Because You Loved Me

He slumped down on the couch and pressed play as the video screen popped up and went from a blue haze to a young brunette running down the beach laughing, her hair was blowing in the wind like an exotic shooting star getting away from it all. She seemed so alive there, running free from it all. Almost like the same freedom she gave him, every time she smiled at him, or stuck her tongue out.

“For all those times you stood by me,
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all”

She looked at the screen again and smiled warmly. The light blue water from the Miami coast reflected onto the lightness of her eyes making them dazzle and shimmer under the windy sun. The screen went dead again as his twenty fifth birthday party popped up, the same brunette walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, making him lean forward to kiss her.

He put his hand to his lips, almost being able to taste the sweetness in her mouth. The couple looked at the video camera before bursting into laughter and kissing again, as she dragged him away from the camera recorder and into another room. He smiled to himself remembering what’d she had given him that night as a birthday present. Her virginity.

In that day alone he knew he’d learned more about himself and the faith she had in him, then ever before, especially when after their love making she confessed her undying love to him. He could almost still feel the heat from her body pressed up against his from very night they’d made sweet love to each other. She’d given him hope and faith in the world and his life that night.

“You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me”

The blue screen appeared again as the home made video continued. This time it was Christmas, the same woman from the video screen showed up, talking quickly into the camera, as she lay flat on the snow trying to make an angel. “You know baby? I think you’re my angel from up above. I seriously think, you’re my soulmate and we’re destined to be together forever! Cool huh?”

She made a kissing smack and threw snow at the camera. The view dropped, so that all he could see was snow, but he could hear the faint giggles and exclamations of frostbite from her. He closed his eyes and sighed gripping at his chest. Her voice still sounded so close and real.

The camera went back up again, so her face was zoomed in, the exotic features blooming onto the screen as she spoke into it like a little person. “You’re the man of my life, BAY-BE! Now don’t think marriage is out of the question, cuz’ ya know? I want to get married? WHY? Cuz’ nothing is impossible, just like the possibility of our marriage! THINK about it people!” she drilled.

Nothing was and had ever been impossible in her mind. He guessed that’s what had made her special.

“You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you”

The screen blurred into a wedding. He could see a flash of white and tuxedos. He felt his heart sink, remembering that joyful day. The giggling brunette popped up onto the screen wailing. “I’m getting married! AHHHHH!!! We’re getting married! AHHHH!”

“Do you Lia Whittaker take this man top be your law fully wedded husband?” The priest asked the familiar brunette. She grinned and looked at his reflection in the video nodding furiously. “Of course.” He shook his head, choking back the tears that had formed in his eyes from watching when she’d accepted him into matrimony. It’d been a day he’d never forget, in more ways than one.

“You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He finished. Shaking his head the man put it into his hands knowing full well what the next scene held, even though every living, feeling cell in him told him to turn the video off, a higher being told him no, it was time he faced the truth after such few years. He knew it was going to hurt, but he couldn’t expect it.

His wife’s life passed before his eyes, the shot of the sudden yells and wails from every person at the Ceremony could be heard, as the driver by, shot the gun and the bullet went at Lia, shooting her straight through the chest. Her body fell onto the crowd of people, her beautiful white dress stained with blood. The commands to call 911 were useless, they never did make it on time. They were two minutes too late.

Too late to save his wife’s death. The woman who’d given him so much in return for so little. His breath caught in his throat as the screen went dead. Finally. The horror of the wedding day was over. But how come, beyond the three years it’d happened it still hurt? Hurt so badly, the tears sprang into his eyes. Raising his fist into the air he drove it down onto the couch, letting out a sob.

“WHY? WHY?” he asked.

The screen came up again, and Lia’s face overtook the screen shining brilliantly. She opened her mouth, “Because I love you, Joey...” The screen died out, cutting her off.

“I'm everything I am
Because you loved me”

Song by: Celine Dione- Because You Loved Me