| GOODBYE I was riding through my old hometown, I figured I shouldn't stop, so many memories haunted me. Though I stayed the night in an old, run down inn on the edge of town, I didn't even spend the night there. I didn't sleep that night... Instead, I went to see an old friend. It was cold, in the middle of November, but there wasn't any snow, just a sharp cold. I remember wishing it would snow, because you loved snow, and it would have made the meeting perfect. I trodded upon the nicely cut grass that I hadn't walked on in five years. The place was very well kept, and I was glad for that. It was midnight when I finally found you. I stood for a long time without speaking. Just held my hands deep in my coat pockets, hiding them from the biting wind. A wave of emotion tore through me... seeing your gravestone for the first time in five years, since the accident. "Hello Melissa..." I started, a tear already finding it's way down my red cheek, "it's been a long time. Five years, actually, to this day." I looked around, though I didn't care about hiding my emotion. "I left home after it happened... I couldn't stay here any longer. I'm sorry, Melissa. I know you wanted to live here, wanted... us... to live here. I couldn't help it, I needed to get away. Away from everyone who would say nothing to me except how sorry they were." I dropped to my knees, placing my hands on the ground in front of me... with six feet of dirt separating us. "I couldn't say goodbye to you. I tried so hard. By the time I heard of what had happened... you were gone. It all happened so fast, Melissa. I'm so sorry... I should have been there with you that night. I... I was going to ask you... to marry me that night, Melissa." I removed the necklace that held a small silver ring. "I couldn't be there for you... I loved you..." I placed the necklace in front of the gravestone. The wind died down quickly, and it almost felt warm for a moment. For a moment, I smelled the jasmine you always wore on your dresses. It smelled of you. I couldn't hold back the tears as I leaned my head down to the ground and cried. I could swear I felt you touch my face, brushing your hand across my cold cheek. Your warmth, your love, came back into me. "Thank you, Melissa... Thank you for thinking of me... for knowing me... and for loving me." I stood slowly, feeling the wind die down once again, long enough for a single snowflake to journey down and land on the ring placed in front of your gravestone... |