Sunsets and Sand
Challenge: The Box: Written after learning a family friend had died. She was four years younger than me with a beautiful little girl and a husband.
Sam stared at the computer and wiped a tear from her eye. She couldn't believe Jamie was gone. The last she heard, her friend was doing well after the bone marrow transplant, but now she was gone. Pneumonia had taken her.
The email was dated a few days ago and Sam had probably missed the funeral. She should... the many things ran through her mind, but she did none of them.
Getting up from her chair, Sam headed to the closet and pulled down a box. It was old and worn from having been opened so many times. These were her memories and her past. Inside the box lay the triumphs and failures of her childhood.
Dropping down on the bed, she began to rifle through its contents. Scattered among the photographs, ribbons, and certificates was a jar of beach sand and a small slip of paper which bore the words "Whatever the past has been, you have a spotless future. ~Unknown~"
The last time their families, Jamie's and hers, had been together the two girls had each collected a jam jar full of sand and tucked the quote inside. It was their last day together; Jamie's father was being transferred to Germany and Sam was staying stateside. They had so years ahead of them.
They wanted to remember this time together. Just before Jamie learned the news of her father's transfer, the two girls had fought over some boy, whose name Sam couldn't remember. This jar was to make sure they never became trapped by the mistakes and guilt of their pasts. Two days later, Jamie had left for Germany with her jar of sand and Sam stayed in the United States. After a while they had lost touch, but just a few months ago they found each other again.
Sam enjoyed catching up, sharing happy memories, and getting reacquainted. Jamie had a husband and a beautiful little girl. She was happy and enjoying life, despite the cancer that was eating away at her.
These long talks with Jamie had shown Sam what she could have had and what she gave up when she joined the Air Force and later the SGC. In the cold and dark of those lonely nights, Sam mourned
More tears fell as she rifled through the photos; tanned smiling faces covered with hats and jumping off logs into the water. The last one was the two of them looking happy and healthy just taken a few weeks before.
Suddenly angry, Sam shoved the box away, scattering the pictures across the bed. It wasn't fair. Why had fate taken Jamie and not Sam? How often had Sam been so close to death, or dead for that matter, and come back! No, it wasn't fair, somewhere out there was Jamie's little girl had lost her mother and Sam couldn't bring her back.
A knock at her door broke through her misery. Mopping at her eyes with the bedsheet, Sam headed to the door and found Teal'c there, holding a large pizza box.
"Colonel Carter, are you alright?"
She scrubbed at her eyes, hoping to hide the evidence of her tears. "I'm fine Teal'c I just received some bad news."
Teal'c took a step forward but stopped and Sam could tell he wasn't sure if he should enter. "I hope your family is all right."
Pasting a smile on her face Sam and she nodded. "My family is fine, a friend just passed away. I miss her."
"I am sorry to hear that. In my meditations you came to mind and I thought you might be in need of sustenance, but if you prefer to be alone we will leave."
Sam pushed the door wider to find Teal'c was not alone. "No, come in I could use some company right now."
"I'm glad we can be here for you, Sam." Daniel hugged her as he moved inside.
"If I had known you were home, I'd have come by sooner." Cam patted her shoulder as he followed Daniel inside. "All I have in my fridge was some creep science projects."
Vala stopped to give her a hug and held her tight for a moment before smiling as she patted Sam's cheeks. "I just grabbed on to their coat tails and came along for the ride. Besides I provided the refreshments." Vala showed a six-pack of diet coke. Daniel cleared his throat. "Well, my Daniel's credit card did, but I chose the flavor."
Grateful to be surrounded by friends, Sam followed them inside the house. The sky behind them was just turning a brilliant orange. The sun had set on a wonderful life, but Sam didn't have to stop living hers. Jamie would have wanted her to go on living. Closing the door, she made herself and Jamie a promise.
After today, she would stop beating herself for her mistakes and look only to the future, after all… tomorrow was the first day of the rest of her life. Yes she had give up so much, but she had gained a lot too.
Heading into her room, she grabbed the jar of beach sand and sat it on her mantel as a reminder. Then, surrounded by her friends, she enjoyed the sunset, looking forward to tomorrow for the first time in a long while.
I have other stories post on my site if you would like to check them out Google my penname and you will find me. I love to hear from you whether you liked it or loved it. :0P
Also I have published two original pieces of work on Kindle you can find a link to them on my website as well.
if I get enough review I will be pushed to add the chapter early, like Friday, instead of later next week. I have one so far this week but I think I could handle a few more.