Lake Eden

“Rise and shine!”

“Ugh… It’s 6 in the morning. Leave me alone,” Sadie grumbles, burying her face deep beneath her comforter in a desperate attempt to block the harsh morning sunlight that floods her room.

“Oh, sweet Sadie, I have big plans for today.”

Sadie’s eyes flash open beneath the fabric, her heart racing as she grips the blanket tightly, pulling it like a shield over her head. She curls her toes, willing her body to stay still, her mind spinning in confusion.

“Who’s there?” she whispers, cautiously peeking from the edge of the blanket.

For the past three months, she had been navigating the unfamiliar territory of living alone, a bittersweet freedom tinged with loneliness. Her best friend Rachel had been her lifeline, visiting her every afternoon. Rachel was the only person Sadie had welcomed into her home for the past month. So why was she waking up to the unmistakable voice of a man?

“Sadie cheeks… it’s me!”

“BRIAN?!” Sadie bolts upright, flinging the covers aside. Her legs swing off the bed with such urgency that her foot tangles in the sheets, sending her tumbling to the floor. As she struggles to free herself, she looks up to behold the most stunning man she has ever laid eyes on—Brian Jones. He strides over with graceful confidence and bends down, extending a hand to help her extricate her foot from the sheets.

“How is this possible? How are you here right now?” she stammers, unable to tear her gaze away from him as she gathers her wits and stands.

“I couldn’t leave you,” he replies, his voice a soothing balm to her frazzled nerves.

“But I didn’t think you had a choice. Is this real? Are you real? How did you get in here? You don’t have a key anymore.”

Sadie's thoughts race as a whirlwind of questions floods her mind, each one threatening to overwhelm her. Yet the most crucial thing at that moment was that Brian was back, and nothing else seemed to matter. All she wanted was to lose herself in the depths of his golden eyes just one more time.

Brian intertwined his fingers with her long, messy auburn hair, capturing her attention as he cradled her head tenderly, his thumb grazing softly behind her ear. With a fluid motion, he pulls her closer, their bodies mere inches apart.

“I’m real,” he whispers, his voice wrapping around her like a warm embrace.

Then, with a playful glint in his eye, he pulls a brochure from his back pocket. “So remember when I told you we have big plans? Well, here they are!” He slaps the brochure down onto her cluttered dresser, the sound breaking the tension in the air.

“We are going to Lake Eden?!” Sadie exclaims, her heart soaring.

“Yes, we are, my darling Sadie cheeks. We’ve been dreaming of a romantic picnic and canoeing there for six years now. Tomorrow isn’t promised; there’s no reason we shouldn’t just jump in the truck right now and make that spontaneous trip. Let’s grab a bottle of wine and maybe some gas station turkey sandwiches to save time,” he adds, enthusiasm shining in his gaze.

“Let’s do it!” Her eyes light up, radiating joy that could illuminate the darkest corners of the universe.

Still, her mind churns with lingering questions. Where had Brian been? Was he really staying? How had this version of him suddenly become adventurous and carefree? The old Brian would have never done this; he would have needed at least two months of meticulous planning, and even then, there was uncertainty surrounding their plans.

Brian’s relentless pursuit of success had often cast a shadow over their relationship. As the top real estate agent in the county, his obsession with being number one led to grueling hours and neglect of their personal life. For him, it wasn’t merely about the money; it was the exhilarating thrill that surged through him with each sale, the rush that consumed his every thought.

“Listen, things are going to change. I’m going to settle down at work. If I have to be number three, so be it. I refuse to lose any more precious moments with you. We have so many dreams and so little time. Let’s book that trip to Colorado, take that gourmet cooking class we joked about…let’s create memories,” Brian says, tracing his fingertips gently along her cheek, rendering her speechless.

“I love you, Brian,” Sadie breathes, the words escaping her lips in a soft, heartfelt whisper.

“Wake up!”

“Are you ready to go?” Sadie mumbles, still caught in the hazy remnants of her dream.

“What? Where are we going?”

As reality crashes back in, she finally notices Rachel standing beside her bed, concern etched across her face.

“Where is Brian?!” Sadie gasps, her heart dropping.

“Sadie…” Rachel places a hand on Sadie's shoulder, lowering her head as if trying to shield her from a painful truth.

“Nooo!” Sadie screams, her denial echoing through the room as she picks up the TV remote on her nightstand and hurls it at her vanity mirror. The remote shatters, fragments of plastic scattering, but the mirror remains intact, a cruel reminder of her shattered reality. Sadie rocks back and forth in bed as if someone had ripped her heart from her chest and stomped on it until it lay in ruins.

Rachel sits beside her, rubbing her back in a gentle, soothing motion. “Did you dream of him again?” she asks softly.

Sadie nods, frantically rubbing her face as tears stream down her cheeks. “Yes,” she mutters, her voice barely a whisper.

The harsh truth hangs heavy in the air: Brian is gone, and he isn’t coming back. He died three months ago in a tragic car accident while returning from a house show. They had planned to go to Lake Eden on that very day, July 27th, a day they had circled on the calendar two months in advance. Brian had promised to keep that day completely free of work obligations.

“Sadie, don’t be upset, but a client called and...”

“Brian! Are you seriously doing this right now? Are you really going to show a house at a time like this? We’re supposed to leave for the lake in just a few hours!”

“Hun, I know, but I have to do this. We’ll still make it to the lake. The house is only twenty minutes away,” he replied, his voice a soothing mix of urgency and reassurance. He fastened his belt through the loops of his freshly ironed khakis, the fabric crisp and well-pressed, a sharp contrast to the tension simmering in the room.

“You better be back in time,” she warned, her forehead creasing as her eyebrows knitted together in frustration and concern.

He diligently rubbed his wrists together after spritzing them with a hint of his Calvin Klein cologne, its scent a blend of sophistication and youth, before turning to catch the gaze of his fuming fiancée.

“I will be back in two hours max. I promise you we’ll get to the lake today, Sadie cheeks,” he said, his voice laced with sincerity as he grabbed his keys from the counter. Leaning in, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, an affirmation of their love, before stepping out through the front door. Little did he know, this would be the last time Sadie would ever see her “future husband.”

These final moments replayed in Sadie’s mind like a haunting melody on a loop. If only he had listened to her, he wouldn’t be gone. How could someone be so consumed by anger while drowning in sorrow?

Six months prior, they had joyfully purchased a four-bedroom condo, their dreams for a big family already blossoming. That very day, she had planned to surprise him with the news that he was going to be a father, to share this precious moment on the scenic hill by the lake. Yet now, all their dreams lay trapped in a suffocating abyss of despair.

With a shuddering breath, she sank into her pillow, the familiar softness a stark contrast to the turmoil in her heart.

“You can go now, Rachel; I have someone I need to see,” she murmured as she pulled the covers up to her shoulders, enveloping herself in a cocoon of comfort, softly closing her eyes to shut out the world.