Dear Dad

June 13th

June 13th,

            I was so close to graduating and I actually had a plan for my life and a good one too.  It wasn’t ordinary, it was out there, adventurous, and with the one person who’s ever believed that I could actually do anything I wanted to.  I was staring the rest of my life in the face prepared to take it on to its fullest and love every second.  It’s funny though, how in less than an hour, you entire life and future can change.

            Anabella told me to come over at one; she said she had something she wanted to show me.  But, I had other plans.  I loved her to no end.  To the edge of time and back wasn’t big enough anymore, I loved her more than that.  I loved her more than myself.  I loved her more than the world.  I loved her more than life itself.  I planned to ask her to marry me today.  I know we’re young but I didn’t want to have to live a day without her in my life.  She had always told me that the thirteenth was the luckiest day of the month.  When I asked her why I thought her reply would be because thirteen’s a lucky number or her favorite number or something like that.  But, she told me that it was the luckiest day of the month because she met me on the thirteenth of September.

            I drove to her house with flowers and a stunning ruby ring that would be perfect on her beautiful little finger.  She had always told me that she thought diamond rings were too cliché.  She loved ruby though.  It was her birthstone and she said she loved the way it shined in the sunlight.

            I don’t really know what possessed me to drive to her house.  Normally I would walk because it’s such a short distance.  But, some kind of unknown force made me get in my truck and drive over.

            I arrived at Anabella’s house and decided to park in the street to hide my car.  I walked up to the house holding the bouquet of white roses in both hands.  Once again, red roses were too cliché in Anabella’s mind. 

            The house was quiet as I snuck in.  “Surprise,” I said loudly once inside.  There was no answer.  The house was dead quiet.  “Anabella?”  I shouted.  Not a sound.  Anabella had to be home, her car was in the driveway.  “Josie?  Mr. Risome?  Anyone home?”  I yelled as loud as I could.  I looked in the living room.  It was empty.  I looked in the kitchen.  It was deserted. 

            I walked up the stairs slowly.  I got to Anabella’s bedroom door.  It was closed.  I pressed my head against the door and listened.  I heard sobbing.  Anabella was in there and something was wrong.  I dropped the flowers and swung the door open.  What met my eyes next was something that will never be erased from my mind.  Not just the sight, but the feeling too.  It was like someone had just torn my heart out.   It was like someone had sliced a hole in everything I once believe in.  It was like some kind of cruel fate was trying to destroy everything that I loved and made me happy in life.

            I slowly followed the trail of blood on the floor over to Anabella lying in front of the wall of windows.  I bent down and placed my hand on her back.  She was warm.  I rolled her over.  Her dark purple and white dress was now stained red.  In one hand she held a kitchen knife.  On the wrist of her other hand was several deep cuts.

            I took the knife out of her hand and laid her across my lap.  She looked up at me with her big eyes.  She had tears streaming down her cheeks.  I brushed her curls out of her face and held her head with one hand.  I started to cry.  “It’s going to be alright.”  I told her trying to be calm.  She picked up her hand and placed it on my shoulder.  She was weak.  She took her hand off my shoulder and reached into the pocket of her dress.  She pulled out a folded up piece of paper and tucked it into the pocket of my shirt.  Then she picked up both hands and signed.  “I love you.”  Both hands fell down to her side and she became limp.  “To the edge of time and back,” I said teary eyed.  She managed to shakily pick up one hand and stroke the side of my face.  I kissed her.