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SO LITTLE TIME
By Katie McNamara
Lia peeked through the curtains of the stage that hovered over audience
in the bar where she had worked for the past three years. Suddenly, she
couldn't imagine having to take her clothes off in front of the drunken,
whistling mass that waited for her on the opposite side of the curtain.
Feeling naked and vulnerable, Lia unwittingly pulled the maroon plush
curtain around her tall slender figure as if to hide her scantily clad
body from the men.
Just then, the lights dimmed and a drum roll started. The young woman
waited for her cue, but found she couldn't move. The music stopped and
Lia could hear her heart pounding loudly in her ears. The music started
again but Lia couldn't move. Her legs were locked and her knuckles were
white from clutching to the red velvet curtain. The music stopped
again. Lia turned against the wall, barely listening to the yells and
catcalls of the drunken barflies, and covered her ears.
She peaked around the curtain again and drew in a quick breath at the
sight her eyes were greeted with. By this time, the crowd had become
extremely rowdy and loud. Some of the men were standing on tables
and
shouting. Others were picking up bottles and hurling them across the
room. One figure in the shadows caught Lia's eye. It was her friend
Rick, standing calmly in a shadowy corner of the bar. Lia thought
back
to a discussion they had a few nights before.
Lia and Rick had just finished wiping down all the tables in the bar
before closing up.
"You know Lia, you don't have to do this if you don't want to."
Lia picked up a tray of used glasses and walked toward the bar.
"I know, but I really need the money. Since papa died, mama's
gotten
kind of sick so I thought if it would bring in money, it would be okay.
Besides nothing bad is going to happen."
Lia began to whistle a happy tune as she started to put the clean
glasses away.
Rick climbed onto a stool and tossed his dirty rag down onto the bar.
"I don't know Lia, those guys can get pretty rowdy when they're
drunk.
Don't you remember what happened to Melody Marshall?
Lia shivered as she remembered an article she read about the dancer who
had been pulled off the stage and brutally mauled by a drunken mob.
She shook off the sudden dropping feeling in her stomach as she turned
to Rick and smiled.
"I'm not worried about that, Rick. Will said he's going to take
every
precaution to keep me safe while I'm up there," Lia said with a
confident toss of her hair.
Rick brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face.
"I just hope you know what you're doing."
"Rick, don't worry. I'm going to be all right."
But everything wasn't all right. And Lia knew she shouldn't be there.
She looked again for Rick but he was gone. Lia turned and made a dash
for the door, grabbing her coat on the way out. She pushed through the
door and ran down the back alley. When she reached the pool of light
from an over hanging street lamp, Lia bumped into a tall shadowy
figure. Frightened, Lia struggled to get away but the hands held her
tightly.
"Lia, stop. Its me Rick," the man said as he tried to get Lia to
stop
her struggle.
"Rick?" Lia repeated in a voice so small it almost broke his
heart.
"Rick, thank goodness you're here. I can't go through with
this. I
can't," Lia broke down crying against Rick's shoulder.
Rick held her close and gently stroked her hair.
"I know. Its okay Lia."
After a few more moments of quiet weeping, Lia picked her head up off
Rick's shoulder and looked into his eyes.
"But Rick, how did you know I'd be here?"
"Lia, I know you way to well to believe that you'd go through with
it.
And I thought you might need a shoulder to cry on," Rick explained with
a boyish grin.
Lia smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Oh Rick, thank you! I don't know what I'd do with out you!"
Lia
confessed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Rick smiled again and helped Lia off the ground.
"Come on, let get something to eat."
Rick helped Lia stand and wrapped her jacket around her shoulders as
they headed down the street.
Over the next few months Rick and Lia spent a lot of time together
and
became very close. Rick still worked at the bar while Lia left and
found a job as a waitress in a tavern on the other side of town.
One night, Rick showed up at the tavern and waited for Lia to finish
work. A half an hour later, Lia emerged from the back room at the end
of her shift. Her eyes lit up when their gaze met across the room. She
ran to Rick and fell into his arms. Rick took Lia by the hand and led
her out of the noisy tavern. Once out on the street, Rick hailed a taxi
and opened the door for Lia.
Rick handed the driver a small piece of paper before settling back into
the seat.
"Rick, where are we going?" Lia asked.
"You'll see," he said cheerfully.
A few minutes later, the cab pulled up to the curb and stopped on a
dimly lit street. Rick stepped out of the taxi then turned and offered
his hand to Lia.
"Okay, now can you tell me where we are?" she asked rather
impatiently.
"No, its a surprise," he replied. "Come on."
Lia sighed but followed him as he ran through the cool wet grass.
Then, without warning, Rick stopped, causing Lia to nearly bump into
him.
"Okay, look," Rick said breathlessly.
After recovering from the near collision, Lia looked up and saw a
beautiful shimmering lake flowing under a white detailed bridge that
practically glowed in the moonlight.
"Oh Rick, its beautiful. But why did you bring me here?" Lia
asked,
feeling compelled by her surroundings to whisper.
Suddenly, Rick dropped to one knee and opened a small box. Inside
was
a delicate band with three diamond chips in it.
"Lia I've loved you since the day we met. You're the most
wonderful,
beautiful, exciting woman I've ever met, and I can't imagine my life
without you in it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, will you marry
me?"
Lia drew in a quick breath and blinked away a few threatening tears.
"Oh Rick, I don't know what to say. I."
"You love me, right?" Rick asked with a little uncertainty in
his voice
as he stood.
"Of course I do," Lia replied, calming his fears.
"Then just say yes,' he whispered softly against her lips.
"Yes Rick. I'll marry you." Lia decided as she breathed a kiss
over his
lips.
"You will! Oh, Lia. I promise you. I'm going to make you the happiest
woman in the world! I'm going to be a good husband to you, and once I
find a better job, I'm going to shower you with presents and fulfill
your heart's every desire. And."
"Rick," Lia interrupted. "You don't have to buy me presents
to show me
you love me. I already know that. And I don't change for me. I love
you because you're you."
"Oh, Lia. I love you too," Rick said just before he leaned to
kiss her.
After they parted Rick remembered the box in his hand and slipped the
ring onto Lia's slender left ring finger.
"Come on, let's go home," Lia said as she wiped away a few tears
of
joy.
The next morning, Lia awoke to the rays of the bright morning sun
shining through the window. She tried to sit up but was held down by
two large but familiar hands around her waist. Lia turned in Rick's
sleep loosened embrace and smiled when she saw his face.
"Rick, wake up sweetheart," she whispered in his ear.
Rick groaned in his sleep and turned away from the light of the sun.
Lia smiled and bent down to kiss him lightly. Rick's response was at
first sluggish but became stronger as he awoke.
As they parted, Rick opened his eyes and smiled.
"Good morning," he said happily as she snaked his arms around
Lia and
held her tightly. "Have I told you how much I love you?" he asked as
he
ran a hand through her hair.
Lia laughed and lay back against her own pillow.
"Ummm, not lately," she said with a smile.
"I love you Lia," Rick said dramatically, causing her to laugh.
Lia reached up to her fiancee' and pulled his lips to hers in a deep
passionate kiss.
After a few moments, Rick pulled away reluctantly and leaned on the he
bed across his pillow.
"Hey, I've got an idea. Lets get married."
Lia laughed and rubbed a hand through his hair.
"We are getting married, silly. Don't tell me you've forgotten
last
night already."
"No, I mean today. This afternoon at city hall."
A few hours later found Rick and Lia walking arm in arm up the steps in
front of city hall. Suddenly, Lia stopped.
"Rick, are you sure were doing the right the right thing? I
mean were
only twenty-one and we haven't been dating very long."
