Micah's Story - Epilogue

**Disclaimer-** Wow, haven't heard much from me on this story for a while, but I finally had time to write the epilogue see what not having the Internet will do for you? Anyway, the only people that I truly own are the ones that live in Middleburg, and they're only vaguely mentioned. Also, some of the places are not mine, and um, that's about it, because you already know the drill! Happy Reading!

* Six Years Later*
That's my story. I don't know if anyone actually took the time to read the whole thing, but that's it. Those things that happened that summer in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, seem like so long ago. In all reality, they are all long done. The memories are distant, but I can still feel Marie's lips on mine as we kissed for the first time. That was one of the happiest days of my life. Too bad my happiness was to be so short lived. Let me explain.
Marie and I spent the rest of that summer completely happy, and totally devoted to each other. When we started school that fall, we were still a couple, and everything was going great. We went to all kinds of school stuff, and I ended up joining the basketball team. I was the Center. It seemed like it was going to be a great year. Then, on a day late in October, I actually believe that it was the day of the Harvest moon, everything changed.
The sound of the phone ringing by my ear woke me up at about seven AM, and I sleepily answered it. "Hello?"
"Micah? Is that you?" It was Marie.
"Yes, Dear. It's me, but I'm not all here. Give me a minute." She laughed softly, and told me to wake up fully and call her back when I wasn't wiping the sleepies from my eyes anymore. Hanging up the phone, I got out of bed and took a quick cold shower to wake myself up. When I was dressed, I decided to call Marie back.
"Hello?" She picked up the phone after the first ring, and I was extremely surprised. "Oh, Micah. It's you. I really need to talk to you." Telling me to meet her at the sidewalk in ten minutes, we hung up, and I put my shoes on. Walking downstairs, I saw Lacey trying her dress on, and Mrs. Morgan pinning up the bottom so she could alter it. The wedding was in a few weeks, and everyone, (including me) was getting excited.
Nodding my head in their direction, I walked out the door, and saw Marie waiting by the curb. Stepping into place next to her, I took her hand and we started to walk. Neither of us said anything, and when we got to the park, we sat under the same tree as we had the first day that we had been in the park. Sighing, Marie began to talk.
"Micah, we've been a couple for what, almost three months now, right?" I nodded. "We can tell each other everything, and I know that I haven't like anyone as much as I like you, but everything has to end." She looked at me and my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. She must have seen the look in my eyes, and started to laugh. "Micah, I'm not breaking up with you. But, there is something I have to tell you." Looking down, she spoke softly. "You aren't going to like it."
"Marie, please tell me. Whatever it is, if it concerns you I think I have a right to know." She looked back up at me, and there were tears in her eyes.
"Micah, I'm hoping that if I don't tell you, it won't happen. Saying it makes it feel more real. I guess I have to tell you, because you'll find out soon enough, and it'll be worse if you don't hear it form me." The tears overflowed and she almost couldn't say the next four words. "We're moving to Nebraska."
Ironic, isn't it? The very same place that I once had lived was where she was going. I leaned over and held her in a hug, and knew that I wouldn't have very many more chances to do this. She quickly outlined the rest of the announcement, and I learned that they would be leaving in about four weeks. As we talked, we made decisions. We decided that we weren't going to break up when she moved, that we would make the most of the last few weeks we had together, and that we would keep in touch after she moved.
The wedding was beautiful, and everyone had a great time. Danny and Lacey decided to hold it inside but with the church doors open because they loved the fall smell. I couldn't help but think about what had happened last fall, and I felt horrible as I thought of Isaac's death, and what I had almost done to Lacey. When the wedding ceremony was over, we moved to the reception.
Every person in the church and reception building had a camera, and I later got a double of every picture that had Marie in it. She looked beautiful, in a light pink halter dress with her hair pulled back into those little twisty clipped things. We danced to every song, and I have a picture of her and myself where her eyes are laughing as much as she is. It's my favorite picture and we look as happy as we ever did.
After that, Marie only had five days left, and her friends wanted to make sure that she remembered them., We threw her a party, and there was about a hundred people there. I remember that she had a ton of fun, and before she left she came over to me and handed me an envelope and a box and I did the same, telling her not to open them until she was on her way to Nebraska. Leaning in, we kissed for the millionth time, and neither of us wanted to stop because we knew that it would probably be the last time. Just before we pulled apart, a flash went off.
Stepping away from each other, we turned to see through tearsoaked eyes a crying Dave holding a camera. "I just thought you might want to remember that you guys. It's kind of a big thing." He walked away, and Marie turned to me and smiled.
"I guess this is it. I was supposed to be home ten minutes ago." She took one step closer to me, and kissed my cheek. Pulling away, she started to open her mouth and say something, but I stopped her.
"Don't do that. This isn't goodbye. I don't want to hear you say that." She nodded, and I leaned in and whispered into her ear. "Goodnight, my Marie." I kissed her cheek, and walked away without looking back. I didn't want her to see me cry.
"Goodnight, Micah. Don't forget to take care of everyone for me." I heard the door open and close, and she was gone. Retreating to the living room, we finished the party, but it wasn't the same.
