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“Love Can Save”


-“Take back that sad word goodbye.
Bring back the joy to my life.
Don’t leave me here with these tears
Come and kiss this pain away
I can’t forget the day you left
Time was so unkind
And life is so cruel without you here besides me.” -“Un-break My Heart”

**~Epilogue~**

-Two Years Later-

He stares blindly at the flashing television screen before him, visions of reality striking him to the core as the tape played on the set. He watches, remembering the time when Yasmine was acting silly in the music studio. It felt like yesterday to him that she was besides him, holding him, kissing him, waiting to be his wife on the day of their engagement. He stares at the television, watching Yasmine laugh, waving at the camera back at the delivery room. A.J. couldn’t bear to watch more of it, but he needed something to hold on to before he was ready to let go. His heart ached and cried out every night after the incident. The first days of her death was like a complete daze, for him it seemed numbing to his very soul. He made it through the overwhelming sadness only with the help of Faith. Perhaps he wondered at times if Yasmine left Faith for him to help him out. He hoped so. Everyday as the baby grew, she would remind him of her mother. With the little crinkle on her nose when she was annoyed to the giddy laugh that would abrupt from the child’s mouth. Now Faith was almost two years old, a month away till her birthday and another year without her mother.

The first year after Yasmine’s loss, A.J. was barely able to function, he felt like a ghost to his soul, his body. The other guys struggled and helped out their friend to the best they could but even they knew his grief was too deep to be resolved at the moment. And here was another year quickly approaching, leaving A.J.’s heart in a complete disarray. When Yasmine had passed away, A.J. become the legal parent and guardian for Faith and raising the child with all his strength, he become more grateful that Yasmine had left a presence within that child. Faith was a miniature resemblance to her mother, with the black soft curls and tan color to her flesh to the small chubby cheeks and high cheekbones.

He could hear some shuffling besides him as a soft small hand grabs his sleeve. A.J. smiles gently, staring at the little girl, her bright blazing eyes glittering in glee. Her little hand rises to touch his wet cheek, catching a tear that leaked out his mournful eyes.

“Daddy, you sad?” She gentle voice breaks the still silence in his living room.

A.J. gulps and picks up Faith in his arms, having the child nestle her head on his shoulder. “I just miss mommy that’s all.”

“I miss mommy too. She pwetty.” Faith’s little voice whispers out, cracking every now and then.

“Yeah, yeah she was.” A.J. chokes out, closing his eyes, quickly wiping away the tears that stained his cheeks. He hears a gentle mournful sigh coming from behind him at the living room threshold. His gaze turns to see Nick and Howie entering the living room, staring back at him.

“It’s time.” Howie whispers, his eyes bright with tears as Nick sniffs and gazes over at Faith.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Nick glumly states, sticking out his hand for Faith to grab his hand.

A.J. nods, standing up, leading the way out of his house. The bright sunny Florida afternoon sky contrasted to the deep sad emotions racing through his soul. He sees Brian and Kevin waiting in the black SUV, Kevin’s eyes clouded in tears as he grips the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

Brian gulps and remains silent; he couldn’t believe it was time again, time to visit the cemetery where Yasmine’s body lied in. She was transported back to her home state Florida after the doctors prepared her body. And now today in late May after her passing, they were to make their visit to see Yasmine one more time, not in a rather physical sense, but more of her aura, her gentle soul that filled that air. They all boarded the vehicle as Kevin takes them away to the cemetery.

Last year the traveling was too difficult, many a times while heading to the cemetery either A.J. or Nick, Brian, Howie or even Kevin would have broken down, pulling up to the curb every few minutes to unleash the hurt and pain. Today though, today was different, they were more stronger, more able to deal and they reached the cemetery in a matter of minutes.

The vehicle pulls slowly to the graveyard site and all but Faith and A.J. exit the vehicle.

Brian peers into the open back window and sighs sadly, staring at A.J. “We’ll wait for you over there at…” He stops, taking a shallow breath not completing the sentence and slowly eases his way with the three men to Yasmine’s tombstone.

A.J. gulps and stares straight, seeing Faith sitting across from him on another seat facing him. He sniffs and stares down at the floor of the SUV as he hears Yasmine’s voice filter the car. He looks up and sees Yasmine staring back at him, sitting across from him where Faith was. So instead of Faith looking at him, Yasmine gazes back at him.

“Please don’t be sad.” She whispers out, caressing his cheeks.

He flinches and sighs, cupping her hands with his. “This didn’t have to happen to you and you know it.”

Yasmine smiles, her black curls lying beautifully loosely down her shoulders, her bright emerald eyes shining happily. “Alex I’m alright. I’m safe. I’m home. And I only hope you’re be ok. Alex sweetie, I love you and I’m sorry I never told you. But I’ll always be here.” Her hand pulls at his right hand, guiding it to his heart.

“It hurts too much.” He whispers out, his clouding again in tears.

Yasmine sighs and nods her head, “I know it does love. But its ok, I’m safe.”

“I wanna be with you.”

Yasmine gulps, staring at him, “And you will be with me one day. But not today and not for a while. You still have a wonderful life to live and one to care for.” She smiles.

A.J. smiles and nods, “I love you.”

“Back at ya.” She whispers, kissing his cheek.

“A.J., A.J.” His name is called out as he blinks and sees little Faith swinging her little legs out across from him. He looks out in the car window and sees Nick call for him again. Nodding, he sniffs and shakes his head, still trying to understand what he just saw. He reaches out for Faith and she quickly clasps her small hand around his as they exit the car, heading over to the others.

They slowly reach the granite tombstone, covered in bouquet of bright flowers. Faith wobbles over to the tombstone, the gentle writing on it. Placing her small hands on the words that inscribed her mother’s name, she smiles and whispers out, “Mommy.”

A.J. sighs as Kevin hands him a bouquet of white roses to place on the ground next to her tombstone. Nick clears his throat and looks around as Howie whispers out, “Alex we’re gonna head back now. Do you wanna head out with us now or stay here a little bit longer?”

A.J. shoves his hands in his jean pockets, never taking his eyes off Yasmine’s tombstone. “I’ll stay for a bit. I wanna spend the afternoon with her. I own it to her.”

Howie smiles and takes Faith’s hand leading her away.

“I wanna stay with daddy!” Faith cries out, slipping out Howie’s hand and running back to A.J.’s awaiting arms.

Kevin smiles sadly, nodding his head, “Call us when you’re ready and we’ll come back to pick ya up ok?”

A.J. nods and watches his four friends exit the cemetery back to the vehicle. He could hear from a distance coming from the stereo in the SUV, one of their singles playing. A.J. sighs, hearing the lyrics to one of their songs as it relates to way he was feeling at the moment.

“I promise you from the bottom of my heart.
I would love you till death do us apart…

There are no guarantees, that’s what you always say to me.”

The SUV quickly pull away, leaving him and Faith alone at the cemetery, surrounded again in silence and the chirping birds. Faith smiles and takes his hand, “Take me walk. I wanna see birdies.” She tugs at his hand, causing him to break into a gentle laugh.

“Ok. Let’s do that.” And he stands up, waking away from Yasmine’s tombstone as an aura of peacefulness captures him. He smiles and whispers out to himself, “I’ll see you one day.” And he leads little Faith who was prancing around, giggling and easing his discomforts.
~**~