Chapter 423: There’s Someone I Want You to Meet
Snow dusted its top, the engraved name barely visible. Ruediger knelt down, reaching both gloved hands to brush it gently, revealing a simple yet beautiful name.
Lunara Sinclair.
Ruediger’s breath caught, a quiet sound that barely escaped his lips. For a moment, he just knelt there, his shoulders tense as his eyes fixed on the name.
Lariette also knelt, staying silent as though giving Ruediger space, but one hand lay gently on his back. Even through the thick layers, she could feel him trembling and it wasn’t due to the cold.
None of them spoke. The frosty, harsh breeze blew, biting into their exposed skins.
After a while, Ruediger exhaled, his voice low and rough as he said, "Hello, Mom."
Lariette’s throat tightened. The raw despair and longing that Ruediger tried to suppress made him sound more miserable. A dull ache spread in her heart upon hearing him.
"I know... It’s been a while since I came," he paused as his shoulders drooped lower, "I should’ve visited you more frequently. I’m sorry."
Snowflakes drifted down, catching in his crimson hair. He lowered himself slightly, brushing more snow away to reveal the full stone. "Mom, there’s someone I want you to meet. Do you remember? I’ve told you about her."
At that, Ruediger turned to Lariette, his emerald eyes softer but gleaming with sadness, "This is Lariette. My wife."
Lariette’s heart fluttered. Slowly, she bowed her head respectfully before putting the bouquet down on the tombstone.
"Hello, M-Mom..." she whispered, her voice trembling, "I’m Lariette, Ruediger’s wife. You can call me Lettie. It’s an honor to meet you."
A passing breeze howled in the distance, carrying a flutter of snow.
Lariette hesitated, her breath fogging in the cold before adding softly, "Thank you... for raising Eddy well. He’s the most wonderful man. Please don’t worry about him. I’ll be by his side."
Ruediger reached for Lariette’s hand before squeezing it tightly. He pressed his lips together, struggling to hold back a wave of emotion.
After being saved from the kidnappers, he visited his mother’s grave right before he left for Norvonna. That was the first time he brought up the adorable little girl who befriended him despite his situation.
In the following visits over the coming years, he still mentioned her, albeit rarely. He had only started talking about her more after learning she was his cousin’s best friend.
And after acknowledging he began having feelings for her, the frequency had only increased. At that time, he never expected to bring her here, including introducing her as his life partner.
Everything was like a beautiful dream.
Fortunately, it was his reality. He didn’t have to worry about waking up and finding it was just a mirage that accompanied him at night.
The silence between the pair stretched, heavy but not empty. Snow continued to fall, blanketing the area around them in stillness.
Because no other visitors were here, it gave an illusion of them being the only ones left in this world.
Ruediger glanced at Lariette, realizing she was trying not to show that she was so cold. Afraid of her falling sick during the holidays, he wanted to bring her back home soon.
Ruediger bent his head slightly, his forehead nearly touching the cold stone. The breeze fluttered the red and yellow petals.
He whispered, "I love you, Mom. I’ll always love you."
Lariette’s heart ached. She leaned closer, resting her head against his shoulder. She hoped to share his love, grief and memory about his beloved mother.
"Mom," she called, her voice slightly hoarse, "I’ll come with Eddy to visit you again. We’ll celebrate the holidays well. Please don’t worry about him."
She repeated the last sentence, as if wanting to reassure the departed soul. When she felt a squeeze in her hand, she glanced at the man beside her.
"Oh, honey..."
Lariette lifted her other hand, wanting to rub Ruediger’s eyes, now glazed with tears. Soft chuckles escaped his lips as the thick pad of her gloved thumb brushed his cheek.
"Let’s go," he reached for both of her hands, carefully hoisting her up, "The snow’s getting heavier."
"Okay."
Ruediger and Lariette stood before Luna’s grave. After bowing and wishing her well, they retraced their steps in the snow to return to the truck.
He seemed absent-minded as he stared at the snow while she kept glancing at him. Although he didn’t cry, her heart was still filled with worry.
Realizing that she had been staring at him, he chuckled before pulling her closer. His soft gaze found its way to her countenance.
To him, she was the most beautiful, inside and out. She was unparalleled, the only glittering star in the vast darkness of his night sky.
"Lettie, my love, thank you for coming here with me," Ruediger said, voice low, akin to a whisper, "I love you."
This wasn’t the first time Lariette had listened to his ardent confession, but there was something different about it. The pang of ache in her heart faded.
"I love you too, Eddy," she whispered back, "Let’s go and visit Mom more in the future, okay?"
"Okay."
They ceased talking, simply walking in a companionable silence. By the time they reached the truck, a thick layer of snow had piled on their head and shoulders.
"Quick, get inside," Ruediger opened the front passenger door for Lariette, urging her to take shelter from the falling snow.
She laughed softly, but did as she was told. Then, he rushed to the driver’s seat before turning on the heat. Warmth gradually chased the coldness away.
"Are we going home now?" she asked once the truck hit the road. The sky was overcast, but the day was still early.
He glanced at her, his gaze unreadable, "Let’s have lunch at Renato’s cafe. What do you say?"
"Great! Let’s go!" she cheered, "We won’t see him again anytime soon, right? I wonder if he has any new Christmas specials."
He simply smiled. A sense of unease rose in his heart before he quickly suppressed it.