"We thought you'd like to stop in for tea before we take you home," Dave explained. "We knew you wouldn't have anything at home to eat, and thought this would give you the chance to unwind a bit. We'll take you to Sainsbury's to pick up groceries before we drive you home, too. Is that all right?"
"Yes, that's fine. Thank you." Terri met his gaze in the rearview mirror and nodded. It was more than fine with her. She really didn't look forward to being on her own in her little cottage again. Terri knew, the moment she was alone, all those thoughts and memories she was trying so hard to forget would come crowding in.
"I'll make the tea while you girls catch up," Dave offered as he parked the car.
"You're a good man, Dave," Terri said with affection.
"He's better than good," Sandi announced. They got out. "He's a star."
"So are you, flower," her husband responded, taking her hand and dropping a quick kiss on her forehead before turning toward the house.
Terri smiled as she followed the couple inside, but her heart was aching a little at their easy affection. It reminded her of Bastien.
"Well!" Sandi led the way into the living room and dropped onto the couch with a sigh, then raised her eyebrows at Terri. "Now that we're alone, would you care to talk about this Bastien and what he did to break your heart?"
Terri stiffened, then glanced sharply at her sister-in-law.
"What makes you think he broke my heart?" she asked finally. "Or that I love him, for that matter?"
"Oh, please." Sandi gave a laugh. "Every other word out of your mouth has been 'Bastien.' And you didn't fly home early, looking like death warmed over, because things were going well. So, spill it. What did he do?"
"Actually, he didn't do anything. I'm the one who left him," Terri admitted slowly. The story poured out of her. She recounted every moment of the last two weeks, without leaving anything out. She didn't even slow down or acknowledge Dave when he came back into the room to join them. It was like a purging of her soul.
The couple sat silent throughout, not saying a word until Terri finished and sat back to await their thoughts. Those thoughts weren't long in coming. Knowing the couple as she did, Terri had expected Sandi to be sympathetic and Dave to perhaps think she was an idiot, so she was taken by surprise when her sister-in-law shook her head and said, "You stupid girl."
Terri stiffened in shock, but Sandi wasn't finished. "You found true love—your perfect match—and allowed fear to make you throw it aside? You idiot!"
While Terri was gasping, Sandi slapped her hands on her thighs and sat back to cross her arms over her chest. "That's it, then. I suppose you'll be moving to France next."
"What?" Terri asked, confused.
"Well, I presume you love us."
"Of course, I do," Terri said. "I don't know what I would have done after Ian's death without you two to—"
"So," Sandi interrupted with a shrug, "you'd best move to France and get away from us. The more time you spend around us, the more you'll love us—and you know we'll die someday too."
"It's not the same," Terri protested.
"Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving. The trick is to enjoy what you have while you have it. Not run like a bunny from the good things because they might be taken away sooner than you'd like."
"But—"
"Do you regret the time you had with Ian? Would you give that up, have it wiped from your memory to avoid the pain of having lost him?" she asked. "Or your mother? Do you wish she'd died giving birth to you so that you wouldn't have had to suffer losing her at nineteen? Then, as I said, there's Dave and me. If we grow sick, will you stop visiting and shun us? Or if I walk out that door and get hit by a bus, will you regret knowing me because of the pain losing me causes? Will it hurt less today than tomorrow, or next week, or next year?"
"No, of course not."
"That's because you love us, Terri. And you love this Bastien. The only difference is you gave him up before you had to. You're suffering for nothing. You're causing it yourself. You're being a fool."
"That's a bit harsh, isn't it, flower?" Dave asked mildly.
"Is it?" Sandi turned raised eyebrows on him. "How would you feel if I ran off on you, not because of something you did wrong, or because I didn't love you, but because I did love you and you were sick? Because I might hurt later?"
Dave's eyes widened, and Sandi nodded. "Uh huh. Well, that's about how this Bastien feels right now. Terri's punishing him because she loves him and he's dared to be ill, to be human. He's probably hurting right now and not even knowing what he did to make her leave."