Touched (The Untouched Trilogy #2)(102)

“My sense of understanding? What about your sense of understanding that this is none of your business. I can’t do what you’re asking. I know that’s not what you want to hear but Aiden and I have made a commitment to each other and we’re the only ones who have the right to amend that.”

Aiden had walked in at that time and the conversation ceased. He knew something was wrong but I never mentioned that talk with Sienna to him as I was sure it would have caused a rift and thereby provide another reason for them to dislike me.

Well Sienna, you got what you wanted. I’m out of his life. Not that my conversation with her had yielded these results but it had played a large part in my decision to say goodbye to Aiden.

By the time I’d reached the airport, I was a blubbering mess. Kellan was to meet me at the ticket counter and I didn’t want him to see me like this. I reached in my bag for a tissue and wiped my eyes and nose. We were headed to my new home in Belize. Lia and Bianca had relocated to Ohio. I didn’t feel good about leaving them but they wanted the chance to experience college life on their own. I was glad that Ohio State was one of their final choices because it resulted in them being with someone who would love them like family. They had an apartment off-campus and had gotten settled in time for the start of the semester. We promised to video chat every day and I warned them that I would visit often, especially since I would no longer be working, at least not anytime in the foreseeable future.

I spotted Kellan waiting for me near the baggage check area and he walked over to meet me. I wasn’t handling this as I would have wanted. He reached out to me and I fell into his arms holding on for dear life.

“Everything’s going to be okay Aria. I promise,” he said, as he grasped my hand. We checked our bags and made our way to the terminal. With my hand firmly placed within his, he led me toward my new life, leaving Boston and Aiden Raine far behind.

The announcement to board was being repeated so we didn’t have a chance to sit. Instead we hopped in line and headed down the air bridge. Funny how I had finally decided to stop running, yet here I was again … running away. At least this time I was running toward something instead of away from it. We were seated on the plane awaiting the quick ascend into the friendly skies. I looked at the picture in my hand as I placed my hand over my stomach.

I looked over at Kellan who quickly donned a reassuring smile. Despite the enormity of sadness, I was grateful to share this journey with him. He reached for my hand, soothing my nerves with a gentle squeeze. He leaned in to kiss me softly on the cheek. A single tear escaped as I gazed into his eyes. He reached up to wipe it away as I leaned back and closed my eyes, ready to embrace this new chapter of my life.

My only concerns were three loose ends: April, Bianca and Lia. If Aiden spoke to either of them, I knew he would be able to get all of the information he wanted. I’d asked Aiden to let me go and to not look for me and although he’d agreed, it was not without very persuasive tactics on my part. I knew I had hurt him and it killed me to look into his eyes and lie to him but I could no longer afford to be in his complicated world.



*****



I’d settled quite comfortably in Belize. I’d become accustomed to having someone there, even if only via FaceTime or Skype. But that wasn’t enough; I was lonely. I’d met a few of the locals and Kellan came to visit as much as he could. He was making arrangements to move here permanently and I couldn’t wait to have him with us every day. I had come to rely on him and although our relationship wasn’t ideal, he was fine with that. I wondered how long he would be though. He had arrived last night and was at a meeting with one of the local firms.

April would be coming over with Blaine next week. I was so happy that they’d worked things out. She and I had also worked out the kinks in our friendship. It would never be the friendship it once was; I never wanted that dysfunction again. We no longer shared a friendship based on need. It was a friendship based on the desire to remain best friends … to remain family.

I missed Boston. I missed RPH and most of all, I missed Aiden. I’d considered the possibility of moving back to Boston after a few years. I actually didn’t know where I would end up because I hadn’t planned that far ahead.

I opened my laptop and accessed my email account to start a new message. Once I finished, I read it and desperately wanted to hit send but something inside me just wouldn’t allow me to do that. Instead, I read it over and over.



My Dearest Aiden,

I don’t regret you. I thought that I would; I knew that I would … but I don’t. Loving you made me realize that I can have a life outside of my fears – that I don’t have to omit part of life. For that, I thank you. And even now, after having said good-bye, my heart is overflowing with love for you. I’m pretty sure that I’ll always love you but I felt that I had to let you go. I couldn’t stand in the way of you and your family. I couldn’t force you to choose and I didn’t want to be the person who destroyed your family.

Family once meant so much to me and I had forgotten that. I pushed it aside because of the hurt of my childhood that I now know was not torn apart because of a lack of love but because there was so much of it. You have a responsibility to your family and thousands of others. Yes, I know that you have just as much of a responsibility to yourself and when you come to terms with that, I know you will find me.