Bonnie - Iris Johansen [116]
“Take my father away. They’re both hurting too much. I can’t help him.”
Eve hesitated, then strode back to Gallo. “Come on,” she said unevenly. “Leave him.”
“No.”
“Leave him.” She stared him in the eye with all the force of her entire will. “He won’t need you. I promise.”
Gallo gazed at her in bewilderment, then slowly got to his feet. “He’s dying, Eve.”
She nodded. “But he’s hurting because you’re here with him. He’s full of regret and guilt and pain. Let him go, John.” She took his hand and drew him a few yards from Danner. “It will be—”
Gallo stiffened. “Bonnie?”
Did he sense her, too? Eve wondered.
No, he could see her. She was here.
Bonnie was standing over Ted Danner, looking down at him.
Her expression …
Compassion, tenderness, sadness.
“What are you doing, Bonnie?”
But Bonnie was not paying any attention to anyone but the man at her feet.
“Ted.”
Danner opened his eyes. He saw her. His body stiffened. “Go away. It’s not my fault. I tried to do what you wanted. Why do you keep following me?”
“Because you won’t listen to me.” Bonnie fell to her knees beside him. “You’ve never listened, Ted. But now you will, won’t you?”
“No. I want you to go away.”
“Because you’re afraid of me?” Bonnie smiled. “Why should you be afraid? I’m no stranger to you. We’ve been together a long time.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand that you’re afraid that I’m angry with you, that I want to hurt you.”
“Yes, because you think that I’m the one who hurt you. You don’t believe it was the demon.”
“No, because I don’t believe in demons.” She took Danner’s hand.
He shuddered and tried to pull away.
“No, hold my hand, and the fear will go. You’re not afraid of me, you’re afraid of the darkness. You’ve been in darkness for a long time and haven’t been able to break free of it. Sometimes it got lighter, then when you weren’t expecting, it came back. Isn’t that right?”
“And then the demons came.”
“But it’s light now, and you can see in every corner. Everything is bright and clear and beautiful. And there are no demons. There will never be demons again.”
He was gazing into her eyes. “You promise.”
“I promise.”
Silence. “You’re not angry with me.”
“I’ve never been angry with you. Why should I? I always knew that you meant no harm, that it was love that made you take me that day. Love for my father, even love for me. I tried so hard to tell you.”
“I … hurt you. Forgive … me. I wanted to say that to you, but it was too late. Everything was too late.”
“It’s never too late. You’ll see. I’ll help you.”
“Will you?”
“Shall I show you?”
Silence.
Then a brilliant smile lit his face. “It starts again? It’s a long road, a hard road, but I can make the ending different. I can begin again.”
“Is that what you saw? It’s different all the time. Beautiful but different.” She leaned closer, and whispered, “Now go to sleep. It’s time. Don’t be afraid. I’ll be there for you. I won’t let you get lost.” She smiled luminously. “I’ve learned so many things, Ted. You’ll learn them, too. Just hold my hand. Don’t let me go.”
“Bonnie…” He was smiling back at her, his face alight with sudden eagerness. “No, I won’t let go.”
He closed his eyes.
Love, so much love …
Eve could feel the tears running down her cheeks.
And then Bonnie was gone.
“My God.” Gallo was moving back to Danner and standing over him, gazing down at his face.
But Danner was gone, too.
* * *
EVE DIDN’T FOLLOW GALLO. This was a moment of good-bye between Gallo and his uncle. She was shaken and confused, and she needed to be with Joe. She turned toward the edge of the clearing.
Joe was standing at the tree line, his gaze on Danner. How much had he seen? He turned his head to watch Eve as she came toward him. “So Bonnie kept her word. It’s the end.”
“Or the beginning. I’m not sure any longer.” She slid her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. She could feel the vibration of his heart beneath her ear. “But it’s the way she wanted it.”
“Yes, maybe not the way I wanted it.” His hand stroked her hair. “How are you doing?”
“Mixed-up. Happy, sad, angry. Bonnie