this chapter is based on the song Forever And Always by Parachute, I would suggest listening to the song before reading or while you're reading, you don't have to but it might be better if you did.
...
I've been sitting at the table for almost an hour, waiting for Harlow to arrive. today is our two year anniversary, I set the table and prepared a dinner to surprise her.
she was supposed to arrive home over half an hour ago but there hasn't been any sign of her. I try not to worry, she's probably just delayed or stuck in traffic
another 15 minutes pass by with no word from Harlow, I keep trying to call her but I get no answer. I called her mother and her sister, neither of them have seen or heard from her.
"where are you, Harlow?" I speak out loud.
I walk over to the window looking out for her car, suddenly my phone rings I look down at the caller ID showing Harlow's name.
"finally, babe where are you?" I ask answering the call.
"hello, is this Kelley?" A strangers voice replies.
"yeah, who is this?" I reply wondering who has my girlfriends phone.
"I'm calling from the hospital, I was wondering if you could get here as quick as possible?" the stranger says through the phone.
"why? What's happened? Is Harlow okay?" I ask, starting to worry.
"I'm sorry Miss, I cannot tell you over the phone. Please just come here as soon as you can."
"okay, I'll be there soon." I reply hanging up the phone.
I put my phone in my pocket and grab my keys, I open the door and run to my car, jumping inside I turn it on and pull out of the driveway.
as I'm driving to the hospital my mind starts to go back to one of the happiest times of my life, back to December.
flashback;
"Kel, come here please." I hear Harlow call from outside.
I walk outside and I'm taken by surprise, Harlow is sat on a blanket with candles, dinner and fairy lights around.
"what's this?" I ask walking towards her.
"can I not do something nice to appreciate my beautiful girl?" Harlow replies with a smile on her face.
"you can, you just don't usually do something like this, you're not really the romantic type." I say.
"well, I decided to try a different side of me, now come here and sit with me." Harlow smirks.
"okay..." I walk towards Harlow and sit down next to her, I look up into her eyes and smile.
she moves closer to me and puts her hand on my cheek, I close my eyes and lean into her touch, she moves closer to me.
"you're beautiful, you know? I love you so much, Kelley." she whispers.
I open my eyes and smile wide, this girl always makes my heart melt.
"I love you too, Harlow. More than you will ever know." I lean forward and kiss her gently on the lips.
"there's actually something I wanted to say to you." she tells me pulling away from the kiss.
"okay? Should I be scared or?" I ask confused.
"no babe, definitely not. I just wanted to say that you mean the world to me, we've only been dating for a little over a year but I feel like it's been so much longer you know? you know me better than anyone ever has, sometimes I even think you know me better than I know myself. that day I first walked into camp and laid eyes on you I knew you were someone special, the way you looked back at me and gave me that sweet smile, I knew I was in trouble. meeting you and falling in love with you was the best thing that ever happened to me, I want you forever, I want to be with you always, through the good things, the bad things, all of it. I want to grow old with you, I love you, Kel. more than anything in this whole world. you are everything to me and I just want to know one thing."
I look down with a big smile on my face, I see Harlow move her hands behind her back, she grabs something and pulls them back around, I lay my eyes on it and gasp.
"Kelley O'Hara, the love of my life, my whole world. will you please make me the happiest woman alive and marry me?" I cover my mouth as tears start to fall from my eyes.
"yes, yes. of course." I whisper, a huge smile forming on my face.
Harlow smiles wide and pulls the ring out of the box slipping it onto my fingers, she pulls my face closer to hers and kisses me deeply.
"I love you, so much." I whisper against her lips.
"I love you too Kel." she replies with a smile.
...
suddenly I'm pulling up at the hospital, I turn the car off and run to the entrance walking through the doors.
"hi, I'm Kelley O'Hara, I'm here for Harlow Brooks." I tell the lady at the front desk.
"of course, please follow me." she gets up and starts to walk down the hall.
the lady is leading me down so many halls, they never seem to end. she's telling me what happened, but I'm not really listening. I just want to see my girl.
finally we arrive at her room, I try to keep my emotions in, preparing for what might be behind the doors.
I open the door and walk into the room, my eyes fill up with tears as I see my beautiful girlfriend just lying there. I walk over to her bed and sit down, I grab her hand and hold it tightly.
"hey babe, what are you doing here? we're supposed to be sitting at home planning our wedding and our future, our first house, our first kid, or kids. all the good things we have to look forward to." I tell her, not even sure if she can hear me.
"we're going to go grow old together remember? just me and you, together forever and always." I continue talking.
I feel my hand being squeezed gently and I look up, I see Harlow's eyes slightly open and she has a little smile on her face.
I stand up and move closer to her, I gently kiss her head and look deep into her eyes.
"hey babe, how are you feeling?" I ask her quietly.
she tries to reply but nothing comes out, she looks so tired. I've never seen her like this before, so fragile.
"hey, it's okay. don't try to speak, I'll call the nurses in here." I tell her and walk towards the door. I open the door and spot a nurse a few doors down, I call her over and tell her Harlow is awake.
she checks Harlow over and walks towards me, she asks if she can have a word with me outside. I follow her out of the room and wait for her to speak.
