Chapter 18 pt. 2-
It was more than that. And a spark of inspiring thought hit me. She loved two people. She loved me. I could hold on to that, and make it through my sentence in jail. Whatever the cost, I would know that she loved me.
But what love could be enough to defy everything? To wait for me; to remember what we had; to want what we'd never have?
What kind of love, measured carefully, could ever amount to anything this way?
My kind.
James, the kind of love that I'm hoping will save us now. The fringe of hope that I'm holding onto... that is what kind of love. I can't find myself to hate you for loving her; I can't even hate you for blackmailing her. I can, however, respect you for giving her what I couldn't. I can give you that.
You know that I was sentenced to fifteen years in jail. You may know how it all turned out. If you didn't, look at the letter you're holding, and know that she has been absorbing all my thoughts for fifteen years.
I am done with this rotten place in one month. One month is an awfully long time, which makes the wait that much harder. But it's okay.
Honestly, I'm alone here. I've no one to hold me and say, 'I love you.' I've no one to kiss me in the dark. More importantly, I've no one to amaze me like Jill did.
This is the end of my story. This is the end of an aspiring tale about a love that can, and was broken. A love that, I believe, can be mended because of this very letter.
If you don't let her come back, I will not hate you. I'll never know, anyway, because I don't know where you live, and have no intentions of finding you. I will leave my address for Jill to have, and if she someday decides to come back, she will find me.
Until then,
Aaron Stewart
I sealed, closed, and mailed the envelope. 'This, along with my heart, I send to you.' was my last thought as I handed the package to the jailer.