May 24, 2020

Granger sat the pear cobbler on the table. “Annie?’ Granger softly placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Dessert is ready”

Annie looked from the window and up at her husband. She squinted her eyes a moment, flashes of recognition crossed her face and she smiled. "Granger” she greeted him. “It’s about time, dessert is getting cold.” She reached for the serve ware.

"Yes.” He smiled and took the seat beside her at the round dining table. She cut into the warm crust and carved a slice out for him, placing it on a plate and sliding it to him. Annie then did the same for herself. They sat, eating silently as she once again turned her attention to the window before her.

The white lattice curtains were pulled to the side as she was able to take in the beauty of the sunset. Shades of watermelon, coral, and rogue weaved endlessly through the darkening blue sky over a field of wildflowers and freshly cut grass.

Granger smiled, taking in the beauty of his wife. Sixty-two years ago Granger got down on a war-torn knee and asked her to marry him in what was then a bountiful berry farm. The youngest daughter of his employer captivated him with her soft brown eyes and sassy wit. He barely was able to finish asking her the question before she started laughing and jumped in his arms singing yes.

As an engagement present, his father-in-law gifted them a pear tree. Annie and Granger planted the tree in the spot where he proposed. After three years of patience, planning and excitement, they recited their vows with a twilight wedding. The white blossoms of the tree sprinkled down on them as they kissed.

Granger looked back at Annie and took her hand. She smiled sweetly at him. Watching the sunset was her favorite pastime and a common theme in the novels she wrote. Her protagonists falling in love during sunset, making love as the hues of twilight changed behind them from pastel to regal to black. He often wondered if she wrote the stories about them. If their love story was the purpose behind the sighs and smiles of her now silent happiness.

“Are you done?” He asked quietly. Annie looked at him and then at her plate. There was a sliver of pear wrapped in the honey dough. She poked at the morsel with her fork and placed the utensil on the plate.

“I’m done.” She answered him. He got up from his seat and took her plate after placing a kiss on her head. She folded her hands around the warm tea mug.

Granger rinsed the plates off, placing them in the dishwasher. Wiping his hands on a dishcloth he turned to her. “Amanda is out with the kids. Would you like to go for a walk?” He asked closing the door to the machine and hitting start.

Annie sat quietly tilting her head slightly to the left. “That would be lovely.”

Granger smiled at her answer and helped her from the chair. He took her shawl that was draped in her lap and placed it gently across her shoulders. Opening the door for her. Annie folded her arm in the crook of his and allowed him to steady her on the porch stairs as they took each one carefully. With the pavement under their feet, then began their journey down a white stone path.

Purple rockcress flowers lined the path with stainless-steel lotus blossoms that were adorned with solar-powered balls nestled every two feet between the flower bunches. Hugging the cress flowers from behind were plantain lilies. Their wavy green leaves with cream-colored markings contrasted with the rockcress blooms, allowing their color to pop out to their admirers.

Annie stopped and bent over the purple buds, plucking one from the bunch and with a divinely innocent smile she held the flower up to Granger. Her smile lightened his heart as he took the blossom and placed it in the pink barrette that held back her soft white hair from her face. “Beautiful.” He brought his shaking hand to trace his fingers along her jawline. Annie nose crinkled at the compliment and hooked her arm in his and they began their walk again to a sun-bleached wooden bench that was nestled under the tree.

Granger held her hand in his lap. Allowing the thoughtful silence to enwrap them. Conversations were not frequent these days. Romantic glances and caring touches were all that was left between them since Annie fell ill. Her memories eluding her, as her illness slowly took her away from him. Granger was grateful though; he was able to keep her home with him. Able to still love her, as they loved each other back in high school. He didn’t mind that their conversations waned, or when she looked at him at times like he was a stranger. She was his Annie, and he was going to love her, however way God intended it.

A squeeze of her hand brought his attention to her face which was filled with confusion and doubt. “Granger?” A familiar awareness of uncertainty in her voice. He held his breath. He could see her struggle against the fog, climbing her way back to him. She stared out into the field, back at the house.

“Yes, Annie.” His voice cracked. His soul reaching out to hers, to stay above the fog, to stay with him a little bit longer.

“Will, will you always love me?” Annie’s eyes filled with tears as heartache washed over her face. He could see how fearful she was that he would leave her. Abandon her.

“Always.” A tear streamed down his face.

Annie nodded, biting her lower lip. She looked down at their entwined fingers. “Will you ever give up on me?” Her eyes finally met his. Her face betraying her inner thoughts as her tears fell freely.

