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 Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:40 pm
Lissie stepped through, keeping ahold of Michael's hand. He'd created such joy in her life in such little time... she wasn't about to lose that. Was this heaven? With the stairs... she'd never really expected to go to heaven, with how many lives she'd tormented.
"I'm afraid, Michael."
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:42 pm
Michael led Lissie inside, and though it wasn't his stairs they were welcoming, and they were warm. He had the urge to come along, but his reason kept it from overtaking him.
He chuckled. "Don't be afraid. It's different here. Everything is good, can't you feel it?" On the fourth step he stopped and turned to face her.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:00 pm
Different? Everything good? But then--Lissie held onto his hand. How could she not be? She didn't--she didn't want to die. She didn't want to go.
"I won't be, as long as you're with me."
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:19 pm
Michael released his hand from hers.
"I'll always be with you," he assured her, and reached up to touch her cheek. "I swear that I'll come back for you." In heaven, it might not matter. Surely remarried folk were up there too, with all of their spouses. It must not matter up there, which said that it was different than life, but that was fine by him. Whatever reassured Lissie was enough. Whatever reassured him as he lingered behind was enough.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:25 pm
Lissie recognized that Michael was leaving; her eyes starting to water, both from sorrow and the wonder that was beyond the stairs. She could feel it now. "I love you," she said, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "I'll wait for you."
She continued up the stairs.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:28 pm
Michael smiled and nodded. He leaned down to kiss Lissie's forehead. There were no more words appropriate for the moment, only glances. 'Goodbye' was too final, and 'see you later' too shallow. So instead he just watched her go a few more steps, then turned himself and headed out of the light. Once back in the silent garden, without its table and chairs and breakfast spread, he turned again to watch Lissie go as long as the light remained open.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:34 pm
Lissie turned back a few times, before she reached the top stair; and there she turned around. She ran down the stairs and out of the light.
She was glaring, her eyes set on Michael. "You thought I was really going to go through with it," she accused. "Nothing there can compare to how I feel when I'm with you." Didn't he understand? He had to now, didn't he?
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:37 pm
Each time Lissie turned, Michael offered her a reassuring smile and a wave, or a gesture toward the top. Clearly she cared about his feelings, but his only desire was to see her cross over. He could deal with the pain later, on his own time.
When she turned the final time, he began the same motion, but stopped before anything could truly happen. Lissie wasn't turning to see him, she was full-on coming back down the stairs. Michael's smile fell and became a frown of confusion. His brows furrowed. There again were no words, but for a very different reason. She'd turned back? He'd never seen anyone turn back, not besides himself.
What was keeping her was... him?
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:48 pm
Lissie's lips quirked up into an almost smile. Michael looked so confused. It was almost funny--if only she wasn't angry at him! "That place was dreadful," she said. "I felt something weighing me down with every step and realized it was my heart. I couldn't be happy there." Not when her heart wanted so badly to be with him.
"You're my heaven," she said.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:51 pm
Lissie was clearly angry, but Michael found that he didn't really care. He had never been someone's world, let alone their heaven. To refuse the white light for a person was something special, purposeful, very-- very something. Words failed him and actions overtook, and he took each side of her face in his hands and kissed her hard.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:06 pm
Lissie returned the kiss, and only broke it to smile at him. Nothing else seemed to matter, even as she willed the white light shut. "What are we going to do now?" She asked, and kissed him again, softly.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:07 pm
The light shut up, ready to open again if called, but seeing Lissie was sated for now.
Michael was grinning when the kiss broke, and laughed slightly in the moment between the first and second kiss. He felt not only alive, but young. One of his hands dropped, leaving only the right on Lissie's cheek.
"I don't know," he said, still grinning, "I don't care!"
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:35 pm
Lissie couldn't stop smiling. She'd never been so happy. She took his hand and gently swayed it. "We never finished breakfast," she said. "I'm sorry I interrupted. Want to continue?" She conjured two plates of fruit laden crepes and offered him one.
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:37 pm
Michael nodded and took his plate. "We can try everything!" he said. "We can have tea and cakes again. Like the first time. I'll bet you can taste now. Try!"
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:43 pm
Lissie plucked a strawberry off one of her crepes and bit into it. Immediately, her eyes got wide. "Mmm!" She couldn't believe it. This... this was like being alive again! She chewed and swallowed before taking another, larger bite.
"It's been like this for you?"
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