"Here, use this." Jared sensed that she probably didn't have anything to clean the tombstone, so he took out the silk handkerchief he used earlier.
Amber took it from him and forced a smile. "Thank you. I'll buy you a new one."
Jared wanted to say she didn't have to. But it suddenly came to him that her buying him a new one would be a gift from her. So, he nodded. "Okay."
He actually preferred if she could make one for him herself.
Amber was completely unaware of what was going on in Jared's head. She unfolded the handkerchief and started to wipe the tombstone.
Amber was extra careful when she dusted the photo, afraid that any unnecessary force would compromise the last bit of coloration of it.
Seeing that, Jared asked, "Are there any other photos of your mother? If not, I can have this restored and reprinted."
"I think I have some photos of her before she passed away. I can make a copy of them and have this replaced." Amber didn't stop what she was doing when she answered.
Jared nodded, then remained silent.
Just then, Jared felt a drop of rain on his forehead.
He looked at the overcast sky. A storm was coming.
Jared didn't want to disturb Amber, who was cleaning the tombstone attentively, so he turned around and left.
Jared didn't make any noise when he walked away. Amber was too focused to notice that he was gone.
It was not until the sky started weeping that she stood up and turned around. "Jared Farrell, it's raining. Go back to the car..."
She stopped after realizing that Jared was long gone.
She was talking to no one, worrying for nothing.
Amber's face darkened as a surge of disappointment rose in her.
"Didn't he say he wants to do this with me? Didn't he say he is going to make up for the past six years? Where is he now? When did he left? Was it because I kept him waiting for too long, so he got impatient?"
Amber bit her lower lip and laughed at her own foolishness.
"Right. Why should he? He didn't owe me anything. We have nothing to do with each other. Even if we do, he doesn't have to come. He has every right to leave. But why do I feel so disappointed?"
Amber turned back. There was still a little unfinished. After cleaning it, she had to visit her dad's tombstone.
She squatted down yet again, ready to clean it.
The rain was still pouring down. But the next second, something over her head protected her from those water bullets.
Amber looked up. It was an umbrella.
She turned around to see Jared standing behind her holding the umbrella for her.
He tilted the umbrella towards her, his clothes visibly drenched by the heavy rain.
But he stood still holding it for her as if nothing had happened.
Amber was shocked. She opened her mouth, unable to make a sound until moments later. "Didn't... Didn't you just leave?"
Jared chuckled. "No. I just saw it was going to rain, so I went to get the umbrella. What? Are you afraid that I'll leave without telling you?"
Amber felt a little guilty for making assumptions like that. She wanted to refute him but couldn't utter a word.
She found that she couldn't lie to him at all.
Seeing this, Jared smiled, squatted down, put his umbrella on his shoulder, and pulled her in. He whispered into her ears, "Silly, I promised I would do this with you. I will keep my promise. Do you know how hard it is to regain your trust? I will never leave you behind."
Sensing that he was telling the truth, Amer rested her head on his shoulder. The insecurity in her heart finally dissipated.
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