Each Other's North Star

It was a cool winter night in January. A soldier stood in front of two lovely girls: his wife and his daughter. As he set his bad down in the snow, he gave his wife a hug. As he gave her the last hug they would share until he would return, he whispered, "I love you," into her ear. As they kissed, he smiled, wiped away a tear that had formed in her eyes and bent down so he was eye-to-eye with his daughter, Evelyn.

"Good luck, dad. I know you'll do great and powerful things." She said, as he smiled, pushing some of her brown hair back behind her ear.

"That's it? No hug, no kiss, no nothing? Just good luck? I'm hurt, Eve. I'm really hurt."He said. She smiled, as he pulled her in closer, so her head was on his shoulder. He felt the tears begin to hit his shirt, and his heart began to ache, but he was only going off to war to protect his family, friends, and his darling Evelyn.

She looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face, and faked a smile. He smiled back as he set her down on his lap and looked her square in the eye.

"I'm sorry dad. I really thought that I was ready. I kept telling myself all week that I wouldn't cry, that I would be strong, and I'd be able to smile when I saw you off, but I guess I was wrong. I still don't see why you have to go, why everything has to change."

"I know you don't darling, but it's changing for the best. The sooner the war is over, the faster I can get back here to you and mom. Trust me, I'll be safe. I'm not on the front lines." He replied.

"You don't have to be on the front lines to be hurt or killed."

"You're right. You don't."

She stood up, and started to walk away, as n the background, she heard the conductor say, "All aboard." Knowing deep in her heart that she didn't want to let her dad go with her just walking away, she turned around, and ran back for her father. He smiled, and bent down to catch her in his arms. As he wrapped his arms around her one last time, he, himself found tears falling from his eyes, though he wouldn't let her see them.

"Eve I only have a moment, but this is for you." He said, as he handed her a small box. As she ripped the paper off and opened the box, she saw a silver locket on a piece of blue felt. He bend down, took it out of the box, and quickly put it around her neck. As he kissed her on the head, he picked up his bag, gave a quick kiss to his wife, and ran on board the train. He quickly took a window seat, and put the window down as the train blew its horn, and began to move. Evelyn ran to keep up with it, as he put his hand out the window, and she reached to grab it.

"Just remember, Eve, we're each others North Star. Just look up and you'll find me." And with that the train left the station with her still standing there. Her mother came over to her, and wrapped her arms around Evelyn to take her home, but Evelyn just stood there, silent, waiting and hoping that the train would come back with her father on it, but after a half hour of waiting, she realized that he wasn't coming back. She turned around slowly, and allowed her mother to guide her to the car. Her hero had left her and she never felt so alone in the world. 

I Love You

A daughter was born into this world
One dark and stormy day
A premature baby
Whose life was at play
She lay in an isolette
In the NICU ward
Her father came to see her
And visit everyday
Everytime he left her
In the care of the doctors
He always smiled and whispered
"I love you Vesper"

His daughter soon grew
And came home alive and well
She learned to smile and laugh
How to play and be herself
And every night he put her to bed
He always smiled and kissed her
And patted her on the head
Then turned out the light and whispered
"I love you Vesper"

Soon she grew into a touchy, young teen
Who went to Jr. High
And thought she was a queen
They started to fight
And she learned to disagree
But every night he still whispered
"I love you Vesper"

He now had a teenage on his hands
Who had dreams she wanted to achieve
She wanted to party
She wanted to drive
She wanted to be popular
She wanted to thrive
He worried and wondered night and day about her
Would she make the right choices at school today?
She learned to argue
And how to hold back
She learned how to love
And how to let go
She learned about the future from the past
He always said "I love you"
And that was the only thing that didn't change

But one day he forgot to say it
And he felt so bad
When he heard a friend saying
That there was a shooting
Right where his daughter was
He got in the car
And refused to look back
He prayed for the best
But prepared for the worst
He rushed to the hospital
He rushed to her side
She opened her eyes
And smiled while taking his hand
She coughed up some blood which he wiped away
Their eyes met as he heard her say,
"I love you too, daddy."

