Right Beside Me

Why does the universe mock me when it comes to true love? 

Anna cursed at the sky as the universe clapped. The rain was pouring down with full force as Adam lay in her arms trying to speak. “Who did this to you?”

 His blood was underneath them staining the boardwalk. 

“I honor those I love,” he croaked and his soul ascended. 

Their college graduation was the next day. She threw herself into her bed as her navy blue short dress and her cap and gown stared her down. You were supposed to match my dress. You were supposed to pick me up today and on our way there, you would nag about how nervous I was. We were supposed to be meeting your parents this weekend. We were supposed to do so much.  “ I will honor you by finding who did this and I will slit their throat,”

The graduation was swift and then there was Danny’s wake. 

Anna sat in the front and finally wept. 

“Do you need a shoulder?” she heard. 

“Who are you?” she asked. 

“Danny’s Mom, I am so sorry we had to meet like this,” the person said. 

“Please sit, and I’m sorry too,” Anna scooted over in the pews. 

“When he talked of you, he would always say he would imagine you wearing blue,” she confessed 

“It's a shame that he never heard my speech or saw me in it, this dress because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have graduated,” 

“I choose to believe he saw your speech and sees us talking and how beautiful you look,” his Mom handed Anna a box. 

“What is this?” Anna asked. 

“Your graduation present,” his Mom smiled. 

“It feels wrong to open it now,” Anna sighed. 

“I understand,” her Mom squeezed her shoulder. 

Anna’s steps were as heavy as her heart. This mood contradicted the beautiful summer sky, the warm weather, and the calm seas of the boardwalk. She sat on the edge and pondered on the what-ifs or possibly why this happened. 

“Annie?” she heard. 

She stood up and froze. “I don’t understand, how are you?-,” 

“I’m not, I got one last wish and I used it to see you; I want you to honor me by doing everything we wanted….not bitterness,” he walked closer to her. 

“How can I do it without you?” she wept. 

“You have to please its the only way my soul can rest,” he urged.

When he disappeared, the boardwalk was her bed and she fell into a slumber. 

Little did Anna know that a classmate, Joseph, heard of the news. After no responses to his texts, he went to the wake and that was when the search began. 

Joseph and Danny’s Mom looked everywhere. It was the summit of the day when they found her. 

“Anna, can you hear me?” Joseph asked. “Fuck, how long was she out here?” 

“I need you to not move her; do you know how to do CPR?” her mother asked. 

“I was certified this morning,” he answered. 

“Do it, I’m gonna call 911,” she dialed. 

 He started as he tried to calm down. “Come on, we can’t lose you too,” 

Danny gasped. “Not on my watch,” 

 The ambulance came quickly. 

Anna woke up with her head bandaged. 

“I don’t know if I should scold you for worrying me so bad or hug you because you’re alive,” she heard.

“Danny?” she asked. 

“I wish, he’s still dead,” Joseph said. 

“Jo”, what are you doing here?” she asked. 

“We found you at the boardwalk unconscious; why were you there?” he asked. 

“I was sulking about Danny and I swear I saw him,” she sighed. 

“Oh honey, scoot over you need a hug,” he sighed. 

“I do,” she said. 

He squeezed her. “I am so sorry, but I’m gonna kill you if you ever do this to me again,” 

“Noted,” she sighed. 

“What did he say?” he asked. 

“He wants me to do everything we planned but it seems selfish, we made those plans together, how can I?” she asked. 

“Is that what you wanna do?” he asked. 

“Nah, I wanna find out what happened and if I can I will find this person and torture their ass,” she admitted. 

“I hear ya loud and clear but I have a proposal,” he said. 

“I’m listening,” she said. 

“We can do both,” he said. 

“I don’t get it?” she responded. 

“We find out what happened but we do everything you guys wanted to do and more if you want too in between,” he said. 

“You’d do that for me?” she asked. 

“I would, I think you’re very cool,” he said. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome,” he said. “So what’s it gonna be?” he asked. 

“I’m in,” she smiled. 

“Wanna have breakfast together?” he asked. 

“It can’t be moring,” she looked at the clock. 

“I meant when you’re out of the hospital and more settled,” he chuckled. 

“Oh, but I’m not much of a breakfast person,” she answered. 

“Fair enough, how about you think of something and we meet up then?” he asked. 

“K,” she snuggled against him and fell asleep. 

It was time for damage control when Anna had more energy to answer the missed calls on her phone. 

“You’re coming home now!” her grandmother pointed out. 

“Granny please, I have no place there,” she begged. 

“We’ll find you somewhere to live and if you want you can live with me,” her grandmother plead her case. 

“You know that isn’t what I meant,” Anna sighed. “I went out of state to explore,” she added. 

“I know, but with this accident, it has me frazzled that I can’t keep an eye on you,” her grandmother said. “Plus, with your boyfriend gone and with your degree; why are you still there?” 

“That is not how you convince someone to come home you know?” she hung up. 

There was a knock. “Can I come in?” Joseph asked. 

“Sure,” she sighed. 

“I could hear you barking from down the hall, who were you arguing with?” he asked. 

“My grandmother wants me to come home, and I don’t want too,” she explained. 

“So, its either go home and be miserable or be homeless?”  he asked. 

“Afraid so,” she said. 

“Well, I have another proposal,” he sat. 

“Tell me,” he said. 

“Go home for until Monday, it’ll do you some good while I set up my new apartment and if you want you can move in with me when you can come back,” he said. 

“A weekend in my hometown with my family is way too long; besides isn’t it a little weird if I move in with a guy after my boyfriend died?” she asked. 

“A little space, after what's happened, won’t be too bad; and if you don’t like living with me, I can find you a place of your own,” he said. 

“I’m in,” she sighed.