Chapter Twenty Five
Restoration
She decided to go out into the back garden, into the fresh air. As Ems stood outside and looked into the night sky, she knew something was wrong. The ill feeling inside made her rush back indoors to lie down on the sofa. The pain increased and extended down on her side and across her stomach and chest. It also came with a nauseous feeling. She had never experienced anything like this before. It was an entirely odd feeling. It seemed to concentrate mostly on her right side. She managed enough to get to take a pain killer and spent most of the evening lying on the sofa. He hadn’t text or called her. It was all too quiet! The pounding in her chest was louder than anything, it filled her ears, she felt dizzy...
When she awoke, it was already approaching daylight. She woke up feeling the stiffness from having slept on the sofa, sitting up she look out through the large gap in the curtains. The night sky was just a dusting of grey now as the suns pink and reddish tones were crossing the through the nights dull palate. Ems realised the ill feeling she had was gone.
‘How strange!,’ she thought.
She reached for her phone and dialled Max, but all she got was his answering machine, so she left him a voicemail message and a text. She had waited for a while to hear something back from him, but nothing came.
Then the phone rang suddenly as she was just about to go and sit out in the garden.
But there was no answer no voice down the line. She replaced the phone back in its charger.
Out in the morning air in the garden, a faint breeze whispered her hair away from her face, as she sat at the small table again looking skyward, her thoughts were only on Max and what was happening. Why no word? Why the silence?
Then as she was about to pick up the book she had placed on the table...
A hand reached to hers, to stop her...
Shocked, she looked up in mild panic, but then relief by his sudden appearance in her garden, Ems stood up to embrace him. He moved her away, but held her hands.
‘Ems. Ems. Emma!’ He repeated.
He looked deep into her eyes and she felt her heart melt but also crash as there was something in there she had not seen before, something ...she could not comprehend! She was poised. She felt she had lost all the power of speech, of questioning, of reasoning.., it all went out of her head, all she could think of was that he was here and here was all that mattered...
‘You know I am not from here. I am from somewhere far far beyond human knowledge, beyond this world and planets. No matter how far your mind can expand with knowledge of universes, stars, planets, in other words, the cosmos, you will not be able to find what you seek. For this is beyond anything!’
Ems mouth opened as if to speak but nothing came forth. She had so many questions but they were all bundled together, none made sense. All she could do was listen to him, to the rich tone of his voice, the warm eyes, and the way the wind moved through his hair, just him. ‘You know I will always be with you. I carry your love with me always. I carry the memory of us. I carry...’ the words trailed off as his lips found hers. He kissed her lightly at first and then deeply...as she opened her eyes, she saw him gently smile and run his fingers through her hair.
‘The time for me to leave has come. I will not be back. But I will watch over you. I will always be with you,’ as he placed his hand over her heart, ‘here and here,’ he said, as he placed his other hand on her head.
‘Why?’ Ems asked and was about to ask more questions, but he placed a finger gently on her lips.
‘Time is limited here, where I am from there is no limit. Life on this world is limited but for a few short seasons. Time will come and time will go, but know this, your love breaks through those boundaries. The love we shared is and will always be inside of me, what you gave, but more than that you gave your time to me, as your earth time is precious, and so it is, this love, our love.’
Ems tried to speak again, but yet again he stopped her, this time by kissing her softly. He cradled her face in his hands, his fingers softly sweeping her skin.
He smiled sadly as Ems felt the first trickle of tears falling down her cheeks. Her eyes had welled up and stung. Her heart was breaking. This was just awful. No words could not convey how she was feeling but the feeling coursed through every fibre of her being.
‘Can I not come with you?’ she asked snuffling her nose.
‘No you cannot! Not now at least, your time is not yet. Your time may be long or short, but whichever it is, I will be waiting for you. I do not know how many of your earth years this will take but it does not matter what matters is that you live your life well, be happy and ...know that you are loved, always.’
'I love you', he said softly as he gently cupped her face in his palms and kissed her forehead/
‘I love you so much,’ Ems replied.
He then kissed her lips, at first softly, then breathtakingly deep, tormenting her soul, and then ending with the softest lightest kiss.
The lips that kissed hers had suddenly stopped. Ems opened her eyes.
He was gone.
She was alone in the garden.
There was a sudden gust of wind, the pages of the book on the table fluttered open and a small piece of paper flew out onto the grass.
Ems picked it up.
It read... ‘Time will make no difference, for what was, will always be and for always, will always be in my heart. I am with you now and beyond forever.’
Tears streamed down Ems face. She felt as if the whole world had been taken from her.
Things will not be the same and life without him was going to be the hardest challenge of all. She pressed the slip of paper back into the book and closed it.