My Heart's Deep Feeling For The One I Love

You have one new message...Message One, Thursday, August 24 at 9:45 AM

      I'm trying to trust myself and believe what my heart is telling me. I'm looking down the hall, and I see your smiling face. I'm lost in a dark jail cell, but you seemed to be what lights up my room. I'm trying to tell you just how I feel, but every time I'm close enough; I don't know what to say. I'm wishing that you were just a mind reader so you could just see what I want to say. I'm scared and afraid that it won't work like how we want, but I want to be back in your arms.  While my brain is running out of control 24/7, my heart is begging for it to feel some love, but I reject it because I don't have time, so now, I'm swelling up inside. I'm always running around and around that I'm not sure I'm always on the ground. I've allowed my life to become so wild and crazy, that I'm slowly slipping from my childhood and its wonderful memories. So now, it looks like just one question remains. Can we try again, where I will finally commit to it? I've had time to think, and I now see that sometimes I'm not as smart as I seem to be, so now maybe you'll understand me, and see what causes me to be the me you see. Last time I wasn't sure about what being in a relationship meant, but it means to give, and never look back, and accept the person with whom you are with. Now more than ever, I could use someone like you in my world which is slowly falling apart. Your love and support would mean te world to me. I've closed my heart too what I so deeply need that I am as cold as ice, but with you, my heart would be let free, and maybe I would be able to learn to love again. I know that it didn't work last time, but I'm willing to fight for it this time, and most importantly, I won't let what's happened in the past affect us again, but I need time, and space to get use to a trusting relationship that I hope and want to have with you...

End of messages...

Help me make the music of the night

 It was late, almost midnight, yet she found herself  wrapped in a wool blanket and standing out on the porch in the cool summer night. Tears streamed her face as in the distance she heard someone singing softly the music of the night and she smiled slightly as a breeze rustled through the trees and she pulled the blanket tighter around herself. On her finger, the streetlamp caught a setting in a ring causing it to sparkle, and it caught her tear glazed eye. She was waiting for death. And then, he appeared. He came out of no where and as he approached her, he extended his hand out to her silently. Was he death? This man who appeared out of no where and was dressed for a time period that hadn't existed for over a 100 years. Yet, without question, as if her soul longed to be with this strange man, she placed her hand into his and he led her down the concrete stairs and into a warm embrace before his cape swirled around them and they disappeared. His embrace surrounded her and while so unfamiliar, it couldn't help but be familiar to her. His looks, his smell, his touch-it was all so familiar, so comfortable to her and so she relaxed in his arms. She had no idea where she was going, and yet she was so okay with that.He spoke not a word to her as he swirled the cape of pure black velvet away and revealed what her fantasies could have only begun to think, no matter what time period she would ever be in and as she looked up into the face of the mysterious man, did her mind go black as he ran a hand gently down her check. She quivered under his gentle crease and found that nothing anymore mattered to her except him, whoever he was.

"Who are you?" She finally managed to ask, but he didn't answer her. Instead, he slowly and gently was helping the night unroll the splendor it had planned for its angel of music that he had brought it. Following him with her eyes, she asked her question again as he turned around and faced her, his eyes piercing her dark eternal blue ones as he slowly approached her.

"I am your angel of music." He whispered, each word sounding like a dove cooing sweet notes at her, but to this response, she found she had nothing to say, no question to ask of the mysterious caped man. Then,. before she had time to think, he walked around her before taking her into his arms once more and holding her tight against his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist as her hands scrambled to meet his. Then, with the same gentle touch, he slipped his hands up to her shoulders and slipped the blanket away, revealing a sheer floor length nightgown with robe of satin and lace adoring every curve of her body and kissing every ounce of angel like skin she was made of, and without question, did he untie the robe and gently slip that off her body as she spun around and faced him, her hands slowly untying the cape from around his neck as he whispered to her, "Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation. Let your darker side give in." as her senses started to abandon their defenses and he watched as she turned both her face and thoughts away from the cold, unfeeling night before she closed her eyes and surrendered to her darkest dreams. Scooping her high into his arms, he carried her over to a carved swan water bed and laid her amongst the silk sheets before he reached behind him and pulled the heavy cord and watched as a sheet black curtain surrounded the edge of the bed and he allowed her to help his soul take flight. Then, when he was sure that she was asleep, tucked softly under his strong, masculine arms, he silently slipped out of the bed and picked up his clothes before he left her to sleep. He had work to do to make sure that his angel of music wouldn't leave him like she had done so many years before, and there was only one way to ensure that she'd be able to live now like she had never before. Tying his cape back around his neck, he blew out the few remaining candles and headed up to his opera house to find the man that had taken her from him the first time.

