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She untied the boith long, graceful fingers, and opened the flap He sed hard as she pulled out the papers Her hands shook slightly as she read

“They’re going to dig?” she asked

“They are We all have to sign a non-disclosure agreeree to do the responsible and ethical thing with their findings We’ll be in constant correspondence”

She blinked rapidly Her eyes shone “You did this?”

“I helped”

She sniffed “No, you’re ht now”

“Are you happy?”

“That doesn’t begin to cover the way I feel”

“Good Because I have a question I want to ask you” He walked over, sat beside her, and took her hand “You’ve changed my life for the better I was coent, beautiful, driven, and funny You get me in a way no one else has We complement one another, and as much as I love us, the e are, I wantI see I sleep better when you’re beside ht, and I don’t want to continue to sleep at your place and my place I want an ‘our’ place I love you, Daize You have the key to ive you the key to the condo Will you move in with me?” He pulled out a small velvet case, opened it, and presented as key he’d had decorated with a seashell motif

“I love you, too, Micah I’m happiest when I’m with you So, yes, I will s are settled here”

Giddy off her acceptance, he cupped her head and brought her lips to his Plunging his tongue into her eager mouth, he lost himself in the taste and feel of her as they celebrated the next step in their life together The anxiety he’d experienced as she neared the end of her job contract lifted He’d give her every reason to stay, for the rest of her life

Epilogue

Daize

She held Micah’s hand and stood beside the freshly covered grave as the priest finished his blessing Nearly six months, and miles of red tape later, the exhu Grove cemetery As pro was kept a secret No one wanted to see the spirits exploited They had suffered enough, trapped in a building, unable to be heard

“May these souls find a peace long denied them as they move on to the next life away from the pain and woes of this world Amen”