Loss
Rain was pouring down from the sky upon a small group of people that were standing beneath some oaks. Raindrops touched the leaves of a giant oak that stretched out over the area, covering the people below in his shadow. Its leaves were tickled by the rain and they prevented the water from falling down into the still dry earth. The tree swallowed every bit of bittersweet fluid that it could.
A young woman stepped from under the huge tree and lifted her face towards the grey clouds that swim in a blue ocean called heaven. She closed her eyes as the rain tipped her light pink face. The water wet her black eyelashes which hid her beautiful eyes. One could only guess what their colour was. She opened her mouth and caught the tiny water drops with her pink tongue. She frowned as a wave of emotion filled her. Her eyelids wrinkled and a tear escaped past the eyelashes and found its way down. She slowly opened her eyes while more tears appeared in them. She opened her mouth and a sob escaped her. Condense flew into the wet environment as she sobbed. She shook her head and her long black curly hair shook off its wetness. She made a fist and put it against her forehead, rubbing her forehead gently. Then she took a deep breath and let her arm fall down. She lifted her head and remained up right, then opened her eyes. They shone with sadness, a deep chocolate brown. She wiped a tear from her cheek and put a lock of hair behind her ear. She cleared her throat.
"Beloved friends and... Family. We… We have gathered here today to say goodbye to our most trusted friend and dearest family member and..."
Her eyes closed for a moment. She clenched her fingers around the silver ring on her finger.
"And... Husband."
She opened her eyes again and a tear ran down slowly, carefully stroking her soft skin.
"He... He was a very special person to me and I am certain that he was special to a lot of people."
She met the eyes of Toussaint, the woman eyed down.
"Fate. Fate is inevitable. Some of us die old, other die young. It was fate that took my husband. God wanted it so."
She paused for a moment as tears came up all suddenly and she was too upset to continue. She quickly recovered and made the words pass her lips, past her tears.
"He taught me so much. So much love... So much wisdom. He made me realise what was most important in life. To love. And," she smiled, "Love we did."
She swallowed her sadness which was directly replaced by new emotions and tears.
"I'm relieved that he fought so well throughout his disease, and I know that he appreciated every bit of extra time that he got. He always said he wanted to spend it with you all, knowing that you were his friends, the people he loved. He wanted to pass on his message; to love."
She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then continued.
"Please respect his message and try to follow his wish as best as you can. That was all he wanted. Love your friends, love your wife, your husband, for suddenly it could be over and then you'll be sorry for all the times you didn't say you loved someone. So just tell your beloved every day how much you love them, before it's too late. Thank you."
She nodded and moved towards the fresh grave. She sobbed as she placed a bouquet of white flowers at the gravestone. She turned away and suddenly fell to the soaked ground in so much sorrow and pain. She cried and clenched the earth in her fists, reaching them to the sky. Her long black dress became dirty with her sorrow. A man pulled her to her feet.
"Madame Pontmercy, please."
She put her arms around the man and he lifted her, carrying her to a more comfortable place. Under the giant oak where no rain could come he put her down on the ground. She nodded a thank you and leaned against the oak.
"Giselle?"
She looked up at him in reply and tried to force a smile. She let go of the oak and stumbled forward, tired from all her tears. She could cry no more and let herself fall into his arms.
"Marius, I will miss him."
He nodded and stroked her hair.
"He will be greatly missed."
Giselle closed her eyes and buried her face in her father's-in-law shoulder. She suddenly felt a calm hand on her shoulder. She looked up.
"Cosette..."
Giselle couldn't figure out what she wanted to say to her. Then she started to cry and Cosette embraced her. They hugged intensely and all three of them thought about the person who would be missing in their daily life from that day on. He would be greatly missed. He was a son and a husband. Caring and loving. He lived to love. Through their love, he would still live on. As long as they loved him, he lived.