The night sky was pitch black, not a single star in the sky. Rain drizzles in the air, but soon turns into a whirling storm. The rain covers my windshield like a blanket. It was late fall so this weather was normal but that meant Thanksgiving was only a couple days away, delivering another night with family members telling my father that his wife would have been proud. But then they don’t hear him cry himself to sleep every night.

My mother died a year ago from a tumor. Every day she would paint a fake smile on her face and put the tears in a box where we couldn’t see them. Bethany was a strong mother and wife. But not strong enough to fight the tumor which made her weak.

When she died I saw everyone weep until they no longer could. I was stronger though. Not one single tear would roll down my cheek. I couldn’t let myself be weak. My father would say Keighlum, its okay to cry. But I knew I couldn’t let myself break down like that so I would just walk away before the argument started.

As I thought of this anger swept over my body. I slammed onto pedal so I would glide on the pavement. Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the car mirror. My Hershey kiss eyes were swimming in a pool of water. My expression was hard against my olive coloring. Lips tight in a line. The auburn hair styled to perfection. Not one flaw on my face. When a tear crawled down me cheek, I quickly wiped it away.

Distracted, I didn’t see the ocean colored car almost five feet away from my side of the car. I slammed on the brakes and rapidly tried to swerve to the right. The car collided into my seat pushing me out of the way; this pushed us off the road and down a gravel hill. Glass shattered and ripped into my skin like I was a candy wrapper. A sharp attention grabbing pain flooded my body. When the cars toped rolling I tried to move just to find that the gearshift was plunged into my back. My body was covered in blood and I was sure I broke my right wrist and left leg. The pain was so fierce and unbearable that I passed out.

The buzz of the siren jumped around my ears. Two doors opened and I was brought out into the whipping air. It was cold outside making my body shake.

“What happened?” I asked warily.

A broad shoulder man looked at me then turned to someone with Maroon colored hair. The person groaned with agony. As we were brought into an over sanitized hospital people rushed around us. Running here and there panicking. If anyone should be panicking it should be me. A pain shot into my left arm, to nock me out for surgery.
I screamed so hard I thought I broke my ribs. I couldn’t breathe. My body strived for air. Finally a mask was pressed over my mouth. A sigh of relief bubbled in my body. That was my last feeling before I was suddenly asleep.

When I had woken my broken body I saw that I had black stitch lines covering both my face and body. A cast wrapped around my right arm and left leg. Around my back and stomach was a brace. Stiff and uncomfortable I tried to move my limp muscles. Firecrackers pierced my nerves when I tried to move. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, but a whimper came out anyway.

“You could whimper until a nurse comes in to help you, or you could just press the dark green button.” The voice was soft but harsh stabbing me in the chest. I pressed the button and it raised me up with little pain. It was the person with the maroon colored hair. The hair was wavy and hung below the shoulders. As the face turned to me, my heart skipped a beat. She had impeccable features. Her heart shape face fit her porcelain skin. Two faded pink rose pedals formed into puckered lips, the nose nestled just above. Stars twinkled as she batted her lashes. I didn’t see the black stitch lines that covered her body too. Nor did I see the broken nose or the cast on her right arm. I refused to see her beaten body. All I could see was the beautiful girl.

“I am terribly sorry.” The girl spoke much more lovely then before.

“It’s okay.” Even though it wasn’t.

“Well I am Miranda. Miranda Bell. You?” she looked fascinated when she looked at me.

“Keighlum Wayne.”

Right there and then I knew something wonderful was happening.

Several days had passed. Every second with Miranda was better then the last. We were able to walk around a little bit each day. Our conversations went from something as simple as how is your leg doing to talking intently about our parents. Her parents were 16 when they had her so her grandmother took care of her. When her Mother was caught doing Heroin. Then her father ran ff to a place that couldn’t be found. Miranda cried when she spoke of her parents. I watched her motionless until something came over me. Gently I wrapped my arms around her and placed her on my lap.

Then I whispered in Miranda’s ear, “You can cry as much as you want.”

After what seemed like forever she stopped crying. Miranda looked into my eyes and said “Thank you.”

When family came to visit I was eager to introduce them to her. My sister Paisley and my father Chris loved Miranda. I was sure she loved them too. As I watched them interact it was a perfect picture. My heart filled with smiles. I was happier then I had been in a long while.

Three weeks flew over my head. The Season changed to a harsh winter. It was still breath taking. I could stare at it all day. Miranda did too.

One day the snow fell from the sky more lightly. When we both woke up and cleaned off the memories from the past days we set off to breakfast, hand in hand. We both ate in the cafeteria for breakfast lately to help with physical therapy. I got us Miranda’s favorite waffles and a fruit cup. Hospital food was no delight but it as still edible.

Miranda had been starring out the window for several minutes before she sighed and said, “I wish we could go outside.”

Then I knew it. Today I would take her outside even if it killed me. So I grabbed her hand and led her through the halls.

Repeatedly she said, “Where are we going?”

Then I turned to her and asked her to close her eyes. After she did we continued walking. I opened the door and a breeze skipped around us.

“Open your eyes” I whispered.

When she did she feasted her eyes on the glistening winter wonderland. I led her out into the snow. It began to melt on our skin when it fell. I leaned in and she placed her hands on my face for an incredible first kiss.

Later that day some tests were taken to see how we were recovering. But when Dr. Fine came in, her face looked almost frightened.

“Miranda,” he turned to her. “Your test showed much improvement as did Keighlum’s.”

She looked down at her feet before she turned to me. “Keighlum in your tests there was improvement like I said. But in one of them we found cancer in your stomach. It’s has progressed too much to do anything about it, at this point. We will be letting you out of the hospital in four weeks so you could spend what little time you have left with loved ones. I will be checking on you frequently. With that she left.

Miranda began to cry. Then her crying became so loud it was like she was screaming. My body was shaking. Nurses came tumbling in to calm us down but nothing helped. Nothing was going to change the fact that my insides were being eaten by cancer.

Four weeks flew by and before we knew it our first day out of the hospital was finally here. For me it would be my final day. This I was sure of. My body weakened drastically. I felt almost lifeless. But I would be strong for Miranda and I. Chris walked us to the car and we drove home. Miranda was going to stay with us until my final day.

When we arrived at my house Miranda and I changed into snow clothes and lay in the snow. The snow danced above us as I held Miranda in my arms. I remembered our first kiss again and thought of how tender she was. My eyelids closed for a second taking in the memory.

As it replayed in my mind over and over again I looked down to Miranda and whispered, “I love you.”
She moved so her head was over mine and replied, “I love you too Keighlum.”
My heard slowed down with each passing moment. I grabbed her hair so I could smell it one more time.
“You smell more lovely then the first day of Spring” I said as I pressed my lips to hers.
Tears welled up in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
I breathed heavily and looked away. She quickly got up and went to scream for help but I stopped her.
“No please don’t leave me, stay here.” I begged. Again she nestled in my arms.

As I took one last breath to say goodbye to the world I could hear her whimper, “Please don’t leave me.”
With all my might I said “I will never leave you, for I will always be in your heart. Our love goes on and grows even if I am not here to cherish it. I am forever with you my love.”

She pressed her lips to mine as we said goodbye for the last time.