DAYS TO REMEMBER

I remember everything very vividly. Her smile, her laughter, her eyes, her lips, her charisma, how she brightened my life, how she made me laugh,how she hugged and kissed me, it was us against the world. Well, until that fateful night that changed everything... Let me take you back to when we first met. My cousin Janice always nagged me about how only going to work and staying in my two-story apartment was not going to get me a wife and that didn't bother me at all, because relationships really weren't for me. I dated when I was in high school, when I was in college, even when I started working and, surprisingly, they left me for the exact same reason: " you're a workaholic" or "you're too focused and don't have time for me" and that made me put love on hold. But for some reason Janice's words kept echoing in my head. "You didn't work this hard just to grow old alone, rocking your old butt on a chair, in the basement with two cats". That I agreed with her. I mean I was a 30-year-old man who lived in the same town, 'Miami', all his life. I was the CEO of my own company, both my parents had passed on, I had no siblings, it was just me and Janice who did very well on her own, and other relatives who lived miles away and didn't find the need to visit... So what exactly was I working for? One Saturday afternoon, Janice and her fiance Kale invited me to the beach where they were meeting a couple of friends and they promised I was going to have a good time. I mean why not, after such a busy week, I had to let some stress off my chest. So I loaded a few beers into the coolers and put them in the trunk of my car and headed to the beach where I was going to meet them and, O my! When I got there, I almost forgot what life felt like, the way the breeze creeped through my shorts all the way up my vest and blew my flannel shirt which I had on top. It felt so heavenly, but I wasn't going to give credit to Janice. "Over here!" Janice yelled, signaling me where they set the chairs and blankets. I offloaded my trunk and carried the beers there. "Hi Kale, how are you?" I asked. "Very well, thank you" he responded while unpacking the meat for the braai. I didn't even know you could have a braai at a beach. Kale and I weren't really the typical bros, he was the total opposite of me. I mean I had my own opinions about him, but the fact that he made Janice happy, I was cool with him because Janice was, in short, my four-year younger sister, even though she used to nag me a lot. "Hey, Jake, I'd like you to meet Trish. She's my workmate and friend," Janice said, giving me a very auspicious smile. It was then I knew exactly why they invited me to come. They wanted to set me up with Trish. "Hi Trish, pleasure to meet you. I'm Jake" "I already said that", said Janice. Trish chuckled. "Lovely meeting you Jake, I have heard so much about you." "Oh yeah? Like what, I was the best hockey player and won 300 medals on the race track in two thousand and seven?" Kale blasted loud laughter and continued starting the fire. "Of course not", laughed out Trish. In a few minutes, more of their friends came and, truth be told, I didn't feel so comfortable because they'd been talking about work-related issues, plus Janice brought up how Trish and I would make a great couple and all her co-workers agreed. At that moment, I excused myself and decided to take a walk around. The sun was almost setting and there were only a few people on the beach. You can imagine the view. With my beer in my left hand and my right hand in my pocket, I walked slowly on the sand as I reminded myself of what a sorry life I had, according to Janice. "What will it take for me to have that flannel shirt?" A lady's voice called from behind me. I turned to look as she walked towards me, "Two Kangaroos, a life-time supply of candy bars, and to tell me why I haven't seen the sun set so beautifully". I said, pointing my beer towards the sunset. She stared at it with so much passion. "It sure is beautiful. I always come here every time I get a chance to, it's the feeling so free," "and so much wonder," she whispered, getting out of the gaze. She extended her hand forward, "pardon my manners, my name is Tessa Mowry, and who must you be?" " I'm Jake Stone, pleasure to meet you, Mrs..." "Miss Tessa, you can call me Tess", she interrupted and gave a smile. "Ah, okay miss Tessa... but hey, can I call you Miss Mowry ?" "Yes, why not? That way I would have to know who is addressing me." We both gave laughter. We sat on the sand and talked for a very long time. I wouldn't have had an interest in talking to someone that long, but for her, it was different. "So, you still want my flannel shirt?" I asked, as she stood wiping the sand off her dress. "Well, after I evaluated the requirements, I realized I would not be able to find kangaroos and I was just trying to be nice," she said. I started to stand as well, "What do you mean trying to be nice?' "For starters, who wears a flannel shirt over a vest at the beach and, secondly, you looked so lost in thoughts when you were passing by, so I thought why not and, I must admit, it was the right choice." "You caught me. I was thinking about what I had for breakfast," I chuckled, "but I do agree with you, it was the best choice, and would really like to see you again, if that is okay with you, of course." I said, hoping she'd