The Pursuit

Thirty One

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE 

"Caleb?" He was there, only a few feet away from me.

He wasn't dead. Selene was wrong. Caleb was right there. His back was to me, in a clean cut tuxedo. It almost made me laugh seeing him dressed so formally, but I was too happy in seeing him.

"Caleb!" I called out running and closing the far distance between us. Before I could touch his shoulder, he turned around with a small smile on his face. "Caleb..." I breathed out. Tears were running down my face. Happy tears. 

"Bethany." His voice was the same. His eyes were still the hazel eyes I came to know and love. He was here, with me. I smiled through my tears at the sound of him calling my name. I thought he wouldn't be able to anymore. 

I looked around us. Where were we? Everything was just bright. I didn't notice until now. Light was blinding us from every direction. I looked away, shielding my eyes. I turned them to Caleb letting my eyes adjust. I smiled up at him, glad to see him here. I caressed the side of his face with my hand. 

Then his stance changed. He faced away from me. Something was wrong. I could tell for his eyes couldn't bear to stay on my face for longer than a second.

"Caleb?" I questioned. "Caleb, is everything all right?" He took my hand in his and brought it down. He released it at my side. I took a tiny step backwards. "What is it?" My voice came out small.

"I have to go, Bethany." He closed his eyes as if he couldn't handle the glassy look in my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Go?" The bottom of my lip quivered. My hands shook at my side. Every part of me trembled. I could slowly feel my heart shake in its place. "Go where?"

"Away from here." He waved around us, and his eyes finally opened to look at me in the eye. "Away from you."

I smiled, trying to make sense of things. He had to be joking, and this was not the right time. "No. You're not. Selene was lying or joking - she said you were gone. But you're here." I placed my hands on his shoulders, shaking him. I wanted to wake him from this stupor. "You're right here in front of me." I ran my hands down his body. "You're here..." A sob caught in the back of my throat. "You wouldn't leave me."

Caleb closed his eyes like it pained him to see me like this. Well that was his fault! "I'm sorry. I want you to know how much I love you."

"If you loved me..." I wiped away some of the tears. "You wouldn't leave."

He shook his head. "I can't. I can't do anything about this. I have to go. It's my time."

"Don't you dare say that!" My voice rose quickly. "Caleb, I love you. I wouldn't be able to live without you."

One corner of his mouth tipped up. "You've been doing just fine for the past two months. You can do this. Go get that architecture license. Quit your job at the restaurant, and pursue your career. Your passion, sweetheart. Live your life." He tilted my chin up with his thumb and forefinger. "Always remember, that I will always be watching over you in heaven."

Tears streamed freely down my cheeks. I held onto his arm like a lifeline. "Caleb, please."

"I'm content to have spent the last of my days with you. With the person I love the most."

"Stop it," I demanded. "Please stop. I'll go with you."

He laughed at the absurd idea. "Bethany, Ann... Don't be silly. You can't."

I sobbed quietly in front of him, but my cries roared in both of our ears. I threw my arms around him and clung to him, wishing that I could keep him from leaving this way. My tears fell on his immaculate suit. The teardrops splattered, forming dark spots. "I love you."