| *Present* "Mom, you okay?" I could hear Kim's voice. I opened my eyes. I was in a hospital bed. I looked around. "What happened, where is Jacob, and Conner, and your father?" I asked as I sat up. "Mom, lay down." she said. I laid down. "Where are they?" I asked again. "Jacob and Conner are okay, just minor surgery on Jacob's leg and a few stitches on Conner's forehead." she said. I watched as tears built in her eyes. Brad hugged her. "And your father?" I asked. She turned to Brad and cried. "I'm sorry, his airbag failed and he--didn't make it." Brad said. I sat there and quivered. "Mom, dad's gone." Kim cried as she hugged me. I hugged her back and cried also. She had a hard time sitting with me since she was due in two weeks. I cried the hardest I have since Kim was born. The love of my life was gone, and it was all because of one rainy day. *Two days later* I walked along side the casket that was being brought to the grave sight. Jacob was on his crutches and Conner escorted me. I tried to stare straight ahead as I heard the fans cry with me. I looked to my right to see a younger girl with a teeshirt with a picture of Brian with rays of light around him. There was a message that said, 'you will always be in our dreams'. I cried throughout the ceremony and procession back to the limo. That was the saddest day of my entire life. The following nights I couldn't sleep, and when I did, they were just nightmares of the crash. I went to therapy once a week. My doctor proscribed me a sleeping agent to help me cope and get some sleep. I just didn't want to live without him. I loved him and I still do. I would do anything to just touch his face once more. That night I took the pills and fell fast asleep. I opened my eyes to find I was in my bedroom with a different color walls. I could smell the paint. I called Jacob's name, but he didn't come in my room. I heard a knock at my door. "Yeah, come in." I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes. It was still night. "Morning sweetheart." I heard Brian's voice say. I jumped a little thinking that I was seeing things. But I saw him clear as day standing at my door. "Brian?" I whispered. "Yeah, how are you?" he asked. "Scared." I whispered back. He smiled and walked towards me. "You're not real, you died." I cried. He laughed to himself and smiled at me. "Don't worry, I"m not here to haunt you or scare you." he said. He stood next to my bed. I stood up. "Is it really you?" I asked. He nodded. He put his arms in the air for a hug. "Go ahead." he smiled. I went up to him and hessitantly touched his chest. He looked at me with his bright blue eyes. I followed my hand up his arm to his hands. We interlocked hands. "It's me." he whispered as he pulled me close. My eyes began to fill with tears. "I love you." he whispered. All I could do was nod. He leaned in and kissed me tenderly. He was real. All of him. He laid me down on the bed and kissed my neck. I sighed because it felt so good to touch him once more. "I've been waiting to make love to you Rose.' He whispered into my ear. He sat up and removed his shirt and smiled at me. He reached down and pulled mine off. I felt as though I was about to cry |