~*~THE YELLOW ROSES ~*~

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying
groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was
still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and
look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot
him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. He
knew I loved yellow roses.

With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and
leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.
Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and
remembered how he had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me.
She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as
she picked up a large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket,
hesitated, and then put them back..

She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw
me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly,
at these prices, I don't know." I swallowed the emotion down my throat
and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I
told her.

Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in
my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."

She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the
package in her basket and wheeled away.

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy
products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy.
Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else,
I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in
my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.

I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming
towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the
brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her
blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she
came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.

"These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed
yellow roses in my arms.

"When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She
leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again.

I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still
unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my
vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue
wrapping and found it almost unreal.

How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone..
Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my
eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.