In Our Bones

"There's a reason I called you both here," Kansas said, her voice airy and weak. "It's important that we talk about it before I get too tired."

"We're here," Booker said softly. "Say what you have to say, Kansas."

Kansas turned to Booker.

"You first, then," she said. "Cas, I want you to know that I forgive you. I've been mad at you for a long, long time, but I realized that I've never gained anything from hating you. I lost a friend, a best friend. I shouldn't have been so stubborn. Besides, I always knew you weren't mine... I always knew you wanted Juno. I was just selfish. So, so selfish. And I'm sorry."

"Kansas—" Booker and I both began, but she cut us off.

"No, let me finish," she said. "I love you, Cas. I always will. You were my first love, but you're not my only love." She turned to me. "I love you too, Juno. So much, you have no idea."

She was focusing on me now. "After I die, my son will be without a mother. He'll struggle without a mother's love, Juno. I need to ask a big favor of you."

"Anything," I said, sniffling as tears streaked down my face.

"I saved your son," she said, grasping my hand. "Now I'm asking you to save mine. Don't let him ever feel the absence of a mother's love. Take care of him. Love him as your own."

"Kansas, I already do," I said with a sob. "I have always loved Cade as my own."

She smiled. "Then I guess there's only one thing left to do."

Kansas put my hand in Booker's, closing his fingers around my hand. She looked to the both of us, her expression warm and kind.

"I give you my blessing," she said softly.

"Kansas... why?" I asked, shocked. Booker was stunned into silence.

"Because, Juno," Kansas said, giving me a watery smile, "It's always been you."

—

Six days later, Kansas passed away peacefully in her sleep. Her soul was no longer in her body, and though she may not have been in the world anymore, no one could snuff out her light. She glowed, lying there in her bed, like an angel fast asleep. I had swept her hair back from her temple, kissing her forehead. She was still warm.

"I love you," I whispered. "Forever and always."

The funeral service was small and intimate, just the way Kansas would've wanted it. As her coffin was lowered six feet into the ground, I held Cade's hand, keeping my promise. He stood there, shellshocked, grief stricken, and broken, but I would never in my life let him endure a day without a mother's love. I squeezed his hand, and to my surprise, he'd squeezed mine back.

Booker stood beside me, a hand on Theo's shoulder, keeping him steady, but something told me that he was doing it more for his own comfort than our son's. His eyes were glistening and wet, but he did not cry. None of us did. We all honored Kansas, the beautiful woman that neither of us had ever deserved. The kindest, sweetest person I'd ever known, taken from the world too soon, and all I could do was stand there and hold her son's hand.

I hoped it'd be enough.

After the burial service, Booker and I took a seat on a park bench nearby. In the cold, crisp air, we sat there and remembered Kansas. I thought about how in the end, Kansas had searched for me and Booker, bringing us together as her final act of kindness. No one had prompted her to do this, and she could have remained bitter, could have died with the satisfaction of keeping us apart, but she hadn't.

Because she was Kansas, and there wasn't a mean bone in her body.

Booker took my hand, and I looked at him, the early afternoon sun glowing in his haunted honeyed eyes. So this, I thought, was the cost of Kansas's final sacrifice.

This was the cost of love.

There is no happily ever after in my story, only a life of grief, remembering the woman whose love for us had been greater than our betrayal.

So no, I am not the heroine of this story.

Kansas is.

_______________

This story would not have been possible without my dear friends Bebop3, Chasten, MsCherylTerra, SleeperyJim, and every single one of my readers. I would also like to thank my good friends over at Altiloquious Abridgements. Many thanks and much love to everyone involved in the making of this story.

I also would like to note that I do not condone any cheating, especially on a spouse. This story, as are all of my stories, is purely fictional, and does not reflect my own views. It's written for your entertainment, free of cost, so please leave me your feedback and remember to vote!

Cheers!

Nora