Robert, Her Billionaire Widower

Chapter 14

Today was an important day for Vanessa and Robert for two reasons. First and foremost, it was their one month anniversary after they had started going out officially. It was also the two year anniversary of Marie’s death, and Robert and Vanessa had discussed it and decided that they could commemorate both things one after the other.

They decided to commemorate her two year death anniversary first. It was important because Robert was finally over her, he was finally able to move on with his life and live the life that he had always wanted to lead. He was finally able to be truly happy to the point where he had absolutely nothing that he was depressed about, not even slightly. He was completely and utterly happy and although he was still getting used to feeling this way he was learning to come to terms with it and enjoying it in the process.

Vanessa looked around. This was the new apartment that they had moved in together. It was a lovely place, not as opulent as Robert’s old home but it was new. It had the potential to give them lots of memories that they would not have to associate with Marie. It would give both her and Robert a chance to start fresh.

She was glad that they had moved out. She had had a feeling that that house had played a part in making Robert feel like he couldn’t get over Marie. Obviously, since he was surrounded by memories and reminders of his dead wife, he couldn’t get over her. He would think about her all the time and this would get in the way of his grieving, this would get in the way of him getting over his late wife. Now that they lived in a new place, they would be separate from all of the memories that had weighed Robert down and made him feel like he could not get past the death of his wife.

She sighed. She was content. It was good for her to move out of her old apartment too because it was starting to weigh down on her. Robert walked in and she kissed him good morning.

“Hey, baby,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“Not too bad,” said Robert. “A lot better than I felt last time this year. Also,” he brought out a bouquet of flowers that he had been hiding behind him, “happy one month anniversary my love.”

“Robert!” said Vanessa. “I can’t believe you did this! It’s so sweet. It was just a monthly anniversary, you didn’t have to go through this much trouble. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” said Robert, kissing Vanessa on the lips. “So, all of the paperwork is done. The house is being sold. And I am donating every single cent to charity, just like we planned. I think this will be a great way to get over Marie. I think it will allow me to feel like I can change things in my life because the memories that I had made with Marie will go towards funding so many good things for other people. That’s a good sendoff, don’t you think?”

“It is,” said Vanessa. “There’s only one sendoff left. Are you ready?”

“I am,” said Robert. They headed into the bedroom and Robert opened the wardrobe. There, right in front of him, was the urn in which his wife’s ashes were. It was a very typical urn, except for the fact that it had very beautiful engravings. He looked at it for a while. Vanessa did not rush him. This was something that he needed to take his time with. He needed to pick it up himself. He needed to do this himself.

He picked it up and said, “Let’s go.”

They drove out of the city, into the countryside until they came to a lake. They parked next to a little cottage beside the lake, a cottage that Robert had recently bought after he had received dividends from his stocks in his company. They walked out to the lake and Robert looked out at it.

“Marie would have loved it here,” he said. Vanessa held his hand. “She would have loved the way the sun reflected off of the water. She would have loved the serenity of this place. In all honesty, I don’t think I ever appreciated her as much as I should have. I think I would never have been able to see the beauty in the sun reflecting off of the surface of the lake had it not been for her pointing it out to me. I think I needed her for that. It was part of what she gave me, the ability to move past the exterior and see what is underneath. The ability to see beauty in everything. And that is a very important gift to get, don’t you think? It’s not the kind of thing that everyone gets. Not everyone is able to enjoy life this way, and see beauty everywhere they go.

“I’m really grateful that I got to experience what I had with Marie. I’m really grateful for every second I spent with her, and I’m really grateful to her for all that she has given me. I think… I think the day she died a piece of me went with her, but I don’t think this is that big a deal. That’s what happens when someone you love dies. You lose a part of yourself with them because in loving them you grew and became something new and unusual, something different from your former self. You lose part of that new version of yourself when the person you love dies, but you know what? That doesn’t leave you empty. No, you can grow something in its place. You can choose to love again and enjoy your life. That’s what I’m doing and I’m glad for it.”

Vanessa did not say anything. She simply held Robert’s hand and looked out at the beautiful lake. She rested her head on Robert’s shoulder and he rested his head on hers. He wanted her to feel loved, even in this moment. She really appreciated that.

Robert opened the urn and poured the ashes into the lake. He did not hesitate as he did it, and when it was done he held the urn for a moment and then placed it on the ground. “I think I’ll just leave the urn here,” he said, “I think that it would make me happy to leave it here.”

“I think you should do whatever makes you happy,” said Vanessa. She squeezed his hand.

Robert looked out for another long moment at the lake. It truly was a beautiful lake. The sun was setting and that was one of the most beautiful things that one could see at such a time. It was almost like the sun was setting on Robert and Marie, and it was a truly beautiful thing to go out like this, to be able to go out in a manner that allowed you to look so utterly beautiful as a setting sun.

Robert continued to look at the lake. He did not look sad. He did not look like he was depressed. He didn’t look happy either. He just looked… blank. He looked far off, as if he was replaying the whole thing in his head for the last time. One last time. He needed that. Vanessa had a feeling that this was him letting her go completely.