An Ageless Love

An ageless love - the short story

1882
It was the summer of 1882. I turned eleven that year. That was also the year my life ended.
     My best friend Ryan and I were skipping rocks when he broke into a coughing fit so I yelled for my mother. She took him home and I didn't see him for a week. That's when I found out he was sick, the cause was unknown but the damage was done.
      
Another week passed and I was finally allowed to see Ryan; they said he was weak but I believed he was strong. I knew this was true when I saw his blood on the pillow case, that's when my mother told me it was tuberculosis.
"Are you okay Rebecca?" My mother asked.
That question shattered me. How could she asked me that? Of course I'm not okay but the question should not be if I'm okay.....
"He's is going to be okay, right?" I asked wiping the tears off my pale cheeks.
Mother hesitated, just from her silence I could tell he wasn't going to be alright. I ran out of the house and down to our secret meeting place and cried longer and harder than ever before.

Present Day 2009
I snapped out of my flashback, as I looked into my mirror and saw tears I hadn't known I shed.
"You need to pull yourself together, he's gone now but Liam is here; he loves you and your supposed to love him too." I told my self.
Great now I'm crazy, it's my wedding day and I'm thinking of my first, only love, Ryan. That's all gone now he died in 1882 of tuberculosis; it's now 2009. You see I'm immortal so I'm doomed to see all loved by me die. So here I am in my satin ivory with a beaded bodice gown about to marry a man who looks like Ryan but isn't him, no one can ever replace Ryan. I can still remember how I used to sneak in to see him while he was sick.

1882
It was dark and I was weighed down by the supplies in my bag. He was dying and I was late. I felt terrible but I had to wait for mother to drift off to sleep. She mustn't know I visit Ryan at night, it is forbidden now that he is sick. How does she expect me to just sit around while my best friend, my anchor dies.
As I walked in I felt the instant chill from the overwhelming feeling of death. I shrugged it off and walked into his room to see a ghostly reflection of the boy who once lit up my world. I was so caught up in my thoughts I almost missed him asking what I was doing here so late.
"I'm here to see you silly, why else?" I asked. "It's not safe here, if your not careful it could be you in this bed!" He said mustering up enough to strength to raise his voice. He made me jump at his sudden hostility. "I'm so sorry Becky I just don't want anything to happen to you." I softened at this, he always knew how to win back my good graces. "Ryan Sanders the mighty warrior who was always thinking of everybody else even as he lay on.....lay on his......"
I broke off because in that moment it reminded me that someday I would be the one suffering instead of him.
"Don't cry Becky I'm still here; come here I have something that you will find most pleasurable."
I came over to his bed and he looked onto my glossy cheeks to wipe the salty tears. He kept his hand here for what felt like ages until he reluctantly withdrew his hand.
       "I've wanted you to have this for a while now,         but I've been to scared. I saw it in the window shop and instantly knew you had to own it."
Ryan reached under his pillow to reveal a small box that was decorated in elephants, my favorite animal. The box was wrapped with a bracelet of braided cord. I opened up the box to see the most beautiful locket, it was covered in lace detail and blue sapphire gems.
"It's so beautiful, too beautiful for someone like me to wear" I stated.
"Oh no you're the the most priceless beauty anyone could lay their eyes on, don't ever believe anything less than that alright?" "Alright, but how much did you spend on this trinket, it must have been quite an extravagant price."
Ryan gave me a sheepish grin, and quickly spit out a price.
"What was that? I didn't quite hear that." "It took all of the money in my college fund" He confessed. "Ryan you should not have done that!" I scolded him. "Becky...I just figured now with my circumstance....please don't be mad, the present was meant to bring you joy."
I looked up to see the worried look on his face and my anger quickly diminished.
"Of course I'm not mad it's just things like this,
I motioned to the locket, aren't necessary."
He let out a sigh of relief.
"Great now put it on it makes your eyes sparkle."
I turned so that he could put it on me, he closed the clasp and held me tightly.
"You look beautiful, no gorgeous; words can't describe how lovely you look."
I thanked him and brought out the food. My mother makes excess food every time she cooks so I took some so Ryan could have some real food.

After we ate I left because it was late and he needed his rest. As I make my way back I recall our goodbye, 'I kissed his forehead and he said "Becky I love your friendship and we'll meet again in better circumstances." I smiled and that was the last time I saw him alive.'

Present Day 2009
The soft knock brought me back to reality, it was Daniel; he was the only person who's been close to me ever since Him. I mean Liam's my fiancé but I can never truly open up to him. "Hey are we ready to walk down the isle?" "I hope so," I joked but deep down it was true. Daniel walked me to the hall and into the room in between my comforting memories and my new reality. The wedding march began and I clutched my locket for reassurance. The walk to the alter was a blur, it felt wrong. I always had imagined Ryan at the alter, but I lost that chance a long time ago. As Daniel passed me off to Liam he kissed my cheek and gave my hand a squeeze.
"Becca you look beautiful." Liam told me. "Thank you." The preacher started but I was to busy wondering why I couldn't be happy with the life I had? Liam was nice, sweet, and rich but he was very boring and not the man of my dreams, or should I say memories.
The next thing I heard was "does anyone have any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace." The room was silent except for the sound of the doors opening. I turned to see a man. He shouted "I object! That woman is the most beautiful, no gorgeous girl ever to have been born. She is intelligent, and funny, and the missing piece of my life." "And who are you, Becca do you know him?" Liam asked me. "Just let me finish," the man started again. "Becky you may have moved on seeing that I'm at your wedding but I haven't and I know this isn't making sense but please if there is even a chance that you still care then come with me please?" Tears well up in my eyes and I looked down, how could this be Him? He died. "Becky it's me." "No that's impossible!" I shouted at the man. "Then how could I know out last meal together was gravy and dumplings with bread and tea? How could I know that you're self conscious about your legs, and that you still carry the locket I gave you because it holds onto us!?" I fell to ground knowing what he said was the truth. He came to my side and softly said "I love you, always have and always will." I have waited so long to hear those words. With puffy eyes I looked up with an aching heart and said one word that changed my life, "Ryan!"

It was the summer of 2009. I found my heart that year. It was also the year my life started.