This is the completed third installment to the Closer Trilogy!
.....
It was impossible.
The thought of Henry was ever present on my mind.
Some days it was faint and small, like a whisper in the dark.
And on other days, it was insufferable like nail...
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Song: You Are The Reason
I'd climb every mountain And swim every ocean Just to be with you And fix what I've broken Oh, 'cause I need you to see That you are the reason
Henry and I woke up early the next day at six and arrived an hour later at the trail head near the intersection of D909 and Rue de Verdun.
After we parked and got out of the car, Henry slipped on the backpack of snacks and water we bought from last night. He walked over to my side and placed a black Nike cap on my head, the exact same design to the one he was wearing.
"Are you ready, honey?"
"More than ever. You ready?" I asked even though there was no reason. Henry was more athletic and fit than me. He would go on jogs in the morning and in the evening around the neighborhood. This hike was a piece of cake to him.
"Only with you." Henry smiled. "Let's go."
Our hands grabbed ahold each other, and we started walking on the soil trail into the side of the mountain where nature awaited us. The trees. The animals. The forest.
Not one hint of cloud drifted above except a colorful warm sky with the sun rising slowly in the east.
We met a few hikers along the way, both locals and tourists, all who were friendly and warm and helped pointed Henry and I in the direction of the summit.
The trail path wasn't easy as I thought. There were rocks, ditches, steep climbs and curves that slowed down my effort.
For a majority of the hike, the trail ascended through the trees, providing obscured or limited views of the lake, and the surrounding region.
But knowing what destination laid ahead of the path provided me the will to keep going.
Henry stopped on the trail and turned around to me. "How are you doing, honey? Did you want to me to carry you? You look like you need it."
I slightly frowned at him for teasing me. I shook my head. "I'm good. Let's keep going. I think we're almost to the top."
After another hour, we saw a sign that said the summit was only 500 feet up ahead on the trail.
This was it, the moment I had been waiting for all day.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply to catch my breaths. When I peered down at my watch, the time was close to noon. We have been walking for almost five hours.
Henry halted and sat down on the big rock on the side of the path, waiting for me to catch up. He was always a few steps ahead of me.
"You didn't have to wait for me," I told my husband.
"I wanted to wait and see the view with you." He handed me the canteen, and I took a drink of the cold water, refreshing my energy under this hot weather.