"Lia, don't worry. We're old enough to be married, and we've
known
each other for almost five years now. Besides, who are you going to go
back to? Your parents are gone and you don't have any other family.
Lia looked away to hide her tears and wished that her parents could be
with her on her wedding day.
"I promise you, we're doing the right thing and we're going to be all
right," Rick whispered as he drew her face close to his and kissed her
tenderly.
Lia smiled and again put her arm through his as they continued up the
large stone steps.
The next few months were very happy for Rick and Lia. A few days
after
the wedding, the newlyweds visited the bar where Rick was still employed
to visit their friends. Will greeted them warmly and said he wasn't
surprised that they wound up together.
In the fall, Lia found out she was pregnant. Rick couldn't have been
happier. He talked about his impending fatherhood constantly and would
tell anyone who would listen. Rick became very attentive to his wife
and hardly let Lia do anything. He even told her he would prefer she
stopped working until after the baby came.
Lia knew that she'd go crazy if she had to stay home all day for the
next five months so she decided to work for a few more months.
Then one late summer day, Rick and Lia welcomed their daughter Anna
Rose into the world. Lia was so happy as she watched her husband cradle
their daughter in his arm that she forgot about their money troubles and
all the problems of a young married couple with a baby.
The next few months were nothing but pure bliss for the new family
until one night when Lia was home alone with four month old Anna.
Lia was playing a happy game of peak-a-boo with her daughter when the
phone rang.
"Lia, its Will. I'm afraid I've got some bad news."
Lia sat on the couch and listened quietly as Will explained what had
happened.
"Some guy came into the bar tonight and started a fight with a
few
other guys. Unfortunately, he pulled a knife and Rick got in the
way."
"Oh no!" Lia exclaimed, frightened. "Was he hurt
badly?"
She herd Will take a deep breath before he continued and knew what was
coming couldn't be good.
"He's hurt pretty bad. The guy got him in the shoulder and a couple
of
deep cuts in the neck. The ambulance is on its way.
"Oh my god! Thanks Will. I'll be there in a few minutes." Lia
said
quickly as she began to hang up the phone.
"No, Lia. Stay where you are. Look, you get a good night's
sleep and
you can come see him tomorrow."
"Will, I'm coming down there. I need to be there with my
husband."
"Okay. Do you want me to come stay with Anna?"
"Would you Will? Thanks."
Lia hung up the phone and took her daughter to her crib which didn't
make the baby very happy.
"Sorry sweetie. But Mommy needs you to stay there so she can go see
Daddy," Lia explained to her daughter.
"Just then, the door bell rang. Lia opened the door to reveal
Will
waiting outside.
"Hi Will. Thanks for coming over. I shouldn't be too long, but
I'll
give you a call from the hospital and let you know what's going on," Lia
said as she quickly put on her coat.
Fifteen minutes later, Lia arrived at the hospital and found a
doctor
who took her to Rick's room.
When Lia entered the room she couldn't believe what she saw. Her
usually energetic and outgoing husband lay weakly in the bed, his body
covered in bandages. He looked so helpless hooked up to dozens of tubes
and machines that it made Lia want to cry. She was even afraid to touch
him for fear he would break.
Just then, the doctor came in.
"Doctor, how bad is it?" Lia asked quietly.
"Well, to tell you the truth some of his cuts are pretty deep. He's
got
a bump on his head from when he fell and some cuts on his arms and hands
from the broken glass.
He's been unconscious since it happened but I'm sure it will be
fine."
Lia let out a relieved breath and smiled weakly.
"Thank you, doctor. I feel much better now."
"Good. I'll be back to check on your husband after I finish my
rounds,"
the doctor said as he put a reassuring hand on Lia's shoulder.
The doctor left and the room was quiet except for the steady beeping of
a machine hooked up to Rick's heart.
Lia found a chair and pulled it to the bedside so she could sit. She
leaned close and planted a light kiss on his cheek.
"I'm here sweetheart," she whispered.
As she watched his face, Lia swore she saw a faint smile cross her
husband's lips.
"Rick, wake up. I love you. And there's a little girl at home
who
needs her daddy," she pleaded, hoping he would hear her.
When he didn't respond, Lia laid her head on her husband's chest and
cried.
"Rick, please. You can't leave me here alone. I need you.
Anna needs
you. Please Rick."
As she continued to cry, Lia was unaware that the doctor had re-entered
the room.
"Lia, don't do this to your self. There's nothing you or anyone
else
can do right now. So I think the best thing right now for you to do is
go home, get some sleep, and take care of that beautiful baby of yours."
Lia stood and wiped her eyes.
"I don't know how much sleep I'm going to get tonight, but you're
right. Anna needs me. But please promise me you'll call if there's any
change?"
"Of course I will. Now go home and try to relax."
"Thank you," Lia whispered as she gave the doctor a friendly
hug.
When Lia got home, the house was dark and quiet. As she walked
further
into the living room, Lia discovered Will asleep on the couch, a
magazine draped over his stomach.
"Will, wake up," Lia whispered, gently shaking his arm.
Will yawned and awoke slowly.
"Oh, hi Lia. What time is it?"
"Its about 1:30. How's Anna?"
"She's fine. Been sleeping soundly all night. How's Rick?" Will
asked
as he sat up and stretched.
Lia sighed and plopped down on the couch beside Will.
"The doctor says he was cut pretty badly but he's pretty
positive
he'll pull through."
"Well that's good. That's gotta make you feel a little better,"
Will
comforted as he stood and tossed the magazine onto a nearby table.
"It does, a little. But my God, Will. He looks so weak and helpless
lying there in that bed I'm not so sure."
Suddenly, Lia buried her head in her hands and cried.
"Oh god, Will. I can't lose him. I love him and I need him. And
I
can't raise Anna alone. She needs her father. Will, do you know where
I'd be right now if it weren't for him? I'd still be a dancer or out on
the streets somewhere. But Rick showed me I could do better and that I
wasn't alone. I need him."
At that point, Lia broke down completely and let Will wrap her into a
comforting embrace.
After a few moments, Lia stopped crying and walked Will to the door.
After he was gone, Lia went into the nursery to find her daughter sound
asleep.
"Anna, your daddy is very sick but always remember that we love you.
No
matter what happens. I just pray you will never have to go through
anything like this and that your daddy will be here to see you grow into
a beautiful, intelligent young woman. Good night, Anna," Lia whispered
as she pressed a kiss to her finger and brushed it across her daughter's
back.
Lia walked quietly out of the nursery and retreated to her own bedroom
to put on her nightclothes before heading back to the living room. She
tried to lay on the couch and get some sleep but every time Lia closed
her eyes, Lia would see images of her husband lying lifelessly in a
hospital bed.
Hours later, Lia had finally cried herself to sleep, dreaming of happy
times with Rick.
Later that morning, Lia awoke to the sound of Anna babbling to herself
in her crib. Lia walked into the nursery and smiled at the sight of her
daughter playing with her toys and stuffed animals.
"Good morning Miss Anna!" Lia cooed as she lifted her daughter
out of
the crib.
"Listen, how about you be a good girl for Uncle Will so Mommy can go
visit Daddy today?"
The baby smiled and laughed as she grabbed the necklace around her
mother's neck.
Lia went back into her bedroom and began to get dressed when the phone
rang. It was the doctor calling to tell her that Rick had regained
consciousness and was looking for her.
Lia quickly hung up the phone, got dressed and called Will to ask if he
could come over as soon as possible.
When Will arrived ten minutes later, Lia was practically at the door
waiting for him.
The cab ride to the hospital was almost unbearable for Lia. She
couldn't wait to see Rick, hear his voice, feel his touch.
