Love & Lust

Chapter 35

Andre's POV

Do you know that feeling when your life is falling apart. And all you can do is watch.

I'm not one who believed in happily ever after,but Anna and I deserve another chance at this.
Or maybe we don't. Maybe I held on too tight. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me to let go.

I watch in helpless despair as a second,third and fourth bullet shoot the love of my life right where the heart is.
My mind freezes,I kneel next to her and hold her in my arms for the last time.

"I love you."
She whispers.

This is the most beautiful scene isn't it?

She uses her last breath to declare her love for me,this is the stuff of movies,the stuff that makes you have tears in your eyes. 

I hate to burst your bubble,this is the most painful thing that can happen to anyone,that look of despair in her eyes. The pain in your heart knowing that these three words will never be uttered by the person you want to hear them from,for the rest of your life. 

Has anyone ever banged a car door on your finger? Think of that pain,and multiply it by 100,replace that finger with your heart,and imagine that compared to my pain,that is equivalent to a feather brushing your arm.

My world has come to an end,I know I am being selfish and that Lumiere needs me,but I can't tell my heart to unbreak.

I hear more gunshots,I don't even know who is the shooter,I don't think I care. My thoughts are getting hazy. My head is heavy,I look down. I'm bleeding. Bullet. Gun. I'm dying. I smile at my love.

"I'm coming to you."

#

Diego's POV

When Andre and Annaiese are mentioned one tends to think of Romeo and Juliet.
Unable to love each other while alive and forced to bring people together in their death.

I loved my brother, and therefore I loved his wife. We had been through a lot together, our past is far from squeaky clean but he helped me come out of that.
He saved us, when we were going downhill.

I knew that deep down he was a broken man. But Annaiese changed all that, she was the light in his life and she was the first and only woman Andre ever truly loved. Theirs was a tremendous love story.
With such a tragic ending.

My wife, Bev, is shaken by this sudden tragedy.
She's trying to be strong, but I know that she can't.

"Babe, are you okay?"

I've been standing behind her for a while and she's been staring at Lumiere sadly.
She fakes a smile.

"Yes, what happened?"

I sigh. She's trying to be strong for me.

"The killer was arrested."

"Who was it?Why?"

"Andrea, Zach I presume."

"But why them? Why not Stacy?"

"She's twisted babe. I don't want to talk about it tell me about you, how are you doing?"

A tear rolls down her beautiful face, it hurts me such to see her in pain.
I imagine the pain Andre felt when he saw his wife dying right next to him.

I pull her close. She smells like baby shampoo and powder. She looks like something out of a magazine. She is my wife and I will cherish her for all the days of my life, because only God knows how much time I have left with her.

#

I'm sitting in the front row, the priest has been talking but I cannot hear.
I know my brother and his wife are here in front of me in these wooden boxes.
It all seems unreal.
Someone taps my shoulder, my wife, she points to the pulpit.

Oh it's my turn to speak.
I get up, I see a whole lot of nameless faces. I start speaking, to no one in particular.

"Life is short. I've heard this one too many times. But I didn't know what point people were trying to make. I love you Andre, and I'm sorry that I never got to tell you that."

I know that I'm crying by now, but who the heck cares?

"I always thought actions were louder than words, but today I realise my actions were not loud enough. It's true what they say: Love Hurts.  It hurts most when the person you feel it for isn't around, so you cannot say it to them."

I look up at all the people in the church.

"What are you all doing here? Here to mourn a person who is gone forever? Our tears will not bring them back! Go! Get out! And find the person that you love and tell them that! Grab them by the shoulders and scream it in their face."

I look at my dad.

"Drew Anderson, I love you."

I turn to my wife.

"Beverly Anderson."

I walk over to her and hold her hands, I look deep in her eyes, the place I could get lost in forever.

"I love you."

#

This chapter is dedicated Sthabisile, Esihle, and Tania.

I LOVE YOU.

And all my readers you are the best. 
Thanks for the support.

Love & Light
❤☀️

Sandie