Mat opened the car door for Marie and held her hand as he helped her out.  Every day she was in town he would drive her out here and wait for her until she was ready to leave.  It was always highly personal.  In this place he had seen her go through nearly the entire spectrum of human emotions: sorrow, hopelessness, anger, fear, bitterness, hate, regret,  sadness... The list went on and on.

However, there had recently been a change.  He knew what had caused the change, but it did not make watching her go through it any easier.  He was devoted to this woman and it pained him to know that she was in pain.   He spread a blanket out for her by the headstone and then retreated back to the car to give her some space.  He watched as she exchanged the day old flowers in the urn for the new fresh ones she had brought with her.  Then she knelt on the blanket facing the stone that read Luca Lucania.  Reaching out to gently rest her fingertips on the name she bowed her head and began to sob.

The sobbing was always the hardest for Mat to listen too.  It cut him to the core and made him want to rip his damn heart out of his chest.  He looked down for a moment and shifted on his feet uneasily.  When he looked up he saw she had draped herself over the stone.  It had been a while since it had been this bad and he knew who was to blame for it.  He wanted to hate the man for causing this, but how could he hate someone that also brought her so much happiness and joy?  It was her guilt over feeling that happiness and joy from another man that was causing this anguish now.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity.  She finally cried herself out.  Then she spoke to Luca so softly that Mat could barely hear her words.

"I can't keep living like this.  This is not living.  I know you would want me to move forward.  To live my life.  To.." her voice caught in her throat a moment before continuing, "love again.  So why do I feel so guilty."

She sat up and turned around to lean back against the stone.  "Roman... he is a good man.  He looks after me and sees that our family is cared for and protected.  He is good for me.  He is good for our family."  She cried a few more tears.  "I have to let you go.  Some how, some way I have to say goodbye.  I can't move forward if I am anchored to your memory."

For several long minutes Marie sat there in silence.  The tears slowed and then stopped.  Finally she turned around and kissed the name.  "Goodbye my love.  I will never forget you and I know one day we will be united again, but for now I must say goodbye."

Without another word she stood up and went back to the car.