Memories

Memories



David Moon was a 43 year old man, often found in a black baseball cap and always seen walking the beach at dawn. He would walk from his house on the Island Highway down to the beach and then from there he would stroll all the way down to the pier, where he would sit underneath, listening to the people above him and the waves crashing in front of him.
It was on such a morning as this, a morning that contained no special meaning, but that released the pain in his heart from a dull ache to a throbbing wound. It was on such a morning as this, that he allowed the memories to come fully.

// "Come on in David, the water’s not that cold," Anna entreated as she splashed around in the lake.
Laughing at her antics David did as he was told. He saw her smile as he came and he saw the mischief in her sparkling green eyes, just before she grabbed his hand and yanked. He came up spluttering and glaring though she didn’t see it. Anna was too busy laughing. He couldn’t keep his anger long and soon he was laughing along with her.//

David couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Anna had always been a happy girl, full of fun and mischief. You were never bored when she was around.
Finally reaching the pier David sat down on the stones beneath and remembered their first kiss.

//It was raining. Well to the Islanders it was considered more of a drizzle, either way it was wet and it was falling from the sky.
They stood on the pier, underneath both moon and stars, where Anna had dragged him out of his house.
They stood there holding hands, basking in the warmth of each other.
"Do you feel it?" she whispered.
"Feel what?" he asked, turning his steady gaze towards her.
"The magic this night holds." Her eyes were warm and soft, the rain making her skin shine. Looking at her David was reminded of a fairy princess. He could no more stop his next move than he could have stopped the sun from shining.
He kept his gaze locked with hers as he bent to kiss her and closed them just after hers had shut.
That first intimate meeting of the lips was tentative and brief. The second, long and more confident. It was on that pier that they first learned the taste of one another. It was on that pier that their relationship reaffirmed itself. It was on that pier that David truly fell in love with her.
They were only 16.//

David watched the waves crash against the rocks and heard the rain start to fall. It reflected his mood, he thought. Even after 27 years he could still remember, could still feel and taste that first, shy kiss. He could still recall every single emotion that had passed through him in that precious moment. They had been a bit shy afterward, but once they had looked into each others eyes they had laughed. Leaning back David closed his eyes and once again went back in time.

// "David please, can we get this one? It’ll be perfect," Anna whined, pointing towards the plush ultramarine couch.
"Anna, don’t whine like that," David complained, wincing as his ears protested the unfamiliar sound.
"Please, David?" Anna begged ignoring his words completely.
Though he tried he could not ignore that look, those wide puppy eyes and the full pouting lips.
"Alright, alright, we’ll get the couch," he acquiesced. David couldn’t help but grin at her antics. She was in her twenties and yet couldn’t help but act like an enthusiastic child.
They bought the couch and other items that day and placed them in their newly acquired home.
That night they sat on their new couch surrounded by candlelight and the fire they had lit. They spent the time drinking wine and speaking of their plans for the future.//

They had made love that night for the first time. David remembered. They had wanted to wait until they were both emotionally and financially prepared for the possible consequences of their actions. It had been tender and sweet he recalled, and totally worth the wait.
Afterwards…

//She laid on his chest listening to his heartbeat. They said not a word, but it was not an uncomfortable silence.
"Do you believe…" Anna trailed off.
"Believe what, Anna?" he asked stroking her back.
"In soul mates?" she questioned.
David understood why she was asking. Gently he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"When I’m with you," he started softly. "I believe in anything. Most especially us, Anna. I love you, that’s all I’ll ever need to know, or believe in." He saw the tears cloud her beautiful eyes and make them swim. He smiled as gently as he ever could and kissed her, as gently as he ever could. They fell asleep in each others arms that night, and woke up the same way in the morning. Together, in the arms of the one they loved, a tradition that would hold for the years to come.//

There had been many such days in their lives together. And David remembered all of them… well.
With a sigh he got up and started on his way home.

// He took her to Elk Falls and was so nervous. He prepared a picnic dinner and they had eaten it, sharing wine and quite, comfortable conversation. When they finished David took her hands and lifted her to her feet. He saw the confusion in her eyes but knew she wouldn’t ask questions. She always waited until he was ready and David smiled at that knowledge.
Holding her hands in his, he raised each one and kissed them in turn. The puzzlement was still in her eyes but they softened with his gesture.
"I need to know something Anna," he said quietly, unwilling to disturb the quiet that was the forest.
"What is it that you need to know, David?"
"Will you marry me? Will you let me love you forever Anna?" Her eyes went wide and started to fill.
"Oh David! Of course I will!" As one tear, then another escaped David pulled out the simple ring with a sapphire, that had once belonged to his mother, from his pocket and placed it on her finger. Kissing that hand David pulled her into his arms fully and kissed her, gently but with passion. She had accepted and he no longer felt nervous. They had been 26.//

He had taken her there for every anniversary David remembered. She had never waned to go anywhere else. He remembered another life altering moment occurring there as well. She had even used the same starting words.

