Forever in My Memory (Oneshot)

~Forever in My Memory~

He sat there alone by the bedside of his beloved.
His eyes started to water as he remembered all the wonderful times he had shared with this beautiful girl who lay dormant next to him.
And his heart broke in two as he realized all the things they could never experience together-not now, not ever.

***
Thomas Kenningston was a 23 year old law student. He met Dominique Frante in the first year of high school, almost ten years ago. The two of them were great friends, fulfilling the saying, "Every brunete needs a blonde." Thomas had instantly fallen for her; her crystal blue eyes and long brown hair were the most delicate and exquisite features he had ever seen in a girl.
Her personality was spontaneous, fun, and easy to get along with- which made Thomas feel less awkward around her.
After high school, they both ended up going to the same university-he went into law school and she was studying music.
That's when they became closer than friends...

***

And now, here he sat, in a private room of a funeral home, staring at the peaceful expression on his love's face. He tried to divert his attention and looked at the small table of memorabilia she left behind.
He saw her guitar, her sheet music- the pages worn with scribbling and page turning. But among all the objects, a certain picture frame stood out in his eyes.
It was a photograph of the two of them, at one of the first faculty dances they attended together in university.
Thomas got up from the chair and slowly walked towards the picture. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered every single detail of that night...

***

"So, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart..."

Thomas looked down at Dominique, smiling. She returned the look, placing her head on his heart as they moved in perfect sync across the dance floor. There were at least fifty other young people around them, slow dancing, but neither seemed aware. She looked up at him again, then whispered in his ear," I love you more than you'll ever know." Thomas leaned in to kiss her forehead...

and the memory slowly faded away....

***

Thomas slammed the picture down on the table, causing the glass cover to shatter to a million tiny pieces. He sank back into the chair and just cried. He didn't care if anyone saw him, he just couldn't stand it anymore.
"Why couldn't it have been me?", he asked
in desperation, "Why did you have to leave me?"

His eyes clouded over as he recounted the previous day's events...
He had been at home in his apartment, trying to study.
Then, at around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, he received a phone call from Dominique's parents.
She had been a casualty in a fatal car crash.
She was dead.
And that's exactly how Thomas felt inside now-hollow and lifeless.

He needed to give her a proper goodbye.
Thomas gently picked up her guitar, the one he had bought for her. He pulled his chair up to the edge of the bed, and cleared his throat.
"Oy love", he whispered.
"I wasn't there for you yesterday, I know it's not my fault this happened but I can't help but feel responsible...I-I never got to say I love you...or touch you...or see your beautiful smile...I never got to say goodbye..."
Thomas looked away as he felt the tears grow in his eyes again, he squeezed them shut and choked back the tears.

He breathed out slowly...then began to sing her favourite song...the song they danced to on the night they fell in love...

"When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70
And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Well, me-I fall in love with you every single day, and I just want to tell you I am..."

Thomas leaned the guitar against the wall and knelt beside the bed, reaching for his lover's cold hand.
"It's ironic y'know, Donny... remember that today's our anniversary? Well, I-I was going to ask you to marry me this evening...but I guess that can never happen now."

He reached inside his suit jack and shakily pulled out a small burgundy box.
"S-see? It's a diamond...your birthstone."

Thomas removed the ring from the box, and slowly placed it on her lifeless ring finger.
He ran his hand through his hair, gathering the strength to softly sing one last time...

"Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen
And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory..."

Thomas slowly let go of her hand, gently replacing it in its previous position. He kissed her forehead, and got up from her side.

He turned to see Dominique's mother in the doorway, a heartbroken expression on her face.
"Are you alright, Thomas?", she asked.
Thomas nodded slowly, and replied, "Yeah, I've just been thinking out loud."

And with that, he placed a rose on Dominique's pillow, looking at her one last time before he left the small room for good.

"And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory."