Another Day in Love

***DISCLAIMER: THIS STORY CONTAINS DRAMATIC, SENSUAL AND TRAGIC ELEMENTS***

Emma stirred to the sound of her alarm at dawn, the sunrise casting a golden glow on the curtains. With a lazy slap of her hand, she hit the off button before rolling over. 

“Morning, love,” she said, as she reached out. 

“Morning,” Ian replied as he draped her hand over his chest. 

Emma hugged him tight and let out a groan.

“Can’t we just stay in bed all day?” she mumbled in the darkness, wiggling her toes and touching his feet under the sheets.

“I’d love to,” he said, kissing her hand before he added, “But you know we can’t.”

As Emma flounced onto her back, Ian rolled over, propping his head on his hand and looking down at her. “But it seems you’ve got the whole day planned for us,” he joked as he leaned in for a kiss. 

Emma met his lips with hers before she let her head fall back onto the pillow with another signature groan.

“Whose dumb idea was that?” she grumbled. Before Ian could chime in, she said, “Don’t answer that,” and threw the covers back with a dramatic flourish. She padded to the bathroom and turned the shower on. Despite herself she began to hum lazily as she pulled the shower curtain closed. Ian entered a moment later, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the counter, staring into the mirror as he listened to Emma sing softly. He smiled at his reflection before joining her. 

“So what’s on the agenda again?” Ian asked as he swapped places with Emma and wet his hair. She lathered her brown locks, eyes closed as she faced him. 

“We have four appointments today to look at houses, then dinner with the parents,” she said. “Our first appointment is at 8AM.”

“Oh boy, a full day with Stacey,” Ian laughed as they rinsed off.

“What’s wrong with Stacey?,” Emma protested as she tried to hide her smirk. 

“Oh, nothing,” he began, “It’s just “oh my” this and “how exciting” that and all the talk talk talk talk talk…” As he repeated the word “talk” over and over, Ian grabbed Emma and kissed her all over her face. She laughed and tried to pull away. 

“Okay, okay, I get the point,” she sighed as she caught her breath. “But, we’re in this together. And we’re going to find the one today. I can feel it.”

“I believe you,” he said, tucking her wet strands of hair behind her ears as he grabbed her face in his hands. 

“But it doesn’t matter if we live in a mansion or a box. Home is where you are.” Ian kissed her slow and soft, and Emma leaned into him as she put her arms around his neck. He could feel her smiling against his lips. 

“You’re corny,” she said, giving him a final peck. “But I love you.”

“Love you too,” he said. 

Wrapped in towels, they brushed their teeth in front of the foggy mirror and tried to make each other laugh. Emma spewed out her mouthwash as always, after Ian told her about a crazy dream he had. Ian knew that once Emma started she couldn’t stop. He also knew that she smiled when she was lying about being upset, and that she stuck out her tongue when she was concentrating. Ian loved everything about her. Emma was one of the only people that truly knew Ian, who could make him laugh until he cried, that could talk to him about anything on the planet, and always be his best friend and shoulder to cry on. It was an unusual day when they didn’t wake up goofing off together, and today wasn’t the exception. It was just another day in love. 

By the time she finished getting ready, Ian was already in the kitchen making breakfast. The smell of coffee and sausage filled the air as she walked up and wrapped her arms around him. Standing on the tips of her toes, she kissed his cheek. 

“Smells delicious,” Emma sighed happily. 

“Good, yours is ready,” Ian said, sliding the coffee cup across the counter into Emma’s outstretched hand. He set a plate of pancakes and sausage in front of her. 

“Thanks, love,” she said. 

“Of course,” he replied, setting his mug and plate on the table on his way to open the patio door. 

Ian breathed in deeply and exhaled.

“It’s a beautiful morning,” he said as he turned to Emma. “Why don’t we take advantage of it?”

Emma smiled and brought her breakfast outside, where they ate and drank their coffee as the day broke over the horizon. 

“So what do you want to do after dinner with your folks?” he asked before taking a sip of coffee. 

“I don’t know,” Emma replied, mug raised to her lips. “Maybe we can open that bottle of wine we’ve been saving and finally celebrate, seeing as we’re going to find our dream house today and all.” Emma smiled at him as she set her coffee cup down. 

He smiled as he said, “Sounds great.”

Emma turned and looked at the clock on the stove. 

“Well, you ready to get the day started?”

“Ready,” Ian said as they gathered the dirty dishes, put them in the sink and hit the door. 

—

“Any questions? Concerns? Anything at all?” asked Stacey, the touring agent, her eyes flitting back and forth between Ian and Emma as she talked fast. “Do you two need a minute to decide?”

“No,” Ian cut in with a big smile as he met Emma’s gaze. “This is the one.”