// "I need to know something David," she stated, staring off into the water.
Coming up behind her, David wrapped his arms around her and asked, "What is it love?"
She turned in his arms, wrapped her own around his neck and asked, looking into his eyes, "How do you feel about being a father?"
It took him a minute to understand completely, but when the realization hit him his eyes went wide as saucers.
"You’re… you’re… Anna, are you… pregnant?"
Biting her lip, she nodded.
"I’m going to be a father?" Another nod.
With a shout and a laugh he wrapped her in his arms and swung her around. Putting her down he kissed her hard and deep and then just stood still and held her.
"A father. I’m going to be a father. Good, god," he murmured. Pulling back he looked at her and asked, "How are you feeling?" He placed a hand over he belly, "Everything alright in there? Have you seen a doctor?"
Gently Anna placed a hand on his mouth to stop the flood of questions.
"I’m feeling fine, I’ve seen a doctor and everything is perfect. Are you really happy about this David?" They had never spoken about having children before, so David understood her concern and did his best to reassure her.
"You’re carrying our child inside of you Anna. In nine months I’m going to have a very small extension of you in my arms. Nothing in this world could make me happier."
They were 30.//

The tears had come into her eyes then, David remembered, as he stepped inside his home. He had taken her home and had made love to her there, tenderly. He had been involved in the entire process, not wanting to miss out on a single moment. And when he had finally held that small bundle in his arms he had felt his heart expand to impossible lengths. They had named her Cara, which meant loved one. David remembered as he sat on the plush ultramarine couch they had bought so many years ago.
"Dad." David looked over and saw his pride and joy. She had both of them in her, David saw. His chin, her nose, his raven hair, her fair complexion. But everyone knew she was Anna Moon’s child by her sparkling green eyes. Her mothers sparkling green eyes.
"What are you doing up, Cara?" he asked as she snuggled into his arms, it was, after all, only 7 am on a Saturday morning.
"Same as you I expect," she answered as she always did.
They sat in companionable silence, in understanding. There wasn’t much to be said, all they could do was wait for 8 o’clock, as they did every morning on this day.
The cancer had taken her fairly quickly and for that David had been grateful. He hadn’t wanted her to suffer. He had managed to have Anna brought home and there he had taken care of her. He had known of her pain and they had both done their best to ignore it. But on April 9, 2001, the beginning of spring, as the early sun had shone threw the windows, Anna Moon had known that it was her time. She had been prepared, as prepared as anyone could be. She had written a letter to her 10 year old daughter, containing all of the important information she thought Cara should know and said her final words to the only man in the world she had ever loved. Then at 8:00 o’clock on a sunny morning, she slipped away.

// "David…" Anna began. Sitting at her side David stopped her with a kiss.
"Hush Anna, I know," and he did. He didn’t know how he knew, but he knew it was time.
She smiled at him, even as her heart broke. She didn’t want to leave this man. Didn’t want to leave her young daughter. She wanted to be there for all of those important and unimportant moments in both of their lives, but knew that such could no longer be.
"I wish…" Anna started and once again was stopped by a kiss.
"So do I love. So do I."
"You’ll take care of Cara, David. Love her for the both of us." She didn’t phrase it as a question for she already knew the answer.
Tears claimed both of their eyes. "She’ll know the love of her mother, Anna. I’ll make sure of it."
"I don’t want to go David. I want to be with you. Stay with you. Love with you." The tears came fast, the time grew shorter.
"You will be, Anna, you know you will. But the creators above have another plan for you. You’re needed elsewhere now." He wanted to scream that she was needed so much more on earth. That there was nothing that creators wanted her to do that was more important that being here with him. With their daughter. But he couldn’t.
Tears ran down both cheeks and went unnoticed.
"I love you so much David. More than you could possibly know," Anna choked.
David kissed her hands, as he had done the day he had asked her to marry him, and repeated her words back to her.
"One last favor, David?" Anna asked. She could feel herself growing weaker.
"Anything in the universe my love. I’d grant you the stars if I could."
"Kiss me," she said. "Kiss me like the first."
With gentleness he bent and placed his lips on her own. Their tears mingled, just another sharing, this time of sorrow. But despite that added salty taste, the kiss was everything sweet and tender. New yet familiar, a last gift the gods gave to them.
With his taste still in her lips and his ocean blue eyes still in her mind, Anna Lynn Moon, a 40 year old mother, lover, friend and wife, slipped from the lives, from the arms of those who loved her most.//

David remembered crying, remembered his heart breaking and remembered telling his 10 year old daughter that her mother had died.
They had cremated her and had spread her ashes in her favorite place, Elk falls. David still went there on this day, but he went at night, when the stars were shinning.
At 8:00 o’clock, on April 9, Cara lit a vanilla scented candle, her mothers favorite, and turned to the picture sitting on the fire place mantle. Giving it a kiss and her father a hug, Cara went to her room to get dressed. She had things to do that day.
The picture was of her mother at twenty, standing on a beach with the ocean at her back and the wind blowing through her waist length mahogany hair. Her striking green eyes sparkled at the camera, and her smile held hints of both mystery and mischief.
David sat looking at that picture, then got up to prepare breakfast. This was how they remembered Anna Moon. The time before 8:00 am was given to memory. The time after, to life. She was and always would be a part of them, and David felt her absence greatly, but he knew the best way to honor, to love his wife was to live and make sure their daughter did the same.
Once again turning towards the picture David said, "I love you Anna, don’t you ever forget it." Then turning around to face his daughter in the process of eating, David Michael Moon lived.