Playlist : Breathe Me by Sia + Rainymood.com
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It was going to rain today, the clouds had rolled in and every now and then lightning would make itself visible.
It wouldn’t be long now. Still he wasn’t ready to say his goodbyes.
He stayed close by her side, not at all bothered by the winding tubes or the endless murmur of the machines.
His lips were constantly moving, telling her the same story over and over again. She looked at him vacantly then a little at me, smiling because he reminded her of impossible memories, but it seemed real so she believed.
I had to be strong for both of them now.
I watched as he gently picked her up, held her close and told her the story again. Her eyes closed and she was gone before the final words left his mouth. The last sentence in the story just hung unfinished. She had gone so peacefully.
He laid her body gently back down and I took my place beside him.
He set the book down, speaking the last lines of the story from memory.
“Forever my baby, my baby you’ll --”
I caught his tears in my handkerchief, Nurse Anna helping me carry him out the room.
"She was a sweet woman ", said Anna, "but so confused, she thought--"
"Enough, please." , I said calmly to Anna.
Alone he and I walked the familiar infinite hallways while Nurse Anna did her work. These hallways that had been filled with warm memories of a generous past. We turned down the stairs taking them one at a time, my arms wrapped tightly around his.
“We had a grand time together. . .don’t you think.”, I said leading him out the front door and around the grounds of the house.
“Did we “, he asked me folding the handkerchief , “Did we have a grand time, Clara ?”
“We did, Addison. 106 years worth.”
"103."
I nodded. The thunder rolled overhead and I thought I felt a drop or two of rain.
We continued walking the grounds following the perimeter of the iron gate, for a long time that gate had kept so many wonderful memories within its walls, but now I wondered if it kept some out.
“I want to kiss her good-night . . . one last time.”
“Of course”, I said
We stopped in front of the gate, the hinges strong and silent. Beyond is was nothing but green grass and a single dirt road. I put a hand to the gate and let the door catch the wind and swing open.
"Thank you", he said, "For being the unbreakable, constant and beautiful love of my life. I was such a fool to think I knew true love until this very second."
"Well, whatever we have it does have a very very strong hold on me."
Then there was silence. Except for the wind and the thunderclouds, they made a nice melody.
I sighed. The question on the tip of my tongue.
"Do you think she's in--"
"I. . . I have no idea." he said.
I shifted my weight, taking in the sight of the open gate. No more excuses. No more waiting.
"It's time, now", I said, "To find a cure to this miserable ailment."
He nodded.
We turned away from the house starting down the dirt road one step at a time, taking it slow because that's all there was.
Hold on, we're on the way.
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This flash fiction was just an idea I had in my head for a while. After reading En Moritas I had to write it down.
This is really supposed to be a happy story, I wish I had this idea before JNRR because that's where it should go. It shouldn’t by any means feel at all like an ending. (which does not mean there is another story on the way)
I don't much about how the character came to be in this flash fiction except I know it takes place in America and they have had lived in the house for 40 years. If Future!Clara seems a little heartless it's because she'd grieved and come to terms with the impending death along time ago.