Things Left Unsaid

Story 1: Things Left Unsaid

This story was inspired by the song: Things Left unsaid by Disciple.

"Dallas, look! I finished the book you got me!" Jade said as she hopped on the couch next to me. She handed me the book that I had bought her the beginning of the year.

"I bought you this 6 months ago and just now finished it?" I asked as I opened the cover to the note on the inside.

Now that only seemed like something I should have said to her in person, when I could actually talk to her face to face.

I looked at Jade as she laid there unconscious in the hospital bed. She looked so calm laying there, for someone who was dying slowly.

"You can't blame me, Dallas! I have other things on my mind!" She whined resting her head on my shoulder as she made herself comfortable behind me on the couch.

I laughed, "I bet you do."

If I would have known then that she was going to be in an accident, making that the last moment of us being together, I would have made it last longer.

I looked over to the machine that gave me all the hope that Jade will live long enough for me to tell her all the things that I never did. The machine beeped slowly, small peaks rising and falling with each beat of her heart.

I sat there listening to the slow beeps as the beat of my own heart rose and fell with worry for my love, worry that the rising and falling of her heart might fall and stay down. I sighed and began to stand.

Now that I looked at her, I knew she wasn't going to make it through the night. I knew that it would make things easier on the both of us if I said goodbye and left. It would make things simpler for her to pass on peacefully and so I won't have to watch the woman I love die before my very eyes.

I stepped closer to her bed and looked down at her calm and relaxed face. It was only a few days ago when this woman was talking to me, she wasn't unconscious, she wasn't dying with the man she called hers worrying himself sick.

I took her soft hand and held it in my own. The tips of her fingers were cold, but her palm was warm with heat and sweat.

"I love you, Jade and I'm sorry I didn't say that when I should have. I just hope that you know this before you fly away from this world and me," I said before I move the hair from her forehead and lean down pressing a soft kiss there.

I straighten and take one more look at Jade before I release her hand and begin for the door. As I'm walking out of the room, her nurse is walking in.

Later, I learn that Jade had passed away only a few seconds after I had left the room. She was finally able to rest peacefully and I didn't have to see Jade die in front of me.

*****

Each year on this day, the day Jade had passed away, I always sit there on the couch that she had jumped on so excitedly. I'll have our favorite blanket wrapped around me with two items in my hands in her honor. The book with the note on the inside cover reading "I love you" and a small black box with a ring inside.