When she arrived, Lia found the doctor and asked him to take her to
Rick's room. Unfortunately, Rick had fallen asleep again.
Lia became very upset and decided that she wasn't leaving until Rick
could go home with her.
She found a pay phone in the hall and called Will to tell him she was
staying at the hospital with Rick.
"Lia, you can't stay there all the time. The doctor said he would
call
here if there was any change in his condition," Will said.
"Will, the doctor did call and by the time I got here, he was asleep
again. I want to be here when he wakes up."
"What about Anna?"
"Will you stay with her" Lia asked, desperation in her voice.
"But Lia, I have to work."
"Well maybe you could bring her here during the day and pick her up
on
the way home."
"But Lia, I."
"Will, please," Lia pleaded.
"Okay, I'll watch Anna for you," Will finally gave in.
"Thanks Will, we owe you one."
Lia hung up the phone and returned to Rick's hospital room.
For
hours, Lia just sat at her husband's bedside, holding his lifeless
hand. One of the nurses brought her a sandwich around dinner time but
Lia hardly touched it.
Some time during the early hours of the morning, Lia finally drifted
off.
Shortly before noon, Lia was awakened by the stirrings of a nurse who
had come in to change Rick's bandages.
Lia smiled at the woman then walked to the window and looked out over
the hospital parking lot as she squinted against the early after
afternoon sun. A few minutes later, Will arrived with Anna.
"How's he doing?" Will asked solemnly.
"The doctor says the cuts look much worse than they are and hopefully
everything will heal normally. But anyway, thanks for taking care of
Anna."
"It was no trouble at all, we had a great time. Didn't we Angel?
Anna giggled and reached her hand out to Will.
"But anyway. I gotta get going. I'll see you two later. And don't be
afraid to give me a call if you need anything."
He gently planted a kiss on Lia's cheek and breathed a light kiss on
Anna's outstretched hand before he left.
Lia sat back in her chair and played with her daughter, trying to stay
distracted from all the bad things she kept thinking could happen.
At five o'clock, Will arrived to pick up Anna, once again leaving Lia
alone with Rick. During the time she was alone with her husband, Lia
had begun to talk to him as if though he were awake. Sometimes she would
show him pictures of Anna or of the two of them before the accident, but
most times she would just sit and tell him what she was feeling.
One night, after Will had picked up Anna and the doctor had made his
final check on Rick, Lia sat in his room, telling him about Anna and how
much she'd grown. Suddenly, she envisioned her daughter growing up with
her father and saw her asking where her father was.
Lia stood and walked to the window as if to hide her tears from Rick.
And not for the first time since her husband had been hospitalized, Lia
prayed to God to bring Rick back to her and Anna. Then, with no where
else to turn, Lia sat on the window seat and cried. Through her tears,
Lia swore she heard a weak voice call her name.
She turned toward the bed to see Rick lying there, his eyes open,
one
arm weakly stretched out toward her. Lia stood but nearly lost her
balance when her legs almost gave out from under her.
She walked toward her husband and kissed him happily.
"Rick, sweetheart. I'm so glad you're awake. How are you
feeling?"
"Pretty good, but my shoulder hurts like the dickens and I'm
starving,"
he said quietly.
"Well, no wonder! You haven't eaten in almost a week. I'll go
see if I
can get the nurse to bring you some food."
"Not yet. I just want to see your beautiful face," Rick said as
he
reached up to caress her cheek.
Lia leaned against the bed frame and smiled. Just then, the doctor
walked by and peaked into the room.
"Well, look who's awake. How are you feeling Rick?"
"Great. But my shoulder hurts quite a bit," Rick confessed as he
tentatively moved his arm.
"It's going to for a while because the knife cut a small piece of
tissue in your shoulder. But I'm happy to hear that you're feeling
good. That's the most important thing right now. I'm going to tell
the
nurse to bring you something to eat."
The doctor left the room after giving Lia a reassuring pat on the arm.
Lia crossed the room to sit on the edge of Rick's bed and hugged his
good arm tightly. Rick slowly moved his arm so he could see her face
and looked deep into her dark brown eyes.
Soon, the nurse came in with a tray of food and Lia decided to ask a
doctor when Rick would be released.
Twenty minutes later, she returned to find Rick sitting up reading a
magazine.
Rick looked up and smiled when he saw his wife re-enter the room.
"So, when did the doctor say they're going to spring me from this
joint?"
"He says he wants to keep you here for a couple of tests and x-rays.
But for now, the best thing you can do is relax and take it easy for a
while. Lia said as she leaned across him and tucked him in more
comfortably.
"Where's Anna?" Rick asked as he lay back against his
pillows.
"Oh, she's at home. Will's been watching her during the nights.
He'll
bring her over in the morning. But for now, you should probably get
some rest."
Lia helped Rick lay down again then pressed a light kiss to his
forehead. Within a few minutes, and despite his protestations, Rick was
sound asleep. Lia sat in her chair next to the bed and held his hand
while he slept.
The next morning, just as the nurse had finished changing Rick's
bandages, Will came to drop off Anna.
Lia was standing in the hall waiting for the nurse to finish when she
spotted Will walking down the hall struggling to keep Anna from sliding
out of his arms.
"Hi Will. How's my baby?"
"Well, she's been kind of wound up all morning," Will said as he
attempted to keep the little girl from slipping to the floor.
"I'll bet she knows her daddy's feeling better," Lia said as she
relieved Will of the squirming infant.
"You mean he's awake? Lia that's wonderful! Can I see
him?"
"Sure go on in," Lia said as she unbuttoned her daughter's coat.
Rick looked up and smiled when he saw Will walk into the room followed
by his wife and daughter.
"Will! It's great to see you! How's everything at the bar?"
Will smiled and shook his friend's hand.
"Everything's great. But we really miss you around there and hope you
feel better soon so you can get back to work.
Anna lifted her head from her mother's shoulder and squealed when she
heard Rick's voice. Lia walked to the bed and settled the baby in
Rick's arms.
"Hi, Anna! How's my baby-doll? Daddy missed you!" Rick cooed as
he
lifted his daughter slightly and kissed her tiny outstretched hand
before returning his attention to Will.
"But anyway, I plan to be back to work as soon as I get out of
here."
"No you won't," Lia chimed in. "The doctor wants you to
stay home until
your arm gets better. Besides, how do you expect to lift trays with a
bad arm?"
Rick opened his mouth to speak but stopped and thought for a moment.
"Well, I guess I could work behind the bar or something. What do you
say Will?
"Rick, no." Lia interrupted.
"Oh come on, Lia. We could use the money."
"No. You're staying home until your arm gets better," Lia said
with a
determined glint in her eye.
Rick finally gave into his wife and spent the next few weeks resting at
home and playing with Anna. Lia decided to take some time off and kept a
watchful eye on her husband. After he had been home for a few days, the
realization of what had happened finally hit Rick and he was suddenly
afraid to go back to work. The doctor had warned Lia about this but she
wasn't ready for his sudden depression. During his time at home, Rick
would work on the exercises the doctor had given him to strengthen the
muscles in his arm. After a few weeks, he finally began to have a more
positive attitude as he watched Anna grow.
Lia began to create jobs and projects around the house to keep Rick
active, but that wouldn't be too hard on his shoulder.
One rainy Saturday afternoon, Lia and Rick kept themselves busy by
cleaning out the attic.
"Rick, sweetie. Could you take that box downstairs for me?"
"Yeah, sure. Then he noticed another box lying on the floor.
"What's in that one?"
"Oh, that's all going out too. But you can come back for that
one."
"Nah, it would just be an unnecessary trip. Here, just put it on
top."
