Today was a normal day for my husband Drew and me. That was until I got the phone call from my best friend Macy about her fiancé Nick's funeral. I wasn't really excepting her to do the funeral the very next day but she told me that Nick would have wanted it that way. And I of course didn't say anything about the situation but told her that I would be there in five minutes.
Usually at funerals everyone wears the color black as a way to show respect, but I remember Nick telling me, before he went back to the service that he doesn't want to have anyone he knows wearing the color black for that day. And as he was about to tell me his idea of how it should be, Macy comes out towards the outside patio and says towards us in a joking matter.
"Oh no you are not leaving me…if you go down in that dirty hole before I get you back in my arms than I'm gonna go with ya."
If only we knew that in three weeks after that day, there won't be another day that we see him alive. I of course was there when Macy received the red letter from the military service. And just like all the letters they hand out, it talks about Nick's death and how much they appreciate his service in the army and so on.
At that split second I wasn't so sure how to comfort my friend Macy. We were all so in shock and believed that Nick could have been a greatest father on earth to his unborn baby boy. I remember how excited he was to heard the news about Macy having a little baby boy inside her. A smile spread through my face as I watch him take part in fixing up the nursery. There was never a day where I saw him leave Macy's side. And now it just brings me to tears because inside my own selfish heart, I knew that Nick won't be here for his son arrival.
Drew reassured me that Nick Lucas was now in a better place. But my mind wasn't really focused on the situation. In fact my mind reminded me of why I never dated another person in army. They say how you should appreciate what you have until it's gone. I believe Macy has to be the most admirable person in my life. The reason why is because she, like other army wives was able to accept that her fiancé was a United States Military Solider and had to take in each day in fear of knowing that one day she will losing him forever. I on the other hand, wouldn't be able to accept the fact that the love of my life was out there in the fields. And that right there is the main reason why I will always appreciated Macy and Nick's relationship.
As I was thinking of this in my mind, I heard Drew opening my door. I looked one more time down at my red dress before turning to face my husband. His dark brown eyes looked down into mine with love meanwhile my own brown eyes looked up at his for reassurance, as he gentle grabs hold on my small white hands with his own tan hands. Drew holds on to my hands without saying a word as I tried to composed myself from showing my true emotions. I gave a thank you nod as my red heels landed on the grassy field. Drew just gave me a smiled as he closes the door behind me and walks back towards my right side. I turned my attention away from Drew and started to look out on the grave yard.
I found a brunette woman holding a USA flag and crying uncontrollably near the wooden casket covered with white flowers. To my surprise I saw a lot of the people from the military and found myself wanting to get away from here. But I knew that Macy needed me so much so I decided to just ignore all of the people around me and focused on what I needed to say towards my now morning friend.
"You should go and comfort her. I will wait for you here when you're ready to leave. Just let me know okay?" I heard Drew say towards me.
I just nodded my head yes and started walking towards the pregnant woman that I call my friend. I was close to Macy's reach when I felt someone hands round my body. The next thing I know I find myself in the embrace of a male solider. At first I was shocked and wanted to tell the stranger how rude he was at grabbing me in such way, until I saw who it was. I looked up at the blond hair men of twenty-three before a smile started to form on my face.
"Why look who we have here? Why If it an't the lovely Miss. Stella Rose" I heard him say with adorable Austrian accent.
I let out a small laugh as I responded back in a joking matter, "Why I haven't heard that nickname in such a long time."
"That's because ya haven't been answering my calls. Am I too good for you now Miss Stella Rose?" The young man with light blue eyes asks me in a carefree voice.
I put my right hand around my bob cut wavy blond hair before responding back, "It's not that Liam. You should know why I haven't been in contact with you."
Liam's smile went down into a frown before responding back," He misses you. Ya know that right?"
My heart starts to break as Liam mentions the true person I was in love with since I was nineteen.
"Did ya hear that he got that tittle he wanted?" I heard Liam continued on.
I wanted to say that I didn't want to hear about him but I got lucky in not saying how I felt because a wavy hair brunette solider woman with green eyes coming over towards us with a smile on her face.
"Liam can you come with me for a moment, Sargent Lucas needs to talk to you."
I heard the woman say in serious tone towards him before asking me if I was okay with it. I nodded my head yes before feeling Liam's warm embrace disappeared.
"Thank you Miss Miley Cyrus. I'll be right there in a second." Liam responded back towards her before turning back at me with a sorry expression.