Before Emma could agree, Stacey let out a squeal of delight and clapped her hands together. 

“Oh how exciting!” she exclaimed. “Well congratulations, you two. Of course we still have lots of paperwork to do and credit checks and…”

As Stacey rattled off in the background and rushed off to make a phone call, Ian and Emma walked around. 

“We can put the couch there. Oh, and the computer there and —”

Ian interrupted her before she could ramble on. 

“Hey, come here,” he said, taking her hand. He pulled her into a hug and planted a kiss on top of her

head. “Just take it in. We finally found the one.”

Emma let out a sigh of contentment as she met his gaze. 

“You’re right,” she said, beaming. “I can’t believe it’s ours,” she squealed and clapped her hands just as Stacey came back around the corner into the kitchen. Emma shot Ian an “oops” face before she turned to face her. Ian tried to hide his amusement behind her, clearing his throat to cover up a laugh. 

“It’s official,” Stacey said with a bright smile. “The house is off the market! I just got off the phone with my boss and we’re all set to meet next week to talk details. Anyway, are you guys ready to go?”

“Ready,” Ian and Emma said in unison as they followed Stacey out the door. 

The clouds had grown dark and heavy and the rain was pouring down as they said goodbye. Running to the car, Emma was about to reach for the door handle when Ian grabbed it first. She stepped back as he opened the door for her before he shut it and sprinted to the driver’s side. They both shook the rain off their coats and wiped the droplets from their glasses. 

“Should we call the folks now or surprise them?” he asked as he started the car and backed out of the driveway. 

“Let’s surprise them,” Emma replied, clicking her seatbelt into place. 

“Alright, let’s do it,” he said as he turned onto the highway. He let out a sigh as he said, “What a great day.”

—

Four Hours Later

Emma stirred to the faint sound of machines beeping. She blinked her eyes open in the blinding fluorescent light. She could feel an IV in her arm, and there was an oxygen tube on her face, sending a small wave of air through her nostrils. She turned and saw her mother and father sitting at her bedside. 

“Oh, sweetie,” Mom whispered as she came and sat on the bed next to her. She grabbed her hand and gave it the fiercest of gentle squeezes. “You’re alright,” she shuddered, choking back tears as she kissed her forehead. “I was so worried…”

Dad stood behind Mom, brow furrowed in relief and worry. 

“Mom,” Emma croaked, mouth dry as she tried to sit up. She winced as she felt a sharp pain in her side. “Where am I? What happened?”

“You’re at the hospital,” Mom said. “There was an accident…”

As Mom told her what happened, all Emma heard was a deafening ring in her ears, and all she could do was stare blankly at her. 

“N…No…we just got the house…and we were on our way to dinner…”

Suddenly images flashed across her mind. Ian braking at a stop light, the brakes going out. Hydroplaning into a four way intersection. The semi truck that collided with the driver’s side.

Emma sat up again, tugging at her tubes as her mother held her by her shoulders. 

“No…Ian?...Ian!...Where is he? I have to see him…”

“Sweetheart,” Mom choked, tears spilling down her face. “He…he didn’t make it…it was instant…they tried to…but it was too late…” 

“He’s gone, Emma,” Dad said, voice cracking as he covered his face with his hand. 

The breath was ripped from her lungs. She felt numb all over. Just this morning they were laughing and talking about their future. And now he was just…gone?

“No…I don’t believe you…” Emma stammered. “I don’t believe you!” She screamed and fought against her mother’s grasp. 

Mom silently held her as she continued to scream. Finally, Emma fell back against the pillow and the flood came.

“Nooo!” she wailed, gripping her chest as she sobbed. “I love him,” she said, voice cracking. “I love him so much.”

She sobbed for hours until she fell asleep. All she saw was rain beneath her fluttering eyelids, and all she could hear was the squealing of tires in her ears. 

—

The first night back from the hospital, Emma sat on the living room couch in the darkness and scrolled through her phone listlessly. She numbly skimmed through all the get well soons and condolences before she threw her phone across the couch and curled up into a ball. The last place she wanted to be was in her bed, where he was just a week before. She knew the sheets would still smell like him. 

The apartment felt quiet. Dead. Through the sounds of the drippy kitchen faucet and the hum of the fridge, all she heard was complete and utter silence. There was no laughter. No trace of his ever being there, though she knew the two sets of dirty dishes in the sink would remind her in the morning. And at that moment it was too much for her to bear. As the haunted walls closed in on her, she curled back up, dreading the funeral. After the funeral, she cried every night for a year. 

—

Emma stared into the moonlit room from the doorway. For the first time in months, she was at the threshold of their room. A shiver ran down her spine, and she hugged her elbows. As she turned to walk away, she heard something, clear as day, as if echoing from a distant dream. 

