you wouldn't have time to lie down for a nap. You sighed, pushing yourself off the floor and heading towards the bathroom. If Anthony was dead serious about getting you to sing tonight, you at least wanted to look decent.