Delicate as a Rose (Wilting)
Her name is Addison.
She stood there, perched at the edge of the grave. Barely past twenty-three, and already a widow. They said he fought hard. They said that he saved a lot of lives. But all she wanted was to have her husband back in front of her. She was dressed nice, wearing funeral black, with the jewelry he had given to her on their second anniversary.
Addison shifted the baby on her hip. Their baby, Wyatt, was almost his spitting image. They had the same large blue eyes. Currently, he was resting his head on her shoulder, being rather quiet, considering he’d threw a fit when she’d put him in his clothes that morning. She had his diaper bag slung over her shoulder with her purse, while his little hand clutched onto his dinosaur, and she kept his blanket wrapped around him. It was chilly- fitting to her mood.
Addison raised her head, glanced around for a moment, and realized she was the last one there. She wiped at a stray tear, continuing to stare down at the hole where his coffin had sank. She clutched a folded American flag in her hand, and felt her heart breaking all over again. Ian had been so bent on serving his country and making a difference. Sure, she was proud of him, but now her lover was gone. She shifted her six month old in her arms, hearing him suck on his pacifier. She pressed a sweet kiss to his forehead. “Mommy’s done now, baby.” She murmured into his ear, though she was unsure if he really understood her. Her voice was enough though.
The baby sat up slowly and lightly patted her wet cheek. She gave her little boy a shaky smile and then sniffled a bit. “I think its time to go.” She murmured once more. Addison firmly turned away from the grave she knew her husband would lay in from now on. She made it to her car, and carefully tucked Wyatt into his seat. Making sure he was strapped in securely, she straightened up and watched him drift off to sleep. She looked over her shoulder, watching as the dirt was dumped into the hole. And she lost it again.
“My heart is always with you. Be strong. Show Wyatt I love him.”
The last words he’d ever spoken to her. She turned her watery brown eyes towards the sky and managed a shaky smile.
“You’ll always be alive in our hearts. I love you.”
With that final goodbye, Addison climbed into her car. She turned her head and checked on her sleeping baby, smiling once more. Securing her seat belt, she started up the car and started driving home.
Our new life starts now.
