Chapter Five

~*~ Flashback ~*~

Jo looked at Piper while she fumbled with her dress nervously "Come here." She adjusted the tiny white button and smoothed the rumples on the gown.

A deep sigh came from Piper.

Jo looked at her reflection in the mirror, for a moment they just shared eye contact. Piper's look was nervous, Jo's was concerned.

"Are you sure?" Jo finally asked

Piper's eyes sparkled and she smiled, a more relaxed sigh escaped from her mouth "Yes." She turned around to face Jo "Sis, I knew the moment I looked into his eyes that he's the one. The world just stopped and I knew that he would always be there for me, like I would be there for him. I could see our future together in his eyes, and it just felt right... just like getting married feels right...I love him, Josy.."

Jo sighed "I believe you." She wiped a little dust fluff away from Piper's blonde locks. She smiled "Alright, let's get dad so he can walk you down the aisle."


~*~ End of flashback ~*~

3 years later

Dear Piper,

It's been 3 years since that day, the day you died in a car crash.

And, oh boy, so much has happened since..

I can remember it all like it took place just a week ago.
I can still smell the scent of a thousand flowers at your grave, the god knows how many phone calls and cards, the seemingly endless teardrops and all the things that occupied my mind.
The first time I held Joyleigh in my arms, the first time I saw Nick cry,.. the first time I really missed someone that painfully much.
It's so hard to believe that you've been gone for 3 years already. And still it's natural in a way.

I have written you so many letters.
This morning I emptied the box that contained the letters and read them all...
Safe to say that I've kept you informed, lol.
Everything I would have told you if you'd still be alive, I told you now in those letters.
To me it was sort of like therapy, it helped me deal with my mourning, it was relieving in a way, and a place where I could speak freely.

As I said; so much has happened in 3 years time, it's truly amazing, all the stuff I went through, good and bad.. sad, funny, tragic, magic, weird, scary, and even interesting and 'educational' in a way.

When I left Indiana and went to Florida, I never in my wildest dreams would have guessed I'd stay as long as I did.. I only went back once.. to move my stuff out permanently.
After the first week I already knew that I didn't want to go back home, because it wasn't home anymore. 'Home is where the heart is'.. my heart was in Florida. Where your spirit colored the sky, with Joyleigh, aunt Marianne, with Nick and even with Brian, Howie, Kevin and AJ.

~*~*~

"Jowsy?"

She turned around "What's wrong, Leigh, sweetie?" she put the paper and pen away and picked the little girl up from the ground, swinging her around in her arms.

"I's wann icwe cweam!" she smiled and pouted at the same time "Pleaz, Auntie Jowsy?"

"What flavor do you want?"

"Ummm," she thought for a second "Peawce Yowur!"

Jo smiled "Peach Yogurt huh? You're definitely mommy's girl."

At the hearing of 'mommy', Joyleigh wiggled her way out of her aunt's arms and ran outside, she stopped at the memorial stone that was placed underneath a tree at the far end of the yard "Mommy.." she placed her little hand on the headstone, she bend closer and kissed the stone softly. Then she ran onto the neatly cut grass again and looked up at the sky, she giggled and looked at Jo, pointing her finger up to the clouds "Mommy heaben!"

Jo choked up and tears formed in her eyes "Yes, that's right sweetie, mommy's in heaven.."