ONE fine day the phone rang and it changed my life forever. I still could not forget the first words that were uttered to me that time.
I was sitting on the usual cafe where we met. I was too excited that I brought a lot of magazines that featured wedding gown designs, wedding preparations, and the like. I was getting married afterall. I had ordered my seventh cup of tea but he still hadn't come nor had he called. I tried asking our friends if they'd seen him. They hadn't. I was beginning to get anxious to the point that various crazy thoughts were entering my mind. I was dialling his number when my phone rang. I checked the number. The number was unfamiliar.
"Miss Tyler? Something's happened," a deep and grave voice had said, not even giving me time to ask. I immediately felt a spine-tingling chill as if whatever this man was going to say was going to be really bad so I gently took a sip of the tea the waitress had just served.
"It's about Mr. Kyle Jacobs" The moment he mentioned his name, I walked out of the door and began driving. I was driving way past the speed limit as I recalled the memory of the night he proposed to me. Kneeling down on one knee and looking at me with so much love, he had said, " I want you forever, forever and always, through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, forever and always."
The minutes that passed by seemed like hours until I finally reached the place: St. Luke's Medical Hospital. I almost ran to the nurse's station, asking for him. They told me where he was. A nurse accompanied me and told me what happened to him but it was as if she was speaking in an alien language. Every step I took felt like I was getting nearer to doomsday.
We passed like what seemed like a million halls, a maze that's never ending until we suddenly came to a halt. This was it. This was his room. I took a deep breathe and slowly turned the knob. I was reluctant to enter but I knew he needed me. I walked inside fighting all the fear that I was feeling and when I saw him, I almost broke down. He looked like another person. Bandages where all over his body, he had a cut on his lip, and it was obvious that he was having a hard time breathing. I made my way beside his bed and his lips had managed a small smile. "S-stop... Wo-worrying. Y-you look ugly when you're worried."
Tears were beginning to form around my eyes. "You idiot," I said as I held his hand. I began talking about our dreams and aspirations just to assure myself that everything will be alright. I guess I wrong though.
The doctor who was incharge of him called me and told me the words I dreaded.
"I'm sorry miss but I don't think he'll make it through the night."
A few hours had passed and I was still dumbfounded. I couldn't help it. I felt like I was the one with the death toll. I was in the rooftop when an idea struck me. I called in the nurses, brought up the chaplain and he said a couple verses. I borrowed the rings from the couples next door. Everybody was laughing as my tears fell on the floor.
I looked into his eyes, and said, "I want you forever, forever and always, through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, and always remember whether happy or sad or whatever. We'll still love each other forever and always." I finished my vows but the beeps were getting too slow, his voice was getting too low as he said, "I-I love you forever, f-forever and always." He was struggling. I knew it so I held his hand and told him to stop but he just smiled at me and continued, " Please just remember even if I'm not there. I'll always love you forever and always."
At that time, I thought I my heart stopped beating together with his. Those words were the last words he had said before leaving me. Up until now, tears would still escape from my eyelids every time I would remember him. The pain would sometimes lead me into thinking about killing myself but I knew he wouldn't want that. He would want me to continue my life and achieve our dreams. I was sure that no one would replace him, the only man I loved and will ever love.
