Tom thought he heard Annie’s voice, but that was impossible. How can this be happening?
“Don’t open your eyes, Tom, because you can’t see me, at least not yet. You have to wait until you are up here with me and that won’t be for a very long time. I want you to know that I am OK. I miss you, Tom, but I always will be with you. I will see you graduate from high school and college. I will watch you get married, and I will be there when your children are born. I will even hear you when you name your first daughter Annie, but no matter how old you become, and no matter where you go, I will be there with you. I didn’t choose to die now, Tom, but it was my time. I am in a beautiful, wonderful place, and I can see you, and feel you. I will always cherish you, Tom. I think maybe the dead cherish the living, because we appreciate you and life more than the living do. Remember me, Tom, and part of me will never die, because it is through your memories that I will always live. It is an amazing place here, Tom. Do not grieve for me, but love me, always, as I always will you. Sometime, not now, but when things are a bit more calm, tell Mom and Dad what I have told you. And Tom…?”
“Yes?” he whispered.“I love you.”
“Annie?”
“Yes?” her voice answered.
“I love you more.”
He thought he heard her giggle, but then the voice was gone. He looked up at the crucifix and smiled. Tom lifted his chin off his hands and was surprised to find his hands wet from his tears. He hadn’t cried until now. Annie was OK, and she would always be with him. He hastily dried his face on his sleeves and walked back to his parents. His parents were talking together quietly, and his mother was crying softly.
It was Father Mark who had been watching Tom the whole time he had been sitting in the pew. He observed Tom’s posture which was so straight now. Annie’s brother had been scuffing his feet, all hunched over when he had entered and walked around the front of the church. Now, he was holding his head up, and his shoulders were squared. His step was sure, and there wasn’t any more scuffing. Father Mark looked at Tom’s eyes. They looked right back at him, clearly. Tom seemed to look right through Father Mark’s eyes. Father Mark was surprised. He hadn’t remembered Tom having blue eyes, Annie had had blue eyes, and Tom had green eyes, but now, Tom’s eyes looked more blue than green. Father Mark was confused, and his confusion must have shown, because Tom reached out to shake his hand. The handshake was warm and firm and made Father Mark feel somehow secure. The priest smiled at the boy, who smiled back.
“I’m OK, Father, honestly.”“I think you are, Tom, I think you are.”
“Mom, Dad, may we go home, now? This has been a pretty long day, and tomorrow is going to be worse, so let’s go home and get some rest.”
“Son, I think that is a good idea. Let’s get your mother home and see if we can dig something up for dinner.” Annie’s father smiled at his son. He hadn’t seen his son look this way before. Somehow his son had grown up before his very eyes. Sadness had brought maturity to his son’s eyes, but the father no longer saw grief in his son’s eyes. He saw something else, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Something had changed.
Annie’s family shook Father Mark’s hand once again and headed out to the car. Tom got into the backseat and thought briefly how nice it would be to have Annie crawling all over him, as she always had when she got into the car. (She had never gotten in her side of the car. She had always preferred climbing over her brother!)
“Have you forgotten, so soon, that I am here?” Tom whipped his head around and looked at the empty space beside him, he could have sworn he was hearing Annie again.“You are silly, but I have to go. As long as you remember me, you will hear me. Don’t forget, OK?” Annie’s voice seemed to disappear in his mind as it became more faint. “And no, I’m not a ghost. It figures that you would think that. Boys!” He knew she was gone now, and he smiled to himself. Obviously heaven hadn’t changed her too much, yet!