Sara's Promise (28 page)

William felt like a ghost in his own home. All evening, he wandered through the house, trying to make sense of everything that had transpired since Sara died. He sat in the living room for a long time, staring at the painting over the fireplace, then at the family photos on the mantel.
Had Sara really been happy? Had I given her all I could give? And, can I now give Annie enough of myself to make her happy, too?

When he couldn't find the answers to his questions downstairs, he went upstairs to his bedroom and got into bed, where he lay restless and wide awake. The paintings Sara had started and Sandy had finished were beautiful. He thought how wonderful it was that they weren't going to go unfinished, buried in the closet under the stairs. Sandy finishing those paintings was like giving life back to Sara and finishing her legacy for her.
Or, letting her go,
as Sandy believed. Finishing Sara's work was her way of finally admitting her mother was gone and letting her go.

As William lay in the bed that felt too big and empty, his thoughts turned again to Annie. He thought back to the first day they'd met in his office when he'd been such an ass to her. And then, he'd seen her eyes, those beautiful blue-green eyes that had reminded him so much of Sara. It was Annie's eyes that had made him take notice, but it was Annie whom he'd fallen in love with. Her independence, her wit, her intelligence, and her beauty. Except for those eyes, there was nothing else about her that had reminded him of Sara. Not until the strange coincidences started occurring.

William thought about the way Annie knew where the plates and utensils were located in the kitchen. He thought of the night she found the lotion and how she had intentionally walked over to the nightstand and taken it out of the drawer as if she knew where it was. Then the night of the accident. She'd said she'd had a dream about Sandy's accident, and that was why she had come. But, why had she dreamt about the accident?

"How are you connected to Sara?" he asked aloud into the silent room. "Or is Sara the one connecting with Annie? Why?"

He thought about what Cherise had told him that day she'd come over. Annie's dreams were filled with visions of Sara. This made him pause.
Had dying on the same day somehow connected them? Or was Sara trying to come back through Annie to tell him something?

His thoughts ran rampant that night. He didn't really believe in spirits or the afterlife, but after all that had been happening these past few months, it contradicted everything he'd ever believed. Without finding answers, William fell into a restless sleep.

William walked down the beach toward the house with the kids lagging behind. Sam was trying to push Sandy into the water, and Sandy was throwing handfuls of wet sand at Sam. They were laughing and having a fun time for the first time in months since Sara died, but William didn't even notice. His eyes were locked on something straight ahead of him. He caught a shimmer in the sand, far ahead on the beach below where his house stood.

Squinting against the sun, he thought he saw the outline of two women sitting in the sand. One had long blonde hair, and the other had shorter brown hair. Sara, he thought as he strained to look at the figures sitting there. Annie? But before he could decide for certain, they disappeared, and when he looked up into the sky to see where they'd gone, he saw the most amazing colors.

William awoke with a start, the dream still fresh in his mind. He looked at his clock and saw it was only five-thirty in the morning. Sleep eluded him just as answers to his questions had, so he slid out of bed, pulled on a sweatshirt and the jeans he'd worn the night before, and quietly went down the stairs to make himself a cup of coffee.

As the coffee brewed, he reached up for his mug and once again found himself looking at the yellow coffee mug. Pulling it down, he held it for several minutes, staring at it. This had been Sara's favorite mug, then Annie's. Another strange coincidence. Or was it a coincidence after all?

When the coffee was ready, he poured it into the yellow mug and tentatively sipped the hot liquid.
No more this is Sara's and this is Annie's. This mug now belongs to Annie
. Those thoughts rattled around in his head as he walked through the dark living room and stepped out onto the deck, into the crisp morning air. The sky was blue-black but the lack of fog this morning left a clear view of the beach and ocean beyond.

William thought about the dream he'd just had. Was that Sara and Annie he'd seen shimmer in the sunlight? He looked below him onto the beach but it was empty as it should be this early in the morning. Empty, like he felt without Annie. Empty, cold, and desolate. He knew that he no longer wanted to feel alone. He wanted to be with Annie.

Looking out into the horizon, he spoke softly. "Sara, I miss you and I love you, and I will always love you. But our daughter is right. I need to let you go. I've been holding onto you for so long, I didn't even realize I was still holding on tight. I love Annie, and I want her to share my life. I hope you understand. And I hope you can finally find peace, wherever you are."

He closed his eyes and instead of feeling sad, a sense of serenity surrounded him. He was happy. He'd finally admitted to himself and the universe that he needed to move on with his life, and it felt as if a debilitating weight had been lifted from him. 

Annie
. He smiled.
I need to get to Annie
. He opened his eyes and looked down the stretch of beach. A shadowy figure was moving along the edge of the water at a quick pace. For a time, he watched as the dark figure continued to walk his way. And then, suddenly, he knew. It was Annie.

"Annie!" he hollered before running through the house, out the kitchen door, and down the wooden steps to the beach.

The sun was just edging up out of the east when Annie neared William's house. Everything was still in shadow, but soon the sun would be up, and she'd be gone again. The walk had made her feel better. The crisp air stung her cheeks and made her feel alive again. She pushed her hands deeper into her sweater pockets and scurried on. Once she was near William's home, she'd turn around to head back.

"Annie!" The sound of her name carried down to her on the breeze, but when she looked up, no one was there. William's house was dark, and no one stood on the deck.

"Annie!" The voice came again, but this time at beach level. Annie spun around and there was William, running down the staircase toward her. He ran right up to her, then came to a halt in the sand only inches from her.

"You're here," he said, his eyes searching hers.