"Rick, I don't think that's such a good idea. The doctor told
you not
to push it too hard yet."
"Oh, don't be silly. It's not that heavy," Rick said as he
lifted up
one of the boxes. "Here, just stick it on top."
Lia picked up the smaller box and placed it on top. Suddenly she
stopped and looked into her husband's face.
"Promise me, you'll be careful," Lia said quietly.
"You got it," Rick said with a boyish wink before he bent and
gave her
a quick kiss.
Rick adjusted the boxes and started down the hall as Lia turned and
continued putting away some old books in another box.
Rick stopped at the top of the stairs and adjusted the boxes again.
His palms had begun to sweat and though he hated to admit it, his
shoulder was beginning to tense up but he didn't let that bother him.
Rick started slowly down the stairs, trying his best to shift the
weight to his good arm. Suddenly, about half way down, the burden
became too much for his sore shoulder and Rick lost his balance. He
tumbled down the stairs, followed by the heavy boxes which created a
thunderous crash.
Lia heard the noise and ran to the wooden staircase where she
discovered her husband lying lifelessly at the bottom of the staircase
surrounded by old toys and boxes.
Lia gasped and hurried down the steps two at a time to kneel at her
husband's side.
She looked at him and noticed he was bleeding from a deep cut on his
cheek.
Lia looked around and grabbed an old doll dress that was no bigger than
the palm of her hand and pressed it against the cut in an attempt to
stop the bleeding.
The frightened young woman reached up to the table for the phone and
quickly dialed 9-1-1. After she talked to the operator who assured her
that an ambulance was on its way, Lia called the only other person she
knew to call.
"Will, you've got to come over right away. Rick's had a terrible
accident."
"Lia, calm down and tell me what happened."
"He was carrying some boxes down from the attic and he lost his
balance."
"Okay, I'll be right over."
Lia replaced the receiver and held onto Rick's hand tightly until Will
arrived. At about the same time, the ambulance arrived and took Rick to
the hospital.
An hour later, Lia paced in the hall while the doctors worked to revive
Rick.
Will sat quietly in one of the hard back chairs along the wall and
watched Lia pace across the floor.
"Lia how about a cup of coffee or something to eat?"
"No, thanks Will. I couldn't eat a thing right now."
Then, she sat in the chair next to her friend and sighed.
"This is all my fault."
"Lia, how can this be your fault. Its not like you pushed him
down the
stairs."
" I know, but I let him carry those boxes. Why does he have to
be so
damn stubborn and pigheaded! If he had just put down the other box when
I asked him to, this wouldn't have happened."
Suddenly, the doctor appeared in the hall and it didn't look like he
had good news. His expression was grim and he was extremely quiet as he
pulled the bloodied cloves from his hands.
Lia stood and walked closer to meet his gaze.
The doctor shook his head sadly.
"I'm sorry Lia."
Lia broke down completely and let Will pull her into a comforting
embrace.
"He died on impact. His neck broke when he fell."
"Can we go see him?" Will asked quietly.
"Sure, go right in."
Will put his arm around Lia and lead her toward Rick's room. Lia
stopped and turned.
"Will, please. I'd rather do this alone."
Will took his arm off her shoulder and nodded.
"Okay, if you need me I'll be here."
Lia smiled and gently patted his arm.
"Thanks Will", she said almost inaudibly.
Then she turned and walked slowly into the room. Lia sat in a chair
and stared straight ahead, hardly noticing the flat heart monitor or the
nurse that left the room after turning off the machine.
After a while, Lia finally gained enough courage to move closer to the
bed. She pulled the chair closer and lightly held her husband's
lifeless fingers in the palm of her hand. Feeling the coolness of death
on his hand, the reality of Rick's death set in on Lia for the first
time.
She broke down and cried against her dead husband's shoulder, her warm
salty tears soaking through the thin hospital gown he wore.
After a while Will came and led her out of the room so the doctors and
nurses could take Rick's cold still body to the morgue.
Down in the cafeteria, Will and Lia found a quiet table near the window
where they could talk. Will tried his best to get Lia to eat but she
would only push it away. Lia sat silently, tearing a piece of bread into
small pieces. Suddenly she spoke.
"I have no idea how I'm going to put a funeral together."
"Don't you worry about that. You just take care of Anna and yourself
and let me take care of the rest."
Lia reached across the table and covered Will's hand with hers.
"Thank you Will. I really don't know what I'd do without you."
Lia went home long after dark and thought the best thing for her to do
was to get some sleep. She started up the stairs, but stopped when she
came to the landing.
The boxes that Rick had been carrying were laying on their side, their
contents scattered across the carpet. Lia noticed something glistening
on the floor and bent to pick it up. It was the key to a music box Rick
had given her when they had first started dating. She remembered
admiring the delicate blue box and Rick's excitement over buying it for
her. She took off the heart shaped locket she wore and slipped the key
over he clasp.
Lia cleaned up the old toys that had fallen out of the boxes and
continued on to her bedroom.
After changing into her nightgown and robe, she laid down on the bed
and closed her eyes. Lia tried to sleep but she could feel the
emptiness of the bed. She rolled over and hugged her husband's pillow to
her chest, his scent still strong in the fabric. Lia realized she was
going to get any sleep in the bed she once shared with her husband so
she took her pillow and went downstairs to the living room.
As she walked down the long dark hall, Lia began to feel the emptiness
of the house, especially since Anna was spending the weekend with Rick's
parents.
Suddenly, she realized she'd realized she'd neglected to call Rick's
parents. Becoming sleepy, Lia decided that she would call them in the
morning, then realized they had a right to know and decided she needed
to call.
As she began to dial, Lia noticed her hands beginning to shake. "How
do
you tell someone that their son is dead?" Lia wondered. She couldn't
fathom how doctors could face the families of their patients and tell
them they would never see or speak to their loved one again.
More than once Lia hung up because she was afraid her in-laws would
blame her for Rick's death.
But Rick's parents were more sympathetic than anything and were soon on
their way over to comfort Lia. When they arrived, Lia took Anna from
her grandmother and just held her tightly. Lia sat up all night with
her in-laws talking about their memories of Rick.
Early the next morning, Will came over to help plan the funeral which
was held two days later at the local church. Lia was surprised to see
many people she hadn't seen in years and was grateful for their
support. After the service was over, Lia forced herself to look in the
casket. She saw her husband and for a moment thought he was only
sleeping. His hair was neatly combed in the same way he had done
everyday since Lia had known him and he was wearing the same blue suit
he wore the day they were married at city hall.
Lia knew she had to be strong and blinked back a few threatening tears
as she laid a red rose across his chest before planting a soft kiss on
his forehead.
Lia turned and slowly walked out of the chapel to meet her family.
Without saying a word, she took her sleeping daughter from Will and sat
on a hard wood bench against the wall.
"Lia I think you should have this," Will said quietly as he
opened his
hand to reveal Rick's wedding ring that he had put on a delicate gold
chain.
Lia tentatively picked up the gold band with two fingers and stared at
it.
"Here, let me help you put it on," Will offered as he retrieved
the
necklace and helped Lia clasp it around her neck.
"Thank you Will" Lia said before she planted a light kiss
on his
cheek.
Lia invited her in-laws over for coffee, but was relieved that they
refused so she could have some time to herself.
"Good night, Lia. And remember you'll always be a part of this
family."
Rick's mother gave Lia a comforting hug and followed her husband down
the driveway. Lia watched until the car was out of sight then closed
and locked the door.
Almost as soon as Lia had finished locking up, she heard Anna crying
incessantly from her room. Lia rushed to the baby's room and lifted Anna
from her crib.
