Jordan sits on the edge of the bed. Their bed. She is gone. The cancer took its toll and her body finally gave out. She was a fighter. As he sits there, tears streaming down his face, he finds the letter she wrote him the week before. She made him promise not to read it until after she had passed. He kept that promise. Everyone has left the house and the kids are staying with Patty and Graham. The funeral was beautiful. Red roses adorned every surface of the funeral home. they were Angela's favorite. Sharon Cherski read a beautiful verse from the bible. Rayanne, Rickie and Brian all flew in from California to Three Rivers to be by his side for this last week. Shane will be in town tomorrow, he just received his leave from the Army. He holds the letter in his hands. The tears start flowing even harder. He laughs to himself because in his head he hears Angela telling to stop being a baby and just read the thing. She was his rock. She was his love. She was his life. Who would have thought that the shy, skinny girl, with red hair would become the very thing Jordan Catalano lived and breathed for? He loved her. He will always love her. When he looks into Sophie's face, Angela is there. When he sees Jake smile, he sees Angela there. For that he is thankful. Oh how he is going to miss her. He wipes his eyes and begins to read the letter:
Dear Jordan,
I didn't think this would be so hard. We have known for a while now that this was coming, but it doesn't make this any easier. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love our children, Jake and Sophie. I love the father you turned out to be. I love how you have loved me for 17 years. I love they way you make me laugh, the way you hold me when we sleep, they way you still make me blush when you look at me. Although, I may be leaving this world for the next, I want you to know I will always be in your heart. I will be looking down on you and our beautiful children everyday until the moment you join me in heaven.
When we heard the diagnosis 8 months ago, we both knew what was ahead. Everything went so fast, the doctors appointments, the hospital stays, the radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I may have given up more times then I could count, but you were my greatest cheerleader. I want to thank you for sticking by me in the good times and the bad times. I want to thank you for holding my hand in the hallway at Liberty High that day. I want to thank you for explaining that you didnt write "the letter". You were truthful with me and it made me love you even more. I want to thank you for your patience with me for those 6 months when I still wasnt ready to take that next step in our relatonship. I cant believe its been 17 years. When you asked me to marry you on Christmas Eve 1999, my heart soared. I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you, but you already knew that fact. When you stood next to me, holding my hand and kissing my forehead when our children were born, I truely knew what it was to love someone with your whole heart and to feel that love being given back to me. As I write this, my last letter to you my love, I want you to know that I am so proud to call you my husband, father of my children and my partner in this life. Cancer may have beat me, but I am not bitter. I had a wonderful and a lovely time being your wife and mother to your children. Please take care of Sophie and Jake and look in on my mom and dad from time to time. I will always be with you, in every breath you take, in every laugh the kids make and in every beat of your heart. I Love you Jordan Catalano. Never forget that.
I love you ,
Angela
