by Coo Sweet
Sage sagged under the burden of what he considered a failure on his part to make a difference for Raven right then, and he bristled at the feeling of losing control over another seemingly beatable situation. He didn’t trust himself to speak anymore, so he didn’t. Instead, he plucked the envelope from the table, threw up a peace sign to Raven, and walked out the door.
Raven watched him get into the car and drive away. When it turned off her street, she backed herself against the nearest wall. She let herself slide to the floor. She landed in a position eerily similar to the death pose Sage had found Serenity in.
When Sage climbed into Jasmin’s car, they shared another kiss, but no words. It wasn’t until Jasmin put the car in drive and pulled off, that Sage spoke.
"Mind taking me somewhere? It’s important," he said.
"Yeah, sure," said Jasmin. She tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace.
Sage pointed straight ahead and fiddled with something in his pocket.
That afternoon in the cemetery was impossibly sunny. It was capped off by sky bluer than robin's egg. A warm breeze tickled the flowers and leaves...making them shiver in the sunshine. Sparrows chirped and twittered in a game of tag on the lush, perfectly manicured grass. A squirrel peeked from around a huge oak. It turned an acorn over in its tiny hands.
Sage and Jasmin stood nearby, at Peyton's grave. There were fresh flowers near the elaborate headstone and stuffed animals, balloons, even a box of gourmet chocolates.
“Miss you, man. Things aren't--" Sage started to say. He choked up before he could finish. “Things aren’t the same. But you know what? Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I’m trying to keep it moving...not dwell on stuff. Just like you always said I should. So you should be proud of yourself. You changed me, Pey. And I love you for that.” Tears rolled down his face.
Jasmin wiped them away. She squeezed his hand.
Moments later they stood in front of Serenity's headstone. Sage pulled the little wooden box from his pocket. He set it at the foot of the headstone, pressed a kiss to his fingertips, and touched them to the grave’s granite marker.
"Hope you'll rest in peace someday, Serenity. But I have let you go now…let us go. It’s time for you to cut me loose, too. Please, look out for my boy,” Sage whispered.
He stayed there, still for a while.
When he got up from the grave, he was dry-eyed and tranquil. He turned away from the grave and smiled to himself. He took a good, long look at all the beauty surrounding the final resting place of the two people who’d made such an imprint on his life--in spite of their very short-lived lives.
Jasmin reached around him from behind and squeezed him tight. Sage closed his eyes and savored the feel of her arms on his body. When she let him go he faced her, reached for her hands and kissed each palm.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” he said.
Jasmin nodded. “You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Sage smiled at her, and for the first time in a long time there was no lie behind the curve of his lips.
The End
About the Author
Coo Sweet is a writer, librarian, and poster child for the principle that it’s never too late to realize your dreams. Coo lives in Arizona with her husband and son. She enjoys reading books, watching movies, and screaming at the TV during NBA games. She’s been known to wow her friends and family with her talent for finding amazing bargains at thrift stores.
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