"Oh, sweetie, did you have a bad dream?" Lia cooed to her
daughter as
she cradled her in her arms. Anna didn't stop crying even when Lia gave
her a bottle and changed her diaper. Then out of instinct, Lia called
for Rick to come put the baby to sleep, but quickly remembered he wasn't
there. Then she realized, Anna was crying because she knew Rick was
gone. As she lay the baby back in her crib, Lia heard something clink
against the metal of the crib. It was the key to the music box.
Lia picked up the music box from the dresser and sat in the rocking
chair by the window. Resting Anna carefully against her stomach, Lia
took the key off the chain and inserted it into the music box Anna soon
fell asleep to the soft music and Lia found it comforting as well. As
the music ended she gently lay the baby back in her crib and took the
music box with her to the bed room. She lay down on the soft white
sheets and rested the music box on Rick's pillow. Lia closed her eyes
and listened to the soft tinkling of the music. Though it was probably
only her imagination, Lia thought she heard Rick's voice through the
music telling her that everything was going to be all right and that he
would always be watching over her and Anna. For the first time since
Rick's death, Lia slept peacefully.
Over the next couple of years, Lia watched her daughter grow into a
happy healthy toddler. She couldn't help thinking how much of Rick
there was in Anna. Especially after she started walking and spent hours
chasing and terrorizing the neighbor's dog, much as Rick would do when
he would be out in the yard.
Lia began to enjoy the afternoons alone when Anna spent time with her
grandparents or "Uncle Will" as he became fondly thought as.
It was on such afternoon that Lia sat on the porch swing reading a book
and enjoying the warm sunshine when Will's car pulled into the driveway.
Lia stood and waved as her daughter slid out of the front seat and ran
up the steps.
Lia caught her four year old daughter and gave her a quick kiss.
"Mommy, may I go watch Barney the Bear?" Anna asked her mother.
"Sure, go right ahead," Lia said as she released her daughter
from her
embrace and watched her run inside.
Lia turned and smiled at the man who was walking up the driveway.
"Hello, Will".
"Hi, Lia," Will greeted as he planted a light kiss on Lia's
cheek.
"How about something cold to drink?" Lia offered as she poured
another
glass of ice tea for herself.
"That'd be great. Thanks."
Lia poured the drink as both sat in a comfortable silence.
Just as Lia handed Will his drink, Anna came running through the door
waving a sheet of white paper.
"Mommy, look what I made for you!"
Lia pulled her daughter into her lap and looked at the picture.
"Oh, Anna. What a pretty rainbow! Go inside and hang it on the
refrigerator. Okay?"
The little girl jumped off her mother's lap and ran inside.
"She's growing into quite the little beauty, isn't she?"
"Ys, and she's growing so fast. Will I don't know how to thank you
for
everything you've done, especially for being like a second father to
Anna."
"Well, you know I practically think of her as my own. And I
would love
to be her father. Lia, will you marry me?"
Lia started to take a drink but nearly choked at Will's proposal.
"Did you just say what I think you said?"
Will moved closer to her and bent down on one knee.
"I said will you marry me? Over the last couple of years, you have to
admit that we've gotten closer and I think I've fallen in love with
you. I hope you feel the same way. Think about it. Anna will have a
father and you'll have someone to take care of you again. What do you
say?"
Lia looked into his eyes and saw that he meant what he said before
giving him her answer.
"Yes Will. I'll marry you."
Will let out a relieved breath just before leaning into kiss his new
fiancee'. He stood and pulled Lia into his embrace.
"Okay look. I have to go now, but I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
Lia looked into his face and smiled.
Will smiled back at her and gave her a quick kiss before heading down
the steps.
That night as Lia tucked her daughter into bed, she decided that it
was the right time to tell Anna about Will's proposal.
"Anna, how would you feel if I told you that you were going to get a
new daddy?" Lia asked as she tucked the sheet corners under the
mattress.
Anna bolted up from her pillow
"Oh, Mommy! Who?"
"You're Uncle Will asked me to marry him," Lia said as she sat
on the
edge of the bed.
"I would like Uncle Will to be my new daddy. But Mommy, if
Uncle Will
is going to be my new daddy, what does that make Daddy?"
"Sweetie, your daddy will always be your real daddy because you are a
tiny part of him, but when Uncle Will and I get married next spring, it
will be like having another daddy."
"Okay." Anna laid back against her pillow.
"Mommy, do I get to be in the wedding too?"
"Of course sweetie. You're going to be my little flower girl.
Now get
some sleep."
The little girl yawned and nodded as she stretched to give her mother a
kiss.
Ten months later, Lia sat in front of her bed room mirror as Rick's
mother put the finishing touches on her hair and veil when five year old
Anna came running into the room.
"Hi Mommy. Don't I look pretty?"
"Like Mommy's little princess," Lia said as she glance over her
daughters halo of pink carnations, white dress and tiny pink slippers.
She lifted her daughter into her lap and gave her a quick kiss.
Anna turned and held out a long thin box to her mother.
"Here. Uncle Will told me to give this to you."
Lia took the box, set her daughter on the floor and opened the box.
Inside was a bracelet in the shape of a chain of roses with an
accompanying card that said "Eleven roses and the twelfth is you.
Meet
me in the church at two."
Lia smiled and looked at the clock. Twelve thirty. She hoped he was
still in his room so she could call and thank him.
"Hello?"
"Hi, darling."
"Hi sweetheart. Did you get my present?"
"Yes, and its beautiful."
"Good. I want you to wear it today."
Lia heard the giggles of her bridesmaids outside the door.
"Will do. I have to go, but I'll see you later. I love you."
Will hung up the phone and flopped down on the couch. He turned to his
brother Mike and smiled.
"You know Mike, I've got to be the happiest man alive right now. And
you know why? Because I'm marrying the most beautiful woman in the
world."
"And if you don't hurry you're going to be late to your wedding to
the
most beautiful woman in the world," Mike scolded as he tossed a black
tie at Will.
Lia stood and stepped into the white gown that her mother in law held
out before her As she stood still while being zipped up, Lia spotted
the bracelet and slipped it over her hand before going downstairs to the
limo that would take her to the church.
An hour later Lia was walking down the aisle. She felt a little sad
because she was getting married in the same church where Rick's funeral
had been held three years before. But she shook off the feeling. Lia
wanted this to be a happy day and knew she shouldn't be looking back to
the past, but rather to the future, with her new husband. Lia looked
down the aisle ahead of her and saw Will waiting for her, looking very
handsome in his tuxedo. She looked down and smiled when she saw Anna
looking back at her with a big grin on her face.
Twenty minutes later, Will and Lia had finished exchanging vows and the
minister pronounced them husband and wife.
Later, at the reception Lia had just finished talking to an old
girlfriend from high school when she felt Will come up behind her and
wrap is arms around her waist.
"Happy, darling?"
"You know I am. I think the only thing that might have spoiled today
was that I remembered being here for Rick's funeral."
Will saw a few tears start to form in Lia's eyes as he tilted her
face
towards his and smiled.
"I miss him too, but try not to think about that now. Besides, you're
my wife now," Will said as he pulled Lia against him.
"Come on," Will laughed as he pulled his new wife onto the dance
floor
and swung her arms.
It was nearly midnight when the reception finally ended and everyone
went home exhausted. Will and Lia sat at one of the tables in the empty
ballroom.
"Thank you, for such a beautiful day. Everything was perfect,"
Lia said
quietly.
She looked around the room and laughed lightly.
"I don't know how were going to clean this up," she said with a
smile.
"Where's Anna?"
Will pointed to a small sofa in the corner of the room where the little
girl had curled up and gone to sleep.