"Miss O'Hara, I'm so sorry but it isn't looking good for Harlow, I'm sorry to have to tell you this but you may have to prepare yourself for the worst." the nurse tells me calmly.
"what? no, please there must be something you can do? I can't be without her, I need her." I reply, tears filling my eyes.
"I'm so sorry, just stay with her, I would say your goodbyes too, again I'm so sorry." she tells me rubbing my arm.
I look down at the floor, trying to keep my tears away. I don't want to say goodbye, we were supposed to be together for always. suddenly I have an idea and I look back up at the nurse.
"hey, could you please do me a favour? could you get the priest up here to Harlow's room? as soon as possible?" I ask her.
"um, yeah sure I'll see what I can do." she replies walking away.
I walk back to Harlow's room and sit back down beside her bed. I grab her hand again and hold on tightly, I bring it to my lips kissing it gently.
...
ten minutes pass by although it feels like hours, suddenly there is a knock at the door, the door opens and the nurse walks in with the priest following behind her, she smiles at me and stands at the bottom of Harlow's bed.
"hello Miss, I hear you wanted to see me?" the priest speaks.
"hey, yeah I have a request. the nurse here tells me my girlfriend isn't going to survive, we had so many plans for our life together, one of them was getting married. I want to marry the girl of my dreams, unfortunately it seems I won't get to do that properly, can you please marry us here? right now?" I ask politely.
"uh, I'm sorry I'm not sure I can do that." the priest tells me.
I walk closer towards him, tears starting to fall from my eyes.
"please, I'm begging you. I have to marry her. please." I beg him.
"I really shouldn't, but okay. I will do it. I can see how much this means to you." he replies.
"thank you, thank you so much." I walk back over to Harlow's bed and see she is awake again.
"you hear that babe? we're going to get married, right now." I tell her looking down at her with a smile on my face.
she looks into my eyes and her face breaks out into a big smile, I move my hand to her head and brush the hair from her eyes.
"do you have rings, vows?" I hear the priest walk over and ask.
"I actually do have rings, I brought them today hoping to surprise her, I didn't get to do that. I don't need to have vows written, I know everything I want to say." I tell him still looking into Harlow's eyes.
"okay, that's fine. I'll skip all the other stuff, just tell Harlow your vows, this lovely nurse here can be your witness." he replies.
I sit on the bed next to Harlow, I hold both her hands in between mine and look into her eyes, I smile at her and begin my vows.
"Harlow, my love. I have loved you from the moment I laid my eyes on you, I know you don't believe in love at first sight, but I know for sure that's what it was the moment I saw you, your beautiful blue eyes, your incredible smile that can light up the whole room, your amazing laugh that could put a smile on even the saddest persons face. you have a heart of gold, always there to help anyone should they ever need it, even if it's somebody you don't know. I never thought I could meet somebody as amazing as you, but I was wrong. I didn't really ever understand what love was, not until I fell in love with you, you make my heart beat faster, even a simple message from you makes me smile so much. I have loved you since the beginning and I will love you until the day I die. I promise you that. I love you Harlow Brooks, always." I finish my vows, tears running down my face. Harlow is smiling with tears in her eyes, even at her worst moments she is still the most beautiful girl in the world.
"thank you Kelley, please place this ring on Harlow's finger." the priest hands me Harlow's wedding ring and I place it on her finger, kissing it afterwards.
"given the fact that Harlow cannot really talk, I will skip all the words needed to say apart from I do, is that okay?" the priest asks standing next to me.
"that's fine, I just want to marry her." I tell him still not pulling my eyes away from Harlow.
I feel pulling on my hand and see Harlow pulling it closer to her, I look back to her and see her opening her mouth.
"I... I l-love you.... Kel." she tells me slowly, struggling to talk.
I smile down at her. "I love you too baby, so much." I tell her leaning forward and kissing her slowly.
"Kelley, do you take Harlow Brooks to be your wife?" I hear the priest ask.
"I do, I really do." I tell him not pulling my eyes away from Harlow.
"and Harlow, do you take Kelley to be your wife?" he asks again, looking at Harlow this time.
"I-I do." she replies with a smile on her face.
the priest gives Harlow her ring and asks her to place it on my finger, she holds the ring and struggles to put it on, I give her a little help and then hold her and in mine, I lean down and kiss her deeply, trying to keep this feeling forever in my mind.
I pull away and smile at Harlow, I lean forward and whisper into her ear.
"I want you forever, and always. we'll grow old together remember? and we have each other through the good things, the bad things, all of it. remember when you told me that? I'll keep that with me forever." I lay my head on her shoulder and close my eyes.
I feel Harlow turn her head towards me, I open my eyes again and look deeply into hers with a small smile on my face, the smile suddenly drops as I hear the beeps of her machine get slower, she moves closer to me, her voice has become so quiet but I can still hear her as she starts talking.
"I love you forever, forever and always. please just remember even if I'm not there, I'll always love you. forever and always."