iBelieve this is it

(Freddie's POV)

(Prologue)

Claire Patricia Benson.

May 14th 1994- November 3rd 2025

Loving wife, will be dearly missed

Seeing that gravestone really breaks my heart. Everytime I'm reminded of the memory, I end up weeping all night.

I know you're wondering who the heck is Claire?

Well, let me explain. When I left for Tulsa, I started a whole new beginning. Of course I stayed in touch with my friends back in Seattle. I also made some new ones. The CEO of the Pear down here, who was about to retire, introduced me to his daughter. Claire Davis.

She had become my secretary when her dad left. Things stayed platonic between us for a couple of months. But I couldn't help but notice, something in her eyes drew me to them. I remember one time, as I doodled her name and mine on a note in my PearPad, just staring into them. Their warm, fiery ember color with a hint of green and grey drew me in like cheese to a mouse. Of course my thoughts were distrubed when someone asked me what the numbers for this month were. Stuttering, I finally managed to tell him and the meeting ended.

We caught up afterward to have some coffee. In that one night, I got to know so much about her. Turns out we both have crazy mothers. While mine's more worried about me having anti-bactierial underwear and getting tick bathes twice a week, hers was pressuring her to get into a committed relationship and get married.

Going out for coffee soon became a routine after work. She'd meet me up front, I'd drive there and we'd both order coffee with 2 creams and 5 sugars. After talking to a buddy of mine at work, I got the nerve to ask her out. She said yes, thankfully. We went out for almost a year before I asked her to marry me. Thankfully, she said yes to that too.

The wedding wasn't anything special. Just a few close friends and our families. Of course we were there too. Dancing the whole night away. Not a care in the world. Our wedding night also marked the first time we made love. I'd forgotten ever since I slept with Sam, that it is indeed called making love.

We were hitched for a couple of years before we were blessed with the news that Claire had become pregnant. The news overwhelmed me, for I had wanted a baby ever since little Sam was born. Claire was about 7 months pregnant when one night, she ran out to grab some stuff that we needed for the house and I was in my home office typing up a storm. I recieved a call a few hours later that Claire had gotten into a severe car accident due to a drunk driver and...well, she wasn't coming home. Ever.

It'd been 2 months since the accident. I've never visited the grave until today. I had something to say to Claire.

"Claire, babe, I came here today to talk to you. Where do I even begin? I miss you sweetheart. Everyday it seems to get easier and easier. I hate that it is. Losing you should make me saddened for the rest of my life. And losing...our baby too. I came today becuase today would've been the baby's due date. We would've been parents! I told the man who made the gravestones to make one for the baby too."

Freddie looked over at the gravestone about 6 inches away from Claire's. It read 'Angela Rose Benson'. His bottom lip started to quiver quite a bit. For about a minute he was speachless. When he finally regained power of his vocal chords, he started to sob.

"...I miss you, both. So so much. You gotta give me a sign or something. Will things ever get better?" At that moment, a gush of wind blew past and sent a lily flower into my hand. it layed there gingerly.

"A perfect lily, huh?" He chuckled some as he deligently held the flower. He kissed both grave stones before standing up on wobbling knees, with the flower in hand, on my way home.

Well, I guess this is it.