Dream a Little Dream

Dream a Little Dream - Dream 8

Dream 8

Hours drifted into days and days into almost a week since Josh and Hunter had left. Susan could tell Shelly was still worried about her. Who wouldn’t be? She slept a lot and ate as little as possible to survive.

Susan’s sanctuary had become Jack’s office and their bedroom. When she was there, she felt as if Jack was close by. She would fall asleep in their bed or on his sofa and dream of their life together. Reliving every moment in his arms. Looking deep into his eyes and seeing her love mirrored there.

Then she would wake and the hurt and the loss would be a deeper cut to her heart.

One afternoon eating lunch at the kitchen table while Gracie napped, Shelly asked, “What are you going to do?”

Knowing her sister was talking about, now that Jack was gone, Susan replied the only way she could, “I don’t know.”

“Susan, grief is a terrible thing. We have both been there before. And it is eating you up. I want my fun loving sister back.” Shelly reached across the table and took Susan’s hand in hers. “Jack wouldn’t want...”

“Please don’t! Don’t try to tell me what you think Jack would or wouldn’t want.” Susan said pulling her hand away. She stood taking her barely touched sandwich to the trash can and rinse the plate before putting it in the dishwasher.

She didn’t turn around to say what she needed to say, she couldn’t look her sister in the eye. Shelly wouldn’t understand. Susan had been grateful that Shelly stayed and she didn’t want her to leave, but she needed to stand on her own two feet and fall if she must. “Shelly, it’s time you went home to Josh and Hunter.”

“You want me to leave so all you can do is die in this mausoleum you’ve created. No! I will not leave you to do that!” Shelly walked up behind Susan, she placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder, “I’ve lost my parents and my brother-in-law, I know you lost a husband, but we loved him too. I refuse to let you die along with him. I couldn’t take it!”

Susan turned around with tears streaming down their faces she embraced her sister and held on. She couldn’t go through this alone. She was glad Shelly was here.

“Shel, I need a favor. I don’t know if I can do it by myself.” With a trembling lip between her teeth, Susan waited for the reply she knew her sister would give.

“Anything,” Shelly sighed, “anything you need.”

“The other day, a jeweler called. Jack ordered something and I need to go and pick it up. With our anniversary in a few weeks, I know I won’t be able to do it alone.”

“No problem! We can go after Gracie wakes up.”

Susan nodded. “One more thing. I don’t know what to do with Jack’s things. Getting rid of it makes everything so final, but I know I need to do something. And I know I don’t want everything to go, but maybe after we go to the jeweler, I can pick up some boxes and you can help me take some things to the donation center.”

“Of course.” Susan hugged her sister again and she knew that with Shelly’s help, it wouldn’t be easy, but maybe, just maybe she would make it through this.

******

Two hours later, Susan was standing in Jade Jewelry Store looking at a ring guard. She told Jack that she loved her engagement ring and did not want another, so he went another route to put more diamonds on her finger. The jeweler told her that Jack designed it himself in order to fit her diamond engagement ring in the middle.

Her ring slipped right between the other two bands allowing the intricate designs of a swirl to encase the engagement ring.

She thanked the jeweler and confirmed that it was paid in full.