“Are you coming to bed?” he asked. 

Tears ran down her face and her lip trembled. She took a step forward and wiped the tears out of her blurry eyes. There he was, in the pale light, watching her. He gestured for her to join him. 

Not trusting herself to speak for fear of losing the illusion, she quietly made her way to her side of the bed, sinking down on the edge. She laid down and faced him. He was laying on his side, facing her. She let out a sigh of disbelief as she looked into his eyes. 

“Is it really you?” she whispered, afraid to move, afraid to touch. 

“Well, I wouldn’t say in the flesh,” he joked halfheartedly. “I don’t really know. I think I’m here because of you.”. 

“Oh, Ian,” she said as she smiled through her tears. “I’ve missed you so much. You have no idea how much.”

“I’ve missed you too,” he whispered back. “You look well.”

“I don’t feel well,” she laughed a joyless laugh as she swiped at another tear. “I haven’t been able to sleep in here. Not since…”

“I know,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for you. For the right time.” He made an attempt at reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear, but Emma felt nothing. 

“Somehow I can’t see past you being gone, but at the same time I’ve felt you here all along. It’s been really hard without you. My family and friends are worried about me. But I just can’t move on. And I never got to say goodbye.” Her eyes welled up with fresh tears as she shuddered. 

“I know,” he said solemnly. “But I’m here now. And I had to see you, to ask something of you.” 

“Anything,” she whispered. 

“If I promise to stay as long as I can, will you promise me that you’ll get back to your life? Go out with your friends, see your family. Do it for me. I still want you to be happy you know, even if I can’t be the one to give you that. I love you Emma, and I always will. Now please don’t waste your life away here in the dark. Live while you can. It kills me to see you this way, and I don’t want you to be miserable and alone forever.”

At this, Emma began to sob as she nodded her head. 

“I promise,” she said. “I’ll always love you too.” She leaned her head forward, and he did the same. She could almost feel his familiar touch as he kissed her forehead.  

“I’m not going anywhere, so long as I have a say in whatever this is,” He said, smiling as he rested his head back on the pillow. “Now get some rest.”

“Will you still be here tomorrow?” she asked, almost pleading. 

“I’ll be here as long as you’ll have me,” he said. 

“Then I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, smiling. She moved closer and draped her hand over the pillow, where his chest would be. He put his hand on hers and they both closed their eyes. 

—

Emma woke with the dawn the following day. The glow of sunrise filled the room and the birds sang outside. Yawning, she stretched and opened her eyes.

“Morning, love,” she said, touching the pillow next to her. “Can’t we just stay in bed all day?” She wiggled her toes under the sheets. 

Rolling onto her back Emma let out a sigh. As she stared at the rays of light on the ceiling, she felt a kind of restfulness she hadn’t felt in a long time. Smiling to herself, she threw the covers back and got up, making her way into the kitchen. The sweet aroma of coffee was welcoming, and she looked forward to enjoying a cup as the sun rose. She let herself out onto the patio, carrying two mugs. She set one in front of her and the other across the table. As she held the mug with both hands and pulled a leg up to her chest, she breathed in deep and exhaled. 

“So what’s on the agenda today?” Emma asked aloud as she sipped her coffee. She looked at the empty seat across from her with a smile before she closed her eyes and tilted her head up towards the sun, letting the warm glow wash over her. Somehow, the sun didn’t have the same shine as it used to, and yet it was shining even more brilliantly with the promise of better days that she didn’t think were possible anymore until that morning. 

And so she called her family. She went out with friends again. And they would continue to lecture her about being alone and unhappy for the rest of her life, but she knew she was neither of those things. They would judge her for never cleaning out his things, never taking off her wedding ring, moving into that house they bought together, keeping a room full of his stuff. But for the first time since the accident, she knew she was right where she was supposed to be, and that there was nothing wrong with loving someone even after death do you part. After all, she decided, if you truly love someone it’s never really goodbye. 

—

Emma sat on the patio and watched the sun set, lost in thought as she sipped her wine. The faint sound of music traveled through the house out to the backyard. It was one of those perfect ends to one of those perfect days, and these were the times she wished he were there the most. It was a beautiful evening, now fading into darkness, the sounds of nightlife filling the cool air and the stars shining bright in the sky.

As a new song began to play she let out a longing sigh. She set her wine glass on the table and stood, looking up at the moon. Hugging her elbows and closing her eyes, she breathed deep. At that moment a gentle wind blew and caressed her face, and she opened her eyes. He was holding out his hand, smiling at her.

“Hello, love,” he said as she took a step closer. They swayed slowly, his chin on her head and her head

on his heart.