~*One Year Later*~

The one thing Greg regretted about spending a few worthy days' vacation at home was the travel to Railyn's grave. He may be finally seeing someone new, but Railyn's memory haunted him like unexplained noises creaking in the night. He didn't understand how he moved on, how he managed to find someone new. He thought it was the end of the world when Railyn went to the other side. He guessed that Railyn's spirit influenced all that has happened this past year; and he was thankful.

He glanced at his reflection in the patio door; his eyes lightly enchanced underlined with dark circles. Mountains of red, ugly stressed popped upon the blemish-free surface of his face at their free will. He shook slightly; knowing what he was still putting himself through wasn't healthy. His eyes then shifted to the rose from Railyn's burial pinned up on his white wall, lifeless and brown in coloration. It was so brittle, one gently touch could send it crumbling into ashes.

Greg grabbed his green spring coat off a chair in his room, his cell phone shaking the pocket of his coat with earthquake qualities. He answered it breathlessly. "Hello?" he asked, "Hey Brit...Maybe later...Yeah, I'm going to see her now...Sure, someday. I...love you, too." *Click*...he wasn't sure if meant it and he hated lying just to make her happy. He wanted to, because Britney loved him so, but he couldn't. Britney didn't make Greg feel the way he felt when he was with Railyn; carefree, happy, alive. His heart was still locked away by Railyn's death. Not even Britney could pry his heart open.

He arrived at the cemetary at about 2 on the most cloudy, damp day of the season, dark lions roaring in viciously from every extremity of sky. He scanned the neverending grey rows of headstones like a supermarket scanner to find Railyn's. 'Has it really been this long since I've seen her?' Greg pondered, looking as lost as a tourist in New York City. He plopped down on the moist grass fustrated. He buried his hands in his brown hair and turned to his left; Railyn's grave was patiently standing there, waiting for him.

Greg scurried to his feet anxiously, the memory jolting back of what her headstone looked like. It was a salmon color, you know, that unexplainable mesh between pink and red in your box of crayons. Across the top in big letters scribed 'Racheal Lynn Coy.' Under that, it stated in script lettering 'April 4, 1985 - June 1, 2002.' Finally, a poem was displayed on the bottom that read 'One of a kind, only her mind, touched so many hearts and souls.' Greg smiled, that poem couldn't have rung more truth. A tear forced its way from the depths of his eyes. "Stop crying, Greg," he scolded himself, shaking his head fiercly at his blubbering, "She's gone."

Suddenly, the clouds broke unwillingly, sending a blinding light down to place Greg in the spotlight. Greg squinted hard, the heat made the veins in his eyes feel as if they were going to explode with fury. He sheltered his precious eyes with his muscular arms until the light subsided. When he opened again, Railyn stood before him.

He wasn't frightened or estatic, he was just amazed. Pure white light beamed from her body. She looked picture perfect. Her wavy maroon hair flowed gently over her white gown, the gown rippling about her body like gentle ocean waves. Her crystal blues more piercing than ever before, shining with undying youth. A golden wreath of ivy sat on her head like a crown, emboding her as a goddess. Her hands were clasped comfortably in front of her as she smiled.

"I may be dead, but I'm not gone," Railyn snickered lightly. Greg's eyes morphed to the size of gold balls at this sight, raising his hands to his mouth in disbelief. "You don't have to say anything," Railyn told him, her voice soft and tender.

"I...I..." Greg started through his hands, his brain working more rapid than his mouth and his eyes immoble from her prescense.

"I just need to tell you," Railyn started sugar-sweetly, peering deep into his soul. "That it's alright to miss someone that is gone. Everyone does; that's compassion, for ya. But blocking yourself from the world, missing ample opprotunities to be happy and successful is not right or fair. You have a pretty good life, Greg, don't forget that. And that Britney girl is sweet, very patient and adores you unconditionally. She worries about you, you know. Give her a chance and stop compairing her to me."

Greg couldn't grasp words to say as he lowered his hands to their original positon. "But I miss you terribly," he blurted, taking a shaky step toward her, "It's hard going through life thinking what we could have had."

Railyn smiled again, the corners of her eyes crinkling at his honestly. "I believe every thing happens for a reason. My departure may lead you to something great or someone great, something that wouldn't happen if I was still alive."

Greg stole another step, reaching out to touch the softness of her hand one more time. He lunged for it, but his hand sliced through like it was just air. Railyn giggled, "This is my spirit. My body's all eaten away and all gross under here," she tapped her bare white foot on the green ground, "I don't think you'd stomach that. But my spirit lies with God up in the clouds."

Greg frowned but it made sense; how could Railyn's body be before him? He really didn't know what to say. He thought of all these things he was feeling, all these things that invaded his mind like unwanted termites, eating away at his heart and sanity. But with Railyn's spirit a foot away, nothing would surface his brain; he never dreamed he'd get an opprotunity like this.

"Are you...lonley up there?" Greg asked, pointing to the sky, not sure what his brain was computing his mouth to say.

"Sometimes," Railyn replied sadly and her eyes softened with a shield of tears that wouldn't fall, lowering to her grave. "I mean, I do have lots of friends up there. And my mother, we've gotten really close. Even though she did all that bad stuff, because of her general love and support of me when I was born, she got a ticket to Heaven. Watching down on you and Danielle always makes the lonliness flutter away, knowing we will see each other in the afterlife. Besides, now I'm really the star I was destined to be."

Greg nodded in agreement and smiled proudly for her, hooking his thumbs through his khaki's belt loops and shifting his weight to his right side. Her composure and courage lightened Greg's heart. 'How I miss these insightful talks,' Greg said silently to himself, his eyes entaking the spiritual beauty of his fallen, but not down-and-out-for-the-count love.

"Just live your life, Handsome," Railyn begged sweetly, grazing her white hand to Greg's cheek, but he felt nothing, not even the touch of a feather. "Live it to the fullest. And when your fabulous journey ends, we will be reunited up at Heavens's Gate and spend the rest of eternity sharing stories and seeing stars. I'll be waiting...I will always be." Before Greg could utter a word, she vanished into tiny sparkles, sent on a thrilling ride with the wind.

Greg stood there like a statuette as happy tears of the angles above dripped onto him. 'Am I crazy?' he wondered skeptically, watching the remaining sparkles float into the clouds. 'No,' he protested. 'That was real, so real. That was Railyn. Every thing she said made sense and was true. It was all crystal clear.' He smiled triumphantely, knowing what he had to do for both his and Railyn's sakes. He sprinted from the cemetary and began to travel to Britney's house. He needed to tell Britney what he saw, he needed to give her a kiss; he needed to love her.