"Hello there Mr Jackson." A young man said as he was talking to people in the church. "I'm so sorry for your lose"
Harold Jackson was a 74 year old man and had a fringe of grey hair around his balding, mottled scalp. He had a wizened face and a back slightly hunched. With each movement, there was the creak of old bones. He had the resigned look of one who knows that at his age, life has stopped giving and only takes away.794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9TwSLaCOq
"Thank you very much for doing this father." Harold replied, smiling as if nothing had happened.
The father, worried that Harold was suffering on the inside, escorted Harold and the other people down to the burial. At the same time, the casket that contained Harold's wife was being carried down to the burial. At each side, three pallbearers dressed in black suits and sunglasses were walking slowly while people were paying their respects.
With everyone gathered round the hole and the casket being lowered into it, the father began The Committal. "In the Name of God, our Father, we entrust Barbara Jackson into your hands." Signaling for three hand-fulls of earth to fall on to the casket, he continues.
Harold, gazing at his wife's casket, begins to go into a dream-like state.
As he wakes up, he finds himself in the middle of a meadow. The meadow was on a gentle slope and interspersed with beech and oak trees. Waves of yellow cascaded down the grassy slope like so much white water over a rock river bed. On closer inspection, he could see the clovers and the honey bees who were merrily visiting each flower. There was a narrow brook flowing through it choked with weeds. Tall water-mint with pale Lilac flowers, like dozens of tiny bells were growing at the edge of the brook.
Lying down next to him was an elderly woman. She had short curly grey hair and a slightly wrinkled skin. She slowly got up from the floor, letting the light touch her face as if the sun was appreciating her presence. Harold, whose eyes had slowly filled with tears, began hugging her tightly, his tears dripping from his cheeks on to her white shirt. Her arms were encircled around him, making him forget where he was except for the smiling face in front of him.
"B-Barbara." He asked nervously. "Is that really you"794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweaDVeP6Cg
Looking at the nervous expression on his face."It is me Harold." Barbara said to reassure her husband, but began to murmur. "But, I'm sorry."794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hatnd9bMi
Harold, with a blank expression on his face, had no idea what she was on about. Upon closer inspection of her, he knew she wasn't real. His face suddenly began to sink into depression.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there with you when you passed away." He sobbed, with tears coming down his eyes. "This must be God's way of punishing me."
"Don't be stupid!" Barbara snapped at him. She lent down and with a smile on her face. "You know that me and especially God wondered think that."
She lay back down on the grass, taking her husbands hand. The feeling of holding her hand was not unlike walking on the edge of a cliff. His heart raced, pounding so fast, that it doesn't sound like heartbeats, but to a dull and obstinate hum, like a pressure cooker, locked up, and boiling quick. Her hand was warm, yet I felt like the sun itself.
"Do you remember what you said to me on our wedding day all those years ago." She asked.
"That I would be with you till death do us part." He answered with sad expression on his face.
"Not that." she giggled. "That's what all people say on their wedding day's." She begun to laugh hysterically.794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuTw7Vxyv9
"What did I say then." He responded with a concerned look .
"You promised if something were to happen to one of us, we would always watch over them and live well for the remainder of their days." she said with a smile on her face.
Suddenly everything he could see went white and he found himself back at the burial. Just as the father was finishing The Committal, a strong breeze blew across the burial. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sCkFkF1ij
As it blew past Harold, he heard it whisper. "I love you, now and forever," 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmd6nH2zDy
The father looked over to Harold and noticed the same smile on his face but this time with tears running down his cheek. He was relieved.794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzAULfuC49
Harold looking up at the deep blue sky, remembering all the time he and Barbara had spent together, smiled and said. "Until we meet again."
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