Faith lay in bed that night not able to sleep. She kept thinking about Richie. She hadn't felt anything for anyone in so long and was a little afraid of what she had felt that night. She thought about her husband, Billy. It had been almost two years that he'd been gone. She had missed him every day, until today. She hadn't even thought about him today and that made her a little sad. She also realized that if she could think about him without tears and with only a hint of sadness, then maybe it was time to consider dating again. There was one thing she had to do first and she would need to do it soon if this thing with Richie was going to go anywhere. She finally drifted off, but it was visions of a tall man with dark hair and warm smiling brown eyes that took her into dreams.
***********************
Richie and Ava were enjoying a little time around the pool, swimming and sunning themselves. All the while Ava was talking about Hannah and their time at the beach. "Can I call her dad?" Richie looked over at his daughter, "go ahead, but when you are finished ask her if I can talk to her mom." Ava ran off to get the portable phone, leaving Richie alone. It had been a couple of days since he had seen Faith and he thought maybe inviting her and Hannah here would be easier for her than taking her out somewhere. For now.
Ava came back out talking and laughing with the phone at her ear. Richie watched, she is growing up so fast. He could hardly believe she was going to be 10 soon. Ava came over to him and handed him the phone. "Here dad, Hannah is getting her mom." "Thanks." Ava ran over and jumped in the pool, giving Richie a little privacy.
"Hello?" "Faith, are you there?"
"Hi Richie, how are you?"
"I'm fine darlin'. How's things by you?"
"Busy as always, but I kinda like it like that. What can I do for you?"
He chuckled, I could think of about 10 things. "Well, I know we talked about a date and I was wondering if you and Hannah would like to come over to my house tomorrow."
Faith hesitated.
"Faith?"
"Sorry, I..., we would like that. What time tomorrow?"
They chatted and made the arrangements and Richie gave Faith directions to get to his house. "Oh, don't forget your swim suits. See you tomorrow." They hung up and Faith went to find Hannah.
"Come on" she told Hannah "I have an errand to run so you need to go see Ms. Betty." They went across the street and Hannah was welcomed without a problem. "Thank you. Faith turned to leave then stopped and turned back. "Ms. Betty, can I talk to you?" Hannah went inside to watch TV and Faith and Ms. Betty sat on the porch. Ms. Betty had been there for Hannah since Hannah was a baby and she also helped Faith when she lost Billy. Faith was lucky to have her. "Ms. Betty, I met someone, and I am not sure what to do." Ms. Betty smiled at Faith, "well it's about time. You need to get out some." Faith nodded her head, "I suppose you're right, but it just hasn't felt right." "You work to hard. You need to have some fun Faith. I know losing someone is hard. When I lost my Henry I felt like you, but I got through it and now I have Hannah to watch out for. You are beautiful and much too young to be alone." Faith smiled at Ms. Betty, the little grandmotherly woman who had brought so much to both her and Hannah.
"I need to go somewhere, can Hannah stay for a little while?" "You know you don't have to ask. Go, Hannah will be fine." Faith stood, kissed Ms. Betty on the cheek and was off.
Faith arrived at the cemetery a short while later and with a sigh got out of the car. As she came upon the site, tears filled her eyes. The stone read "Beloved Husband and Father". She stood quietly for a few minutes. "Hi. Sorry I haven't been in a while." She wiped away the tears that refused to stop rolling down her cheeks. "I miss you. Hannah is starting to forget you." This was harder than she thought. "I met someone. He is super nice and has a daughter Hannah's age." She toyed with the ring on her finger. "I like him. I think there might be something between us, but..." she trailed off, "I loved you for so long, you gave me Hannah and for that I will always love you, but I think I need to see where this other thing might go." She raised her head and the sun warmed her face, almost as if he was smiling at her. She felt the breeze skim her face, like fingers swiping at her tears. It was going to be okay. "Thank you" she whispered as she walked away.