say yes. "Well, let's meet, here, right here on this spot, next Saturday," she said. I felt my stomach turn inside out, it was incredible until Janice called out for me, telling me they were about to start off, so I had to say goodbye. "See you on Saturday, Miss Mowry,," I yelled from a distance. "See you on Saturday, Mr Stone," she waved. I walked to Janice. "She's beautiful," said Janice. "Cut it," I told her. "Well, I know what I see," and she walked away, "Bye, Jake, it was nice hanging out." I smirked and waved at both of them before loading the coolers in the trunk and heading back home. When I got home, all I could think about was Tessa. Surprisingly, I couldn't get her out of my mind and all I could think of was the following Saturday I was going to see her. The week moved as slowly as hell. I thought it was never going to end but it finally did and it was Saturday, the 12th of October 2009, 5pm. I marked the date very well. Thank you. I was so nervous and only to realize when I got there that I hadn't gotten her number. What if she wasn't going to come? What if it was because I looked like a sad loner that she only talked to me for that day only? What if... "Why do I always find you in deep thoughts?" She smiled, " Mr Stone". She extended her hand. "Miss Mowry, I guess you're meant to snap me right out of them". We both laughed. "Look who's wearing a flannel shirt" I said, while making myself comfortable on the sand. "And see who's wearing a classic beach-themed shirt" she said, smiling and sitting right next to me. "You sure do smile a lot," I added. "They say 'smiling speaks deep into one's soul', she said right before she blasted into laughter and I joined in. "No one says that," I laughed even more. We sat on the sand for a long time, played in the water, laughed, ate, it was all but the best day of my life. People cleared the beach and, like a gentleman, I didn't want her to get home late, though, of course, I wanted to spend more time with her, but first impressions are always important, so I had to call it a night at 8pm. I escorted her to her car. She hugged me and said "Time heals, looking forward to seeing more of you." And it was at that moment I knew that she was much more than I anticipated. Because I had been feeling so off track with my life. So it was then, after, that every Saturday became our time to hang out and, truth be told,I liked it. Tessa Mowry was a 25-year-old bubbly lady. She spread love everywhere she went, she was an angel, not only from my perspective. She grew up in the same town and never thought of leaving ever. She had lived with her parents all her life and she loved and cared for them even then when they were in the twilight of their years. Tessa was mixed race; Dutch and African-American, she had an oval-faced shape, she had beautiful curly hair that fell to her shoulders but she usually tied it up in a bun, she had brown eyes, full pink lips and an hourglass figure. Her personality was not even something to discuss, she was a whole 'vibe' as teenagers would phrase it these days. She was kind, caring and always looked out for others and I always told her that one day she would make a good mother one day. Miss Mowry liked to pray. She often invited me to go to church with her, but I wasn't really familiar with church activities, even though my parents were staunch believers. 2010, which was a year in our friendship, she introduced me to her parents. So did I officially introduce her to Janice and Kale, and Janice still said the same thing, "I know what I see." Our friendship grew. Miss Mowry would come to our little family gatherings, which made it the four of us and I would go to hers. It was long overdue. I asked her to be my girlfriend, well, more like a ladyfriend, and our relationship began from there. That year, on the 23rd of September, both her parents passed on. They had been in the hospital for a few months but couldn't hold on any longer, just like any other romantic ending 'they died in each other's arms'. I couldn't help but imagine what Miss Mowry was going through, even though she often came out strong, I'd tell her " It's okay to breakdown." After the incident she moved in with me, because her place reminded her of her parents and she said it reminded her of how she had to face the world on her own. "You are not alone, we have each other, remember" I often said to her. She spent the rest of the year going to Church, despite me not going with her. She said she prayed for me. October, 12th 2011, as the date and month we met. I proposed to her and she said 'YES'. Our wedding was not as big as we both anticipated, because there were only co-workers, Janice,Kale and their three children, but it was definitely the best day of our lives. For our honeymoon,we went to Hawaii and that was the first time we actually lay on the same bed and the first time I touched her intimately. Our love appeared a little old school but we both loved it that way. "This is so beautiful," she said while she lay on my chest looking out the big window viewing the beach. I kissed her forehead and said "I want to live with you forever, cause you are my world," "I love you Jake," "And I love you Miss...Mrs Stone." It was as though we went back to when we started dating. She was one i was never going to let go of, because for a very long time I had never fallen this inlove