Last True Love's Kiss

I look over at him. My beloved David. I remember the good times and the bad. My chest feels like a cobra is wrapped around it squeezing it until I can’t breathe. I’ve lived a good long life and I couldn’t have been happier. But now I can feel it like how you feel a storm coming. I’m dying. I slide out of the bed, stumbling as I lift my weight up. I hear a groan behind me and turn my head to look at the lump. I sigh, good he’s not waking up. 

I take a deep breath then step forward again. I walk out of the room and head down the hall, to where our working office is. For one main reason, there’s paper and a pen there. Finally, I reach the door and push it open. I walk forward to the two desks and grab a sheet of paper and a pen. As I write I whisper to myself:

“Dear my beloved David, if you are reading this then I was right and this pain in my chest is my death. I want you to know that I have had the best life and I love you so much. I want you to remember me not with pain but with happiness.  Because I couldn’t bear to see you sad or even thinking about you being sad.” I take another deep breath and stare at my trembling hand trying to get it to steady. Then I continue. “I love the children and our home and grandchildren. I will always love them and you even if I’m not here anymore. I love you so much.” 

With that, I fold the paper and grab an envelope putting my letter in and sealing it closed. If I’m right he’ll find it in the morning. I hope. I write David on the front and put it to my lips, letting a silent tear trail down my cheek. I don’t want to get back into bed but I know I should. Besides, I would rather spend my last minutes or hours with him even if he was asleep. I stumble back to the room and set the letter next to my bed on the nightstand. Then I slide back into bed and fold myself close to him matching my body with his. As I lay there I remember my life the good times and the bad. Smiling at some memories and frowning or letting another silent tear slide down for others. 

I remember how we met. I had just moved from a new place, a small town to a big city. I was scared because I was just starting high school. I remember me walking into school and when the bell rang trying to figure out where my first class was. I ended up getting hopelessly lost. I was in a hallway pointing to classes and muttering to myself when I heard footsteps coming from down the hall. I looked up to see a boy. David. I didn’t know that at the time but I remember staring at him. His soft brown hair and bright blue eyes. I remember thinking that maybe this new school wouldn’t be so bad. 

“Hey, your new arent you?” He said looking at me and tilting his head. Adorable. 

“Ha, that obvious huh?” I laughed nervously and David smiled.

“David.” He held out his hand and for a split second, I stared at it wondering what I should do. Hesitantly I took his hand in mine and shook it. One. Two. Three times.  

“Lucas.”

“Lucas? Cool name. Now let’s help you find your class.” 

I smiled as I remembered how nervous I was. 

Another memory flashes through my mind, then another at the speed of sound. I remember me and him laughing at his house as we played video games together. Another of him blushing as he asked me out. I smile softly at all the great memories we shared. But then a few bad memories come up. People laughing or mocking us for wanting to be together. My parents trying to keep us apart. That memory hurts the most I cut myself off from my parents because of it after I moved out. I curl myself closer to him and kiss his neck savoring him and his scent. Possibly for the last time. I’m going to miss him wherever I’m going but as much as I would want to see him again, I hope he doesn’t die as soon as me I would rather have him live longer. 

An hour passes and with every minute the pain in my chest grows like the dinosaurs you put in water. You know when they say before you die your life flashes before your eyes? Yeah, mine did. I remember my mother standing over my crib smiling. I remember riding a bike for the first time my father standing behind me hands on his hips proudly smiling too. I remember getting heartbroken by people over and over nearly giving up on love forever. Thinking that there was just no chance that there was love out there for me. 

I remember adopting a daughter with David. Her big green eyes and small hands. I remember teaching her that it was alright to love whoever she wanted. I remember her wedding and being so proud of her that I wanted to cry. My life was amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was great even through the good and the bad.

I let out a small gasp as the cobra squeezed tighter. It didn’t hurt, it just was a lot of pressure like having someone sit on your chest. It just felt heavy. It was so close I could feel it. As my eyes drifted close for the last time my last words were: thank you, David. 

The next morning as David woke up to the ringing of his alarm clock he rolled over and put his hand to the other man’s cheek and kissed his forehead he knew something was wrong. 

“Lucas?” No answer. “Baby?” It crashed on him what had happened while he was asleep. David felt the tears running down his face but didn’t register them. He noticed the letter with his name on it. He ignored it and brought the love of his life in close, crying for something that was lost. His touch, that laugh, his voice waking him up in the morning, his love for animals. All of it, gone.  He wiped his tears and opened the letter. As he read it tears began the stream again but not in sadness this time. He couldn’t explain what he was feeling. It wasn't happiness and it would be weird if he said satisfaction. But he knew that when Lucas passed on he was happy. And that made him happy. He would keep living and he wouldn’t be sad he would remember their time together and be happy at the moments they shared.