***********************
Richie and Ava were enjoying a little time around the pool, swimming and sunning themselves. All the while Ava was talking about Hannah and their time at the beach. "Can I call her dad?" Richie looked over at his daughter, "go ahead, but when you are finished ask her if I can talk to her mom." Ava ran off to get the portable phone, leaving Richie alone. It had been a couple of days since he had seen Faith and he thought maybe inviting her and Hannah here would be easier for her than taking her out somewhere. For now.
Ava came back out talking and laughing with the phone at her ear. Richie watched, she is growing up so fast. He could hardly believe she was going to be 10 soon. Ava came over to him and handed him the phone. "Here dad, Hannah is getting her mom." "Thanks." Ava ran over and jumped in the pool, giving Richie a little privacy.
"Hello?" "Faith, are you there?"
"Hi Richie, how are you?"
"I'm fine darlin'. How's things by you?"
"Busy as always, but I kinda like it like that. What can I do for you?"
He chuckled, I could think of about 10 things. "Well, I know we talked about a date and I was wondering if you and Hannah would like to come over to my house tomorrow."
Faith hesitated.
"Faith?"
"Sorry, I..., we would like that. What time tomorrow?"
They chatted and made the arrangements and Richie gave Faith directions to get to his house. "Oh, don't forget your swim suits. See you tomorrow." They hung up and Faith went to find Hannah.
"Come on" she told Hannah "I have an errand to run so you need to go see Ms. Betty." They went across the street and Hannah was welcomed without a problem. "Thank you. Faith turned to leave then stopped and turned back. "Ms. Betty, can I talk to you?" Hannah went inside to watch TV and Faith and Ms. Betty sat on the porch. Ms. Betty had been there for Hannah since Hannah was a baby and she also helped Faith when she lost Billy. Faith was lucky to have her. "Ms. Betty, I met someone, and I am not sure what to do." Ms. Betty smiled at Faith, "well it's about time. You need to get out some." Faith nodded her head, "I suppose you're right, but it just hasn't felt right." "You work to hard. You need to have some fun Faith. I know losing someone is hard. When I lost my Henry I felt like you, but I got through it and now I have Hannah to watch out for. You are beautiful and much too young to be alone." Faith smiled at Ms. Betty, the little grandmotherly woman who had brought so much to both her and Hannah.
"I need to go somewhere, can Hannah stay for a little while?" "You know you don't have to ask. Go, Hannah will be fine." Faith stood, kissed Ms. Betty on the cheek and was off.
Faith arrived at the cemetery a short while later and with a sigh got out of the car. As she came upon the site, tears filled her eyes. The stone read "Beloved Husband and Father". She stood quietly for a few minutes. "Hi. Sorry I haven't been in a while." She wiped away the tears that refused to stop rolling down her cheeks. "I miss you. Hannah is starting to forget you." This was harder than she thought. "I met someone. He is super nice and has a daughter Hannah's age." She toyed with the ring on her finger. "I like him. I think there might be something between us, but..." she trailed off, "I loved you for so long, you gave me Hannah and for that I will always love you, but I think I need to see where this other thing might go." She raised her head and the sun warmed her face, almost as if he was smiling at her. She felt the breeze skim her face, like fingers swiping at her tears. It was going to be okay. "Thank you" she whispered as she walked away.
6 comments:
Awwww...That was beautiful. I love your writing.
RICHIEFAN
Damn, girl, you made me tear up. So very touching. I'm glad to see she's moving on, and your scene in the cemetary was so very well done.
Thank you for sharing your story. I'm looking forward to the next part.
- Jennifer
Thanks for your comments guys. That chapter was tough to get through for me as well Jennifer. The next chapter should be a bit lighter.
*dissolves into tears*
ah darn it
*swipes sleeve across face*
From reading your header you have written another one before this?? Where can I find it??
*trying not to sound desperate*
gotta go read the next chapter thanks so much for sharing lol
Love Shotgun
That really moved me Stephanie. I'm an emotional woman and found tears in my eyes as I read the cemetery scene.
Great writing!
A friend of mine emailed this story to me and I have to say this Chapter blew me away. I am tearing up big time.
Faith talking to Billy telling her she met someone and the sun coming out it's like Billy gave her permission to have fun see where it takes her!
What a feel good chapter makes you think what life can bring you!
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