Margret looked around her. She stared at her mustard colored walls, the white tiled floor. She couldn't believe that she spent 65 in this house, she felt as if it was yesterday when they moved in.
She made her way to the kitchen, a smile creeps on her face. "Edward, do you remember when Katie slipped in here and she had gotten a cut on her head?", she laughs as that memory takes place in her brain.
He nodded smiling, "Yes Maggie, what a scare you had."
"Katie was always a trouble maker."
"Just like her father", Edward laughs.
Margret and Edward had met back in high school. He was a nerdy young boy and she was miss popular. Never in a million years did she think she would fall for Edward Peters, but she did.
She fell for his kindness, his compassion, his understanding and honesty. Even when his honesty was a bit much sometimes. Edward only had one flaw, a flaw Margret knew she could live with.
He spoke without tact. He believed that if he told people the truth, no matter how hurt they would be, it was for the best.
Edward graduated, and had gotten a job. Margret began working at a diner and not long after they bought a house.
A beautiful house on Sycamore Street. It had a picket white fence, a beautiful backyard and a large kitchen. Edward knew that Margret only cared about one thing, the kitchen, for she loved cooking. Always making new recipes, she never seized to amaze Edward.
At the age of 20 they married. Throughout the years they had 2 girls and 2 boys, all in this house. Katie, James, Violet, and Thomas.
The ups and downs they faced in their marriage, had made them closer. Despite what life threw at the Maggie and Eddie, they never distanced themselves from each other. Always taking everything head on.
Before she had gotten pregnant with Violet she had lost a child. Margret was completely devastated. She had asked herself a million times, 'Was it something I did wrong?'. She never discovered the answer the that question. She wasted her days on 'what could've been', and as soon as she felt she would loose herself, she found out she was with child. Violet happened to distract Margret and lift her from the large pit of depression. She will forever be grateful.
Violet was her favorite, though she would never bring herself to say it out loud. Margret used to say Violet was her rainbow child. After the storm of her miscarriage, a beautiful rainbow called Violet had arrived.
Walking towards her bedroom, her hand grazes the walls. She meets a spot and a memory flushes her mind. "Eddie do you remember when you tried to fix the ceiling fan..."
"...And it fell, breaking the wall?"
"Yes, I remember you didn't want to call someone to fix it. You said 'why would I call someone if I can do it myself'."
He laughs, scratching his head. "Yes I was very stubborn, wasn't I?"
"Yes, but you had some amazing qualities. You were an amazing father Eddie."
She sat on her bed, the white cotton sheets covering the wooden surface.
"Hey Maggie?"
"Yes Edward?"
"Do you remember when the kids all got sick at the same time, and they had to sleep with us?"
"Oh my goodness. Yes I remember. Violet had gotten a cold, and it spread to the rest. It was a complete mess."
"You didn't sleep until they were all well."
"A mother never sleeps."
He grabs her hand, giving it a squeeze. "And a good mother you were."
The kids had grown up, each had gotten married. First James, then Katie, Violet and finally Thomas. As each little bird left their nest, Margret couldn't help but feel empty. Edward knew the only person he truly needed was Margret. And that was a constant reminder to her.
As she looks through the window she can spot the backyard. There on a tree was a swing. The same swing her children played with when they were younger.
She remembers Katie pushing Thomas, pushing him a little too hard. He had flown across the yard, landing hard, spraining his ankle. Margret was filled with worry, thinking of the worst. Edward couldn't help but laugh. He had said 'I knew it was a bad idea to get this crap.'
And all Margret could say was 'Edward how is that going to help us now?!'
Margret lets out a laugh, coming back to reality. "Eddie what is your favorite memory of us?"
He smiles, pausing for a second. "Remember when we went to Niagara Falls. You wanted to bring the kids up close."
She laughs, holding her mouth. "The water splashed all of us. That's a good one."
"What is yours Maggie?"
"Maybe when we were teaching the kids how to dance. Thomas always had two left feet, still does. It was a sight to see watching the struggle. Does bring joy to my mind."
Edward grabs a hold of Margret arm, she places her head on his shoulder, locking perfectly in place.
Eddy was Margret's perfect half, as she was his. There wasn't a better fit for each other. They never could see their lives without one another. They had spent almost a lifetime together.
That was the same reason why Margret couldn't bring herself to remember one particular thing. She could never to recollect was Edward's death. He had passed away in his sleep, natural causes they say, 5 years ago.
She awoke the next morning to him laying still. Shaking him, she called out his name, leaving the silence to respond. She cried and held him close until Violet had arrived.
Violet found them and had separated Margret from Edward, something that she had never done. Wherever Edward was, Margret wasn't far behind. But not anymore.
At his funeral Margret refused to cry. She didn't shed a tear. She had sat in a seat immovable. Margret couldn't and wouldn't believe he was dead.
"Mom, he is gone. Dad is gone.", Violet had told her. Violet believed if she was the one to say it maybe her mother would regain to her senses.
"Stop with the nonsense. Edward will be here soon."
Margret thought that if she were to go back to her house, their house. He would return. And return he did. It seems as if her consciousness could not handle the fact he had passed, so it made him reappear.
These past 5 years Margret had been talking to herself. Having conversations with someone who was long gone. Someone who was nothing but a memory.
She rises from the bed and walks to the mirror. "You look beautiful today my dear."
"Thank you Eddie. You don't look too bad yourself."
His eyes close up as he smiles from ear to ear. Any compliment she gave him, made his heart melt.
"Oh Eddie, such a softy." She hugged him.
"Maggie can we do one more thing?"
"Sure Eddie. Anything for you."
He took a hold of her hand and lead her downstairs. Playing one of their favorite songs, 'Like Someone In Love' by Frank Sinatra.
She held him close, their bodies dancing in the night. She prayed Eddie would never fade away. But as the song came to an end she regained her senses, and for the first time in 5 years she realized Edward was truly gone.
Margret had opened her eyes and was left empty, in a pit of depression. She felt as if she had lost Eddie in that very second. As if it was 5 years ago and it was happening all over again.
"Oh Eddie, please return to me. Please God return my dearest Eddie."
Violet opened the door and witnessed her mother having a crying fit on the floor.
"Is it true Violet? Is he really gone?"
Violet wiped away her mother's tears, tears of her own beginning to fall. "Yes mom, dad is gone."
All the memories of a better time, a time where Edward Peters was still alive began to crowd Margret thoughts. This house, their home held so many memories, but none of them could bring her Eddie back.
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