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A few days later I went to see Mrs. Reed. I had a lot bottled up in me and it was ready to burst. I walked up to their house not too far out of town. Mrs. Reed opened the door. When she saw it was me, she understood and without a word led me to the couch. The second she sat down, all of the tears that had been hidden in my hollow shell came out. I sobbed into her shoulder for who knows how long. She rubbed my back and calmed me.
“Word’s been going around,” she said. I continued to sob.
“How long do you think?” she asked. I lifted my head.
“Can’t be too much longer,” I said. She nodded
“ I just love him so much and can’t bear to see him like this. He’s in so much pain and I can’t do anything about it. I don’t want to loose him and I can’t look at him like that, he only makes me sadder. I can’t go out in town cause I’m afraid someone’s going to ask about him and I can’t talk about it but I needed to talk to you cause it’s been bottled up too long and…” I said in one breath. I began to sob again. She rubbed my back some more.
“Oh, Grace. Poor thing. I know just how you feel. I had a hard time losing Charles as well. This curse has come upon us with vengeance and fury and will not stop at anything. But we must move on. I’m guessing it’s harder with you because David’s living it out long. I think every day about my Charles and always wish he was here and not dead,” she said. There was a noise from the steps. Mrs. Reed got up. There was sobbing and stomping.
“Jenny come back here!” she yelled. The stomping stopped.
“You never said he was dead!” said Jenny. She then slammed her door. Mrs. Reed stood on the steps for a while in a state of shock. She arrived back at the couch a few moments later.
“I’m sorry,” I began. Her face was blank.
“No, no. I’m fine,” she said. I nodded. I wiped my cheeks, burning from the tears.
“Thank you,” I said. I got up and walked out the door and Mrs. Reed didn’t do anything to stop me.
I got home and walked over to David’s bed. The doctor was here while I was at Mrs. Reed’s house. He came out before I came in. And this time, instead of his usual look, he had a look on his face that said one thing: I’m very sorry.
I rushed into the bedroom. David was ever so pale. He was burning when I held his head so much I thought my hands would burst into flames but I continued to hold him.
“Grace,” he said hoarsely, “I’m not gonna make it,”
I stared at him, my thoughts racing.
“ I can’t live without you David,” I said. He looked hurt.
“You need to live your life even though mine’s ending. I don’t want you to kill yourself because of me.” He mumbled. A sudden crack of thunder outside spooked me.
“ Do you understand?” he asked. I nodded. I leaned down and kissed him fully.
“If there’s one thing I want to tell you, it’s that I love you. I promise to never love another for as long as I will live,” I said. He smiled. His hand reached out and cradled my cheek.
“ I love you, Grace,” he said. He lowered his hand from my cheek and closed his eyes. I listened as all the air in his body came out in his last breath. I stood there for so long, staring at my angel, wondering what he would do in heaven as the slow steady rain seeped through the clouds just like the tears rolling down my face.
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