pine | #Wattys2016

Epilogue.

EPILOGUE - INTRODUCTION

[ Anonymous' p.o.v. | Year 2058 ]

Dragging my feet towards the doors of the memorial park, I feel my insides began to churn. It wasn't the best feeling, if I were being completely honest.

After a few moments of walking and huffing, I finally found her grave; Alexis Divina Vergara's grave.

I sat uncomfortably in front of her tombstone, and read the words etched on the weathered stone:

Alexis Divina D. Vergara

September 21, 1996 - February 09, 2016

A loving daughter, sister and a faithful child of God.

With my fingers grazing over the carved writings on the tombstone, I began to remember my purpose of visiting her. And so I pulled out the piece of paper from my jeans' pocket and holding it tightly.

With a soft sigh I began to introduce my self, "Hey, Alexis,"

Silence.

"I'm Divine and you probably don't know who I am. Well, obviously, I was born ten years after you passed away... And I... Well, my purpose here is to give you the, uh, letter my dad wanted me to read to you," My voice trembles at the memory of my father's funeral just a few days back at the age of 63, due to diabetes, lung disease and heart failure.

Having enough courage, I spoke once more to the tombstone right in front of me, "Well, my dad died. And he said he was a friend of yours and he wrote a letter to you before he passed away... So, uh, I'll be reading it to, uh, you, Alexis,"

Unfolding the ripped piece of paper, I began to read my father's familiar, curvy writing, "Dear Lexis, by the time you've read this I am already with you. But of course, my dear, there's no guarantee of that. And so, I wrote you a short, farewell letter, to tell you what had happened after I stopped visiting you.

"A few months after your burial, I stopped. It wasn't for a fact that I stopped loving you, it was for a fact that I was forced to leave America and was quickly deported to Australia. It was tragic, Lexis. At that time, staying close to you was my necessity and the thought of being miles away from you is heart-wrenchingly painful. But when I came back to Australia I met a girl,

"She was nothing like you, my dear. She had big blue eyes, auburn hair and thin lips. She was a pretty face, but was nothing like your perfect beauty.
"Though she wasn't as beautiful as you are, somehow, she made me happy. She made me forget about you, even just for a few hours.

"To sum it up, she fell in love with me and I reciprocated the feelings. We got married, Lexis. We had a child and it was who is reading this letter to you. She's named after you, Alexis. Her name's Divine Vera. She's lovely and quite resembles you; attitude-wise.

"When she reached the age of twelve, my wife and I decided to return to America. It was a state away from Virginia, but at least I'm closer to you. I know it's wrong to love you and love my wife, bur believe me, she knows how much I truly love you still.

"Eventually, we stayed in America. It was hard enough that my wife, Divine's mother, passed away from the same thing that killed you. It was heart breaking, to say at least. And so I had to raise a fifteen year old all by myself. I have done a good job as a father, Lexis. You would've been proud of me. You would've been.

"She's thirty-two now, and she has a child and a loving husband. She's happy, Lexis, I can tell. But sometimes when I see Divine and her family, I can't help but see us, you and I, with children and happy. With your hair braided and wearing that pink sundress you absolutely loved. Our children running around the garden and picking up flowers. They would've been so adorable, just like when Divine was young.

"As the years passed, I began to feel ill, Lexis. Diabetes had caused my leg to be amputated. Lung disease was something I didn't expect as well. My heart, well, it wasn't pumping blood normally, like it should. In short, I'm close to dying as I write this letter to you.

"But before I leave, I want to say that, yes, I still love you. And yes, I also love my family and wife, but not as much as I love you. It's a different kind of love, Alexis. It's different. Though I lost you before, I love you still. Forever and more, Alexis, forever and more. An eternity of love confessions wouldn't suffice to make you understand how much I do.

"With one last breath, Michael."

T h e   E n d .