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Angel of Mine The mysterious young figure carefully watched from afar, cloaked in the darkness of the shadows around her. From a distance, she could see a reverend reciting a final psalm from the Holy Bible before dismissing the group. As everyone departed, five young gentlemen lingered behind. Four of them seemed to gather around a single man who was kneeling before the freshly dug gravesite. Brandee could see his tear stained face glistening as he wept beneath the heavy rainclouds above. She stepped out from among the shadows and began her accent towards him. Her small figure floated across the cemetery, her soft flowing white gown barely brushing the grass underneath her feet. She was no longer conscious of her surroundings as her focus laid solely on him. He briefly glanced in her direction, but it didn't matter. He couldn't see her. No one could. By the time she reached him, he was standing alone. The others had drifted away to give their friend some privacy. The man's eyes focused on the fresh-dug soil beneath him. Brandee watched as he knelt down at the grave. A single long-stemmed red rose had been placed by the newly inscribed headstone. He'd placed it there just for her. His fingers gently ran up the side trailing across the letters which marked her fate -Brandee Joy Tecson Brandee sighed at the sight of her name. Had it only been a week ago when she was by his side, encircled in his arms? It seemed like an eternity... She remembered feeling so safe, his love protecting her from any harm imaginable. But even that couldn't stop her destiny. She longed to feel his touch just once more. To feel his warm lips pressed against hers. If only she could hold him... ‘Oh, AJ...’ She reached out to brush away the flow of tears running down his pale face but her hand went through him like a whisp of thin air. A tear fell from her own eye as she watched him. Brandee's thoughts went back to that one fateful day just one week ago. The day that marked her death. It was completely unexpected. Her and AJ were just coming home from another one of his romantic rendezvous. It was the date of their six month anniversary. On the way back from the beach, AJ had decided to take one of the side streets to shorten the drive back. It was a winding road, not one to drive at night but it was late and no one appeared to be out. As they neared the intersection, a dark blue Cadillac swerved out of nowhere and crashed into the driver's side of AJ's car - Brandee's side. It was a pretty bad collision according to the news reports. The driver of the Cadillac had been under the influence of alcohol, over 2 points above the the legal limit. AJ was able to escape the collision with a few minor cuts and bruises and a broken rib, but Brandee wasn't nearly as lucky. Because of the sudden impact, she had been knocked unconscious and pinned in the rubble of the crash. Sirens blasted as paramedics rushed to free her but it took almost 15 minutes and not a moment too soon. When she and AJ arrived in the ER, doctors reported she had lost a massive amount of blood. Her body was immediately taken into the ICU. AJ was left behind while the doctors treated his wounds. His head was pounding, everything was going so fast. “Brandee... no, where is she!? Is she gonna be OK? Ow, dammit!” He winced from the pain, trying everything in his power to keep from losing his sanity. “I need to see her... take me to her NOW!” he ordered. The nurses could see he was not in the right condition to argue so one of the ladies directed him into the Intensive Care Unit. But it was too late. While he was away, Brandee had gone into cardiac arrest. AJ rushed to her lifeless body, his voice screaming at everyone around him. “Oh my God, Brandee! BRANDEE! Dammit, someone help her! PLEASE!” He could feel his knees collapse from under him as he hit the cold hard floor of the ICU. As Brandee slipped into the darkness enveloping her, she could faintly hear AJ's voice pleading for her to fight. She remembered the fear in his trembling voice... so scared... so so scared. She struggled to keep conscious but the calling was so strong. The white light was just ahead of her. So warm and beautiful. So inviting. The Angels were calling her. AJ.... “NO! Brandee, no, you can't die on me! Baby, I love you!” The tears seemed to flood his entire soul as her stared down at her lifeless body. “Brandee, please!” She tried to go back, back to the sound of his voice begging for her to hold on to her life. Their life. They had planned to spend the rest of their lives together. In a month, AJ was to propose. In a year, they would have been husband and wife... but she had no choice, she had to follow the light. AJ fell onto a heap on the floor as the medic announced the time of death - 1:05 AM.As Brandee stood there looking at the man she loved, she could sense the overwhelming pain in his heart. It was draining him. I'm so sorry, AJ... She took a seat on her headstone, right in front of him. His eyes looked glassy and distant as they stared down at her grave. Brandee could hear him mumble something as he buried his face in his hands. “I'm so sorry, baby,” he said. “I miss you so much...” She watched helplessly as he broke down. “You were gonna become my wife... we were gonna spend our lives together... remember what you told me about our wedding day?” Reluctantly, Brandee sighed. She remembered. “You said we were gonna have a big storybook wedding... we were gonna honeymoon in the Bahamas... you always said you loved that place...” His lips faintly curved into a smile reminiscing. “And now...” I know... “I hope you're doing OK up there....” AJ brushed away some tears from his face. “I never thought I could miss someone so much. Even just the little things... like that face you make when you laugh. But I know you must be making a lot of people happy up there...” He broke out into a sob. It broke Brandee's heart. “God, I miss hearing you laugh... I miss seeing your smile. Baby, I miss being with you.” AJ sat quiet for a moment. Brandee no longer could contain the emotions she had been keeping bottled up inside. She felt the hot tears stinging her cold face. “I don't know how I'll be able to go on without you.” Brandee was his life. How would he be able to live without her by his side? “Baby, I wish you were here with me,” he sobbed. “I love you so much.” I love you, too, Alex... Brandee could hear the Angels beckoning her. They were calling her. It was time for her to go... time to leave this world behind. She had delayed the inevitable as long as possible, but now it was time to finally say goodbye. Brandee took one last look at the man she loved. The thought of leaving him behind was suffocating her... but she had no other choice. “It's OK, baby,” she whispered. “We'll be together again... someday.” Brandee wished that she could talk to him one more time. It killed her to know that she would never have the chance to say goodbye. Although she knew he couldn't see her fragile frame, Brandee leaned down once more to kiss her love. His skin felt warm and comforting... AJ felt a cold brush of air touch his cheek and instinctively, he looked up. He could hardly believe his eyes. A young girl stood before him, surrounded in some sort of celestial light... she was so beautiful. “Brandee?” he managed to choke out. No, it couldn't be. Brandee immediately looked up. “Alex...” She looked into the same comforting eyes she had loved for so long. But how could he...? AJ stood there, frozen to the spot. His eyes drank in her vision. His hand reached out to touch her... Brandee watched as AJ reached for her hand. When she felt his warm hand enveloping her, it was almost too much to take. “Oh my God...” He didn't know why or how this was happening but here she was right before his eyes. Instinctively, AJ took her into his arms. Tears streamed from both their eyes. “I'm so sorry, AJ,” Brandee sobbed as she held him close. AJ remained silent. He was savoring the time he had to hold his love once more. After a moment, he pulled away to look at her. “Please don't go, baby,” was all he said. Brandee could feel herself fading. She was being pulled into the light. It was time. She kissed AJ one last time. “It'll be okay, baby...” “No... please...” AJ begged. He could see her form slowly fading from existence. Brandee touched his face, comforting him. Her lips curled into a warm smile as she spoke her last words. “Goodbye, Alex... I love you.” AJ watched as Brandee's presence disappeared into the air. “Goodbye, baby... I love you.” AJ stood there for awhile, just staring at that spot where Brandee had stood moments earlier. He closed his eyes and remembered the feeling of holding her that one last time. And her final words... she had come to say goodbye. For the first time since Brandee's death, AJ smiled. He no longer felt alone. He knew he would always have his angel above watching over him. |