I walked into the room;

Mustard walls surround me as fragile rays of sunlight stream through the window facing east.

As I look around this open space I attempt to recall all of the faces that have entered and passed through;

Some came into this peaceful room as quietly as they had left: others came in dramatically and left that same way.

My fingers glaze the somewhat chipped wall while one person in particular floats through my mind;

His presence lingers in the room like a trapped ghostly spirit.

I walk towards the window: the glass is cold, smooth against my hand.

The yard is spread out below me and I can see him sitting in a blue lawn chair next to a small fire.

I vaguely feel his ghostly arms wrap around my small waist;

Faintly I hear the words “I love you” brush my ear.

A small knock on the closet door made me turn around.

His silhouette closely followed me towards the closet;

Unaware of what he had left behind in the small space, I opened the folding doors to find a small box on the top shelf.

“Open it” he whispered; so soft I could have imagined the words, as I took the small white box off the shelf.

Inside was a small, silver banded ring; one diamond in the center with two amethyst stones: one on either side.

A jagged breath came through my mouth, warm tears escaped my eyes, and his faint voice whispered “we’ll be together forever” as he slowly slipped away.

A sob let out as I felt him leave; I felt his spirit leave the space around me, the room, the house, and finally I felt the earth let go of his precious soul.

I turned toward the door to leave his room, his space; every memory of him, me, us flashed through my mind; every moment crisp as a fall leaf.

As I walked out of his room, I felt a small sense of peace that must have lingered with the remains of his spirit; I took the small ring out of the box, slide it onto my ring finger realizing that it was engraved with the four words that would live with me for as long as I live: “We’ll be together forever”.