Chelsie felt the, by now, familiar cool breeze sweep around her shoulders and caress her face.

“How…why…why now?”

“I’ve always been here Chels. I never really left you.”

“I…I…my God, Mark…this can’t be happening. This can’t be real!” Chelsie hugged her legs to her chest, almost pushing herself into the headboard.

“You always looked so pretty in my purple shirt.” The breeze caressed her arms gently.

Chelsie looked startled. Mark’s purple v-neck t-shirt had always been her favorite nightshirt, even before Mark had passed away. She realized that she had let the blanket slip from her grasp, revealing her attire. She scrambled to pull the blanket back up around her shoulders, as she curled into a ball on the corner of the bed.

“Don’t be so scared, please, baby, it’s just me.”

“Wh…where are..are you? Right now?” Chelsie cast her gaze around the room in a fruitless search.

“I’m beside you, on the bed.”

Chelsie tentatively inched her hand over to Mark’s side of the bed. “Where?”

“I can’t touch you and you can’t touch me.” Mark’s voice sounded sad.

“Am I close?”

“Your hand is on my knee.”

Chelsie let out a little cry and snatched her hand away, pulling it back under the blanket.

“I miss you so much, Chels. I can’t even tell you how much.”

“What do you look like?” Chelsie’s voice was muffled from the blanket covering her face.

“I look like me. Just like you remember.”

“Mark, the last time I saw you…” Chelsie attempted to stifle her cries.

“Oh…right…gosh...no! No! Not like that. That wasn’t me. That was only my earthly body. I was already watching over you then.”

“You were?”

“Well, right after…was weird…but then, I knew and I went home to see my family and then here, to be with you.”

Chelsie lowered the blanket a bit, freeing her legs from her death grip on them. “Were you in pain?”

“I never felt anything.” Mark said, honestly. “I didn’t suffer, if that’s what you mean.”

“Did you know?”

“Know what? That I had died? Yeah, eventually. It took me a bit of time to realize what was going on. I think I knew for sure when I saw myself on that mountain, even before the rescuers found me.”

“Oh Mark.” Chelsie reached out her arms to hug him, and then remembering she couldn’t touch him, she let them fall at her sides.

“Where are you now?”

“Same place.”

Chelsie reached out her hand. “Am I touching you?”

“Your hand is on my heart.”

Chelsie sighed. “This is so hard, Mark.”

“I had to talk to you though, Chels, it was the only way.”

“I’ve been able to sense you, Mark. But why couldn’t I hear you?”

“You were starting to believe. I had to keep telling Leilani things I didn’t want to, things she didn’t understand, but it was only to get you to believe.”

Chelsie stared at the empty space on the bed, her hand still suspended in air.

“When did you know I was pregnant?”

“Not until I heard you tell my mom. I was so surprised. We were always careful, we always used protection.”

“Not that once, after our fight, in the shower…” Chelsie whispered.

“Right, right. I haven’t forgotten that day.”

“I haven’t forgotten any of our days.” Chelsie admitted. “I wouldn’t have made it if it wasn’t for Leilani, you know.”

“Yes, you would have, you’re strong.”

“Mark, I only wanted to be with you. You have no idea. I wanted to kill myself just to see you again.”

“Maybe that’s why Leilani was conceived. You needed to be here, for her.” Mark offered gently. “I was in the delivery room, Chels. It hurt me so much, knowing I wouldn’t…that I couldn’t…be there for you when you needed me most. I could tell you were in so much pain. I was there, even if you didn’t know it.”

Chelsie could only sob in response.

“She’s beautiful, Chels, you’ve raised her so well.”

“She’s beautiful because of you.” Chelsie insisted, through her tears. “She’s so much like you.”

“She’s beautiful because of both of us.” Mark sighed. “She’s coming, I have so much more to say to you.”

Chelsie glanced at the clock, shocked to realize that morning had come so soon. “She has preschool and dance class this afternoon.”

“No, I’ll talk to you tonight, Chelsie, as soon as I can come through.”

Chelsie’s bedroom door burst open and Leilani threw herself on the bed.

“Mommy, why have you been crying?” Leilani encircled Chelsie with her small arms and squeezed her tight. “Daddy gets so sad when you cry.”

“I’ve just…been thinking about him, sweetie. These are happy tears.”

“Happy tears are okay, baby girl, daddy likes happy tears.” Mark whispered.

Chelsie tried not to react to Mark’s words, focusing her attention on Leilani.

“Daddy says happy tears are okay.” Leilani patted Chelsie’s hair. “But you look tired, mommy.”

Chelsie offered a wan smile. “I am honey, I’m really tired. But I promise I will take a nap this afternoon with you. We’ll cuddle up on the sofa and snooze right after lunch, okay?”

“You mean, right after my cake!” Leilani grinned and clapped her hands.

“Oops, I forgot!” Chelsie laughed, smiling when she heard echoes of Mark’s laughter too. “Right after your cake!”