Promises

“You promised.” I weep as I hold my Grandpa’s hand as he lets out a weak breath. I watch the air leave his chest then motionless and that terrible, awful noise fills the room. The sound of the end and flat tone that continues until the nurse turns off the monitor. The room gets quiet, the only noise filling the room was the sound of a young woman crying. Her parents had to pick her up to drag her out of the room but she didn’t want to leave. She just sat there, holding on and weeping.

For years My Grandparents have been sick, on again off again. Surgery after surgery, one hospital visit after another. They have lived in constant battle, but they fought triumphantly and tried to live normal lives. My Grandpa still bowled and golfed; in the most recent years he got increasingly worse and spent most days in the hospital. I would visit three time a week just to keep him company. When we got the call we knew it would be time to say goodbye.

“Honey we have to go” Mom whimpers as the tears are streaming down her face.

I didn’t move, then I felt a hand upon my shoulder and as I looked up it was my fiance Chase. He swept me up and carried me out of the stagnant room as I buried my face into his chest.

My Grandma and Grandpa on my mom’s side have both been through different types of cancers and operations, one breast cancer and the other bladder cancer. They are truly my heros. They have made me appreciate the good things in life because they can be consumed by the dark and scary parts of life. They have also taught me many valuable life lessons, like standing strong in the roughest points in life will make you stronger and that is is okay to lean on someone else when you can not bare it alone. They were always there when I needed someone by my side, my Grandpa had a saying that he would say to me anytime that life got hard, he would say, “The storm will pass.”

***

The funeral was three days later. The large yellowish room was filled with all of our closest friends and family. The service was beautiful but I still couldn’t contain the tears. I remember at his eldest sister's funeral he stood next to me crying and once I watched those tears roll down his face I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore, and I leaned into him and cried, just cried. My Grandpa didn’t want the last memory of him to be sad, he wanted us to live on and be happy even though he was gone. I always had a hard time with that part of life, the moving on.

Once we got back home I just sat there on the couch holding my Grandma with a blank face trying to control the tears. She just stroked my head telling me how much my Grandpa loved me and thought I would grow up to be a beautiful young woman. I am Twenty-two now and about to get married, in two days to be exact.

“I know how much he wanted to see you in that big church, and in that white dress, and how he wanted to pull you out onto that dance floor and slow dance with you.” My Grandma uttered gripping me tighter.

I broke, I didn’t think these tears would ever stop. Chase came over to sit with us; he just held me. He knows how much that calms me down.

“Should we postpone the wedding Avery?” Chase asked.

“No Mike would not have wanted that” my Grandma answered “ He wanted you two, to be happy and live a long happy life together. Get married and know he will be there is spirit.”

“No we will not postpone the wedding. I have been waiting seven years to marry you. I just wish he was here to see us.” I finally replied.

***

Two days go by, I wake up in my bed all alone because it is bad luck to see your fiance the day of the wedding, but I exchanged him for a house filled of girls. My Mom opens my door to wake me up, because she know how not punctual I am.

“Honey it’s the big day, time to get up and go to the solon.” she says in her perky voice.

“Okay mom i’m coming.” I slip on my pink robe labeled Bride and scurry downstairs to meet my five bridesmaids all ready with my coffee and in their robes. My sister Ava is my maid of honor and she vowed to be my servant for today, anything I need she’ll do. Then there is Makayla, she is my wedding crazy bridesmaid who wants every little detail to be perfect, Nicole, my over excited bridesmaid, Christine, my laid back bridesmaid and Marie Chase’s sister, my helpful bridesmaid. Marie declared that she is driving us to the salon, partially because she hates my driving.

We stepped outside and it was raining, grey clouds, windy, this day was supposed to be perfect, but look at this wonderful start.

When we got to the salon us girls got our nails done, and hair done and makeup done. My friends are so obnoxious and loud the sound of sirens filled the building, i’m surprised we didn’t get kicked out of the place. It was quite the opposite the ladies turned up the music and we danced around the salon like crazy.

As we danced I paused and the noise got quiet, everything went into slow motion and there he was, my Grandpa dancing in the corner laughing just like I remember. A smile came across my face, and sunshine peered through the windows filling the room with that sunflower yellow. A hand touched me on the shoulder.

“Avery are you okay? What’s wrong?” Marie asked

“Nothing, today is just going to be a great day. Look, the sun is out.” I Sighed with relief.

***

We piled back into the the car with ourselves all done up. We drove to the cute little townhouse next to the outdoor chapel and the big rustic barn decorated with white lights and flowers. We walked in through the front door and went right upstairs to a large beautiful room where my Mom and Grandma were waiting with my dress hanging against the mirror on the left wall. Six makeup mirrors and tables were set up around the room for each one of my bridesmaids and myself. I slipped into my white dress and my Grandma zipped me up. An hour went by and it was time.

We lined up and the guests found their seats, the music started to play and my heart raced to the beat, as I stepped out onto the aisle and looked at the empty seat next to my Grandma and just smiled. I locked eyes with Chase and I saw a tear roll down his face. For a change it wasn’t tears of sadness but happy tears. I now know I have someone new to lean on when I need it. I am so in love with this man. I thought. Then I took his hands as the pastor started speaking. Every five minutes I caught myself glancing at that seat where my Grandpa should be but for once I didn’t cry, because this is supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I gazed into Chase’s eyes as he said his vows,
“I promise to always love you through the in’s and out’s of life, I promise to be your forever shoulder to cry on, I promise to carry you through the storm when it knocks you down, I promise to never let you be alone. I know your Grandfather is not here by your side but I promise to do my best to fill his role. I promise to love you forever, I will be by your side until the end. I promise.” Tears of joy filled my eyes. My vows were subpar compared to his, he was always good with words, me not so much. We then exchanged I Do’s, and ran hand in hand down the aisle. It couldn’t be more perfect.

We went into the barn, and ate the most amazing food. Salad, grilled chicken and asparagus, and a three tiered red velvet cake with the most delicious buttercream frosting. Parts of the night were a blur, except for the dancing. Chase and I slow danced to our favorite country song, and almost every other song that played.

Then after we ate my family gave me a surprise, they played the song that my Grandpa played for me, they sat me down in a chair and explained this was the song my Grandpa had picked out for us to dance to at the wedding. He promised. So as I sat there with tears in my eyes I saw him, in the beams of light, standing there smiling, dancing, I could hear him say “The storm will pass.” One last tear rolled off my face, an hit the ground.