Helanie:
"Who gave you that flower?" I watched him hold the little blue flower tightly and listened to me ask him a question.
"Emmet! I want you to be honest with me. Do you love someone? I mean—has there been someone else before—" I bit my tongue when I couldn't bring myself to ask if he even loved me.
With a very gentle nod, he confirmed it.
"There was someone. Someone whose departure made me the way I am," he said, referring to his addiction to alcohol.
"Oh! Do you still love her?" I questioned.
"Helanie! She is... dead. Her love will always be in my heart. I hope you won't have a problem with it. I will never mention her in front of you," he held my hand and spoke lovingly.
"I understand," I replied with a smile. It made me feel so alive that the man before me was so wonderful—he knew the difference between past and present instead of disrespecting past relationships.
