True Loves Challenge

Chapter 32

Rosie's POV

46 years later

"I'm gonna get you Uncle James!" yells my little granddaughter Lizzy. James, my youngest who is now 47 years old, runs away screaming from his five year old niece.

Matthew and I are now 84 years old and sitting on our porch, watching our grandchildren playing in the yard.

"I pictured this day when you proposed to me" I said leaning my head on Matthew's old shoulder.

"Oh, I thought that the long pause was you hesitating" said Matthew.

"Never" I said. I leaned up and kissed Matthew's cheek.

"I'm glad that you pictured us here, because I love it here." Matthew kissed the top on my head.

"And I love you" I said perking up my head so that Matthew could see me better.

"I love you too." We kissed gently on the lips.

That was the last conversation we ever had. Later that night, I had a stroke. This was one of those kinds of strokes where it was hard to stay alive. I died, leaving Matthew and all my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on earth to live without me.

Once I died, Sophia welcomed me into heaven where I soon saw Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is truly the son of God and I am happy to have met him. He told me that I have served a great purpose on earth and that I lived a fabulous life. I then thanked him for all of the blessings he has given me.

With my earthly blessings in mind, I looked to Matthew on earth, suffering now that I am gone. I was told that I can watch over him and everyone else I love for forever. I then find myself right at Matthew's side. He is crying as my daughter Ellie is holding him, also crying. I moved to kneel down in front of Matthew. He looks in my direction but see's right through me. I put my young and unwrinkled hand on his old and wrinkled hand. Matthew than looks at his hand, he could feel it.

"Rosie..." whispered my husband. "I can feel her Ellie. She's holding my hand." Ellie looks at her father's hand. She moved her hand to be on top of mine. There was nothing she could feel. So, I put my other hand on hers. Ellie then gasped feeling my smooth eighteen year old hand. Ellie starts to smile while crying more.

"I feel it too."

Weeks past and it's been a week after my funeral. It's a Sunday. Matthew goes to church.

Since it was the first Sunday of the month, it's fast Sunday. This is the day when we bear our testimonies in sacrament meeting. So, Matthew went up and talked.

"Two weeks ago, my wife passed away. She was the best thing that has ever happened to me. When I met my wife at age twelve, all I could think about when I saw her was how beautiful she was. For years, she thought that the impression she had on me was she was stupid, but she was far from the truth. Me, being that twelve year old boy I was, thought that beauty was everything in a girl. Then by the time I was thirteen, I asked my father for advice. He told me that looks are only a bonus. He said that what really matters is who she is and if she's right for me. He also told me to not get my hopes up for one girl just yet. He said that I was too young to worry about it, but here's the thing, if I moved on with my feelings and forgot about Rosie, I would have been very unhappy.

"Although Rosie and I have been through a lot, we went though it together." I moved to the podium right next to Matthew. I touched his hand. He smiles. "The night she died," Matthew started crying now, "My daughter Ellie came to comfort me, knowing that it would be hard to sleep without my wife next to me. And as I was crying, I felt a touch on my hand. It wasn't my daughter's hand, it was my wife's. I feel her touch on my hand right now. She has been with me and our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren for the past two weeks. I would do the same if I were to go first. Although she is gone, she's not really gone, her body is." Matthew paused for a moment. "If I had the option to either see her or feel her, I would choose to feel her. My father was right. It doesn't really matter on the looks; it matters on who she is. And she was more than right for me. I feel her with me every day and every night, that means that I knew I will see her again. I don't know when I will or how I will, but I will." Matthew left with that and sat down at our usual spot in church. I sat next to him and leaned my head on his old shoulder. He moved his hand to be on top of mine. "I love you" he whispered.

I then lean my lips up to his ear. "I love you too." I kissed his cheek. Matthew then cries for the rest of sacrament meeting.

Six years past and Matthew turned 90 years old. Now that he is 90, he says all the time that he is going to leave soon. He never expected to live this long. He keeps saying that he is going to go the same way I did, so he was saying goodbye all the time.

Two weeks before his 91's birthday, he died peacefully in his sleep. I was there to welcome my husband in the paradise of the spirit world. He was so happy to see our brother Jesus Christ.

He never let go of my hand. I stay at his side as he greets his family and friends.

Before Matthew left to go to earth, our Heavenly Father pulled him aside and brought me out from Matthew's rib.

When Adam and Eve were put onto the Earth, Eve was pulled from Adam's rib. Those two were meant to forever be together side by side. That goes the same for Matthew and I. I am forever meant to protect my husband and love him for all eternity.

Boys are never what you expect them to be. Some grow up to be kind and loving. Some grow up to be completely crazy, but my boy, my Matthew, my husband, he is different. He is my soul mate. He is my rib taken out to protect me and love me for all of eternity.

The End