Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1)(155)

Richard smiled at his son sadly. “But I would. For her. Thank you, by the way. These are probably the best I’ve ever had.”

“You’re welcome.”

They clinked glasses and wished one another cheers, falling silent to gaze out at the woods behind the house and up at the delicate strands of stars above.

“Julia looks well. Do you see much of her?”

Gabriel casually flicked the ash from his cigar into the ashtray between them. “She’s in my class.”

“She’s all grown up. She seems more confident.” Richard drew thoughtfully on his cigar. “Your university must agree with her.”

Gabriel shrugged.

“Grace loved her.” Richard watched his son’s face fail to register any reaction. “Now that I’m moving, we’re going to have to have a family meeting about the furniture and — other things. I know it’s going to be uncomfortable, but I think it would be better to have that conversation now rather than waiting until Christmas. You will be home for Christmas, won’t you?”

“Yes, I just don’t know when. As for the furniture, Rachel and Scott can have everything.”

Richard’s lips pulled together. “You’re part of this family too. Isn’t there something you’d like? What about the armoire that Grace inherited from her grandmother? It’s always been in your room. Wouldn’t you like that?”

Gabriel studied his father for a moment. “I assumed you’d be taking all of Grace’s things.”

“It’s just not possible. There are a few things I can’t part with. But as for everything else…” He sighed. “Truthfully, this is the most important thing to me.” He held up his hand and showed Gabriel his wedding ring.

Gabriel was surprised he was still wearing it, but only for an instant.

Something told him that Richard would be wearing it for the rest of his life.

“Grace wanted her jewelry divided up. Rachel went through it yesterday.

There are a couple of things sitting on the dressing table in our room for you.”

“What about Rachel?”

“She’s happy with what Grace wanted her to have, and the same goes for Scott. In fact, they want Julia to have something, if you don’t object.”

Gabriel rubbed his eyes. “No, I don’t object. What did they have in mind?”

“Grace had two sets of pearls. One of them I gave to her, but one of them came from her parents or she bought them herself when she was a student. I’m not sure. Those are the ones that Rachel would like to give to Julia.”

“That’s fine.”

“Good. Before you leave, just be sure to talk to Rachel about the rest of it. You’ll want to take them with you.”

Gabriel nodded uncomfortably, focusing his attention on his cigar.

“Grace loved you. She didn’t believe in favorites, you know. But you were — special. She believed God brought you to her. She just wanted you to be happy.”

Gabriel nodded. “I know that.”

“Actually, she wanted you to find a nice girl and settle down, have children, and then be happy.” Richard smiled.

“That isn’t going to happen, Richard.”

“You don’t know that.” He reached out an affectionate hand and lightly gripped his son’s forearm. “Grace never gave up. Don’t you give up, either.

If I know anything about Grace, it’s that she still loves you, and no doubt she’s lighting candles and praying for you, even now. She’s just a little closer to the source.”

For a moment their eyes met. For a moment, both sapphire and gray were damp with tears.

Pray for me, Grace. How am I ever going to live without you?  thought Richard.

The two men blew smoke rings across the porch, silently savoring their Scotch and their memories. But saying nothing more.

When everyone finally decided it was time for bed, they ascended the staircase almost two by two, like animals lumbering to Noah’s ark.

Gabriel held Julia back slightly so that they were the last to go up.

When everyone had disappeared into his or her respective chambers, he stood outside her bedroom door, gazing down at her with a somewhat hungry look on his face. Julia felt nervous all of a sudden and became fascinated by her feet.

He reached down with one hand and popped the top button of her blouse open, sliding his hand across her neck. “I’m sorry about this.” He touched the mark he’d made earlier.

Julia kept her eyes down.

“Julianne, look at me.” He coaxed her chin upward with a single finger, gazing at her with troubled eyes. “I didn’t mean to mark you. I know you don’t belong to me, but if you were mine, I would find a better way of showing it to the world than by turning your beautiful skin red or purple.”

Her eyes grew teary. Of course she was his. She had been his since she took his hand long ago and followed him into the woods.

“Wait here a moment.” He disappeared into his bedroom, returning with a familiar-looking British-racing-green cashmere sweater. “This is for you.” He handed it to her.

She accepted the sweater but gave him a puzzled look.

“I was worried that you wouldn’t be warm enough. I thought maybe you could wear this to the woods.”