He took another step. Then another. The casual, relaxed posture evaporated, replaced by a sudden, intense urgency that perfectly mirrored the frantic, erratic beating of my own heart. I wanted to run. I wanted to scream until my lungs gave out. But my body completely betrayed me, freezing in place as the ghost of my past closed the final few feet between us.
"Liam," I whispered. The name scraped against my dry throat, a ragged, wet sound that carried three months of agonizing, hollow mourning. The tears I had been desperately holding back finally broke free, spilling hot and fast over my freezing cheeks, mixing with the mountain rain. I had stood in the torrential downpour staring at his polished mahogany casket. I had dreamt of his laugh until the memories felt like physical bruises. I h
