Epilogue
"...So as I stand before you today, I must ask myself why we are here. We are not here to mourn Caitlin's death, but we are here to celebrate the life that she had. She had shown independence, courage and passion through her whole life, and I was lucky enough to see that through the eyes of friendship and love.
"Not a day will go by when I will not think about her. Death is something that no one could or will get accustomed to." I paused to look at the crying faces in the crowd. I stopped my speech in fear that I would just break down and beg for her to come back to me. I took Caitlin's ring that was in my pocket. I slowly walked away from the podium, and knelt down in front of her.
"Here," I whispered as I slid the ring onto her finger. "Once a promise, always a promise," I said to her and kissed her cheek, one of my tears dropping onto her shoulder.
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I stood in the cemetery, soaking wet from the rain. Everyone else was under an umbrella, but not me. I listened intently to everyones final good-byes to her closed casket. I still stood once everyone left. I was alone.
"Nick, are you coming?" My mom asked me.
"In a minute," I said, in a barely audible whisper. I waited until my mom was gone and then I kneeled into the wet ground next to her.
"Caitlin, I know you hate good-byes. And I'm not ready to say good-bye. Not yet. I don't think that I will ever be ready. I know you want me to move on, but I can't. It's too hard. Every little thing reminds me of you. God, Caity. Why did this have to happen to you? I wish I could turn back the hands of time so that you would still be here. But that's impossible. Even though you are not here with me physically, you will always be in my heart forever. You were the only girl that I loved. I will always keep your promise. I will never forget you." I said and wiped away the many tears that had fallen from my eyes. I took a few steps away.
"Oh, wait. Caitlin, I almost forgot." I said. I kissed her casket and placed a ' Whatchamacallit Flower' on top.
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I laid at the beach behind my house, looking into the sunset.
"Looks like she made it up there safely," I heard a voice say behind me. My mom sat down next to me. I sat up.
"Mom, Caitlin told me that if it rains the day you are buried, it means that your soul gets to God faster. Is that true?" I asked.
"Yes, but not in her case." She responded.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because her soul is right here," she said, placing a hand over my heart. I gulped back the tears while we sat there in silence.
"I'm going inside," my mother said.
"So am I," I said, standing up. As soon as I stood up, I saw something shiny sticking up in the sand.
"Nick, what is it?" My mom asked when she noticed I had stopped. I smiled through my tears as I showed her what it was. My Promise Ring.
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