The Locket

Five years had passed since that day. Five, and she still remembered every last tiny, miniscule detail about him. His tight brown curls, warm hazel eyes, bright smile, big hands, tall height, contagious laughter, and love of life…and her.

She was only 15 at the time, and he, 17, and many, if not all, who watched their relationship grow day by day would have the same response: “They’re just too young.” “They hardly know what love is.” But they were wrong. They did know what love was, and she was in it…with him.

***

“Morgan…hurry up!!!” called Danny impatiently up ahead of her along the sunny dirt path in the woods. “You’re soooo slow!!!”
He said this playfully of course, seeing how he could never see himself getting mad at her for anything. Anything at all. But even so, she was falling behind, and he did want to show her what lied ahead of them further down the path.

“Coming,” came the sweet, innocent voice of the girl on the path, her voice like that of an angel as she spoke. Yet she could not find it in her power to increase her speed, for she felt that as did so, she would be missing out on so much of the world around her.

Stopping shortly, she bent down to pick up a cluster of tiny, white flowers, sticking one gently behind her right ear, and then looked around. The trees where in full bloom and a vivid shade of green, shading the path they were on save for a few spots of sun that found their way through the leaves’ clever shield, and there was a slight, but evident breeze in the air that with each new breath played among her hair. Standing back up, her dress swayed gently in the breeze, and she caught the faint smell of flowers and spring all around her. She was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t even see him coming up behind her. Without thought her wrapped his strong arms around her tiny, delicate waist and pulled her closer towards him. Now having her in his arms, he took her in, the way she smelled, the way her body moved with his, the look on her face when she saw his face nestled beside hers. Then, before she could say a word, he turned her around, took her beautiful face in his hands and kissed her sweet, crimson lips, their taste lingering on his own, moments after the kiss had been made.

“Come angel…you need to see this.” Then picking her up and carrying her in his arms, he brought her down the sun-kissed path to a clearing in the mist of a field.
“What is this place?” she asked, looking around.
“This is but the mere entrance to a world all our own, to a place, I’ve loved all my life, and now can share with you.”

She wanted to respond, but knew her words would never come out the way she wished them to, so instead, nodded her head, and nestled it among the boy’s chest, all the while keeping her arms and fingers delicately wrapped around his neck.

A while passed, but soon they were there, and setting her down, he kissed her softly a top a head of blond curls.

“This is it Morgan…look around.”
And he was right, it was beautiful…absolutely stunning, and she had never seen anything like it in all her life. Before her lay a tiny, bubbling stream with water as clear as day, with romantic looking trees falling lovingly above it. Walking out to one of the rocks on the side of the stream, she looked down into it studying her reflection in the water. And then he was there, holding her once more, kissing her softly along her neck, and whispering in her ear…“ It reminds me of you Morgan.” “Beautiful, breathtaking…amazing.” And opening her hand, he slipped a locket with their initials and date inside. “I’ll always love you…never forget that.”
Then turning towards him with tears in her eyes, she whispered, “Why you?” And let herself fall and weep helpless into his arms.

Wiping away her tears, he looked deep into her blue eyes and whispered back…
“Never…okay?”

***

Five years had passed since that day. And three weeks after that, his body had stopped responding to treatments. One week later, he was gone. Walking out into the clearing she held out an old lantern in front of her, lighting the path through the darkening field. A little further and she would be there. Five steps and she would reach the rock; one look and she would remember it all. Looking into the water, she smiled thinking how it hadn’t changed one bit since that day, and how much she still loved being there…feeling his presence all around her. Gazing at the reflection that played back at her, she smiled while tears fell down the sides of her cheeks. Then holding the locket in her hand she whispered into the breeze…
“Never…okay?”

Baby Bella

It was about mid-April and warm out. The flowers were all in bloom, the trees full and fresh, and the sky a whimsical shade of baby blue with wisps of fluffy, white clouds flirting playfully among what looked like an endless sea above them. The breeze was soft and gentle, and rose and fell in tune with Ellie’s heart. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Distinct, strong, constant like the love she felt for her newly born daughter. She was perfect. An angel, if ever she knew one. In every way.

Walking over to the window, Ellie let the warm, spring air play among her skirt and dance upon her skin. She wanted to take it all in, every second, every moment, every breath to be savored as if it were a gift. Each day, each gift far surpassing the last.

She had decided on Bella almost the moment she had discovered she was pregnant and never questioned its notability for a second there after. Bella was a good name, a strong name, a beautiful name, and Bella…well, it just fit. Moving slightly in her mother’s arms, Bella let out a tiny squeak of a yawn, blinked her beautiful brown eyes, and nestled her tiny head of tight, dark curls deep along the side of her mother’s long, elegant neck, and continued to sleep the long, hard sleep of a newborn that could be broken by nothing more than feeding.

Ellie stroked the sweet head of curls swaddled securely against her chest, and kissed her softly on her tiny forehead, her skin a soft, smooth brown reflecting her own. Reaching down, Ellie passed her index finger along her baby’s clenched fists, so small and fragile, let out a deep sigh of admiration, and swayed her body rhythmically to the rise and fall of Bella’s chest until she was sure that she was fast asleep.

Not wanting to let her go, even for a second, Ellie hesitated before placing Bella carefully in the basinet set up beside the table. Once more Ellie leaned over and kissed her small daughter on the head. She let out a short, momentary squeak, tightened her body, squinched up her tiny nose, and then relaxed.

Walking back over to the window, Ellie thought, “She’s perfect.” “She’s an angel.” And after gazing out at the clear blue sky, warm sun, and bursting colors of the day she closed her eyes. She wanted to take it all in. Every second. Every moment. Every breath. She was a mother…at last.