Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

“Did he? That’s … odd. Why would he—it doesn’t matter. What do you
want, Hugo?”
“He was a client of mine. But he was also my friend. I’m sorry for your
loss. I know it must have been difficult.”
“Thank you,” Naomi said stiffly, and Wallace knew she was wracking her
brain, trying to figure out what angle Hugo was working. “If you knew him,
I’m sure you’re aware we divorced.”
“I know,” Hugo said.
She was growing irritated. “Is there a point to this conversation? Or was
that it? Look, I appreciate you calling, but I—”
“He loved you. Quite a bit. And I know it got rough, and you went your
separate ways for good reason, but he never regretted a single moment he
spent with you. He wanted you to know that. He hoped you found happiness
again. That you would have a full life, and that he was so sorry for what
happened.”
Naomi didn’t speak. Wallace would have thought she disconnected, but he
could still hear her breathing.
“Say it,” he whispered. “Please.”
Hugo said, “He told me about your wedding day. He said there had never
been anyone more beautiful than you were at that moment. He was happy.
And even though things changed, he never forgot the way you smiled at him in
that little church.” He laughed quietly. “He said he panicked right before the
ceremony. You had to talk to him through a door to try to get him to calm
down.”
Silence. Then, “He … he said he couldn’t get his tie to work. That we
might as well call the whole thing off.”
“But you didn’t.”
Naomi sniffled. “No. We didn’t, because it was just something so Wallace
that I … Christ. You had to call and ruin my makeup, didn’t you?”
Hugo chuckled. “I don’t mean to.”
“No, I don’t expect you do. Why are you calling me now with this?”
“Because he thought you deserved to hear it. I know you hadn’t spoken in
a long while before he passed, but the man I know—knew, was different than
the man you remember. He learned kindness.”
“That doesn’t sound like Wallace at all.”
“I know,” Hugo said. “But people can change when faced with eternity.”