"William, what are you doing out here so early? I didn't mean to run into you," Annie said. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"I couldn't sleep," William said, inching closer to her. "All I could think of was you."

Annie's heart beat faster. "Me?"

"Yes, Annie. I should have come to you sooner. I should have begged you to forgive me for being such an ass. I'm begging you now. Please, forgive me for not loving you enough the first time around. I love you, and I can only hope you love me, too."

Their bodies were just inches apart, but both still held back.

"William, I have to tell you something. You need to know everything before you choose between me and Sara."

William moved even closer, so close Annie could feel the warmth of his body heat radiating toward hers. "Sara is gone, Annie. I know she isn't coming back. It's you I choose."

Annie's eyes filled with tears. "But you don't understand. Sara and I are somehow connected. I see her, William, in my dreams. She sent me to be here with you. She sent me to you. She never left you completely. She's still here and I'm not sure if you love me because of me or because of Sara."

William gently placed his hands on Annie's arms and pulled her close. "I do understand, Annie. Sara may have sent you to be with me, but I'm the one to choose. And I choose you. It's you I want to fall asleep with each night and wake up with each morning. It's you I want to share the good times and the bad times with. It's you I'm in love with. I've let Sara go. You are the one I love."

Their lips met as William pulled Annie into the circle of his arms. Annie reached up and encircled him as well, kissing him with a passion she'd never felt for anyone else. William was the one, her destiny, her happily ever after.

The sun filtered up over the house and graced the sky above the ocean with its warm touch. Brilliant hues of orange, pink, and red colored the sky, creating a beautiful backdrop for the two lovers. As Annie and William parted, they both looked up into the sky with wonder.

"Sara kept her promise," Annie said softly as they both marveled at the beautiful sunrise. Annie backed up into William's arms as they both stood there, on the beach, mesmerized by the colors of the sunrise. "She sent me to love you and the kids. She loved you so much, and she didn't want you to be alone. Sara kept her promise after all."

William realized that Annie was right, and he sent up a silent prayer to Sara, thanking her for giving him the most beautiful gift of all, for giving him love again.

High above, amidst the beautiful sunrise, Sara's soul sighed, then smiled down at the couple below. Raising her gaze and her arms above her, she made her final ascent up into the beautiful colors at last.

Epilogue

Three Years Later

William and Annie stood together in the crowded room trying to catch a glimpse of Sandy over the sea of people. Annie finally spotted her in the back corner, talking to one of the many guests about the seascape painting Sara had started and Sandy had completed. When Annie turned to tell William she'd found his daughter, she saw from the look of pride in his eyes that he had already spotted her, too.

"Sanny," called the little blonde girl wiggling in William's arms. William laughed at Lizzie's name for Sandy. It was used interchangeably between Sam and Sandy, since little one-year-old Lizzie couldn't pronounce her big brother's and sister's names.

Even in the noisy crowd of people scattered around the art gallery in downtown Seaside, Sandy heard Lizzie call out to her. She quickly walked over to where William and Annie stood by the door.

"There's my favorite little sister," Sandy said, reaching for Lizzie. Lizzie's small arms were already reaching out to Sandy to be held.

"Sanny," she said again, bringing chuckles from the adults around her.

Sandy pulled Lizzie into her arms and hugged her tight. Even though she saw the little girl often, she had a special place in her heart for her baby sister.

"Your show is a success," William said, pulling Sandy and Lizzie into his arms for a hug. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad," Sandy replied, beaming. The three of them looked around the room at all the people who had come to see Sara's and Sandy's paintings. There were twelve paintings in all. Sandy had spent the past three years finishing up every one of her mother's paintings, and today was the day to show the world.

"Can you believe I've been offered money for some of them?" Sandy asked over the top of Lizzie's blonde head. "I'm just not sure I want to let any of them go."

William studied his daughter. She had grown into a confident, mature, happy woman whose talent far exceeded anyone's expectations. She had worked hard over the past three years to complete her college education and her mother's paintings. Plus, she was already starting a new set of paintings of her own. After the tough years she had after Sara died, she had finally come through them and flourished.

"They're your paintings, dear," William told her. "You can sell them if you like. The money may come in handy for your future."

"But, Dad, they were Mom's. Do we really want to let any of them go?" Sandy asked.

William smiled as he looked at his daughter. "The paintings are yours now, Sandy. They would never have been finished without you."

Lizzie once again grew excited when she saw a tall, sandy-haired man walk in through the door behind them. "San! San," she cried.

Sam walked over and grabbed his little sister, swinging her in the air in circles amidst her squeals and giggles.

William shook his head. "I'm glad you can do that, because I'm getting way too old to go in circles," he said, laughing.

Sam smiled at his dad as he held on tightly to his baby sister. "You're not that old yet, Dad, but you're getting there."

They all laughed, and Sam looked around the room at the paintings displayed there. He had seen each one before, but seeing them here, for everyone to enjoy and appreciate, warmed his heart. "Congrats, big sis," he said to Sandy. "Mom would be so happy to know these paintings are finally being seen and appreciated."

Sandy stepped over to Sam and gave him a big hug, sandwiching Lizzie between them. "Glad you could come, Mr. Bigshot Golfer," she teased.

Sam blushed. In the three years since he started college, he'd done quite well on the golf course, placing in and winning several amateur tournaments in addition to the college tournaments he played. William and Annie had gone down to many of his tournaments, and both had beamed with pride over Sam's accomplishments. His schoolwork hadn't suffered a bit either. He was majoring in a tough subject, economics, and he held a high GPA. He had one year of school left. Everyone suspected that after he was finished with school, he'd work at earning his PGA tour card, and eventually, play pro golf.