Storyteller

I remember the way he laughed- the way he cherished life. He was a beautiful man with a heart of gold. Everything he did was motivated by love and faith.

I can still remember the day we ran into the forest and found a large grassy area filled with poppies. He smiled as I stood in awe at the beauty and laid down a blanket on the grass with the brown picnic basket on the side. He walked towards me and hugged me from the back and we gazed at each other; we were so in love.

We sat on the blanket and talked about what we wanted in the years to come. He said he wanted his life to be an adventure with no expectations as long as he had me. I smiled at him and our lips touched. His lips were mesmerizing and connected to mine as if they were meant to be together. It was an enchanting day but I didn't realize that it would be our last.

The day after we professed our love to each other, he came to my house and brought me to the park. He bought us ice cream- mint chocolate chip. We sat down on a bench, with our ice cream cones in our hand, when he told me the news. Tears came down my eyes as he spoke about his doctors visit.

"I'm sick," he said. "I have stage four colorectal cancer and I don't have much longer."

We stayed at the park for hours as we cried onto each other. He was the love of my life and I was his. We were still kids- eighteen and nineteen years old- on the day in the park. The tears faded as we calmed each other down when he looked at me and bent down on one knee.

"I love you," he said.

I smiled and accepted the ring as he brought me into a hug. We cried more but neither of us cared.

The days went on and each day, he got more sick. We knew his days were coming to an end as we began to prepare. On his last day, we said goodbye and he closed his eyes.

It's been three years without him but I'll cherish the time I had forever. My daughter may never know her father but I tell her stories everyday; he would have loved her and would have cared for her. She has his laugh and his smile. I see him everyday in her.