Kasie didn't utter another word on their way to the cemetery.
She was immersed in her own thoughts, wondering if Emmett would blame her for marrying another man. But she was happy, and she had to tell him.
On arriving at the parking lot, Ivan braked and slowly came to a stop. He came around to the passenger side, and helped Kasie out of the car. Together, they opened the trunk to grab the bouquet of chrysanthemum. He already had it arranged and tied.
The tranquil cemetery was located on a hillside in the suburbs. It was a beautiful place—stunning scenery, fresh air. And few people would come at this hour.
Kasie's heart pounded faster with each step they took. Each step brought them closer to Emmett's grave. Suddenly, she grabbed hold of Ivan's hand and stood still, reluctant to take one more step. In a sad voice, she asked, "What if he gets mad?"
Ivan put his hands on her shoulders, leaned in, and gently kissed her forehead. "I don't think so. He'll be so glad to see you happy."
She nodded lightly, took a deep breath and continued walking forward.
On the third gravesite of the third row
A tall man in a black suit jacket stood solemnly in front of Emmett's gravestone.
His eyes were red as memories of the past flooded his mind. "Emmett, old friend…I haven't been here in awhile. I'm sorry. I haven't been…myself. I'll come more often and we'll share a glass or three." He took the bottle he held and poured a glass. He stared at it for a bit, and finally downed it. "They told me things," he continued in a hoarse voice. "They told me about the accident, how the truck driver was exhausted, and it was one big fluke. We both know that's bullshit. Rest in peace, Emmett. I'll find the truth and take revenge for you!"
Carlos squatted down in front of the gravestone. He poured some of the limited edition liquor out at the graveside, as if pouring a glass for Emmett. "I didn't do right by Debbie, either, if that helps any. I promise I'll take better care of both of you. I hope that you have a better time in the other world than you had here…"
A gust of fresh wind blew just then, the fragrance of liquor mingled in the air. He stared at Emmett's black and white picture—he was still the same young, handsome and jolly guy.
Carlos had stayed there for an hour before he finally left.
Five minutes after he left, Ivan and Kasie reached Emmett's grave.
They both were surprised when they saw a bouquet of flowers on the grave. The faint smell of the liquor told them that someone had been here just a few minutes before. 'I wonder who that was?'
But Kasie didn't give it much thought. The moment her eyes landed on Emmett's picture, tears blurred her vision. "Emmett…" she sobbed. She pressed her lips tightly together to stifle the cries, but to no avail. The weeping sound escaped her lips and the sobs racked her body.
Ivan put the flowers down, arranging them nicely in front of the gravestone. Then with his eyes on Emmett's photo, he held onto the crying girl and said sincerely, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhong. I'm sorry we have to meet this way. I'll be Kasie's husband soon. I love her. And your blessing would mean a lot to us…"
Kasie wiped off her tears and squatted down in front of the photo. With trembling hands, she stroked his picture and said between sobs, "Emmett… I'm sorry. I'm getting married… I want to marry Ivan. Don't get mad, please. Would you bless us?"
She stopped to catch a little breath, and then continued, "My love, I was going to stay single. I'd accepted it. I didn't think I could love anyone else other than you. But, I'm sorry… I fell in love with Ivan. Are you disappointed with me? I really hope I can get your blessing… Emmett, please forgive me, can you?"
Ivan grabbed a few strands of her long hair and looked at Emmett's bright smile. "I promise you I'll love Kasie with all my heart and soul. I'll treat her well and make her smile every second. I don't mind if she comes to visit you from time to time. And I'll even go with her, whenever we get the chance."
A few minutes later, Ivan told her, "Don't cry. I'll wait for you at the entrance." He wanted to give her some privacy, so she could talk to Emmett freely and honestly.
Kasie nodded. After Ivan walked away, the whole world was quiet with only her and Emmett.
The air felt oppressive. A crow fluttered its wing and flew out of a dense tree, swooping through the air. The atmosphere was eerie in the quiet cemetery. Kasie kept silent with her eyes glued to Emmett's picture.
With Emmett here, she wasn't scared of anything. He always protected her in the past, and he did so now.
After dwelling on the past for a long while, Kasie started again, "I met Ivan through Tomboy. I thought he was married to her, so I kept my distance. I wouldn't get involved with a married man. Last time when we were on a vacation, he kissed me without Debbie knowing. I was so scared. I didn't want to be the other woman and Debbie's my best friend, for heaven's sake. I tried my best to not love him. I thought I'd be betraying you… Last night, he told me his marriage was fake. At that moment, beams of joy and excitement filled my heart. I haven't felt that way for three years. Since you…since you died. So I knew I couldn't deny it anymore. I have really fallen in love with him…"
She slowly recounted the whole story of her and Ivan. "So I'm going to marry another man. Do me a favor. Find a hotter girl than me in the other world. If you're happy, so am I. Don't worry. Even if I marry Ivan, I'll still take care of your parents. Please rest in peace…" Finally, she drew her face closer to the gravestone and kissed Emmett's picture.
"Emmett, this is the last time I kiss you. But I promise, this won't be the last time I visit. I'll see you soon."
When Kasie finally emerged from the cemetery, Ivan was on the phone. His parents' plane had touched down in the airport, and they were on their way to the Zheng family's home.
Seeing her come out, Ivan reached out one hand to wipe her wet eyes, while holding the phone with the other. "We'll be there in 30 minutes," he told his parents. Then, he pulled her into his arms and patted her back to comfort her. The girl was still sad, given over to her emotions of grief over Emmett's death.
Back in Ivan's car, she leaned on his shoulder without saying a word. After she calmed down a little, he strapped her in and started the engine.
Then they went to a mall and selected a pair of diamond rings before heading towards Kasie's home.
By the time they arrived, Logan and Elsie had been there for awhile. They were inside, chatting happily with Kasie's parents. They seemed to be getting on well.
This was the first time Kasie had ever formally met Ivan's parents. But she felt quite sorry because her eyes were still red from weeping.
Reading her mind, Ivan shook his head and whispered in her ear, "It's okay. My parents won't mind. I'll explain to them later."
Elsie held Kasie's hands tightly, afraid that this would be another lie from her son. "I won't be happy if I can't see you two sign your names on the license. I can't believe we got fooled like that. Please understand—I don't want that to happen again." She turned to Kasie's mom and added, "Mrs. Zheng, please take out your household registry. Check it out, I've brought ours too. Our family has its origins in this city. When we go to the Civil Affairs Department, I'll go along with our household registry books."
Mason and Mia were really happy that their daughter had gotten over Emmett's death. She finally opened her heart to another man. Ivan seemed like a great guy too. So, without hesitation, Mia went upstairs to grab their household registry book.
Ivan and Kasie managed to get to the Civil Affairs Department before they closed. They registered their marriage and officially got their marriage licenses, under Elsie's watchful eyes.
Seeing their licenses, Elsie was even happier than the couple. She held Kasie's hand and said excitedly, "Ivan likes things quiet, but I won't listen to him this time. We're going to have an amazing ceremony, with all our relatives and friends there to bless you two!"
Embarrassed, Ivan touched his nose and explained in a low voice, "Mom, the wedding last time was just for show, so I kept it low-key. But this marriage is a real one, so of course I'll let the whole world know that Kasie and I tied the knot."
