Happiness

     “Hey”

     There you were, leaning against the threshold of my apartment door. I smiled, taking you into my arms.

     We drove far away, away from my town, taking a road that wound its way away from where pain and sorrow existed. We drove to the beach. It was a cloudy day. No one else was there except for a couple with their children. We watched them for a while, your hand curled around my back. You kissed me, gently on my forehead, taking my hand and leading me to the water. We chased the waves together, you and I alone. We would lie in the sand, walk the pier, talking about everything and nothing.

     I remember when you first told me you loved me. We’d just gotten to a restaurant for dinner. Somehow we never left the car, we just talked. We didn’t realize we’d missed our reservation until half an hour to midnight. We had fast food instead, In-N-Out. Over french fries and milkshakes, you said it. I never realized how much I’d feel when you finally said that you loved me. I never realized how much I truly loved you back. I barely remember you dropping me off at my apartment. I remember feeling dizzy the next day, dizzy and happy. Very happy.

     Then there was the fifty thousandth time you told me you loved me, when you asked me to marry you. I never understood weddings until I’d had one myself. I’d cried. A lot.

     Memories fade like last night’s dream. That warm comfortable feeling I got then stays now, even if I can’t explain where I got it in the first place. I always knew it was impossible to completely lose someone if I could remember them. Even if memories drift away, I would always remember you.

     “Hey”

     There I was, leaning against the threshold of your hospital room. You would smile, every time, no matter how much it hurt. There were no tears; I always forced the sadness back. I couldn’t be sad when I was still with you, when I still had you. Even when you finally were gone… I knew you would never want me to be sad. You would cry, when you laughed, it hurt so badly but it was just so funny, but you never made me feel sorry for you. Not intentionally.

      It’s so hard watching a loved one die.

      Time goes by so fast now, too fast. It’s like something invisible, slipping through your fingers, but you can’t ever really tell what it is. I threw up at work, sometimes, like my body was rejecting what would inevitably happen. I cried myself to sleep, alone in my bed, miles from where you slept in your hospital cot. I couldn’t understand why people ever got close to each other when things like this happen. It wasn’t fair.

     Now I’m standing here, at your gravestone. “I love you forever, Emily” Engraved with your favorite verse from the Bible. The memories of you and me finally come rushing back. I suddenly realized that the real tragedy could have been that I’d never met you. Darling, I miss you. I know you miss me too. But I knew that one day, we’d be happy. You and me, together once again…

Author's Note

Something I wrote up really fast one night..

Reviews

[Suzy Q]

Beautiful, that's it. That's all I have to say.

[Snickers]

This story made me start crying it was sad. Happy at first but sadness as last. :'( but it was a truly wonderful story. :D

[Gomer LePoet]

A truly fulfilling and sad story. What is the old saying?, It is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all.

[MiidniightSoul]

Wow this was such a sad and touching story. And very beautifuly written.

[Chantel]

Sad story...good writing. I like where you wrote, "I suddenly realized that the real tragedy could have been that I'd never met you." Very good reminder right there :)
Second to last sentence in the third paragraph, you might want to change "he" to "you" to match the rest of it.
Keep writing! I love your stories :)

[Miss Coral]

Very moving and emotional. Wonderfully done. There were some grammatical errors, but minor thing I'm sure you'd catch if you read it through again. Excellent piece..

[The Uncommon Muse]

Oh my....I was wiping away tears by the end of this. The story is so deeply emotional. I have only a few suggestions...In your first paragraph you switch from You to He/him. There are some minor spelling errors and punctuation suggestions..."That warm comfortable feeling I got then stays now, even if I can’t explain where I got it in the first place."...I'd put a comma after then, the sentence flows better with just a little pause there......"I threw up at work sometimes, like my body was rejecting what would inevitably happen."...maybe consider revising to "I would throw up at work sometimes..."...."I couldn’t understand why people every....", every should be ever. Just some things to think about, but I cant say again how very moving this piece is.

[the_stoic]

"forced the sadness back" !! only true love can do .. moved to tears reading your story .. the ending was perfect mam .. bodies are mortal entities but the souls do unite finally ... loved it