I interrupt her this time, “No, please just let me finish.” she nods her head never removing her gaze from my eyes. I swallow and start again, “You know that I’ll always love you and that will never change. You mean so much to me…” tears start to resurface but I hold them back this time, she grabs my hand again and I continue. “And I’ll never forget you. You were my best friend and my soul mate, I never thought that I could live with out you but I know now that I can because I have to. I have t…. I have to let you go. I have to do this for her and for me. I’m sorry but I have to.” I start crying now I can’t hold them back anymore. She grabs me and hug’s me tightly. Slowly she pulls away and looks me in the eyes. She wipes the tears from my face and gently smiles at me.

“It’s okay, I understand.” She pulls me into another hug and this time we stay that way. I hang on to her as long as possible before she starts to pull away, I don’t let her at first. I squeeze her tightly one last time before I let her go. She gives me one last smile before she turns to leave. I watch as she walks away from me for the last time. She stops and turns back towards me. “Take care of each other.” she says this last thing then walks out of my life.

“We will. God-bye Dana.”

I sit back down on the sand dune and remember the day you brought me here. It was your favorite place on the beach. You could watch over everything and everyone with out them knowing. I sit and watch the sunset thinking of you, but different thoughts this time. Not memories of the past but of the present. You let me let you go, and I know I’ll be okay, and will be able to love her now. I look up to the sky, “Thank you Dana.”

The sun hadn’t completely set yet when I heard footsteps behind me. I turn to see who had stumbled upon your secret. I was surprised to see her standing there. She looked a little confused, “Hey you. I’ve been looking for you all day. Have you been up here by yourself all day?”

While saying this she came and sat down beside me. I look at her then up to the sky and smile. “I wasn’t alone.” I say softly, obviously too softly.

“What’d you say?” she still looks a little confused as she says this. ’God she looks so cute like that’ I think to myself. “Nothing. So how’d you know about this place?” I ask generally curious. Before answering she interlaces our hands together.

“I saw Dana come up here one time. I take it this is where she would always come when she needed space.” A sad look crosses her face as she speaks of Dana; I give her hand a gentle squeeze. She looks over at me and gives me a loving smile. “So what have you been doing up here all day?” I smile knowing what has transpired here today. I give her a smile full of love, “Saying Good-bye.” She looks at me knowingly and smiles again. We stay up on your spot all night not really saying anything, because nothing needs to be said. We go back to our apartment sometime in the early morning. We lay together for a while. She lay spooning me in bed before we start to drift off to sleep. I hear her breathing become even and slow so I know she is almost gone. I turn toward her ear, “I love you Lara.” She pulls me closer to her and tightens her hold on me, almost as though I might disappear. We fall asleep together, both finally at peace with Dana’s death.