Waking several hours to the darkened room, her imagination began to stir as she looked around the room, her eyes falling upon a dress of pure silk that as she put it on, it felt like a waterfall dancing over its rocks, and before she had a chance to finish buttoning the back of it, she felt his breath dancing on her neck as he pulled her in close to him once more as his finished buttoning it for her, each time his fingers brushed over her back, a shiver danced up and down her spine as he whispered her name sweetly into her ear, "Christine, Christine." He repeated as he ran his fingers over hers before she tipped her neck back and he placed several kisses on her throat, before he spoke again. "I must go. Stay, until I come for you." He requested of her as she nodded her head and silently allowed herself to be scooped back into his arms and laid in the bed once more before he disappeared. After she was sure that he was gone, she began the long descent up to the opera house he called his own and upon the stage full of fire, yet she showed no fear or concern for her life as he called out to her. Turning towards him, she slide her dress straps off her shoulders before he grabbed a rope and swung down from high above the stage, scooped her into his arms and returned to where he had been. Setting her down, she turned and placed her hand on his cheek.

"How long are we two wait until we're one?" she asked as he smiled.

"We're pass the point of no return." He whispered, as he dipped her in his arms and kissed her passionately. "Share with me one love, one lifetime. Say you'll want me with you. Anywhere you go, let me go to. Christine, that's all I ask of you." He whispered to her as he let her up and looked at her for the late time as she began to fade away into the darkness. "Christine..." he called softly before she disappeared.

Upon her grave, a long stem rose rested on the cold, elegant headstone, a diamond ring tied to the stem with his black velvet cord. An elegant scroll laid with it, one simple ling written in the reddest ink known to man-blood.

Help me make the music of the night

Photo's courtesy of Google.Com Search

One Minute

     As she picked up the tan phone that hung on the dirty gray brick wall, she took a deep breath and sighed as a cool crisp voice of a hospital operator on the end of the line said "Metro Health Medical Center. How can I help you?" Running a nervous hand down the front of her knee length black skirt, Josette Kersavan answered her.

     "Yes would you page mortality for me please. I'm waiting at the back doors." she replied before she put the phone back in the cradle as a black SUV pulled up behind her in the long, narrow driveway. Turning around, she watched as a cop got out and began approaching her, his hand resting lightly on the butt of his Glock-9.

     "Can I help you miss?" he questioned as he eyed her from head to toe in one look before narrowing his eyes and waited for her to answer. Stepping out from under the breeze way, she replied.

     "I'm waiting for Jack Brickman." she answered, her eyes never making contact with his and her voice never sowing or even hinting at the fact that she was out of place, even though she was.

     "Just wanted to be sure. We've had some issues around here lately and you don't look familiar. He know you waiting?" the cop questioned as she shrugged her shoulders.

     "I assume so. I asked for him to be paged." Josette shot back before adding, "I'm with Kersavan Funeral Home and I'm picking up a death certificate." as she watched him click on his radio and start talking into it. Placing a hand gently on her womb, she took another deep breath and sighed as she heard the glorious sound of the heavy doors opening. Turning to face the doors, she smiled at the gentlemen in front of her. It had been a while since she had seen him, ad while he looked familiar, she wasn't a hundred percent sure, but he was.

     "Hello sweetheart." he said softly as she felt her cheeks turn red as she blushed. It was Jack. The voice was a dead giveaway.  Waving to the cop, Jack smiled as he extended his hand towards the open doors leading to the basement of the hospital. Nodding at the officer, Josette's heels clicked all the way inside the hospital and stopped just inside the doors to wait for him.

     "You've been drinking again haven't you?" she asked as he turned and faced her. It was the only thing that could explain the sudden weight gain and his head of slightly gray hair.

     "Does it matter?" he asked quietly, as he stuck his hands into the pockets of his lab coat, longingly desperate to reach out and pull her back into his arms once again like she belonged. "Besides," he added "I've been worried about you." he stated as they started to walk down the hall towards the office. Pulling open a second, single wooden door, he led her to an office marked AUTOPSY/MORTALTY OFFICE. Walking into the cramped, tiny office, he closed the door and looked at her for the first real time that day. She was stunning. Her chestnut brown hair hung loosely, the waves of it hugging her lightly colored face while her diamond blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. Her cheeks still bore some of the red retained from blushing at him earlier and her coral colored lips that begged silently to be kissed by him were opened just enough for Jack to see several of her crystal white teeth. She wore nothing special, yet as he admired the silk dark green blouse and basic black skirt, his eyes caught the sparkle of her three strand diamond anklet that rested slightly above her six inch black heels. As he leaned against the wall, she blushed ever so slightly.

     "You've been worried about me?" Josette asked, as he nodded his head, his eyes never break contact with hers. "Why? Wait. Never mind. I'm just here for Mrs. Hart's death certificate." she said a few seconds later. Pointing to the window looking out into the hall, he nodded his head again. Taking a single piece of paper out of the window track, she went to open the door to leave when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

     "Jos. Don't let it end this way. I..." he started, as she turned around to face him once more. She could see the hurt in his brown eyes, even through the tears dancing in her's.

