Author's note: For those not familiar with "Liv", she was the catalyst for the "Liv's Legacy" stories, and was featured in "The Devil's Gateway" and other stories.
Chapter 1
Standing there and looking at the bed, I couldn't stop the memories that came flooding in; not that I wanted to stop them. Whenever we thought of Liv, they always came back for both of us. Liv was not someone to be forgotten, not in our lifetime, and perhaps longer, she affected so many people. As I sensed all that had gone before, all the sensations threatened to overwhelm me again. My mind, my heart, and even my watering eyes wanted to reach out to her, to touch her again, and yes, to love her.
We were both that way; Paula, the one we so loved, the one I still love and live with. We had both loved with Liv, as well as each other, and it was magnificent for all of us. Now it was still magnificent, but we did miss Liv's presence in our lives.
"What's going on in your mind?" my—our—love asked.
"Just thinking of her, hon. Can't help it."
"Yeah, I know what you mean; me too."
We'd come back to check the house out. We were thinking of offering it to Mary and Anise. Their place was a good one, but this one was much better, roomier. Besides, they had both admired it, but not asked about renting it, at least not yet.
"What do you think about taking this bedroom to our place?" I asked.
"Where would we put it?" Paula asked.
"Either in place of ours, or swap it with the one in the other room."
She thought of it. "Not that I'm averse to anyone, but I'm not sure about having anyone else sleep in it."
We did sometimes have others stay overnight, so I could see her point.
"Well, hon, we do love it, don't we?"
"Uh-huh. How could we not, it was all so beautiful," she said with a wistfulness that I felt too.
"How about if we move this to our bedroom, and put what we have now in the spare room, and move our spare one over here? Would that work for you? Would you really like that, hon?"
"If you would, Elle, yes, I'd like it. Still, it'll always bring some sharp memories back to us."
"She's always there anyway, always in us."
"True. How can she not be? I wouldn't ever want her far away from us anyway."
"Me too. Let's do it, okay?"
"Yes, my love, let's," she said, hugged me, and kissed me softly, a sweet kiss, but laden with those memories of Liv and her love that were constantly with us.
The only regret I had of Liv's constant invasion in our life now was that she was not still with us as we wanted, wished for, but to no avail. The dead don't come back, at least not as we wished Liv would come back.
* * * *
It was done. Renting a truck, and finding a few big guys we knew, the changes in bedroom furniture were made. Liv's bed, the bed we had all made love it, was now in our main bedroom. Once more, looking at it when we were finally alone, all of the memories came rushing in on us again. All of that, and some tears.
"I wish we had done this right away," I confessed.
"We had to get used to Liv not being with us. Though I love having her bed here now, I think we did the right thing to begin with. Now we know with a certainty that we never want her to be apart from us."
I had to think on that. Paula was right, but then if she said something, it was usually right.
"Yeah, it was best that way, but I'm glad we have her back with us in this way."
I looked at her, and saw her doing the same thing—looking at my tear stained eyes as I looked at hers.
"God, baby, but I love you both so much," I said, sensing Liv was still here with us.
"Me too, Elle. I love her as I love you now, and as we both loved you then."
* * * *