Mike held my hand tightly as we walked into the church. My cheeks were stained red with sadness, and judging by the people in the room, they felt the same. Up on the alter was a board. I let go of Mike's hand to see what it was. When I saw it, I felt like I couldn't breathe. An overwhelming wave of sadness came over me as I looked at thousands and thousands of pictures of Madison. Her smiling face as a baby, her luscious blonde curly hair blowing in the wind on the first day of school, the same sparkling green eyes that had warmed my heart for so long. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and as I turned around, I saw a couple that I recognized from some of the pictures. Madison's mom threw her arms around me and cried with me. Her dad joined in as well. After they pulled out of our embrace, they took my hands.
"Thank you, Ainsley. Thank you." They said, crying.
"But ma'am, why are you thanking me?" I asked, very confused.
"It was you who gave her the strength to let go. By meeting you and helping you, she fulfilled everything she was sent here to do. You let her let go. You gave her strength." They said. I was stunned. Tears poured out of my eyes and I ran out. I ran and ran and ran even after I felt my legs could no longer carry me. I collapsed into a field of grass and curled up. I looked up at the sky, looking the same as it did with Madison. I stared at the clouds, and thought of her. I thought of all the things she said to me that day.
MIKE's POV
I saw Ainsley run out of the church, and rushed after her. When I saw her collapse into a crying heap, I took a step back. She needed to be alone. As much as it hurt me, Madison's death was very different for Ainsley. Ainsley saw her future in Madison. By meeting her, Ainsley finally understood a lot of what life with cancer is like. Her death made the danger of the diagnoses all the more clear to both of us, but it was different for Ainsley. She was living it. Now she felt like she couldn't live it anymore. It made me think about how one day I might lose Ainsley. I heard the doctors talking about how the cancer has spread, and how they were going to tell her after the funeral. I sat down against a tree about 20 yards away and cried. I closed my eyes, and cried.
YOU ARE READING
Waiting on the waves
Teen FictionA tale that hits close to home to me, about understanding, accepting, cherishing, loving, surviving, living, and more. When we feel like we can't hang on any longer, we find there is always someone to catch us as we wait for the wave.
