Epilogue

EPILOGUE

The car beeping aggressively startled me. I looked to my left, it was Mike beeping at me, I mean the driver of the taxi, but he told him to do it. He was pointing ahead. I felt like I just woke up, when I looked ahead of me, I was there already. I almost passed it, good thing Mike caught up with me. Otherwise I would be somewhere other than Houston. I must be going very slowly, how did Mike catch up with me? He came from the airport because he’s using a taxi. I turned right to the cemetery entrance road and drove to the parking space. I parked the car. Mike was paying the driver when I came out of the car. He was holding a huge bouquet of flowers and his bag hanging on his shoulder. I went to the back of the suburban and I opened the door. I took the flowers out. I got one huge bouquet of white roses for Jenny, and two medium bouquets for my mom and dad. I waited for Mike to come, so he can put his bag inside. I was glad to see him, I didn’t know he’s coming today otherwise I could have pick him up at the airport. We shook hands, and hugged each other. After he put his bag in the car, I locked it and began walking going to Jenny’s site, trying to dodge the ones on the ground while chatting. She’s lying next to mom and dad. “Why didn’t you call me you were coming?”

“Because it was a last minute thing, I couldn’t leave yesterday. Jim and I planned to come yesterday, but Jim still stuck at work fixing his messed up system. He called me last night saying he had to pass. Me, I had to wrap up and early this morning was the only available flight. I called your home and Andrea said that you’re on the way here.”

“How did you catch up with me though?” I had to asked, I was very curious how.

“I didn’t know I would catch up with you. When I saw your car, you were doing like 35 miles an hour on a 65?” I laughed, “I had no idea I was that slow. I didn’t know I was that deep in thought either.”

“Jenny,” guessed Mike as if he didn’t know, “she’s the only one who can consume you that much. I was doing that all night and this morning while I had my eyes closed in the plane.”

“How are you doing? Sailing was the last we saw of each other.”

“Barely hanging, I missed her, so much that sometimes I felt like giving up on life. I know its wrong that’s why I’m still here, and Jim keeps me on track, he said he’s just doing what Jenny had asked of him.”

We reached the site. I glanced at her stones. It reads;

Jenny Rae Calloway

June 15, 1972 - June 15, 1994

Survived by beloved brother: Matthew Ryan Calloway

Sweetheart: Michael John Andrews

Surrogate mother: Andrea Lynn Sanders

Surrogate father: John Luke Andrews

Sister in law: Alice Herring Calloway

I put the flowers on my parents’ first. I moved to Jenny. Mike had put his flowers already and was talking to her. I put my flowers next to Mike’s, and told Jenny, “happy birthday my sweet, you are still the number one love of my life.” I blew a kiss on her. “And oh, by the way Andrea said that she’ll be here right after I get home.” I closed my eyes. Mike and I stayed for a while, we removed the grass around them while we’re talking and removed trashes that blew there. We talked mostly about Jenny of course,

“I can’t believed it’s been a year now,” said Mike, “It feels to me this just happened yesterday, everything still fresh in my head, it’s still crystal clear.”

“You’re right on that one, I felt the same. I visit her everyday or at least I tried to or when I feel like giving up, or Alice and I just had a fight, I come here to talk to her. Every time I come here, I felt like I just lost her yesterday. Like you said, it’s still crystal clear.”

Mike looked me straight in the eye. His eyes show a lot of hurt in it. I can sympathize with him, I’m still hurting, and I can’t seem to grasp reality yet. I don’t think healing is coming easy, a year is not enough to heal this kind of wound. For me, I don’t mind having this wound for the rest of my life. This wound reminds me of who I am. Jenny taught me a lot about life and faith. God gave her to me for 22 long years that I couldn’t complain to Him about it. It was God’s great love for me that He didn’t take Jenny right away from me, He let her live for me. He listened to my plea and granted me Jenny. He used her to work on me, to build a strong faith in Him so I might live for Him. I think Mike learned a lot from Jenny too. I guess that’s why she’s hard to let go. Mr. Andrews was a witness to that, he told me how much change Mike has from the time he met Jenny to present.

From Jenny, I gained Mike as a brother and a friend, and vise versa. From Mike I gained his dad as a father and Jim as a loyal friend. The two of us together with his dad and Jim, we planned to get together sailing every year like the one we talked. This year just after my birthday, we tried to sail Florida Keys for the whole month, two weeks going there, and two weeks going back home. We didn’t reach Florida but we got halfway. Next year we plan to go all the way, for how long it will take us one way, and then just arrange to have somebody bring the boat back to us. This will be going on until we’re old and gray; we promised each other that we will make this happen. This is why Jenny gave me this boat. I liked being on the water, out here I can feel Jenny’s presence, the calmness of the water feels like she’s looking at me right in my eyes, the gentle breeze is like she’s engulfing me with hugs and kisses, and when the night is quiet, I could hear her voice talking to me. I missed my Jenny terribly but life will continue to exist. Life will go on for Mike and I and Jenny will be part of that life. She will remain alive in our hearts and lives for the rest of our days ‘till we see each other again…

The End