BACK WITH YOU
Prologue
January 15, 1931
Santa Monica, California
Rose stood on the empty pier, looking
forlornly out at the waves. The California sun was just setting, producing brilliant
shades of purple, pink, and orange to form on the horizon. The waves of color
bounced off of and illuminated everything around, causing a surreal glow to
form. The warm, gentle wind blew past her face and around her body, as if
holding her in its arms. Memories of him filled Rose's mind, the night so like
that April evening. And while Jack was on her mind all the time, tonight
someone else filled her thoughts and clouded her head.
Today was the eighteenth birthday. Rose
hadn't forgotten--could never forget. A small, imaginary pain filled Rose's
abdomen and she felt herself slip back in time. She closed her eyes for a
minute and tried to imagine how she must look now. She would be tall, no doubt,
a grown woman now. And she would be beautiful, just like she had been. Her eyes
would be that same blue, and her hair soft and long.
Opening her eyes, Rose looked at the bouquet
of white roses she held in her hand. There were eighteen of them, their stems
wrapped in white paper. It was such a small symbol, but it meant so much to all
three of them. She missed them both. Sadly, Rose began to pull out flower out
at a time and then, ceremoniously, dropped them into the churning water.
When the last rose was gone, Rose watched as
they got swept away. Again, thoughts of yesterday filled her mind. She would
like ice cream, vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce on top. And she would
like to read, and go to baseball games. And she would never let anyone get her
down. She would be smart, strong, and funny. And she would like to dance, joke
around, and she would cry at sad movies and books.
As Rose turned to leave, the wind picked up
and sent her hair flying in all different directions. The light had virtually
ceased and now darkness enfolded her in its arms. She once again felt his
presence, comforting her. She blew a soft kiss into the air and then wrapped
her arms around her waist before slowly starting home.