—EPILOGUE—
The Future
(The Day the Sun Sets)
I’ve always been tethered to the rain somehow.
Drizzle beats against the glass window with gentle pitter-patters, filling the room with something peaceful. A nostalgic ambience. It’s the perfect complement to my sedated heartbeats and the melodies drifting from a nearby speaker, serenading me with Unchained Melody.
My mind reflects along with the quiet storm clouds, and I think back to all of life’s pertinent moments that fused with rainfall. I lost something of great value on a rainy downtown street, but I also gained immensely over the years.
Breakthroughs, lovemaking, childbirth, and wedding vows.
Dancing, kisses, baseball games, and birthday parties.
Rain poured down on the day Ms. Katherine retired from Loving Lifelines, handing the reins over to me and giving me a deep layer of added purpose to my life. I can still recall the way her wet hair matted over her forehead as we stood in that familiar parking lot beneath a weeping sky.
“Shine bright, Melody. Your smile is a gift to even the saddest soul.”
My pulse thrums with bittersweet memories.
Yes. It’s fitting, I suppose—it’s always been the rain and me.
Heaving in a rickety sigh, I blink back tears, my gaze settling on the ceiling fan above me. It’s been an emotionally exhausting day of reminiscing and teary send-offs.
Final goodbyes.
Familiar faces have trickled in and out of the room with words of love and peace. All precious pieces of my heart. Our two beautiful children, our grandchildren, our plethora of great grandchildren. Our friends and family who are still living. Even our senior dog was brought in for a sweet farewell.
The goodbyes have been said.
All except for one.
It’s just me and Parker now, wrapped up in each other, lying beneath the warm, quieting sheets of our king-sized bed. We used to joke about trading the bed in for something smaller, a queen or a full, because the extra space always proved futile. Every single night, I would wind up on his side of the mattress, pressed up against his back or chest, lost in the comforting beats of his heart.
In all of our years together, we never slept apart. Not once. There were no business trips, no travel obligations, no arguments that separated us before nightfall settled in.
Every evening was spent together in this bed, beneath this roof he built himself, side by side. Limbs tangled, hearts aligned. Through late-night newborn feedings, heated passion, summer thunderstorms, movie marathons, and pancake breakfasts, this bed became a focal point in our long and happy marriage. Home base. We’d play card games, read books, discuss our day. There were tickle fights, cuddles with the kids, and wet dog noses.
I love this bed.
I love that my final moments on this earth will be spent here—with him.
Parker trails his fingers up and down the expanse of my arm, weaving them through my thin, white hair. His breath skims my temple as he leans in for a kiss. “My Melody,” he murmurs softly, his lips warm and tender as they linger. “My Magnolia. My moon.”
Tears rush to my tired eyes.
My favorite song plays faintly on the nightstand, intermingling with the sound of steady raindrops against the glass. He hasn’t left my side for weeks—taking care of me, holding me, lifting my spirits as my health declined. He’s my rock, my anchor, and my greatest gift. “I’m scared, Parker. I’m scared to leave you,” I whisper, my voice cracking with grief.
He’s trying to be strong for me. He’s trying to be brave.
His arms tighten around me, frailer than they used to be, but the strength of his love has never waned. “What have we always done when we get scared?”
“We dance.” My throat feels parched and rusty as tiny teardrops track down my cheeks. “There’s nothing scary about dancing.”
“That’s right.” Parker nods, his own tears spilling free and disappearing into the silky fabric of my nightgown. “We dance until we can swim.”
I would give anything to dance with him, but my body is weak, and my heart is fading. Inhaling a shuddering breath, I reply, “I think I’m too tired to dance.”
I wish we could dance our way through infinite lifetimes, but I’m grateful for the one we had. The one we created together.
It’s been such a good life. A great life.
It’s the life I chose, and it’s the life I would choose a thousand times over.
And to think… I almost didn’t make it this far. I would have missed out on so much.
“Close your eyes, Melody.”
His words are a choked whisper against my temple, and I cling to him with delicate hands, my eyelids fluttering. I’m flooded with a wave of peace.
“We’re in the lake,” he says. “We’re dancing in the water, holding each other tight, and nothing else matters. It’s just you and me, carefree and young, swaying together beneath a vibrant sunset. There’s laughter. There’s violins. There’s love.”
“I see it, Parker. I see it,” I rasp as emotions sweep through me. “I’m with you.”
He pulls me closer, peppering kisses along my neck. “I’ll be right behind you, Melody. Wait for me.”
“I’ll wait,” I nod, squeezing him as tight as my body will allow. My breaths are ragged and worn, my limbs fatigued, but our love is mighty. Eternal. Blinking away more tears, I turn to him, finding his beautiful green eyes fixed on mine. “What do you think is on the other side?”
Parker doesn’t hesitate. He leans in, pressing a final kiss to my lips. “What you put there.”
I smile.
I’ll see you soon.
With his hand held tightly in mine and his heartbeat pressed up against my cheek, I inhale a deep, contented breath, and I close my eyes.
I’m ready now.
The End