"She's had a long day," Lia whispered as the couple walked
towards the
back of the room.
Will nodded and bent down to lift Anna into his arms. At his touch, the
little girl didn't wake up, but reached up and wrapped her arms around
his neck.
After pulling into the driveway, Will took Anna from her mother and
went into the house, Lia walked into the kitchen for a drink while Will
took Anna up to her room and laid her carefully on the bed before
joining his wife in the kitchen.
Lia turned and smiled when she heard him walk into the room.
"Come on, lets go upstairs," Will said as he offered her his
hand.
She walked toward him and started for the stairs when Will stopped her
and lifted her into his arms.
"What are you doing?" Lia squealed.
"Carrying my bride over the threshold, considering I had to carry
another lady through the door."
He turned and walked up the stairs to the bedroom with Lia in his arms.
The next day, the newlyweds left Anna with her grandparents and
departed on a week long trip to California. The couple enjoyed
themselves immensely, but Lia couldn't help but miss her daughter since
she had never been away from her for such a long period of time.
When they got off the plane, Lia insisted on going to see Anna before
doing anything else.
Anna couldn't have been happier to see her parents, especially since
there was something she wanted to show Lia.
"Mommy, look what Gramma gave me!"
It was a picture of Rick a few years before Lia met him. He looked
younger and his hair was a little longer but Lia recognized the same
boyish smile and twinkling eyes she saw everyday they were together."
"That was very nice of Grandma. Did you thank her?"
Lia smiled when the little girl nodded, her pigtails bouncing slightly.
"Good girl. Now go get your suitcase so we can go home."
That night, Lia tucked Anna in and kissed her goodnight. Just as she
was about to turn off the light, Anna bolted upright in her bed.
"Wait! I forgot to kiss Daddy goodnight!"
Lia laughed and folded her arms across her chest.
"Anna, you already gave Daddy his goodnight kiss."
"No, not that Daddy. This Daddy."
The girl reached over to her night stand and picked up the picture of
her father.
Anna looked at the picture for a moment, then planted a light kiss
on
the glass.
"Okay, now get some sleep."
Lia took the picture from her daughter and set it on the night stand
before turning off the light.
After leaving the room, Lia found Will waiting for her in the hall.
He
took her by the hand and led her to the living room couch where he sat,
allowing her to throw her legs over his.
The couple sat in silence for a few moments before Lia spoke.
"Will, did what just happened up there bother you?"
"No, not at all. I think its wonderful that Anna is still very
attached
to Rick. And if she wants to keep calling me Uncle Will, that's fine
with me. I love you both no matter what.'
Lia looked at him and smiled. She realized how lucky she was to have
found a husband who was so sweet and understanding. Lia leaned forward
and kissed him as she let Will pull her into his arms.
Over the next few years, Will and Lia watched their daughter grown
into a beautiful young woman. By the time she was a junior in high
school, Anna was nearly a mirror image of her mother at that age with
her long dark hair and striking green eyes. She was also becoming a
favorite with the boys at school, which didn't make Will too happy.
Especially when he heard that Anna was going out with Tim Kelly, whom he
heard had beat up several kids at school. Anna had tried to explain to
him that everything he had heard about Tim was rumors but Will refused
to budge. He finally softened a little the night of Anna's junior prom
when he saw his daughter coming down the stairs in her sleeveless green
dress, her grandmother's diamond choker and the bracelet he had given
Lia on their wedding day.
As Will stood beaming with pride at the bottom of the stairs, the
doorbell rang. It was Tim who had come to pick up Anna for the dance.
Will could not have been more surprised. Tim wore a clean black tux with
a black tie and his usually long hair was cut short.
"May I come in?" Tim asked politely.
Will snapped out of his astonishment and stepped aside so Tim could
enter.
Anna moved down the steps and looped her arm through Tim's.
"Oh wait! Let me get a picture!" Lia said as she scrambled
to find her
camera.
"Oh, mom," Anna whined.
"Come on Anna. It will make your mother happy," Will said as he
sat in
his favorite chair.
"Okay, smile!" Lia chirped as she came back into the room.
The couple posed as Lia snapped the picture.
"Okay, that's enough. We've got to go or we're going to be
late," Anna
said as she attempted to rush Tim out the door.
"Okay, just make sure you're home by eleven," Will called from
the
living room.
"Oh come on. Twelve thirty," Anna negotiated.
"Midnight."
Satisfied, Anna smiled and waved as she let the door slam behind her.
After that night, Will finally began to accept Tim as Anna's boyfriend,
and over the next couple of years the young man became part of the
family.
The summer after high school graduation, Anna announced that she and
Tim were moving in together, which made Lia absolutely furious.
"Anna, you are not moving in with that boy. What about college? I
think
you're making a big mistake. In fact, I know you are. I wasn't much
older than you when I married your father. Besides you, what do I have
to show for my life? You have the chance to make something of yourself.
"But mother. You never went to high school. I did. Besides, I don't
think I'd fit into the whole college scene."
"Of course you will darling," Lia comforted as she brushed a
piece of
hair away from her daughter's face. "You're smart, popular and very
beautiful. I just want you to be the best person you can be by making
the best choices."
Anna pulled away from her mother quickly.
"Mother, when will you learn that I am trying to make the best
choices
for me. And right now, I think the best thing is for me to move in with
Tim. Besides I'm not a little girl anymore.
Lia stood silently in front of her daughter. She knew her daughter was
right, Anna wasn't a little girl anymore and it was time to let go.
"You're right Anna. You're not my baby any longer. It's
time to let
go and let you make your own decisions. If this is want you want, I
won't say anything. I just hope you know what you're doing."
As the words came out of her mouth, Lia's mind flash backed to a time
nearly thirty years before when a man who would later became her
husband, said the exact same words to her. Remembering her own actions
that followed, Lia knew Anna would think this through and do the right
thing.
Anna hugged her mother and wiped away a few remaining tears.
"Thank you mama," she whispered.
After a few moments, Lia pulled away and smiled.
"You know, Uncle Will is not going to like this."
"Oh, I know. But if I can handle you, I can handle you I can
handle
anything," Anna said with a laugh.
Lia smiled and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulder.
"Come on, I'll help you pack."
Lia was right. Will did not take it well. He did all but lay on the
floor and throw a fit. But eventually, he calmed down and rationalized
that Tim had changed a lot in the last couple of years and they all knew
that Tim would never lay a hand on Anna.
A few weeks later, Anna and Tim moved into their new apartment and life
quieted down for a while. At least until the next spring, when Anna
announced that she was pregnant. Will was furious that his daughter was
pregnant out of wedlock and he told her so. So, at the fourth of July
picnic, Tim got down on one knee and proposed to Anna in front of the
whole family. Lia and Will were very happy and along with the rest of
the family welcomed Tim with open arms.
The family began planning the wedding and decided it should take place
after the baby was born since Anna wanted to wear her mother's wedding
dress.
Suddenly, just after Thanksgiving Will suffered a heart attack. Anna
and Tim were out of town so Lia took Will to the hospital and left a
message on their answering machine.
When Anna arrived home on Sunday, she called the hospital as soon as
she got the message and asked for her mother.
"Hello?"
"Mom, its me Anna. What happened?"
"It was a heart attack. He was in the kitchen when it happened.
He's
got a bump on the head and a minor burn on his wrist from hitting the
stove. But the doctors say he should be okay." Oh, God Anna. When I
couldn't get a hold of you and Tim I panicked. Thank goodness Nancy
stopped by and new what to do. I was too scared to even think about
calling the doctor."
"How's he doing now?"
"Better. They've got him stabilized for now. But they want to
keep a
close watch on him for a while."
