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Always There

This short story was inspired by "Painters" by Jewel


“But how could this have happened? Why did he do it? I shouldn’t have let him jump in
front of me...” Marian’s voice was lost to her tears. She stood over the casket of her
beloved fiancée. His lively eyes would never reopen, the blonde hair would never blow in
the breeze again, the usually red lips were drained of color. They, too, would never again
part to release the marvelous gift which lay in the boy’s throat. Being of 22 years, most
would think him a man, but he was, in so many ways, just a boy. He had been mischievous and curious till his last hours and his eyes sparkled whenever he knew someone was vexed by his boyish pranks.

     However, when the situation occurred, he was no coward. He knew what had to be
done, and he did it, without hesitation. It was either him, or the thing he treasured most.

     Marian slipped the engagement ring off her finger and placed it in his jacket pocket.
“No, dear. He would want you to keep it. So you’ll never forget him.” The woman’s blue
eyes sparkled a bit through her tears as she pressed the ring into her hand and nodded
reassuringly. They proceeded on, allowing his brothers to pay their last respects.

     Six months later, Marian brought home her newborn daughter, Lucy Michele, to an
empty house.  She carefully laid her down in the crib and caressed her soft pink head. The ring on her hand sparkled, catching her eye. She slipped into the nearby rocking chair, then let the tears roll down freely. Just then she heard a familiar voice singing a familiar tune. Through blurred eyes, she recognized his form. He was bent over the crib, softly crooning a lullaby to the infant. Marian drew her breathe and spoke not a word until he had finished, at which point, a sob escaped her lips.

     His figure straightened, the head turning in her direction. She stood, walked towards
him, not believing what she saw. His arms wrapped around her like they had done so many times when she was upset. She thought she had never felt something this amazing in her entire life. His comforting embrace she could feel physically, but it wouldn’t register mentally what was going on. He couldn’t possibly be there with her. Marian decided it was for the best if she just stopped thinking about it and enjoyed the sensation.

     Finally, he released her from his grasp, then began to fade into the shadows. “No!
Don’t leave me! Not now...” she cried. He took up her chin in his hand, gazing directly
into her eyes. She thought she saw the beginning and end of heaven in his. “I’ll always be with you,” he whispered. When she blinked, he was no longer there. Marian sank to the floor slowly and cried herself to sleep.

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