Melissa said not a word as Charles entered the room gazing around at what he saw. "What is all this?" he asked staring down at four unopened crates of Moet Chandon; which had beautifully wrapped presents placed upon them. But the strangest objects in the room were a tall mannequin dressed in Marine Corps Military Dress Blues and next to that was another mannequin; which was attired in a long, flowing, white wedding dress; which had a few bloodstains on the bodice. Melissa did not answer him, nor would she enter the room as Charles noticed a newspaper open to the obituaries, and there he read the obituary for a one Nathaniel Hurchow, Captain in the Marine Corps Military Air Group #41. Charles read the terrible news turned to Melissa and said with a terribly sad look in his eyes. "Dear God Melissa. What happened?"
"I didn't mean for you to see this.., but if you come back and sit by the fire with me I will tell you everything." she replied looking down at the floor not able to meet his gaze. She turned off the light and taking Charles by the hand she shut the door and led him to the bathroom, then went and sat on the large couch in front of the roaring fire as she nervously waited for him to return; Which he did so presently, and sitting close to her he leaned over and whispered softly in her ear. "If you are uncomfortable you don't have to tell me anything. I only wish to help."
She gave him a little laugh and smile though her eyes were full of sadness as she began her tale "We were supposed to get married at ten o'clock.., that fall.., at the Highland Park Methodist Church, you know right off Mockingbird Lane." here she paused looking off into the fire as if she were seeing the day clearly in her mind. "It was a Sunday.., I had about twenty minutes before I had to walk down the aisle. I was dressed waiting with my mother and my bridesmaids, when we heard an unforgettable crash of twisting metal and breaking glass.., I turned to my mom and said 'I think someone just died.' Then we looked out the window and there on the corner, flipped over, was my fiance's car. He was late getting to the church and a young boy of 17 drunk out of his mind crashed into his car. I ran, though my mother tried to keep me from doing so, and I ran to the car picking up the long train of my wedding dress so I could go quickly. I looked through the shattered windshield but he was not there. Then I heard my mother screaming and as I turned I saw his crumpled, lifeless body lying under an old oak tree. I ran to him clutching his bleeding head in my arms, but it was too late." she sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she looked away from the fire and deep into his eyes and she said. "But it was too late. Nathaniel was dead... He wasn't wearing his seat belt and he was thrown from the vehicle." Melissa let out a deep sigh as she sat a little closer to Charles leaning her head against his shoulder. He did not know how to respond so he put his arm around her holding her close as she pressed her ear against his chest. The slow, rhythmic beating of his heart helped her to regain her composure and it was about ten minutes of uninterrupted silence when she sat up and wiping her tears away she apologized to him and thanked him for listening. Charles felt it had been a long time since she had spoken of this tragedy so he asked a few questions.
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Almost two years." she said taking his hand in hers, she drew her feet up underneath her as she leaned against the strong handsome man.
"And, you've been.., alone this whole time."
"Yes." Melissa answered in a sad low tone.
"Now, I know we only just met recently but, may I say, it is not healthy to live like this, with that room full of memories, It is not healthy and you do a disservice to Nathaniel's memory by keeping that room like that." he said in a caring voice and a loving tone.
"What would I do?"
"Well, for a start you could auction off all those wedding presents and crates of Champagne and buy some presents for Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps charity that gives Christmas presents to poor children. Just think how many presents they could get if you sold all those, things." he said trying to encourage her.
"And my dress?"
"You need to set that on fire."
"On fire?" she asked astounded by the suggestion.
"Let the smoke and ashes rise to Heaven and be scattered by the wind so you can be free and happy again." Charles smiled at her as he softly took her face turning it towards him so he could look in her eyes when he said "Because you are far too bright and too beautiful to be sad. Despair should never live by thee... My only wish is for you to be happy, always, for that is what you deserve." he said in a whisper and her nearness stirred something deep inside his heart. Taking in short, shallow, breaths Melisssa looked into his caring eyes and then she realized she agreed with everything he had to say. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up slightly moving closer to him and then with a soft and gentle kiss Charles closed his eyes and embraced her tightly pulling her close to his body as he kissed her deeply with much passion and unbridled vigor.
"I didn't mean for you to see this.., but if you come back and sit by the fire with me I will tell you everything." she replied looking down at the floor not able to meet his gaze. She turned off the light and taking Charles by the hand she shut the door and led him to the bathroom, then went and sat on the large couch in front of the roaring fire as she nervously waited for him to return; Which he did so presently, and sitting close to her he leaned over and whispered softly in her ear. "If you are uncomfortable you don't have to tell me anything. I only wish to help."
She gave him a little laugh and smile though her eyes were full of sadness as she began her tale "We were supposed to get married at ten o'clock.., that fall.., at the Highland Park Methodist Church, you know right off Mockingbird Lane." here she paused looking off into the fire as if she were seeing the day clearly in her mind. "It was a Sunday.., I had about twenty minutes before I had to walk down the aisle. I was dressed waiting with my mother and my bridesmaids, when we heard an unforgettable crash of twisting metal and breaking glass.., I turned to my mom and said 'I think someone just died.' Then we looked out the window and there on the corner, flipped over, was my fiance's car. He was late getting to the church and a young boy of 17 drunk out of his mind crashed into his car. I ran, though my mother tried to keep me from doing so, and I ran to the car picking up the long train of my wedding dress so I could go quickly. I looked through the shattered windshield but he was not there. Then I heard my mother screaming and as I turned I saw his crumpled, lifeless body lying under an old oak tree. I ran to him clutching his bleeding head in my arms, but it was too late." she sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she looked away from the fire and deep into his eyes and she said. "But it was too late. Nathaniel was dead... He wasn't wearing his seat belt and he was thrown from the vehicle." Melissa let out a deep sigh as she sat a little closer to Charles leaning her head against his shoulder. He did not know how to respond so he put his arm around her holding her close as she pressed her ear against his chest. The slow, rhythmic beating of his heart helped her to regain her composure and it was about ten minutes of uninterrupted silence when she sat up and wiping her tears away she apologized to him and thanked him for listening. Charles felt it had been a long time since she had spoken of this tragedy so he asked a few questions.
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Almost two years." she said taking his hand in hers, she drew her feet up underneath her as she leaned against the strong handsome man.
"And, you've been.., alone this whole time."
"Yes." Melissa answered in a sad low tone.
"Now, I know we only just met recently but, may I say, it is not healthy to live like this, with that room full of memories, It is not healthy and you do a disservice to Nathaniel's memory by keeping that room like that." he said in a caring voice and a loving tone.
"What would I do?"
"Well, for a start you could auction off all those wedding presents and crates of Champagne and buy some presents for Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps charity that gives Christmas presents to poor children. Just think how many presents they could get if you sold all those, things." he said trying to encourage her.
"And my dress?"
"You need to set that on fire."
"On fire?" she asked astounded by the suggestion.
"Let the smoke and ashes rise to Heaven and be scattered by the wind so you can be free and happy again." Charles smiled at her as he softly took her face turning it towards him so he could look in her eyes when he said "Because you are far too bright and too beautiful to be sad. Despair should never live by thee... My only wish is for you to be happy, always, for that is what you deserve." he said in a whisper and her nearness stirred something deep inside his heart. Taking in short, shallow, breaths Melisssa looked into his caring eyes and then she realized she agreed with everything he had to say. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up slightly moving closer to him and then with a soft and gentle kiss Charles closed his eyes and embraced her tightly pulling her close to his body as he kissed her deeply with much passion and unbridled vigor.
