Present
August 2024,
"I'm so sorry." I said out loud to my wife.
"I know that I made a vow to you." I took a deep breath as my bottom lip started quivering, and my eyes started burning with tears that I couldn't hold back anymore.
"I'm sorry." I whispered to my wife.
I don't know why I was waiting for a response, I knew one wouldn't come. As my vision cleared and I read my wife's name on her headstone my heart started to ache with pain, and longing for what I now had to accept is gone.
"You were the love of my fucking life."
My voice came out steady even though I was shouting internally.
"But my life ended when you took your last breath." I hated feeling this guilt.
"I only hope you can forgive me for trying to live again."
August,
1993, 10 years old.
"You know I'm gonna marry you one day, right?" I said to my best friend Hannah.
Who I liked to call Honey Bunny and always would. I don't know why i called her that, I know she hates it but I can't help it.
Ever since we were kids her mumma always called her that and I would tease her for it as soon as we ran away from our parents.
I think it's the way that she always glares at me when I say it that makes me keep calling her it, it's hilarious the way she looks angry and confused at the same time.
"I'm not gonna marry you, I'm gonna marry your brother." She all but screamed at me.
She was staring straight into my eyes while she sat on the swing in our school playground and I stood in front of her stopping her from swinging.
"WHAT." I screeched.
"My brother?!??" I took a deep breath and tried to unclench my balled up fists at my side.
I tried to think of something to say but my heart is beating really fast and I can't think straight.
"Yes, Eli. He's older and much more handsome, and he is always nice to me. You're always so loud and mean to me, so why would I marry you?" She said, she was standing now with both hands on her hips speaking to me in that sassy tone of hers that she knew I hated.
"I ,"
I opened my mouth to speak but I was cut off.
"And plus, Stacy Halliday has already told everyone she is going to marry you. She tried to fight Bonnie Andrew's last week because she found out you winked at her."
"I'm not getting into a fight with Stacy over you."
Her face got all red on her cheeks just like it did when I tickled her and she couldn't breathe.
All I can think is how pretty she is.
"What about when we're old like our parents?"
"Will you marry me then?" I said to her as the school song sounded so we knew we had to start moving inside.
"When we're 30?" She said her tone softening back to normal, we started walking away from the swings and back to the classroom.
"Yes, I'm not taking no for an answer Honey bunny, I'm marrying you. End of story." I looked her dead in the eye as I said it so she knew I was serious.
"UGHH, fine then, when we're 30 I'll marry you." She said on a laugh as she ran back over to her best friend Bonnie.
I was smiling so hard my face was starting to hurt, but I couldn't stop.
I kept walking slowly towards the classroom so I could replay our conversation but I stopped when I heard someone call my name behind me.
I turned around to see pine bark mid air right in front of my face, before I could see which one of my bullies called my name it hit me right in the eye.
Here we go again, I thought to myself.
YOU ARE READING
Irreplaceable you
RomanceWhen Eli loses his wife he thinks his life is over. All she left him was their beautiful son to raise all on his own. But it's time he moves on. Nobody expected him to find her. Nobody knew she existed. But fate has a way of throwing things onto you...
