Letting Pain Go, Letting Love In
By: Olivia
Luke's ashes blended into the air and sea.
Barbara put a hand on John's arm. "It's okay to move on, John."
John nodded as he wiped away his tears.
"Luke's death drove us apart but it drove you and Monica together."
John turned to look at Barbara with a puzzled glance.
"You're a good man, John. Even though we're not together I do still want what's best for you. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
"As do you," said John quietly as he turned his gaze back out to the sea.
Barbara smiled sadly. "Luke will always be a part of me, a part of us. But there is nothing that will bring him back. We need to live for his sake."
John nodded. For the first time in his life, he felt that maybe he could move on even though Luke would always be an important part of his life.
Barbara could sense this change in John. She turned to look at Monica's figure waiting on the cliff, waiting for John, as she always had been. But instead of being jealous of this woman, she felt only a kinship towards her. "Monica is as kind as I remember she was."
John followed Barbara's gaze and saw Monica's figure standing up on the cliff, leaning against her car that had driven him here. "Yes, yes she is."
Barbara turned to look John. "She cares about you a great deal, just as much as you care about her. You need to let her in, John. You have to allow her to love you."
"I know," said John softly, his voice full of emotion, his gaze still fixed on Monica.
Barbara squeezed his arm one last time and walked away.
John turned to give one last look at the ocean and air that had claimed his son. Then he too walked away and headed back up the stairs to Monica.
When he reached the top of the stair he saw **her** he saw Monica waiting for him, as she had always waited for him. Even in his dark days, even when other people abandoned him, she had stood by him, for him, with him. When he was hurt, she bled and when he was happy, she radiated joy. It was pointless to deny how he felt about her. It was pointless to fight his feelings for her. It only hurt the both of them.
Monica opened her mouth to speak, but there was nothing left to say. Her face said it all. It had all been said a million times before.
John pulled her into a hug, burying his face into her neck as his arms wrapped around her waist tightly, as if he would never let her walk out of his life again. Monica returned his hug and rubbed her hands on his back. For the first time, John let Monica comfort him. He let her love envelope him, sustain him, and give him the strength and the courage to move on.
John had come to peace with his son's death. Suffering in his own private hell with guilt had done nothing to bring his son back. It had only hurt those who cared about him-Barbara and Monica. He had found his son's killer and it was time to let the ghosts that haunted him die. He had wrestled with his demons and won. It was time to let his pain go. It was okay to let Monica love him and to allow himself to love her. It was okay to be happy.
The End
"Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, excessive grief the enemy to the living."-Shakespeare-"All's Well That End's Well"
"Love comforteth like sunshine after the rain."-Shakespeare-"Venus and Adonis"
By: Olivia
Luke's ashes blended into the air and sea.
Barbara put a hand on John's arm. "It's okay to move on, John."
John nodded as he wiped away his tears.
"Luke's death drove us apart but it drove you and Monica together."
John turned to look at Barbara with a puzzled glance.
"You're a good man, John. Even though we're not together I do still want what's best for you. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
"As do you," said John quietly as he turned his gaze back out to the sea.
Barbara smiled sadly. "Luke will always be a part of me, a part of us. But there is nothing that will bring him back. We need to live for his sake."
John nodded. For the first time in his life, he felt that maybe he could move on even though Luke would always be an important part of his life.
Barbara could sense this change in John. She turned to look at Monica's figure waiting on the cliff, waiting for John, as she always had been. But instead of being jealous of this woman, she felt only a kinship towards her. "Monica is as kind as I remember she was."
John followed Barbara's gaze and saw Monica's figure standing up on the cliff, leaning against her car that had driven him here. "Yes, yes she is."
Barbara turned to look John. "She cares about you a great deal, just as much as you care about her. You need to let her in, John. You have to allow her to love you."
"I know," said John softly, his voice full of emotion, his gaze still fixed on Monica.
Barbara squeezed his arm one last time and walked away.
John turned to give one last look at the ocean and air that had claimed his son. Then he too walked away and headed back up the stairs to Monica.
When he reached the top of the stair he saw **her** he saw Monica waiting for him, as she had always waited for him. Even in his dark days, even when other people abandoned him, she had stood by him, for him, with him. When he was hurt, she bled and when he was happy, she radiated joy. It was pointless to deny how he felt about her. It was pointless to fight his feelings for her. It only hurt the both of them.
Monica opened her mouth to speak, but there was nothing left to say. Her face said it all. It had all been said a million times before.
John pulled her into a hug, burying his face into her neck as his arms wrapped around her waist tightly, as if he would never let her walk out of his life again. Monica returned his hug and rubbed her hands on his back. For the first time, John let Monica comfort him. He let her love envelope him, sustain him, and give him the strength and the courage to move on.
John had come to peace with his son's death. Suffering in his own private hell with guilt had done nothing to bring his son back. It had only hurt those who cared about him-Barbara and Monica. He had found his son's killer and it was time to let the ghosts that haunted him die. He had wrestled with his demons and won. It was time to let his pain go. It was okay to let Monica love him and to allow himself to love her. It was okay to be happy.
The End
"Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, excessive grief the enemy to the living."-Shakespeare-"All's Well That End's Well"
"Love comforteth like sunshine after the rain."-Shakespeare-"Venus and Adonis"