Anna let out a relieved breath. She was happy to hear that the only man
she really remembered as her father was still alive so she'd get the
change to tell him so many things she never told him before; or at least
the chance to say goodbye.
A half an hour later, Anna found her mother waiting for her in the
hall. She gave her a warm hug and looked into her eyes. She'd never seen
her mother look so worn. Even her bright smile was tired.
"You better go in. He's been asking to see you for quite a while
now."
Anna turned and walked slowly into he room. Will was sleeping
soundly,
his body hooked up to several machines around the bed. He must have
heard her come in because by the time Anna reached the side of the bed,
his eyes were open.
"Hi Uncle Will. How you feeling?" Anna said as brightly as
possible.
"As good as could be expected," he said, turning his head
slightly to
receive a light kiss from his stepdaughter.
"Well that's good because Mom's kind of worried about you. And
besides,
you've got to be at the wedding."
Will smiled and shifted slightly.
"You know I'll be there."
"You better. I need my dad to walk me down the aisle," Anna
teased as
she held Will's hand in hers.
Will smiled and squeezed her hand.
Anna smiled slightly and tried to hide a few forth coming tears.
"Thank you, for being my father, and more importantly taking care of
mom. I love you."
Will smiled. Then he closed his eyes and slipped away quietly.
Anna walked quietly into the hall and looked into her mother's eyes.
Lia sank quietly into a chair and sighed.
"Mom, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm glad he's not suffering anymore. I
just wish he
was going to be here for the wedding and the birth of his first
grandchild.
Anna smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother.
A week before Christmas, Tim and Anna welcomed a baby boy in the world.
Lia sat in the waiting room and watched the other patients come in and
out of the room. She was getting tired of waiting. Tim had called
her
around seven and old her that Anna had gone into labor.
That was almost thirteen hours ago and she had been in the waiting room
ever since. She had heard nothing in the last two hours, so Lia walked
to the nurses station and was told tat there hadn't been any change.
Suddenly, as Lia walked back to her seat, Tim burst through the door.
"I'm a father!"
Lia walked to Tim and gave him a hug.
"Well, what is it?"
"Its a boy!" Tim practically announced.
"How's Anna?" Lia asked, slightly concerned.
"She's fine. And she's asking to see you. Come on, Grandma."
Lia smiled and followed Tim down the hall to her daughter's room.
When they walked into the room. Anna looked up and smiled.
"Hi, mom."
"Hi, sweetie."
Lia moved close to the bed and planted a light kiss on her daughter's
forehead and got her first look into her new grandson.
"Let me see this beautiful baby," Lia cooed as she lifted the
baby from
his mother's arms. Tim pulled up a chair close to the bed so she could
sit.
"Have you settled on a name yet?"
"I think so," Tim answered over her shoulder."
"Mom, if its okay with you, we'd like to name him William Richard
Kelly, after Uncle Will and Dad. But only if its okay with you."
Lia smiled and let the baby wrap his hand around her two middle
fingers.
A warm spring day in May saw Anna and Tim's wedding.
Anna stood at the window overlooking the yard in her mother's room and
watched s the guests began to arrive.
"Anna? Do you need some help in there?"
"Oh hi, Mom. Sure, come on in."
Lia entered the room and walked up behind the chair where Anna sat
taking the curlers out of her long dark hair.
"Here, let me do that," Lia offered.
Anna rested her hands in her lap as she let her mother finish her hair.
"Nervous?" Lia asked.
"A little. But I'm really happy. I just wish Uncle Will was here.
Lia smiled and smoothed out a loose curl in her daughter's hair.
"Oh, I think he's here watching us. And so is your father. In
fact I
think they're always watching over us.
Anna stood and hugged her mother before stepping into the gown.
After doing some finishing touches in the mirror, Anna turned and took
a deep breath.
"I think I'm ready."
"Not quite," Lia said as se let the silver bracelet she wore on
her own
wedding day drop into her daughter's hand.
Anna smiled and slipped the bracelet over her hand.
"Thank you, mom."
An hour later, Anna and Tim stood beneath the rose-covered trellis as
the minister finished the ceremony.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Lia smiled and wiped away a few happy tears as she watched Tim take
Anna into his arms.
A few months later, Will's bar re-opened under new management. Lia had
given complete ownership to Anna and Tim as a wedding present. She felt
that just because Will was gone, shouldn't mean his bar should close for
good. Besides, Lia decide it would be a good way to keep Anna and Tim
close so she could watch her grandson grow up.
Until Anna decided to enroll Will Jr. In preschool, Lia would watch it
him during the day. It was such a joy to have him with her, especially
since Will's death and most of her friends had either died or moved
away. About the time Will Jr. entered the seventh grade, he was helping
his parents down at the bar.
Seeing how lonely her mother was, Anna offered her the opportunity to
help out at the bar. Lia was a little nervous since she hadn't been to
the bar since Anna was little. Anna finally talked her mother into
coming down to the bar one day to show her that everything was safe.
Times had changed and people didn't go into the bars to get fall down
drunk anymore. They went there to socialize and even occasionally have
a nice meal. Lia realized her daughter was right and took her up on her
offer.
Soon Lia spent her days helping Anna and Tim at the bar washing dishes,
wiping down tables and sometimes even helping with the cooking. But her
favorite part was getting to talk to people who just needed a friend to
talk to or a shoulder to cry on. She met many people who reminded of
herself. The kind of people who had married young or lost a loved one,
but mostly the people what purpose they served in life or not sure what
direction their life was heading.
Lia had spent quite a bit of time pondering these questions until one
day when a young sailor came into the bar. But this wasn't any
particular sailor. He seemed to have an uncanny resemblance to her first
husband. In fact, when Lia saw him for the first time, he was standing
near the door talking to Anna and she could sear that it was her and
Rick when they first started dating. He had Rick's sparkling eyes and
boyish smile. Even his hair was combed back in the same way.
Lia saw an opportunity to get a better look when she noticed a couple
get up and leave, so she went to the table and pretended to clean it as
she tried to catch pieces of the conversation.
"So, where you from?" Anna asked the sailor.
"Los Angeles, originally. But I've been training here in New York for
a
while."
Anna smiled and brushed a piece of stray hair away from her face.
"Well listen, why don't you take a seat over here and we'll see if we
can't dig you up something to eat."
The sailor sat at the table and unfolded his napkin.
"Thanks."
As soon as Anna disappeared, Lia made her way over to the table. The
man in uniform sat quietly at the table, his head hung low.
"Hey sailor, you wanna talk about it?"
Startled, he looked up but relaxed when he saw Lia's comforting smile.
He smiled back. "Sure, have a seat."
"I'm Lia," she introduced as she sat in the hard wood chair.
"The name's Nick," he said as they shook hands.
Lia thought that was a little weird. First he looks like Rick and now
they have nearly the same name.
'What's going on here?' Lia thought to herself.
"So what seems to be the trouble?" she asked.
"Well, my girlfriend told me she wants to get married, but I just
don't
think I'm good enough for her. She's beautiful and smart and
successful, and I'm just a poor sailor who can't afford to finish
college, much less support a family. I just don't know what to do,"
Nick explained as he buried his head in his hands.
"You know what I think? I think you shouldn't worry about those
things
and go for it. I mean she obviously loves you a lot if she wants to get
married. Believe me, I know what you're thinking. Sometimes I wonder
where my life is going. What do I have to show for it. I've spent my
life working in bars, being a wife and raising my daughter. But I don't
really have anything to show for it.
"Lia, don't say that. Look at you. You've raised a beautiful,
intelligent daughter, been married to a wonderful man and rebuilt your
life after your first husband's death. I think you're doing just fine.
