Hunter nodded his understanding. “Your mother loved you two boys more than anything else in this world. She believed she was put on this Earth to raise you. I believe she was put on this Earth to save not only my life, but those of everyone she knew.” He grew quiet remembering back to the many days and nights they’d spent together. “She once told me that she would lay out in the grass with the two of you when you were young and watch the clouds. While the two of you competed to find the different faces and shapes, she pretended that she could see her parents up there waving down.” He laughed again. “She always did say the craziest shit.” He paused to swallow down the lump that had formed in his throat.
“But for some reason, the crazy shit she said always seemed to eventually make sense. After she died, I spent many days laying out in the yard when I wasn’t working. I looked up at the clouds and I watched to see if by some stroke of luck I would catch a glimpse of her hair glistening in the sunlight. And even though I never did, I felt her - in the wind, in the grass beneath my body, and in the rain that sometimes fell on my face as I lay there. She’d become part of the environment that she loved and it was in those quiet places that I found her, could talk to her, and could know that, somehow, she heard whatever it was I had to say.”
When they’d grown silent again, Hunter realized how tired he’d become. “Come on boys, take me to my house so you can get back to your wives and your children. I’ve done what I needed to do and now I’m ready to go home.”
~ ~ ~
When they pulled up to the house, Hunter climbed out of the car and waved at his sons while they drove out to the road and disappeared around the bend. Turning around, he looked up at the two houses that stood on the property.
Through the years that followed the summer he’d met Ellison James he watched as Lily went to college, eventually marrying Ryan and moving to a small town 20 minutes from where she’d grown up. She became a teacher and had four children, three girls, and one boy. Bill remained living in the house that Hunter had spent three months repairing and Ellison and Hunter remained living on the property with their boys until Bill eventually grew old and passed away. Hunter had offered to move Ellison and their sons to a nicer home, one nestled snuggly within a wealthy city or town where they’d want for nothing. But Ellison had always refused, claiming she had everything she would ever need tucked within that wooded lot, minutes from the trails she loved to hike daily. Eventually, when the boys had grown old enough to walk those miles beside her, it became a family affair and Jeremy and Chase had grown up to go into forestry as their mother had always dreamed she would do someday. Ellison’s brother, Jake, married when he graduated college and, although he’d completed his degree in business, he realized he wasn’t made for life inside an office, eventually quitting his profession to be a tour guide for hikers in the Appalachian mountains. Finn moved away within a year of Ellison and Hunter getting married, an occurrence that Hunter would never say he was completely unhappy about. He didn’t want to exclude someone that was important to Ellison, but he never got over his anger towards Finn for having practically abandoned Ellison while her father battled his disease.
Walking up the wooden steps of the staircase, Hunter approached the front door, reaching out to ring the lit doorbell. The chimes inside reminded him of the day he’d installed the damn thing, and the way Ellison had jumped excitedly to have something so simple added to the home she’d always loved.
Letting himself in the house, he realized how much he missed the incessant noise and welcoming barks of the terror mutts Ellison had raised. They’d passed away years after Hunter and Ellison married, however they’d been the best of friends and protectors for the boys during the many years they’d had together. Crossing through the living room, Hunter’s eyes flicked to the many family photographs and memorabilia on the walls and counters where Ellison had lovingly placed them. She was always so proud of the family she’d created and she’d talk any person’s ear off about the accomplishments of not only her husband, but her boys as well. Laughing to himself, Hunter recognized that if it hadn’t been for the light inside her, those accomplishments would have never come about.