No matter what transpires in life, she would always love him and him only.
The days passed. Ems went back to college for the last time to collect her graduation certificate. Alice and Ben were amongst those that cheered when her name was called. She took the certificate and gave a smile albeit a sad one to the people in the auditorium.
'Yay!' Ben shouted out as he greeted Ems with a high five and then being hugged by Alice. Holding Ems by the upper arms, Alice enquired 'Are you coming to the party tonight to celebrate?!'
‘We would love you to come, and Paaartaaay! Ben added while doing some twisting dance movements from the 50's!
‘I don't know. I am not sure!’ she hesitated.
‘C'mon it will be fun, you will enjoy it!’ Alice said. You need it particularly at this time. Ems I do understand you know!’
Ems stood in thought for a few seconds. It crossed her mind that she was either going home to stay home alone or going home to go out with friends. She remembered what Max had said. It echoed through her.
‘Alright, 'she said, and with that Alice started jumping up and down while clapping her hands like a seal.
‘I will go to your party but I won't stay long though. Ok?!'
Alice stopped jumping when she heard the latter part, but started again, as Alice added, 'But at least you're coming! She beamed broadly.
Ben just looked at Alice and attempted to jump up and down mimicking her.
‘I will leave you two space hoppers to it then!’ Ems smiled lightly.
When she realised she was smiling, she stopped. What was there to smile about?! He was gone, so were her dreams, her hopes, everything just gone!
She looked back at Alice and Ben, still jumping around and giggling. Ems remembered Max and his parting words. 'Live your life well, be happy and always know that you are loved.’
Arriving home she struggled to find the house keys. It was lightly raining after a heavy shower, which she had missed by a half an hour, largely due to company of her college friends after the ceremony. Ems pulled out her purse and her make up bag. The sound of metal hitting concrete made her aware the keys had dropped to the ground.
As she stooped to pick her keys up, she caught a glimpse of the sun breaking through the dark rain clouds which w
ere reflecting in a puddle of water on the pavement and for one brief moment she thought she saw Max smiling back at her, she smiled gently. She felt a well of water fill her eyes, the memories of the love and friendship they had shared came to her. Turning the key, the hall door opened...
As she saw the photo of Max, which she always carried everywhere with her...
She loved him, and would love him forever
Epilogue
A few years later, almost July, the heat of the noon day sun scorched the dry parched earth it was one of those hot summer days. Ems along with Alice, Declan, Ben, and her friends Rosie and Klara sat under the cool shade of the large umbrella out in the back garden.
'How is the business going?' Ben asked Ems.
'Just waiting to hear back if I got the new studio!’ she replied and then took a sip of some iced tea.
'Hope you get it!' added Declan. 'Where is it?'
'In Rambleback!' she paused and smiled softly. Her smile tinged with sadness... ‘It is just perfect, and a perfect place to, and for work!'
'I heard it is lovely down there particularly during the summer.' Klara remarked.
Ems looked around and smiled. 'Though I will miss Marlin City,' and inwardly thoughts of moving to Rambleback, so full of beautiful memories, ones that had filled her mind ever since the holiday she spent with Max.
Just then a little boy ran straight out from the patio doors, and scarpered around the garden waving a rocket ship and an astronaut toy. Six years old and so lively!
He ran towards Ems, where she planted a loving kiss on the crown of his mid brown locks. Merrily he waved the astronaut toy about and pretended he was an intergalactic astronaut spinning in his spaceship through the planets.
Ems turned back to Alice and smiled. 'He has grown so fast!'
Alice looked past Ems to the boy happily playing with his spaceship and astronaut toys. 'He is so adorable, ‘turning to look at Ems, ‘you’ve been very lucky!'
She smiled back but rather sadly. He was the image of his father, she thought.
'How I wish his father was here to see him grow!' she added, taking in a deep breath, 'but there is nothing I can do about that!'
Ems smiled pensively and inwardly she felt sadness envelope her. There was indeed nothing she could do or say to ease the pain of the loss of Max. No matter how much time had passed, not a day or night went by without the memories flooding back. He had indeed loved her for a lifetime, an eternity. Looking up to the clear blue cloudless sky, she knew that each night, a star, just the one star in the sky, the one furthest beyond, looked down on her and their son at the close of every day.
His starlight shone every night, even through the misty clouds. He was always there... Always
‘Time may come and go, and the seasons may drift but some things remain constant, as constant as the stars in the heavens...and that is ...Love.’
About the Author
This is the third book that I have published and my first published novel. I have been actively writing since my school days. I have also been involved in the creative arts, in ballet and contemporary dance, as well as painting, sketching and photography.
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