Caroline (A Short Story)

I saw a bright smile and black hair blind me, then she started to dance. She smiled and looked at me, taking my hand in her own, and dragged me with her.

"Can you dance?"

I shook my head. "Can you stand?"

She looked down at her legs, which sinking into the ground. "No." She looked up and place her hands on my face. "But I will always love you."

I opened my eyes with a shock. I dreamt about her again. I decided I'd visit her again today. I sat up in my bed. I walked to my closet, and pulled the nicest black shirt out, and pulled on dress pants. I headed to the bathroom, and brushed my teeth. I smoothed down my dark brown hair. I looked at myself at the mirror.

"You have the prettiest green eyes ever." I remembered that she said that about my eyes.

I headed down the stairs, where my mother ate. She looked up at me with her green eyes. "Matthew? Where you going?"

I placed my hand on the door knob of the front door. "I'm going to visit Caroline," I said.

My mother nodded. "Buy her some flowers. She likes the yellow roses."

I smiled. "I know, Mom."

I gently closed the door behind me as I left our small house. I lived alone with my mom ever since Dad left us when I was 5, that was twelve years ago. I straightened my shirt as I headed to the flower shop. I bought a dozen yellow roses. I walked past the hospital where I first met her a couple months ago. My mom liked her a lot, and we liked each other as more than friends. She was sick, badly, but she isn't any more.

I walked up to the graveyard, where she always waited for me. I entered the gate. I walked past many tombstones, until I saw her. I knelt down at the stone, and placed the flowers on her grave. The stone read the heart tearing words: Here lies Caroline Anderson 1998-2014.

"Hey, Caroline," I said. "It's a beautiful day today, so I wanted to visit you. I bought you those yellow roses you told me you loved." I wiped a tear from my eye. I kissed my fingers, then touched the stone with the same fingers. "I hope you're happy, Caroline. No more doctors, no more wheel chairs, and no more needles."

I stood up, straightening my shirt once again. I touched the heart necklace that I never took off, because she bought it for me just before her last surgery.

She smiled as she held the necklace. "I'm sorry I couldn't buy you something more...manly." She laughed her cute little laugh as I knelt down to meet her at the height of her wheelchair.

"No, it's perfect."

"I'm glad." She took my hand. "Matthew, I'm scared. What if we don't get married? What if we don't grow old together?"

I wiped a tear from her face. "You have such pretty eyes. They shouldn't be crying."

"Thank you, Matthew." I leaned down and kissed her. I truly loved Caroline.

I told Caroline that when she got out of the hospital, I'd propose to her. But, that never happened, because shortly after, she died. I was last to leave the funeral. At the wake, I saw her wearing the ring I gave her when I proposed to her.