     "Let it end how? You're the one who decided how it ended Jack. Please, just let it be. Let's just go back to you being the mortality guy and me being the funeral director and embalmer." Josette said softly as she placed a hand gently on her womb as she felt the wave of nausea beginning to overcome her. Setting the death certificate on the wooden desk along side of her, she bent over the trashcan and threw up. Going over to her, Jack gently rubbed her back.

     "It's alright Jos. Let it up." he said, as he handed her some paper towels. Still bend over the trashcan, she cried.

     "It's not okay. I caught you with another girl. I got engaged to a freakin heart doctor and I'm pregnant...I'm pregnant with your baby who is siding with its father and its all your fucking fault, and to top it off, I'm crying and I swore that no matter what was said, I wouldn't cry."

     "You're pregnant?" Jack asked, as he helped her to the desk chair before kneeling on the floor in front of her. "Oh Jos. How far? Are you sure?" he asked, before he handed her a tissue.

     "Why else would I be throwing up all the time?" she said, half laughing-half crying. "And about seventeen weeks." she added, rubbing her face dry before continuing. "God, I hate you."

     "Seventeen weeks? That's what, four months? Jos, why didn't you tell me?" he questioned as she looked at him.

     "You said you weren't interested in having kids. And besides that, what good would it have done? I'm engaged to Thad. It's his baby or it will be after we're married next week." she replied as she stood up and took a drink of water from the bottle he placed on the desk for her. "Which reminds me, I'm suppose to have dinner with him in an hour. I need to go and get ready." she added, as Jack stood up and pulled her into his arms, or at least tried to. Knowing what he was about to do, she pushed against his chest, but he didn't let go and after a few moments, she stopped and began shaking her head.

     "Jack please." she whispered as he placed his hand on her cheek. "What about Thad?"

     "What about him Jos?" he replied as he guided her lips to his. Refusing to fight any longer, she simply gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt his wrapped around her waist. Kissing her deeply and passionately, Jack prayed that the moment would never end, but his wish was short lived as her cell phone rang. Breaking off the kiss, she sighed.

     "Duty calls." she whispered, tears streaming silently down her face as she answered her phone with a brisk and quick "Kersavan." After a few silent moments, she nodded her head at no one, said ok and hung up. Picking up Mrs. Hart's death certificate once more, she sighed again.

     "Jos-"

     "I'm sorry. I have to go. Goodbye Jack." she said softly as she opened the office door and walked out, quickly brushing her silent tears off her face as she walked, while Jack stood in the office doorway and watched as the love of his like walked away from him once again.

     "Jos. Wait." he called to her a second later, as she turned around and looked at him. Jogging down the hallway towards her, he stopped and smiled slightly.

     "Jack. Please don't make this any harder then it already is." she said, as she bite her upper lip. She loved him, she couldn't deny it, no matter how hard she tried.

     "Don't go." he said, as he looked at her. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but he just couldn't seem to find the right words to say what he wanted to say.

     "Jack-"

     "Jos. I love you. You love me. Forget Thad. You're not happy with him. He's everything your not. He's always in the lime light. Your always going to big society events that you hate and he doesn't even respect your profession. You've said it yourself that he doesn't want you working after the baby's born. Jos. He's wrong for you."

     "But you think that you're the right one for me? You cheated on me with my girl friend. I caught you with Alyssa in our living room kissing her just as passionately as you were kissing me in that office. You told her that you loved her and you called her you "sweet baby" for god sakes and I'm suppose to be okay with all that?" she cried as she dropped the death certificate she was holding on the floor as she felt all the tears from the pain, hurt and betrayal falling uncontrollably. Walking over to her, Jack reached out to touch her, but she pushed against his chest before she backed away.

     "Josie. Please." he said in just a whisper, but she shook her head.

     "Just stay away from me." she cried as she slapped him in the face before she turned around and ran out the doors as they slammed in his face. Bending down, he picked up the Hart death certificate and carried it silently back into the office. Sitting down at the desk, he sighed as he picked up the phone and dialed the funeral home from memory. He knew that they needed the death certificate that night so they could cremated Mrs. Hart in the morning and he didn't want the fact that he had upset Josette to get in the way.