I nodded to accept the apology and he just smile back at me before turning towards the left. As I was left alone with Miley by my side, I couldn't help myself but turned towards the lovely Miley and say towards her in a teasing tone, "You know it's kind of obvious that you like Mr. Hemsworth. Why don't you tell him how you feel before you lose your chance with him?"
Miley gave me a confused expression before responding back in a neutral tone, "Thank you for the advice Miss. Stella. I'll think it over."
"Count on your blessing now before they are long gone. Because if you don't than you won't ever know if it was meant be"
That was the last comment I said towards her before turning back towards where Liam was at and give him one last smile. Liam gave me a smile back and I felt myself relieve with the fact that love was still here and growing strong in the Army. After giving my advice to the woman who was in love with my best friend, I then moved my attention away from where Miley and Liam relationship was at and focused my attention back on comforting Macy.
"Oh thank goodness you are here!" Exclaim Macy with her puffy red eyes as she saw me coming towards her.
Before I could say word towards her, Macy grabs me with both of her small brown arms and I felt her put all of her whole weight on me.
"Oh Macy you have to control yourself. You don't want Chris' health to be put in danger." I responded towards her in a calming tone.
Macy started to stutter," I-I do-n't wa-want that to ha-happen."
"Then take deep breaths and know that Nick will never leave you alone. He will forever be in your heart. You just got to look deep inside you and you will find him" I said toward her in a comforting way.
Macy's body relaxes for a second as I continued on telling her that she wasn't alone. She had her family and the parents of Nick's as well. And if that wasn't enough she also has Drew, me and Nick's friends from the service.
Macy pulled her weight off mine before responding back, "You are the best friend I could ever ask for and I hope that your family life with Drew will be filled with happiness and joy."
I let go of Macy's embrace as I felt myself thinking about my past lover. Once I found myself thinking about him, I felt myself feeling guilty and shook the feeling out of my mind.
"Now go out there and show them how strong of a woman you are." I said towards her in a joking matter.
Macy wiped the tears from her brown eyes before responding, "And if I can't?"
I gave her a reassuring look as I responded back, "You can Macy because if you weren't ready for this God wouldn't have giving you this hard task."
Macy gave me a relief smile before saying, "You should take your own advice some times."
"Well maybe one day I will." I said towards her in a mysterious tone.
Macy let out a laugh before saying toward me "Never mind I will talk to you once everyone is gone. Okay?"
I gave her a small nod yes and she was gone. Once I was on my own, I walked down towards a nearby tree and felt myself going back to that one day.
It was that one day where I was so happy and nothing could have ruined it… not my aunt nor family. Back then I had my long blond hair swaying in the wind, while my brown boots showed me the way. As always I was wearing my favorite pair of blue jeans and army T-shirt that Liam gave me when he joined the military. There was a radiant smile on my face that day as I hold on to his long lean hands. I turned to face him and from behind his black geeky glasses where his brown eyes. Those of eyes of his were looking at me in pure awe as his army boots walked across the Tennessee's grass.
"I love you Stella. Don't you ever forget that?" I heard him tell me as I found myself returning back to the present.
My eyes were stinging from the fresh tears I shed as I whispered towards the wind," I will never forget how much I loved you."
"Neither have I forgotten you, my Stella Rose."
My body started to shake as I recognize that low bass tone voice that I haven't heard in such a long time. I composed myself from seeing the guy who still owns my heart before turning to face him. My face turns to the right and there he was wearing his usually white t-shirt, blue jeans and geeky glasses.
"Hello Sergeant Joseph Lucas, I am truly sorry for you lost. Your brother Nick was an amazing solider and friend of mine." I said towards him in a neutral tone as I felt myself wanting to go over towards the sergeant and wrapping my hands around him. But I didn't move an inch form my spot.
Joe looked at me with sadness before respond, "Awe yes Nick was a great solider and I still feel bad that we couldn't save my brother in time. But I know he is in a better place"
"So how are you doing Joe? Heard you got that title you wanted after all." I stated out on nowhere.
Joe approached me and I felt like everything else around me was gone but I snap out of dream land and waited for his answer.
"Stella…"He started to say towards me as he put his arms around my body.
I pushed Joe's hands off of me before stating in bitterness, "Don't you Stella me like you use to Joe. I have Drew here and I am not going to have you put your hands on me. Not like three years ago when you had that chance to have me as your wife."
Joe stopped at my comment and I saw how much pain he had in hearing my husband's name out loud. At that second I wanted to take back whatever I said but I remembered how fools we were to think we would have lasted. Now I know better than to believe the words he says towards me.
