From The Heart

One Last Time

I remember distinctly waking up

My favorite stuffed animal bristling across my face,

I had thought it was alive

But fortunately, it was just her

Her soft dainty hands trailing down my cheek

Waking me up before my parents even went to work

I rubbed my eyes sleepily a tiny yawn escaping me

She laughed softly and picked me up

And walked out to the chilling bitter cold of the second story balcony

I remember she sat down with me in her lap

Her soft melodic voice reaching the heavens

As she sang the biting cold became void

The noises of the streets and animals stopped

As if to listen

I was afraid to even hum in fear she would stop.

My grip on her hands tighten

As the sun begins to climb the horizon

Climbing and straining to reach its place

As the moon is cast aside

The feeling of sadness filling my heart

Someone taking all my joy, and

Happiness and clenching and squeezing

Out only leaving the cold around me

I look up and she smiled softly again

Her hands clenching something

She looks at me as if telling me to open her hand

In it lies a small tarnished, ring

There are two roses, intricate with ridges and swirls

My eyes followed but not continuing when in my hand now lies the ring

One rose was pink, the other was purple.

My brown eyes danced across the object.

My heart confused.

This was his commitment to her.

In her other hand she held her commitment to him.

They are placed into my hands trusting and caring.

35 years of commitment, worn through that and worn through pain.

Her words filling the sky "I love you and remember.

We will always love you to the moon and back."

She paused tears in her eyes.

"We will always be there in the end, the beginning, and the present.

She stood looking down at me in that cold freezing chair.

She helped me stand kissing my head of curly black hair

She smiled at me laughing softly.

Waving her hands for me to come make breakfast with her;

One last time.