    Reaching her mustang at the top of "mortality hill", Josette unlocked the drivers door and collapsed into the front seat and cried. That damn bastard. How could he mess with her emotions like that, especially when he knew that she was happy with Thad, despite what he said, even though everything he said was true. She hated all those high society parties and events and Thad did want her to give up her profession after the baby was born even though she had no intention of leaving the funeral business, but regardless, Josette did love Thad regardless of their minor differences. But she loved Jack more, regardless of the fact that he had cheated on her with Alyssa. Jack was the father of her unborn child. She was certain with every ounce of her body that Jack was the baby's father, just like she was certain with those same ounces that she was still madly in love with Jonathan James Brickman. Reaching alongside of her seat, she realized that she had forgotten Mrs. Hart's death certificate back inside and as much as she dreaded going back in there, she was still on company time and was expected to show up at the funeral home in the morning with the certified copies of her death certificate so they could have her cremated that afternoon. Rubbing her face dry, Josette took a deep breath, stepped out of the car and walked silently back to the doors that led to the mortality office and to him. Picking up the phone once more, she sighed once again.

     "Josette Kersavan for Jack Brickman please." she said, before placing the phone back in the cradle and waited for him to return. Opening the door, he smiled at her.

     "I wasn't expecting you to come back, so I put the certificate in my office for Nick or your dad to come down and pick up tomorrow." Jack said, as she nodded her head.

     "I didn't think my pride would let me come back. In fact, I'm not sure why I came back other than the simple fact that we needed it and regardless of us and our problems, Mrs. Hart and her family shouldn't have to suffer because of it." she replied as he ushered her into the hallway and closed the door behind them.

     "Do you...are you going to wait here or go back to the office with me?" he asked. Swallowing, she answered.

     "I can come down with you." she replied as he smiled gently at her.

     "Alright then." he said as they started to walk down the hall towards the single door once more, but she stopped him, her hand placed gently on his arm. Turning around, he looked at her.

     "You were right Jack. I'm not happy with Thad, but it doesn't mean that I don't love him." she said softly as he placed his hand on hers. "And it doesn't mean that I don't love you, because I do. I can't help but be in love with you, even though you hurt me, I hurt you when I went back to Thad. Oh Jack, I'm sorry for what I said." she whispered, as he ran his hand down her cheek gently.

     "I didn't want to be right Jos. But I watch you on TV and I can see right through your eyes that being with him isn't what you want. But I'm glad, so glad, that you still love me, even though you hate me for what happened. But I assure you, that she didn't mean anything to me and there hasn't been-" but she silenced him with her lips resting on his.

     "I don't care Jack." she whispered as she kissed him. "All I care about right now is you and me." she added as she wrapped her arms passionately around his neck, before wrapping her legs around his waist as he held her tightly in his arms. Pushing through the door that led towards the mortality office, he nudged open the office door and carried her through the doorway, setting her gently on the desk before he closed the door behind them. Neither cared about the fact that in under an hour, Josette had a dinner to be at and they especially didn't care about the past or the future. All that mattered at that moment of time was each other and as they rekindled that love, at least for that night, Josette and Jack were where they were meant to be-with each other. 

Semper Fi

He sat alone on the last Tuesday night he would be in Cleveland, in his second home-the choir loft of St. Patrick's church. With his dress uniform on, he sat down behind the piano and began playing, allowing the music he adored to over come him one last time.
     She knew where he was at, and as she walked into the church, she heard the music and knew that she was right. Her school uniform was still on, though she had changed into jeans and tennis shoes, and she quickly and quietly climbed the stairs to the loft and let herself in, hiding among the shadows of the pipes for the organ, she waited for him to finish. As he finished the song, she stepped into the light and began to clap.
     "Play it again Sam." she spoke as he turned and smiled. As she went over to the piano and leaned against it, he leaned back and snagged his book off the organ and flipped to a page he had marked.
     "We'll sing it together, okay?" she smiled and nodded her head. As he began to play, she listened closely to the melody as they sang, but as the music continued to play, she realized that she was crying and turned to hide the tears, but she wasn't fast enough. Stopping, he looked at her, opened his arms, and welcomed her into them. Walking into his arms, she placed her head on his shoulder and cried. He soothed her, quietly telling her and reassuring her that she was going to be okay, but more importantly to her, that he was going to be okay. Slowly, she looked up into her best friend's eyes and smiled weakly. Gently, he wiped the tears away and then they left, closing the door behind them. As the stepped outside and he watched her go off on her own, he grinned and wiped a tear away from his eyes.
     "Eve?" he called, as she turned around and looked at him.
     "Yeah."
     "Semper Fi!"
      "Semper Fi." and with that, she smiled, turned and walked away from the one person whom she cared about the most.