The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced by Marissa Honeycutt

the party. That’s why we
were here.” She opened Anna’s hand and put the box in her hand. “He
would want you to have it. I know he would.”
    Anna slowly opened the box to see the diamond
ring she’d seen while crying over his body. It was a beautiful
round diamond solitaire that sparkled in the light.
    “The police detective called this morning,”
Katherine said and then swallowed. “She said that….” Anna saw the
tears in Katherine’s eyes as she cleared her throat. “His car had
apparently gotten caught in something under the bridge. He’d been
there since Friday night.”
    Anna closed her eyes at the horrible image.
She knew it wasn’t true, but the picture was gruesome nonetheless.
She looked at Katherine again and felt the burden of guilt in her
chest once more. “I’m so sorry, Katherine,” she whispered.
    “Anna, it’s not your fault. Accidents happen.
You can’t blame yourself.”
    Yes, I can!
Anna shouted to herself.
It’s my fault your son is dead! If I hadn’t loved him...
.
Anna fell to the floor with a sob and couldn’t stop the wracking
sounds.
It’s all my fault.
    Katherine put her arms around Anna and held
her while she cried. Katherine’s shoulders shook as if she were
crying as well. Anna's heart burned with guilt, knowing she was the
one to blame for this wonderful family’s grief.
    “It’s not your fault, honey,” Katherine
repeated, petting her hair. “It’s not your fault.” She held Anna
until her tears subsided.
    “I can't keep this, Katherine. It’s…he didn’t
give it to me.” She tried to hand the box back to Katherine.
    “He would have,” Katherine protested pushing
her hand gently away. “If…he would have, Anna. He would have wanted
you to have it. I know he would.” She smiled. “You can wear it if
you’d like. You were more than just a girlfriend to him. He died
having found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life
with. I would have been proud to have you as a
daughter-in-law.”
    Anna looked at her and shook her head. “No,”
she whispered. Not once she knew the truth about her.
    Katherine took her hands. “Anna, Ben told
me…a little bit about your argument.”
    Anna looked at her wide-eyed and tried to
pull away, but Katherine shook her head.
    “He had forgiven you, Anna. He knew your
heart. He knew it wasn’t what you wanted. He loved you. He even
knew he might have to wait a while for you two to be able to marry,
but he was willing to wait.”
    Anna stared at her. “You know what I am?” she
whispered.
    Katherine stroked her hair and nodded. “I
know you are a beautiful young woman who was abused and made to do
things that you didn’t want to do. I know you still have to do some
of those things. And I know that you loved my son, and that my son
loved you.” She opened her arms and Anna crawled toward her and the
two women hugged. “I will always refer to you as his fiancé, Anna.
Even though he didn’t get to ask you.”
    After a few minutes, she pulled back and
looked at Anna. “Honey, I don’t expect you to never fall in love
again. I don’t want you mourning him for the rest of your life. You
are young and beautiful and will make another mother-in-law very
happy someday.” She brushed Anna’s hair back from her face. “I
don’t want you to feel guilty if you fall in love with another man.
Ben would want you to be happy. Our family would never begrudge you
love and happiness.” Anna tried to look away, but Katherine cupped
her chin gently. “Anna, do you understand me?”
    Anna gazed into the other woman’s eyes; so
much like Ben’s. Anna nodded, but swore to herself that she would
never fall in love again. Devin would resent and kill them, too. No
more distractions. Ever.
    “What time is the funeral?” Anna asked,
trying to change the subject.
    “Ten o’clock on Friday morning. We’d like you
to sit with us, if you’re willing. As part of the family.”
    Anna nodded and gave her a weak smile.