Finally reaching the bedroom he’d shared with Ellison for more than 50 years, he dressed in his nightclothes and moved the different letters, journals and photographs he’d rummaged through while preparing for the speech he’d had to give. It was the story of Ellison’s life, something, as she’d grown older, that she’d documented and preserved. It’d broken his heart to read her memories of her father’s passing, but he could relate and appreciate every terrible experience about which she wrote. He’d experienced it himself when he’d taken a leave from his practice to care for her when she’d become sick and died. He remembered her anger, her futility and her despair and he understood what it felt like to watch the light drain from the person you love. It wasn’t supposed to end that way. That’s not how he’d imagined he’d lose her. But it’s what happened and Hunter had to tilt his hat to life, to recognize that fate and nature were going to do what they were going to do, despite how much you fought against it. He’d wanted to die beside her, but he wouldn’t let himself leave the world until he’d destroyed the one thing that had destroyed her.
Lying down, he rested his head against the pillow, pulling another pillow to his side to make up for the loss of Ellison’s body. Closing his tired eyes, he curled into a fetal position, allowing his tired muscles and bones to rest.
“That was a great speech. I totally would have agreed with the bitch part. But, as usual, you showed no respect. I remember telling you to refer to me as ‘Evil Princess Bitch.’”
Hunter’s eyes opened slowly, his mind not comprehending her voice.
“Well, come on. Stop being so damn lazy and wake up. I’m standing right here. Look at me.”
When his vision finally focused, he couldn’t believe what he saw: Ellison — young, beautiful, relaxed and carefree — leaning up against his wall.
He pushed himself up swiftly, the years of his life no longer weighing down his body. Shock washed over him and he rubbed at his eyes. “Ellie?”
She smiled. “It’s about time. I’ve been standing here forever. You just never noticed.”
His jaw dropped. “I must be dreaming. Oh God, El … you look beautiful.”
Pushing off from the wall, Ellison walked slowly to the bed, eventually sitting down beside him. Hunter jumped to feel the mattress lower from her weight.
“You look tired, Hunter. I think it’s time for you to retire. You’ve done what you came to do and I couldn’t be more proud.” She reached out to touch his cheek.
Feeling the warmth of her skin on his, Hunter leaned into her touch, the few years he’d lived without her never allowing him to forgot what it was like to hold her, to feel her hold him back. Guilt flittered along his thoughts. “I failed you, El. I couldn’t figure it out in time.” He looked up into her crystal blue eyes. “I couldn’t save you.”
“But you saved our boys and their children as well … and so many countless others who would continue to die if it wasn’t for what you accomplished. Those people may not be sick yet, but they will be. However, they no longer have to fear the diagnosis — thanks to you.”
He shook his head. “None of that matters … ”
“Yes, Hunter, it does. You just need to open your eyes and see what you’ve done.” Reaching down, she grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I’ve missed you.”
He smiled, his cheeks no longer burning with the effort, the pain of his body no longer effecting his movements, or slowing him down. “I never want to wake up, El. I want to stay here, beside you.”
“Then don’t.” Taking his hand, she stood up, pulling him along beside her. She walked him in the direction of the bedroom door. Hunter turned to look back at the bed, his eyes widening in surprise to see the body of an old man, wrinkled and frail, still curled around a pillow.
“El?”
She stopped, looked at him
and then over to the bed. Shaking her head, she grinned and looked back at him. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”
“So, this is it? What about the boys? Our grandkids?”
Turning towards him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling out at him like she’d done for so many years throughout his life.
“They’ll be fine. Our lives are like books, Hunter. Each day is a new page — each year, a new chapter. Just like books, our lives end; but our stories … those are never forgotten. We live on in the hearts and thoughts of those who loved us.” She smiled, her face incandescent from an inner glow that emanated from her skin. “Your speech just brought me to life again, in the hearts of the boys and the hearts of the other people in the audience. It was touching.” Her eyebrow arched, before she added, “Although, I didn’t know about daddy’s letter, you’ll need to tell me more about that.”
Hunter smiled and pulled her closer to him. “So what happens now?”
She laughed, the sound beautiful, brilliant and melodic. “Can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
It didn’t matter, he knew he’d follow her anywhere, regardless of her answer.
She winked.
“No reason.”
The End
M.S. Willis
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M. S. Willis, Because of Ellison
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