with any woman. She understood every inch of me, my flaws, she understood that I was imperfect and I did too. Every morning I'd wake up to a note... " REASON I can't say you're not, cause you are The greatest treasure in my heart. The peace you bring to my mind, is like watching the stars throughout the night, shinning above; their bright light. I now know what happiness is. It's the best thing that could ever exist. Especially when it comes from you, Everything is so true. Well, you are the reason. The reason why..." Though it always ended like that. I'd find that and her lying beside me.She was the poet. I tried writing her a few times, but it didn't turn out as expected, even though she said it sucked, she treasured it. I thought the beautiful poem was only for our honeymoon, but even when we went back home in Miami, not only did I wake up to the beautiful poem without an ending, but also a warm glass of milk and a candy bar. "Honey, can I ask you a question?" I asked as I flipped over the pancakes and she nodded,"why do you put candy bars beside my poem and milk?" "Im still trying to win over your flannel shirt," she giggled. We got a new house a few hours from the beach, where we intended to start our new life together, not as two people living together, but as one soul and body. Every Saturday, I usually organized romantic dates at the beach, right at the spot where we met. And I finally gifted her with my flannel shirt which she wore almost all the time and she wore it at work one time. One Friday afternoon, I got off work early. When I got home, I found my wife crying. I was so confused. "Hey, honey what's wrong?" I said as I sat beside the bed where she was sitting. "I woke up this morning, I wasn't feeling too well," she sobbed as she continued. "I didn't want to go to the hospital, so I called the doctor and he suggested..." She handed me the pregnancy test and smiled. It was positive. She was pregnant. My wife was pregnant. We were going to have a baby!!! No words can describe how I felt that day. "Honey, we're going to be parents!" I lifted her off the bed and twirled her around, realizing she was pregnant. I put her down gently and led her to the bed, "Your new chill spot is here, I will do absolutely everything," I said so excitedly. "No honey, I'm just pregnant," she said. "Hey, okay, I know you don't like this but, we can hire a nanny, to take care of everything at home while we prepare for the baby. So that by the time the baby is here, she will already be settled in and used to the place?" I suggested. "That is actually a good idea. That way, we could both be here for every step of our baby's development." "I'll get three days off work, so that I can only do two." "Baby, you're going to get fired," she said. " I'm the CEO, besides , my PA has been very handy and he has the loop of everything, plus the company is doing very well so my presence is really not needed." I smirked and touched her belly happily. "You really want to be at home," "And take care of my wife and my baby, more than anything in the world," So that day we invited Janice and Kale, who traveled the following day, all the way from Calabasas , because they moved there a year after they got married. We had a small family get together. It felt like old times, except this time, there were three children already and our first one was on the way. After A few weeks of searching, we found a suitable nanny. She was in her early thirties. She was from within. She only had one daughter who was already married and lived with her husband in South America. The nine months flew by like days. They were fun and hectic. Tessa played pranks on me a lot. Don't worry, good ones. Mood swings, a lot of appetite, loss of appetite, emotional rollercoaters, she'd cry over little things like the remote. On the other hand, we joined a couples yoga class. We went there on the days I was off work. We went nursery shopping and organised our little angel's room and we found out that we were having "A GIRL." I'd massage her feet, I even joined her eating habits and gained a few pounds, but it was all worth it. The day her water broke, I was at work. We weren't expecting the baby for another week, so I rushed to the hospital and she had already been taken to the delivery room. I waited at the reception for hours. They couldn't let me in because I was late. I was angry but got back in shape. The doctor approached and told me they had some complications, that it was going to take a few more hours. "Doctor, can I come with you, please I need to see my wife?" I panicked. " No, you can't Sir," he responded calmly. " But what the hell do you want me to sit out here for, while my wife is in there!" I yelled angrily. He held my shoulder and said, " The best you can do is pray for her." And he walked away. I went into the waiting area with about three or four others waiting. About an hour or two, the doctor walked in smiling, "Congratulations Mr Stone, you have a beautiful baby girl. In just a few minutes, you can see both of them, they're just being transferred. I walked into the room where my wife and our baby were, I gave a peck to my wife on the forehead. "Thank you for making me a father," I whispered. "And thank you and this little angel for making me a mother." she whispered back " Melody," "What?" I asked. "Her name is Melody," She smiled. "Melody."