“Oh, Annie.” He let go of her hand and pulled her into an embrace. She accepted him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as he planted kisses to her head, Fighting back his own tears. Granger pulled her face up with a gently hand. It pained him to see her tortured like this once the fog lifted. Once she remembered who so was and what she losing. “Never.” He kissed her forehead. He held on to her. Both falling apart in each other’s arms.

“Dad?” A distant voice called out to him. “Dad!” the voice was panicked and distressed. Granger looked up. His arms were empty. Annie was gone. He could see his daughter Amanda running to him. Falling to her knees as she lifted his head in her hands. “What happened.” She looked at him over “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”

“I … “ Granger had difficulty forming his words. “Waaal..k” His speech slurred. “Mother.” Granger slumped against his daughter as he tried to sit up. He felt weak. His head throbbed and the world around him was spinning. Confusion clouded his thoughts. He had difficulty understanding what Amanda was saying to him.

“What?” Amanda’s voice cracked. “Dad, mom is gone.”

Panic replaced the confusion as Granger felt his body relax, his breathing shallowed. “No.” Granger gasped. She was right here with me. He thought to himself.

Amanda took her robe off and wrapped it around his shoulders. Another voice was shouting in the distance. “Over here!” She cried out to them. “Jake! Over Here.”

Granger laid against the planks of the bench. Unable to focus his eyes on the people before him. Agitated he was not able to recognize their faces, their voices fading in and out as they frantically moved about him. Between their dancing legs, he was able to catch the glimpse of a stone, a woman was standing beside it. “Annie.” He whispered.

The world went black.

Granger opened his eyes against the morning light that filtered into the blush-colored room that he and Annie shared throughout their marriage. The ceiling fan whirred as it moved the warm spring air around that came in through the open windows. He sat up running his hands over his face and through his hair. The disorientation he felt from the night before was gone, his thoughts were clear, and his body no longer ached. He left the bed and made his way to the hall and down the staircase into the foyer. The house was empty. Amanda must still be out with the kids. He thought to himself as he made his way into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of lemonade.

The glass clinked on the marble counter as he looked over a very elegant floral arrangement of white lilies, roses, and asters. Eucalyptus graced the bouquet with its dark green stalks and fragrance. The clear vase was tied off with a silver glitzy bow. “Very ostentatious.” Granger grumbled to himself. Shaking his head at his sons-in-law Jakes' choice of flowers. He picked up his lemonade glass and made his way to the back porch. Letting the door behind him slam as he sat down in his rocking chair.

He looked out over the yard. The white flowers of the pear tree were in fully bloomed with their five-star petals reaching out to the sun. He could faintly see the low-bearing fruit summoning some sparrows to pick at its flesh as they hovered above the branches. Granger placed his lemonade down and lifted himself from the rocking chair. The porch steps creaked as he made his way down to the stone path towards the tree. His heart was heavy as he saw the granite stone, emerging from the freshly trimmed grass. Tears filled his eyes as he knelt at the stone and plucked the weeds that had begun to grow around the base. He blew on the engraved words, removing debris that got caught up in the wind and embedded in the etchings. He traced his fingers along the name and the dates the signified a birth and death. “Oh, Annie.” His breath caught in his throat as it began to tighten against the tears that were threatening his dry face.

Granger looked up as he felt an impression on his shoulder. A hand joined his on the stone and delicate fingers ran across the names and dates. “Granger.” Her melodic voice insighted a gasp from him as his blue eyes fixated on her face. Her soft brown eyes danced when she saw recognition cross his brow. A woman in a pink chiffon dress was kneeling beside him. Her blonde hair was tied up with a pink polka-dotted scarf. Her face was fresh, and pink as she blushed under his stare. She took his hand and placed it against her cheek. “It’s me.”

Granger stilled and took in the sight. “Annie?” Her smiled answered the hope that lingered with her name. “How?” Granger questioned the vision in front of him. Annie looked back at the stone. Granger followed her eyes and they fell on the etching below hers.

Granger Andrew McMillian Birth: September 2, 1934. Death: May 24, 2020.

“Our anniversary” his breath was a whisper. “That night. I saw you!” He looked back at her.

“You came to visit me.” Her voice was serene. “Amanda found you. Flowers in hand, sleeping.” Her eyes dropped to the lilies that were budding beside the grave.

“But I wasn’t ...” His voice trailed off. He understood. He understood that from a distance it would seem so, but once Amanda got to him. “I died that night, didn’t I? That’s why I saw you.”

Annie stood and stretched her hand out to him. “Come.” Granger stood, reaching for her.

“Where?” He asked, his fingers lacing into hers.

“With me silly.” She smiled. Granger felt himself smile with her. “Let’s go home.”