Love At First Glow

Man Down

The stratocumulus clouds decorated the setting sun giving off a beautiful vanilla sky effect. I stared at it for a moment on my verandah before opening the door to greet my mother who was enjoying a cup of tea. "Oh dear, you looked so much more refreshed." she got up to hug me. When she let go, her eyes were fixed on the necklace. "It's brighter," she stated bluntly. 

"Oh, yeah it got hooked up in the park and this great guy helped me out, but when he put back on me it just glowed brighter," I shrugged. "O-oh, the batteries just probably needed a little shake that's all," she hesitated. "Are you alright mom?" I squinted my eyes at her. "I'm fine, I just um, forgot the brownies that's it, I'm supposed to check brownies, I almost forgot!" she exclaimed as she hustled to the kitchen.

I raised my eyebrow in confusion until the familiar scent of my mom's fudge brownies filled the house. I almost drooled all the way to the kitchen. She had just taken them out of the oven and set them down. "Do you want a slice hunny?" she said cutting into it. "Is that even a question?" I asked as I ran over to her and collected the brownie like a hungry dog recieving a treat.

I bit into it and and began plotting how I could secretly grab the entire tray while my mom was distracted and sneak it into my room to devour it myself. Suddenly I heard the doorbell ring, this is my chance. When my mom took off to see who rang I was helping myself to another slice of brownies. 

CRASH

My mother is the most careful and alert person ever. I haven't heard the sound of a glass broken in this house in years. I ran out of the kitchen with my brownie. "MOM WHAT'S-" I froze in my tracks to see my mother surrounded by broken glass and spilled tea and in front of her stood two large men in their full army uniform carrying a flag. "I'm sorry for your loss ma'am," the youngest looking one sorrowfully stated.

My mother grabbed a fistful of one their shirts and broke down crying. Her ears tinted bright red and tears streamed down her face as she screamed out in emotional pain.

The gears in my mind suddenly began turning and I remembered that my father joined the army last year to help pay for my treatment. The army men came to pay their respects, "He got a bullet lodged in his temple and one to his heart," the army guy said softly to me, patting my mother's back.

I almost felt the brownies coming back up, or like I like i wanted to sit down. I felt woozy and all I saw were dark circles blocking my vision until i blacked out. 

*

*

*1 year ago*

I watched my father as he stressfully passed his fingers through his hair. I watched as he read the paper over and over again hoping it was at least utter nonsense, hoping the machines made a mistake on the tests. He read over the same line again and again, "We're sorry to inform you that the patient Marissa Gordon is suffering with Hodgkin's lymphoma..........."

"Dad......... does this mean I won't be able to go off to college?" I stared into his deep green eyes. He sighed, "Not until we find your treatment, but...... it's expensive, unless I can call an old friend of mine to hook me up with joining the army like he's always told me." "The army, dad that's dangerous," I tugged at his arm.

He shut his eyes for a moment then reopened them at looked into mine, "Well it's the only way we can afford your treatment, trust me I'll be fine, I'm doing this because I love you." I grabbed him into a large hug as tears fell on my cheeks. I intook his smell, a faint scent of pine trees.

*

* 

I opened my eyes to find myself cuddled up on the couch with my father's army jacket, it smelled like pine trees. I smiled remembering him, but just then my smile faded into a frown as I also remembered what took place before I blacked out. My father is dead, my mother was crying, WAIT, where is my mother? 

I quickly rose off of the couch and looked around the dimly lit room. "Mom?" I called out, but there was no respone. I got up and walked up the stairs to my mom's room. I swung open the door to see her laid down, clutching onto a picture of my father, wearing his sweater with mascara stained cheeks. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly. She had cried herself to sleep.

I ran over to her and gently sat next to her on the bed. I lifted her brunette bangs up and kissed her forehead. A tear escaped my eye as I whispered to her "I'll miss him too."