The Sixth Generation

Grieving & Plans

Time steadies itself out.

My body is able to move, but it doesn't want to or maybe it really can't. I stare at Lauren's body beside Charlotte's. They use to be alive and mine, but things change.

Slowly, I'm falling to my knees beside Lauren's arm. My body drops like a weight, my hands clutching at my shirt while I let out a sob. I shake my head while leaning in close to Lauren.

"Wake up.." I plead, pressing my face to my wife's. Another tear streams down my cheek, landing on Lauren's cheek. I touch my nose to her's, shutting my eyes tightly. "You can't leave me.."

My hand lands on Charlotte's cold arm, making me squeeze it tightly. I crawl over Lauren, sitting criss-cross in the middle of them. I graze a finger over Charlotte's jaw.

"Stay with me." I whimper, tears flowing freely down my face. "You were supposed to be my forever. Lauren and I's forever."

The last tear she shed still sits beside her nose, glimmering in the sunlight that doesn't seem to doing its job—lighting up the world. I wipe the tear away, feeling the physical sadness soak my fingertip.

"Come back." I cry, turning to my wife. We had forever; just not enough time. Her eyes are still open, the sightless emeralds gazing at my face. I remember all the times her gaze would shift to me with so much love, it made me feel like the most important person in the world. "I'll do anything.. please.."

That's when I lose it.

I bury my face in her stomach, letting my tears soak her shirt. I can't feel her heartbeat and her steady breathing. She's gone. She left me—something she promised she'd never do.

Sobs leave my lips, filling the empty air. My heart feels like it's being torn apart and ripped to shreds. I should of done something to prevent this, I could've stopped it.

"I can fix this." I wipe my tears quickly, the effort useless as more just take the others' place. "It's my fault. I could've stopped this.."

Grieving for one person is enough; especially if that person is the key to one's happiness, if that person is one's true love, one's soulmate. Two is worse. Especially if that other person is one's daughter, their beautiful girl who was supposed to grow into a gorgeous women.

I raise my head to look at Lauren. We were supposed to grow old together; lose our hair color together, watch our child grow up, see our grandchild be born.

We were supposed to have another child together.

"Lauren," I whisper, my voice breaking like my heart. "I need you. I can't live without you. Without you is like.. it's like hell." I take a deep breath, exhaling it while it shudders coming out.

"Charlotte," I croak, turning to my daughter; my beautiful, innocent, precious, funny, tiny little girl. "You can't leave Mama, okay? You have to come back. If you can hear me, come back. Do something!"

I let out a loud cry, throwing my head back when nothing happens. I face Lauren, burying my face in my hands while my chest heaves with agony. Tears trickle onto my skin.

In my head, I can hear Lauren's voice. "Even when you're crying, you're beautiful, too." I'm no longer beautiful. I'll never be as beautiful as I was in Lauren's eyes. I'm just heartbroken.

"Wake up." I try again, removing my hands from my face. "You need to wake up. Don't do this me.. you can't."

When she doesn't respond, I grab her shoulders.

"Wake up!" I scream, tears flooding from my eyes and drowning my words out. "Lauren! D-don't! You c-can't.." I shake her shoulders, her dead body following my movements limply.