"Is he treating you right?" Joe said towards me in a harsh demanding tone.
I snapped back at his comment and responded, "That's none of your concern."
Joe's sour expression turned into a smile as he responded back in a teasing tone, "I see you still are the stubborn Stella I fell in love with."
I gave him a dirty look before stating, "If that's what you think of me than go ahead because now I don't care what you say anymore."
Joe's face got close to my face as he responded back with anger, "Well I still do care about you Stella. All I can think about is you and that's the reason why I am still alive. Every time I come back here, I always find myself going back to that old country house your parent had and spend each day hoping to see you again. And tell you how much I regretted the mistake I made. But everyone has said you no longer come over anymore."
Seeing his face in front of me made me want to kiss him instead I respond back with anger, "Well what do you except from a heart broken pregnant nineteen year old girl to do? Stay here in this dumb town, waiting for you to come back from the battle field with a change of heart and having you propose to me. Who knew when you would have been coming back Joe? No one did, and you promise me that you would always be around. And back then I took every word you said and believe it. I should have listened to my aunt when she said to count my blessings for they are long gone. But I was a foolish girl who believed in every single word you said to me"
Joe's anger face expression changed to shock as he states back, "Pregnant? You mean to tell me that you had a child?"
I looked down at my hands and I hear Joe let out a shock sigh.
"When were you going to tell me? How is he… or is it a she?" Joe asked with happiness.
I let out a sight as I looked out towards where Drew was and started to say. "I was going to tell you the day you broke up with me. But instead you left me and I couldn't go back to my family, because my father told me that a child out of married isn't acceptable in our family."
Joe put his hand on my right cheek as tears started to fall. I turned away from Drew's direction, and looked at Joe's face as I started to cry.
Joe looked back at me in guilt before saying, "Your aunt was the reason why I left you. In fact she told me that I wasn't good enough for you. And that it was better for me to have you as a friend… than to see you to deal with heartbreak of knowing that I could die at any given moment on that battlefield."
"I-I know that. I found out right after I said I do to Drew at our wedding. But by that time I couldn't back out of the marriage and Drew accepted Mark has his son." I stated back as I looked at his shock face expression.
Joe gave me a sad smile as a tear starts to come down my face but I didn't stop there, I could continue on saying," That happen only a year after you left and by that time my family accepted me back into the family."
"OH Stella you don't know how much I wish I could kiss you right now." He started randomly.
I looked down at our hands as he started to analyze me. I grab hold of his hands with mine as I wish for this moment in life to stay like this forever.
"Who knew if forever could have last for us Joe? After all we were so young and fools who needed to grow up. Maybe it was better this way. "I stated as I looked up at him with puffy eyes.
"I understand what you are say and I willing to let you go as long as you never leave my side again. But I would to know about our son Mark. Will I ever see him?"
I let out a relief sigh as I responded back, "Yes you can see Mark and I promise not to leave again. I cross my heart and hope die"
Joe lets out a small laugh as he states back to me with sarcasm," I am surprise you kept your promise in naming him after me. Now I can call him Marko"
Hearing him mention his little joke about calling our son Marko Polo when we were younger made me laugh.
Joe wiped away the tears from my face before saying "Well it seems you still remember our little conversation of naming our kids."
"Oh yes I do. And thanks for not getting mad for not wanting to be more than friends." I said towards him as I laid my forehead against his.
"Anything for the girl who means the world to me…just remember that if we grow old and we have a chance. I would like to have a second chance with you. And this time it will be forever"
I gave Joe a hug before saying, "Forever who knows."
Joe gave out a laugh as he says towards me "They knew we couldn't last back then but who knows if we can prove them wrong now
I nodded with agreement as I gave him a friendly goodbye before saying towards him, "Until we meet again."
Joe nodded his head in agreement as I moved away from his embrace and walked towards my husband.
"Darling are you ready? I heard Drew say towards as he waited for my answer.
My brown eyes looked into Drew's eyes with love before stating, "As ready as I will ever be my love."
Drew nodded his head as he gave me one of his radiant smiles before taking my hand in his and waving good-bye to Macy.
Once Drew and I reached the car, I looked back to where Joe was standing and said towards myself "Who knew that meeting you would make me the happiest woman in life. But our happiness together will have to wait until we meet again. What happened to us in the past is something I learn to accept. And now I can live my life in happiness with the man I call my husband. My darling I'll miss you"
As I finish this last statement I see Joe mouth towards me, "Until we meet again."