The Perfect Mix

Twenty-five. The Perfect Mix of Red and Blue (Epilogue)

                Hi, my name is Claire, everything you’re about to read is from one of the greatest guys I have ever known. My sister used to call him, beloved. What’s not to love about him? I told my sister, she should pick a better guy that is more sensitive, a guy who knows when to stop searching for love when all the love that he needed was right beside him.

                But that was five years ago. Red has changed. When my sister came knocking down his door, he took her back. If I was there, I wouldn’t have allowed it, but my sister never really had a choice. From the moment I saw her close to Red, I knew she was happy, and that was enough for me. I knew Red was the guy who would get my sister’s life back on track.

                And I was a witness when he did. Even though my sister’s life was short, he got it back on track. Though I do not think he was given enough credit for it. On her funeral, my mom thanked Red, my father thanked Red, and everyone appreciated Red. But Red was not the same. He didn’t speak much, he didn’t say anything, his feelings were unknown.

                The last time I saw him show any emotion was during the talent show. I really didn’t feel going to Red’s school and watching him. I bet he didn’t feel like singing too. But it was, Tam’s final request. Red initially told me that they’d be singing Cannonball, but for some reason, Red entered the stage with a piece of paper and sang The One That Got Away by Katy Perry. He sang it well, mostly because, it seemed so real to me, he did stop in the middle of the song… Then he walked backstage, while his friend, Lucas chased him. I knew he was crying, because I was crying as well.

The crowd started cheering for them to finish the song, Red and Lucas came out and they did, Red started singing again. And his voice was so deep… with meaning. There were tears flowing down his eyes that I think only I noticed. The message was clear, in another life, Red will became my sister’s boy. And maybe, just maybe, my sister was there, looking across the stage, watching Red and she knows that she will be his girl… in another life.

They didn’t win the contest, but they didn’t seem to mind.

Days later, it was my sister’s burial. Everyone was there, my parents, my friends, my sister’s friends, her old classmates, her college classmates, even Red’s friends that I do not know who. Red was asked to give his message but he really couldn’t do it. He was crying so hard, Mike and Ron had to calm him down. So I spoke for Red… even though I could barely do it.

“My sister was precious to me, everything I did was patterned along with her successes in life. She gave me a reason to…. A reason to… hope when the situation wants you to give up. To love when you are brokenhearted and to live even if you know you are about to die.”

As soon as I finished that sentence, I collapsed.. and Red was there to help me. He said… “Thank you, that was beautiful”. I heard my sister tell Red to take care of Bryce… and to take care of me. Which is what he did, despite the fact that I couldn’t see him happy at all.

Two months passed. My mom and dad were busy taking care of Bryce as if it were their son. Red occasionally drops by to see Bryce and I. He is most welcome now in our house, and it seemed that my father looks up to him now as well.

One day, Red came to visit, he seemed better than most days though he didn’t stay too long because he needs to go to school to enroll for next trimester. I asked him if he was okay with his studies which kind of hinted that I was worried about him after what both of us are going through. He smiled and told me that he passed all of his subjects, in fact, he is now an honor student for that trimester. He said, ever since Tam’s passing, he kept himself busy with his studies, it’s the least he can do for my sister’s efforts of staying up all night just to review him for his tests.