I wake up with a massive headache and a horrible taste in my mouth.
Why did I have to drink so much last night?
I hear the front door open to the house.
It's probably Benson, sneaking into my house again.
I pull my blankets over my head and close my eyes.
The house is quiet for a couple of minutes until I hear squeak from the floorboards. I uncover my face and look at the door.
Colter is standing by the door with a glass of water. "I brought you some Tylenol and a glass of water." He places it on the bedside table. He sits on the bed next to me. "I remember how you would complain about a headache after a night of drinking."
I blink a couple of times and rub my eyes. He's really in our house. "How did you get in?"
He holds up a pair of keys. "I kept a spare set. When I got lonely and needed to remember what I lost with our daughter and you I would come here and look at the photos I kept on the walls. A month before you moved back I had to take them down. As I have up hope that you would come back."
I drag my hands through his dark locks. "You don't need to worry about that now. I'm not going anywhere again. I promise you that."
He smiles. "That's what I needed to hear, Lexi." He pulls something out of his pocket. "Merry Christmas." He places the small box wrapped gift in my hands.
I pull the wrapping paper off. I see a little box and I open it. Inside is a beautiful necklace with my daughter name on it. I take the necklace out and run my fingers across Peta. "Can you put this on me?"
He shakes his head. "I'll put it on after you've had a shower. You don't want your parents to see you like this."
He's right. I don't want them to see me like this.
I put the necklace on the table. There's something else in there. I pull it out and see a bracelet with my name on it. I hug Colter. "Thank you." I kiss his cheek.
Colter pushes the glass and tablets towards me. "Take them. Then have a shower. I'll make you breakfast while you get ready."
I take the tablets and then I make my way to the bathroom.
After my shower I step into my room with a towel wrapped around me. I look through the cupboard for something to wear. I pull out a pair of new jeans and match it with a new black long sleeved shirt and boots. I quickly get changed and then walk down stairs.
Colter turns around just as I enter the room. He smiles. "You look great."
I smile. "Thanks."
He puts food onto the plates and he takes the plates to the kitchen table. He walks back into the kitchen and picks up two cups he takes them over to the table.
I sit next to Colter and start eating the bacon and eggs he cooked for breakfast.
After breakfast I pull out the box Colter gave me. "Can you put the necklace and bracelet on me now?"
He rises and puts the jewellery on for me. "I wanted you to have Peta close to your heart. Where we both know she's been since she..."
"... She was conceived. When I found out I was pregnant I fell in love right away with our baby. She was conceived out of love and that's the best gift anyone could give someone else."
He pulls me into his arms. "Do you want to see her before we go to your parents place for lunch?"
I nod.
Colter washes up the dishes while I get my coat. When he's finished with the dishes we walk out the front door.
I look at Colter. "We don't have any flowers for her?"
Colter walks over to the neighbours place and I follow him. He knocks on the door.
An elderly lady opens the door. "Hello?"
Colter smiles. "Do you remember me Mrs Collis?"
She nods. "You used to live next door?"
"That's right. I was wondering if we could pick some of your roses. My girlfriend and I want to see our daughter and we don't have anything to take with us."
"I'll get the sheers and cut some roses off for you." She enters the house and closes the door. She returns a couple minutes later. She walks down the stairs and stops in front of the roses. She cuts six roses off her bush for us. She looks at me. "I'm sorry for your lost."
I forgot how sweet this lady was. She was sad when we told her about our daughter.
Mrs Collis looks at me. "I'm glad you're back sweetheart." She cuts the thorns off before giving me the roses.
I hug her. "Thank you, Mrs Collis."
She smiles. "Don't be strangers. I want to see you both here every week. I'll cook dinner for us and Frank."
Colter helps her to the front door. He kisses her cheek. "We'll see you on Wednesday night?"
"Perfect." She enters the house and shuts the door.
Colter and I walk over to his car and we climb inside. He pulls out of the driveway.
At the cemetery I step out of the car and I look at the new Gravestones that been placed since we buried our daughter.
Tears fall down my face.
How am I supposed to find my daughter?
Colter stops next to me and he wipes away the tears. "Are you alright?"
I shake my head. "I can't find my daughter."
He takes my hand. "She's in the third row and she the third one from the opposite side."
I walk up the row he told me. I find her grave. 'Peta Marilyn Kingsman
Born 11-3-11 to 12-3-11.' My little Angel holds our hearts Mom and Dad.' I run my finger over the letters. I place the rises on the ground. "Hey, Angel. It's Mommy. I'm finally back home and I want to tell you that I miss you every day. I love you with all my heart." I start crying.
Colter walks over to me and he wraps his arms around me. "Shhh, I've got you, Lexi." He wraps his arms around me. He traces his fingers over his name. He places his hand on the stone. "Peta I miss you every day. If you were still alive you would have me wrapped around your finger like your mother. Every time I close my eyes I imagine you looking like her. I have to remind myself that you were taken too soon. Being with your mother again is helping me heal. I hope that I'm doing the same for her." Tears fall down his face as he watches me.
He is helping me heal now. This is exactly what Colter and I need.
Colter and I sit on the grass holding onto each other for dear life as we cry for our little Angel that was taken too soon.