Chapter 10
The comforter and pull-out mattress was too soft to want to move, but I heard something coming from the kitchen down the hall. I looked over at Mike, who was sound asleep, I wondered if we maybe left the radio on in the kitchen. Though I didn't remember even going into the kitchen.
I grabbed a pillow and held it to my chest. Not realizing I was wearing only a long shirt, I began to walk down the hall, the cold floors biting at my toes.
Easing slowly around a corner, I heard someone start to hum a familiar song. I couldn't quite remember where I had heard it, but as the melody began to stream through my head, I began to hum along.
With the pillow still against my chest, I rounded another corner to see who it was, but no one was there. I walked a little ways into the kitchen, laying my hands flat against the bar, I smiled and saw an apparition of my mom, appear in front of the stove.
Tears began to fill my eyes, and fall over onto my cheeks, as I laid my forehead against the cool counter top, and let the tears fall. A sob racked through my chest and through my vocal chords to produce a quiet squeak.
I felt warm hands on my back as my eyes closed, not wanting to see the rising sun through the kitchen window. The hands pulled me into a tight embrace, I knew it was Mike by his unique smell; a sweet mixture of nature and a soft cologne.
His warm hands rubbed my back, as we let my tears soak into his shirt. The sight of my mom in her younger days when she would perm her hair and let me watch her put on make-up every morning was almost unbearable. Even more so since the soft lullaby my mom use to hum to me still echoed through my ears, making the tears impossible to stop.
My head began to pound and my eyes started to dry. My face felt puffy from crying, and from the look on Mike's face it was hurting him just as much as it was hurting me.
I looked around the kitchen to see every surface clean, not a particle of dust was floating through the air. That was usually what would happen when my mom would go on a cleaning spree, which only happened if she was upset about something, or frustrated.
Mike's thumb brushed the remaining tear from my cheek, and bent down to press his forehead against mine.
"Go ahead and get a shower, I will put the bed back up and get a quick shower after you. Then we can go into town."
I smiled and nodded my head, letting Mike kiss my forehead before finding some clothes and a towel for my shower.
~~*~~ ~~*~~
I stood there in a short, fitting black dress, slowing feeling my heels slowly sinking into the grass. The sun was covered with clouds that shouted "rain".
What a perfect setting for my mother's burial.
Looking around, I knew just about everyone. There was the family of course, most of it anyway, and some friends. My grandparents were standing across from me on the other side of the grave, Grams was busy dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief.
My dad and step mother were standing a little ways behind Mike and I. My mom and step mother had never really got along, there was a small feeling of awkwardness in the air.
My close friends and some of my mother's had closed-off looks on their faces, they couldn't believe she was gone either.
I had told my dad not to bring James or Taylor, I didn't want them to see their older sister with mascara running down her cheeks, standing beside a guy they barely knew. I didn't want them to know Mike just yet, in case something happened.
Mike took my hand in his and kissed it, putting an arm around my waist and pulling me closer. I felt somewhat self-conscious with my friends and family staring at us. Most of the family hadn't met Mike either, except on little get-togethers, when he was always by my side.
I looked into Mike's eyes, and smiled softly as his lips connected with mine. I heard loud "awe's" from the crowd around us.
Both of Mike's hands found mine and held them, moving away from my face and lowering himself onto the ground to one knee. My heart started to speed up as my eyes widened, causing tears to flood into them. People around us started to stare as some of their mouths hung open, other's had wide smiles plastered to their faces.
Mike looked up at me from his spot, his eyes were glistening as if he were pondering on something.
"Raven, first of all, you can close your mouth I'm not proposing." People around us chuckled as I closed my mouth before a fly flew in, not noticing it had even been open.
"Raven, with permission from your grandfather, your grandmother, and both of your parents, I want to ask you something." I nodded my head, not being able my eyes off of him. "Will you move in with me? You're the love of my life, and I truly believe that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. But it's too early, and we have to take it a step at a time, this being the first."
My brain stopped working. It took me ages to figure out where the power switch was, and when I found it, I flipped it on quickly.
Trying to find my voice, "Get up, please."
Mike's face was scrawled with emotion as he stood up. He was a few inches taller than me, but I didn't have to crane my neck too much to look at him.
I placed my hand on his cheek, feeling how soft it was under my fingertips. I got closer to him and pressed my lips to his, he was a little shocked at first, but he started to kiss me back.
Though I didn't want to break away from him, I did. I smiled brightly and started to nod my head, "Yes. I'll will move in with you."
The people around us started to clap and whistled, as Mike hugged me tightly, swinging us around in a circle. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized life goes on.