And you know what , I'm going to ask Lisa to marry me.
'Wait a minute.Nick and Lisa. That sounds a lot like.' Lia thought to
herself. But before she had a chance to give it a second though Nick was
at the pay phone calling his girlfriend.
While she waited for her new friend to return, Lia had time to think
about her life and what Nick said. He was right. She did have a great
life. Sure she didn't have a spectacular job or anything, but she had
dedicated her life to making the people she loved happy.
Then shoe thought, what if Nick was Rick telling her that she'd lived a
good life, even if she couldn't see it? It had to be, there was no
other explanation.
That night, Lia was helping Anna close up after Tim took Will Jr. home.
"Anna, I swear. Your father was in this bar today."
"Mom, Just because he looks like Dad and his name was kind of
similar,
that doesn't mean it is him. So just drop it, okay?"
Lia finally did drop the subject but always believed that the sailor
that walked into the bar that day was her deceased husband. From that
day forward, Lia began to see how successful her life had been and now
looked at each of her family members as a treasured jewel she didn't
want to lose. Lia worked with Anna and Tim in the bar until one day she
became too sick to leave home.
As she became weaker, Lia spent less time helping with the cooking and
the cleaning, and more time helping and talking to customers.
Then one late spring afternoon, Lia laid down to take a nap and never
woke up.
As the sun was setting, Anna and Tim arrived at the house. Anna had
tried to get a hold of her mother all day so she and Tim decided to come
over right after work.
The house as quiet and dark. The carpet had obviously recently been
vacuumed and the wood smelled of cleaner.
"Mom?" Anna called.
There was no answer.
Anna turned to Tim and told him her plan.
"Why don't you look for Mom down here and in the basement. I'm going
to
check upstairs."
Anna went up the stairs and started down the hall. She peeked into
her
old room to find her bed empty except for the dolls and stuffed animals
of her childhood.
Anna searched the rest of her rooms, but her mother was not in any of
them. Then she came to her parent's room at the end of the hall.
The door was closed and all the lights were off.
Anna knocked on the door softly.
"Mom?"
When there was no answer, Anna walked into the room.
"Mom? Are you asleep?" she asked into the quiet darkness.
When again there was no answer, Anna turned on the light and discovered
her mother n the bed, her body still and cold.
"Tim," she called, her voice echoing through the quiet house.
Within seconds, Tim came rushing up the stairs and walked into the
room.
"Anna, what is it?" he asked from the doorway.
Anna stood next to the bed, quiet and still.
"Look," she said softly.
Tim moved closer and rested his hands on his wife's shoulders.
"She's gone, isn't she?"
Anna nodded silently.
"Are you all right?" Tim asked tenderly.
"Yes. It's probably for the best. She's been sick for a while now.
I'm
happy she won't be in pain anymore."
Tim turned her face towards his and planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm going to call for an ambulance. Do you want to stay
here?"
Anna nodded silently.
"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes," he said before giving her
a
light kiss.
After Tim left the room Anna sat on the edge of the bed and took her
mother's hand.
"Mom, its me Anna. Gosh, its so hard to say goodbye. I don't
want to
let go, but its what best for you right now. Even though you won't be
here with me and Tim and Will anymore, I know you'll be happy, with Dad
and Uncle Will."
Then Anna noticed the chain around her mother's neck that held Rick's
wedding ring and the key to the music box.
She reached forward and turned the chain around so she could undo the
clasp.
A few seconds later, Tim returned.
"Anna, the ambulance is here, are you ready to go home?"
Anna looked up and nodded.
"Yeah, just let me get something from my room."
Tim followed Anna down the hall to her old room and watched as she went
in and turned on the light. She walked to the dresser and picked up the
music box she remembered her mother using to help put her to sleep every
night. As she lifted the lid of the box, and remembered a time when she
was about four years old she woke up in the middle of the night to the
soft tinkling of the music box from her mother's room. Anna hopped off
her bed and padded down the hall where she found her mother fast asleep
on the bed, the music box resting on top of the pillows next to her.
The little girl climbed quietly onto the bed and curled up next to her
mother.
Coming out of the memory, Anna remembered the chain her hand and put it
around her neck before joining her husband in the hallway.
"Okay, I'm ready now," Anna said with a smile.
Anna and Tim sat in the living room and watched as the attendants took
Lia to the hospital. Two days after the funeral, Anna and Tim packed up
the house and put everything in storage. As they finished taping up the
last of the boxes, Tim put them in the truck and let Anna have a few
minutes alone in the house.
The young woman stood in the center of the living room and looked
around her. Even though all the furniture was gone, Anna could still
feel the comfort she knew as a child in the house.
Feeling tears beginning to form, Anna decided to leave before she got
too emotional. She walked through the door and sadly locked it up form
the last time. She turned and saw Tim waiting for her in the truck and
started towards him. As she reached the bottom of the front steps, Anna
turned and took one last look at the house before getting into the truck
as Tim pulled away.
That night, Anna lay awake until the sun rose. When Tim finally
awoke,
he turned to see his wife staring at the ceiling.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Tim asked quietly as he reached for his
wife's and
under the sheets.
Anna turned to him and smiled weakly.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just feel like there's a huge hole in my
life.
Within the last couple of years, I've lost my mother, my father, and the
house I grew up in. Tim, I just feel so empty."
Then for the first time since Lia's death, Anna broke down and cried.
Tim rolled to his side and pulled his wife against his shoulder. After
a few moments, Tim lifted Anna's chin so he could look into her eyes and
smiled.
"Anna, don't worry. We're going to be fine. You're going to find that
pretty soon, that hole is going to close up and you're life is going to
go back to the way it used to be."
Anna exhaled and smiled before pulling Tim's mouth to hers in a deep
passionate kiss.
Tim was right. In time, Anna found herself spending less time
thinking
about the loss of her mother and more time thinking about getting on
with her life.
While working at the bar, Anna found herself spending less time behind
the bar and more time talking to customers. She realized that her
mother was right when she said that each person had a different story
and if she listened close enough, she'd find something that reminded her
of her own life.
Then one day, a tall dark haired man with a small brunette woman walked
into the bar. Anna caught his eye and smiled. She walked around the
bar and greeted the couple at the door.
"Hi, Nick. It's great to see you again."
"Hi, Anna. I'm sorry about your mom. How ya doing?"
Anna smiled weakly and shrugged her shoulders.
"Better. Its still hard, but you know. Life goes on. So, are
you going
to introduce m to your friend?"
Nick turned his head and smiled.
"Anna, I'd like you to meet Lisa. My wife."
Anna looked at Nick and smiled.
"So, you finally did it, huh?"
"Yeah, and its all thanks to your mother. She's the one who talked me
into calling Lisa."
As he spoke, Anna suddenly saw what her mother was talking about. Nick
and Lisa did remind her of her parents and finally began to believe what
her mother had told her that night several years before. She decided
that the couple were her parents telling her everything was okay.
And like Anna had before with her mother, Tim refused to believe her
when she told him about Nick and Lisa. So, finally Anna dropped the
subject and kept her thoughts to herself.
EPILOGUE
Anna and Tim owned the bar for a few more years until, like Lia,
decided to give it to their son.
That Christmas, Will Jr. came home from college and announced that he
was getting married. As she planned the wedding, Anna looked over the
guest list and decided to add Nick and Lisa; after all it was only fair
that her parents get to see their only grandson get married.
Tim died eleven years later, and Anna followed five years after.
Will
and his wife had four beautiful children; two boys and two girls. After
Anna passed away, Will moved his family into the house he grew up in.
And they all lived happily ever after.
THE END
