Angel's Breath

EPILOGUE

Epilogue

Here I am, in this white sand beach. Enjoying the solitude. The wind whipping past my face and my bare feet drenched in the cold shore of the sea.

The memory of you is still in my heart, Carmine.

Flashback:

I woke up in the garden at someone's voice. A female maybe.

"Sir! Who left you alone here?" Demanded by a doctor and a nurse.

"I don't know. I really can't remember what I'm doing here."

I noticed that the sun is peeking at its dawn already.

"Come on." Ordered by the Doctor. "Let's get you inside." Then the nurse took me back inside.

I've stayed in the hospital longer than we've expected. A month had passed. Could it be a miracle?

They did some test on me again. And the answer to my question? MIRACLE.

I prayed thanked the Lord for giving me another chance to live. Thank you so much!

After praying, something caught my eye. A piece of paper under the pillow. I took it out, unfolded the paper, and read everything.

Carmine? Carmine Summers? Who's this? I knew that I wrote this thing but I do not know anyone who's named like this unless it is Jones. Then, From the open side of my window pane, an Immaculate feather reached its way to me.

The moment I touched this, something happened. My head pounded so much, I tried to control the pain coming out on the top of my lungs. images appeared in my head. I was with someone. The day when everything started to change.

Carmine.

Then then quickly subsided. Why have I forgotten her for so long?

The door flew open and my immediate response is to stand up and said her name.

"Hi!"

"Oh, Hi there. Um, nurse Jen have you seen Carmine?" I inquired as she went to the table to arrange my medicines.

"Carmine who?"

"Carmine Summers. The night shift nurse here."

"Oh, do you mean CARLEEN SUMMERS?"

"No, Jen. It's Carmine!"

And the door opened again revealing a nurse. She said. "Hey Jen, Dr. Brown needs you at the E.R."

"There you are! Could you explain to this boy that your name is Carleen, not Carmine?

Then the lady walked inside my room and stopped beside the other nurse. She gave her a questioning look.

"I'm Carleen, sir. You see, this-" She pointed at her name pin, "Carleen Summers."

"No. You've got me wrong. Carmine Summers. The night shift nurse with a long blonde hair."

"Sorry to say, fella. I'm the only nurse in this ward that has the surname Summers. No others nurses are allowed in here unless they are assigned to a specific ward. Hospital policies."

"It can't be." I muttered.

The two nurses left me alone. No Carmine Summers. Is she only a figment of my imagination?

I've gone through some sleepness nights, hopefully waiting for her. And then the moment I felt my eyelids closed, I remembered the last time I saw her.

The first and last time we confessed our love for each other.

The kiss. It had something to do with her leaving me.

My dream became blank and was replaced with a foggy place. All of a sudden, A figure appeared before me. When I saw her, I rushed to her place and hugged her tightly. Lifting her up and not wanting to let go. If this is a dream, I'd rather not wake up to the reality.

Our mirth echoed throughout the place. I did not know I was crying until she wiped her thumb to my cheeks.

"Don't cry, love." She said softly.

i gathered her hands and kissed them. "You saved my life." I said as a matter-of-factly.

"When you love someone, wouldn't you do the same? If you know you can do something for the other one to be happy, you'd do everything right?" She smiled weakly.

"You know my life's not worth living without you." I looked at her intently in the eyes.

"And you know it's the same as mine. Elrich Michael Penn, Don't argue with me." I chuckled when she said my whole name. Oh how I missed that!

"I'm not joking!" Then she withdrew her hands away from mine.

"I know, love. It's just you can't get rid the habit of saying my whole name. Say, what is your real name.?"

"That, I can't do. You see, our names are holy, humans can't even understand them."

"So how come I know some of the angel's name and I don't know yours."

"Let's just say that we have our Pen names."

"So, yours is Carmine Summers?"

"Uhhh... More or less, I made that up." Then we fell silent for a moment or two. She continued, "I wanted you to do what other humans do for as long as they live. Make this second chance useful. You know that I can't bear losing you when I know I can do something for you. For the moment I became a living individual, I felt so much pain seeing you coping up in this life."

"I love you, Carmine. For as long as I shall live."

"I know." Then she patted my cheek. "You better go. My time here with you is only a gift given to me. Remember this, I may have given up everything I have but I know you're all worth it." Then she started to fade again. "Summer nights are always endless. Look at the stars at the early dawn. Think of me. I'll be there."

"I love you, Elrich Michael Penn." Was the last thing she said.

~ End of the flashback ~

I became a famous football player worldwide. built up a foundation for Cancer patients.

I've lived 72 years of my life. Old as I am, I've lived a happy and contented man even though I've lived alone. I gave my heart to those who needed me.

It's almost night time.

Maybe it's time we see each other again, Carmine.

And it's time for this heart of mine to rest. Then I felt my eyelids close for the last time together with the last breath I borrowed from heaven.

THE END. :)