The Beat of a Battered Heart

Ashton- 18

I glance at the clock. 5:27. Caroline should be home any minute. There's a fire, the kids are bathed and watching Santa's progress on the computer with Rudolph on the television. Dinner is ready. The ring I bought her is under the tree.

Something falls to the floor in the den. I look at the time again. 5:28. I'm hungry and anxious to get the kids down so she and I can have our time. We're busy- me at the clinic, she raising our children. I feel like we never have enough time together. I could never get enough of her anyway.

I died the day Sarah was born. I died right along with Caroline, like I knew I would. But I also survived. Both of us survived. Caroline has always been the one for me. There is no one else I have ever- will ever- want to share this life with. I know how fortunate we are. Honestly, every day, I know. I came too close to losing her too many times to spend a moment forgetting how that feels. I am the luckiest bastard I know. I have everything I ever wanted. Not many people I know can say that.

In the den, I see a book has slipped out of the bookshelf, the thing I heard fall. Behind me, Rudolph is singing with Clarice. I bend to pick up the wayward volume, see it's the photo album we keep Meg's pictures in. It's fallen open to a page with the shot of she and Caroline sitting on a bench at Disney. Meg has her mouse ears on. She is smiling so hard you'd think her face would crack. Caroline, pink cheeked, so young, has one arm slung around her sister, the other tossed over her head in glee. Their love for each other shines from them. What they had was real. It was enormous. I am so honored to have borne witness to it.

I slide the album back, go to call Caroline to see when she'll be home. It goes to voicemail so I know she's probably driving. She never answers when she's driving. She's careful like that.

At 6:15 I start to pace a little. Even with traffic and weather, she should be here. I've put the kids at the table for dinner because they're starving.

Leaving them to it, I let old Birdie out and step onto the porch. It's cold, still snowing, a pretty layer of white making the yard glow. Birdie isn't as quick as she used to be, but she still looks for those rabbits.

I shove my hands in my jean pockets and try not to let anxiety get the best of me. She always tells me I worry too much. But who can blame me?

"Everything's going to be alright," I hear her say. I relax, turn to see where she's standing.

But I am alone on the porch.

I shake my head at myself. I could have sworn...

A car's headlights cut around the side of the house. I lift my face, disquiet turning to pleasure. I smile, anticipating my bride.

And it falls from my lips

Ted Lancaster's police cruiser pulls to a stop next to my truck. He gets out, his hat in his hands. Sees me standing here. Stills.

"Caroline," I whisper, releasing a ragged breath.

I know. There is disbelief. But I know.

The love story of my life ends like this:

She was mine.

I will always be hers.

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*THE END*

~(FIRST DRAFT COMPLETED 5-6-2015)~