She moved the next day, to where else but Hemmingford, Nebraska. I got a letter about a week after she left, and it had a few pictures in it, and a thank you for her going away gift. She told me that she missed me, and I wrote back to her for the first time. We kept the letters and the phone calls (one hour every two weeks) going for a while, but then after about three years they got further and fewer in between. I guess she outgrew me.
OK. I admit it. I still missed her even after four years. I moved on, though, had other girlfriends, but none as special as Marie. In a way she saved me, because I was ready to give up, but I met her. In a way, I know that she misses me, but I hoped that she got on with her life too. Almost six years after she moved, Danny and Lacey had just had their first kid, and had moved themselves into a huge house, I was watching the news waiting for Joe to call me when I saw Marie on the TV. Turning the volume up, I caught the end of the report.
"Marie, a former Ohioan, has decided to hold her wedding in the Hemmingford local church, and has also decided to wear a dress that she herself designed, from her MBVision clothing line. Here she is to explain why." A picture of Marie filled the screen, and she looked almost exactly the same as she had all those years ago, except more grown up.
"I decided to wear my own dress, because a long time ago a very special person once told me to go with my heart, to do what I wanted, not what anyone else wanted me to do." It ended there, and I was shocked. I was the one that had told her to do that, and I was amazed that she remembered me. The newslady came back on the TV, and said that Marie's wedding was to be held two months from now and the general public was welcome to attend.
And that brings you up to about three months ago. You know what happened to me then, you know that she moved, and you know that Marie is getting married. I suppose I should tell you what happened at the wedding, and if you really want me to, I will. OK, here. Fine I'll tell you.
The day after I saw the broadcast, I decided to go to Nebraska for the wedding. I knew it wouldn't do any good, but I wanted to be there. Packing up some of my stuff, I took a flight, and was there not even three days after the announcement on the news. Deciding to check out the place that I had destroyed, I took a walk around.
Starting with the town, I saw that Marie's store had replaced the Bingo hall that Mrs. West had crashed through, and was in no hurry to go see it until I saw Marie. She was in the store, and I quickly walked in, and began to look around. She looked up from behind the register where she was altering her wedding dress, and said hello, and asked if I needed help. Shaking my head no, I looked around for a little while before walking up to the counter.
She looked up from her dress again, and asked if I needed anything. I blinked, and said " did I really change that much in six years?" Puzzled, she blinked a few times, and looked at me more closely.
I'm sorry, sir, but I don't remember you." Turning to go, I tried again.
"I guess I shouldn't have expected you to. It's probably for the best. I wouldn't want to ruin you wedding. Goodnight, my Marie." I walked out of the store. After a few seconds, I heard footsteps behind me, and felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Marie, and she had tears in her eyes.
"Micah?" She asked with a tremble in her voice. I nodded, and she buried her face into my shoulder, and began to cry. Letting her stay like that, I closed my eyes, planning to commit every second to memory. "Micah, why did you come here?"
"To see your wedding, Marie. I haven't seen you in a long time, and I wanted to see the happiest day of your life happen." Stepping back, she asked me what my girlfriend thought of this. "I don't have one at the moment." She stepped back, reached into her pocket and dropped to one knee.
"Micah Balding, I love you with all of my heart. Will you marry me?" Standing there, I really felt like an ass. An engaged woman was asking me to marry her. Not a good situation, to say the least.
"Marie, there's nothing that I would like more, but what about your fiancee?" Smiling, she stood up and slipped the ring on my finger.
"Well, I was kinda hoping that you would play the part. See, this whole thing was a scam. I was never engaged. I was just trying to get you to come here and see me. My dad was a jerk and intercepted all of my letters to you, and I couldn't tell you, so After waiting a long time to make sure that everything would work, I had my wedding announcement made public by a friend at an Ohio TV station, hoping that you would see it and come here to try and stop it. Apparently, it worked."
Not waiting to hear my response, she kissed me, and then told me that the whole town was waiting to see if it worked, and they were hoping that it did. We talked for the rest of the afternoon, catching up on years of missed memories, and finally later that night, we went to a meeting called by the mayor, and announced that we were going to be married on the date of the pre-scheduled wedding.
Everyone from Ohio flew out to Nebraska, and it was a beautiful wedding. We had a huge party afterwards, and I'm sure it will live in infamy as the best reception held in Hemmingford, but no one is complaining here. Marie and I are completely happy, but her Dad still isn't, and he refused to give her away. Although I can't say that I was sorry, I feel bad for her.
OK, OK, OK. now I feel bad. See, I made you think that my story didn't have a happy ending, when in all reality it did. Ha! Oh well. At the moment, Marie is packing for our honeymoon, and as I put the finishing touches on my suitcases, I'm happy to report that we're moving to New York, because I haven't ever been there, and I want to see what it's like. I'm going to try and sell this story, just so people know what an average person's life is like. Oops. There I go again. I'm anything but average.
Well, got to go. The plane leaves in about an hour, and we don't want to be late. This is Micah Balding, signing off. Ciao!