The Love of My Afterlife(96)

I circulate the room, thanking everyone for coming, unable to quite believe that these people have turned out for me. Unable to quite believe I am willingly and happily conversing with each and every one of them in talk both big and small.

I glance over to the section of the wall that holds my portrait of Cooper. Of course he was unable to sit for me, so it’s mostly been done from memory and the visits at his bedside. In the drawing, he’s doing that cocky smile. The one that simultaneously makes me want to snipe at him, stroke his face, and climb into his lap. His eyes are twinkling, chin lifted, as if he’s on the edge of breaking into a laugh. I think about the way he laughs with his whole body, like every limb wants in on the fun. The thought of it brings a sting to my throat, the space behind my eyes aching with yet another round of tears.

I step out into the musty hallway of the library, taking a few deep lungfuls of air to steady myself. The people in that room have seen enough of me crying to last a lifetime. The worst thing I could do is to invite them to an event to witness more of it, only this time in more salubrious surroundings.

I’m about to go back in to join the others when I hear someone clear their throat behind me.

“The exhibition’s just through there,” I say absently, thumbing in the direction of the reading room.

“What, no cutting remark for the most obnoxious man you’ve ever encountered? That’s a first.”

I whirl around. And there, in a wheelchair, in front of the blazing stained-glass windows, is Cooper. He’s dressed in a pristine white shirt, his grey cargo pants a little baggy on his legs. His dark curls are past chin length, his eyes glinting and intense. They drink me in thirstily.

His lips lift into a full, wholehearted smile. “You know, I had this really strange dream about a girl who looked just like you.”

I start to laugh.

He’s back. Cooper came back.





49





I fling myself at him, pressing my hands all over his face to make absolutely sure he’s real.

“Are you a ghost?”

I grab hold of his arms and squeeze gently. They feel real and solid and definitely strong enough to squeeze a little harder.

“Not a ghost.” His voice is extra raspy. He rubs his throat. “I woke up this morning. Still a human. A little skinnier. Unsteady on my feet. A bit battered, but nothing some physical therapy won’t help. But yeah. I’m right here.”

“Right here,” I repeat, the tears behind my eyes finally giving up the battle to remain there. He hooks his arm around my waist and pulls me onto his lap. “Wait…I don’t want to hurt you. Shouldn’t you be in hospital?” I scan his entire body, inspecting him for injuries, signs that he is actually well enough to be here in the library.

Cooper shakes his head and laughs. “I’m completely fine. Sat up this morning and felt like I’d had a long lie-in. The doctors said it sometimes happens like that. People just wake up. It’ll take a while to build my strength back to where it was, but I’m honestly good.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“They spent most of the day giving me every test imaginable before they deemed me fit enough to go home. I have to go back for a checkup in two days, but otherwise they seemed happy enough to free up bed space.”

“Do you feel well?”

“I do now.” Cooper eyes me and grins.

“Your parents! Do they know?”

“They dropped me off here. They’re going to grab a coffee somewhere and then come to meet us inside. They told me you were having an exhibition.” His eyes glitter. “Heard you did a drawing of some super-popular author guy.”

I grab his hands. “Merritt…Is she…? Did she make this happen?”

“Like any of those other gobshites could have pulled it off.”

I gasp as Merritt shimmers into focus at the end of the hallway. She’s wearing a hot-pink suit, a pair of green winged glasses perched on her little nose.

I jump off Cooper’s lap, running over and immediately pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Thank you for bringing him back to me. I convinced myself you would, but then the longer time went on I thought…” I trail off, unable to finish the sentence.

Merritt gently shrugs me off. “Looks like someone got hella comfortable with physical contact! Good for you, Delph.”

I step back and shake my head in amazement as Cooper wheels over to us. Merritt hugs him and he ruffles her curls.

Merritt looks between me and Cooper. “God, you are cute together. I should have known right away that you were meant to be. I was fooled by all the sniping.”

“Hang on…so you didn’t send me back for Cooper? It wasn’t all part of a grand plan from the very beginning?”

Merritt scoffs. “God, no! I recognised you as his neighbour, but it never occurred to me to set you up. Wouldn’t ever intentionally inflict him on anyone, TBH.”

“Oi,” Cooper warns, giving her an over-the-top glare.

I bite my lip. “So why Jonah? Why did you say he was my soulmate?” I look at Cooper. “When he clearly wasn’t?”

Merritt shrugs. “It was a compelling catalyst, was it not? A fine inciting incident, as authors put it.”

“But why him specifically?”