I apologize for not updating regularly. I have several more finals this week; this chapter I wrote when I should have been studying for my British history final that is tomorrow morning. Again, my priorities are off, but at least I'll have a week off (such a long time… note the sarcasm) until I start my summer classes. Also, please pardon the nature of this chapter. It is partly due to a residual mood left over from last week's season finale. Nevertheless, read on, and post your thoughts/opinions in the review section or PM me with your response. Bonne nuit à toi!
The young woman was quiet and thoughtful, a somber mood present as she stared off into the distance. Around her, the first blossoms of spring had appeared, their delicate whites and pinks dotting the landscape. The grass where she stood was freshly cut, but on a distant hill, grains of wheat and barley moved to and fro with the gentle breeze. A house beyond the hill was inhabited by a family – one with young children, she figured, if the bright and gay laughter and screams were any indication. The sun had reached its peak and was beginning its westward descent towards the horizon. The brilliant rays of light shone on a nearby pond; the shimmer of the light on the water emanated a sense of calm and peace. To a passerby, one might believe that this young woman, petite but beautiful with porcelain skin and jet-black hair, had come here to admire the peaceful, quiet beauty of nature in its fresh and new beginnings. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice the small bouquet of flowers the young woman held in her hand. They would follow her gaze to something at her feet. There, the young woman would place the flowers, her hand resting on a smooth, solid surface of granite. Tears leaked from her eyes and fell softly to the ground, creating small circles that dotted the dust- and grass-covered stone marker. Three markers were present, a smaller one flanked by two larger ones, each etched with the name of a separate individual:
"Grace Elizabeth Song Quinn, Precious Wife and Mother, Gone but Not Forgotten, 1959-1987"
"A Beloved Angel ~ Too Beautiful for Earth, Adalyn Margaret Grace Quinn-Curtis, 2017-2018"
"A Beautiful Mind and Soul, A Cherished Love ~ Husband and Father, Tobias Michael Curtis, 1983-2018"
There, Happy knelt at the grave markers, her head bowed for a few minutes. Then, as quietly as she came, Happy stood and walked down the gravel path of the small cemetery towards her car. Three beautiful lives, each one of whom touched Happy more profoundly than she would ever know, but whose influence and presence in her life was something she would always cherish. The sweet stories, the precious memories – all she had left of three people she passionately and deeply loved above all else. As she walked away, Happy passed a small stone sign at the cemetery's entrance. It read: "Love knows no difference between Life and Death. The one who gives you a reason to live is also the one who takes your breath away."
