The Meadow

Walking silently, alone, pondering on life, I began singing,1

"If I could have one wish, 2

I would wish for you,3

If I had one blessing to give"4

My voice drifts off, suddenly unable to remember the words, before continuing with what I did know.5

"If there was only one song to sing6

It would be peace, peace on earth."7

"If I had a wish, it wouldn't be for peace." the soprano notes had drifted away in the wind, as my mellow voice spoke bitterly to the empty meadow. I sat down on the stone my mother used to frequent, where she drew her nature scenes. My fingers traced the letters she had drawn with charcoal years ago, her name, Julieann Marie. As tears came to my eyes, dropping onto the charcoal, the silver ring upon my left ring finger glistened in the sun. Smiling through my tears, thoughts of my sweetheart flowed freely in my thoughts, mixing his face with my mothers. I pulled two pictures out of my breast pocket, my mothers picture from before her cancer, and Scotts graduation picture. My back against the hot stone, I faced the sun, these pictures against my heart.8

"Young girl, why do you cry?" I thought I had imagined the voice, sweet and sorrowful, full of caring.9

Carelessly, I answered, "Because my heart has been broken since I was nine years old." 10

Moments slipped by, in silence, then, "Why is it broken? Can it not be mended?"11

I sat up to see a woman sitting on a cloud, floating two or three feet above the ground. She was my mirror image, but beautiful, which was the only difference. Her body covered in red satin fabric, she looks like an Indian belly dancer. I felt strange in my cut-off shorts, black tank, and flannel shirt, the characteristic cowgirl. I wiped away my tears and sweat from work under the summer sun.12

"Why is it broken?" She repeated.13

Agasp, I started to speak, "Because I lost my mother, and because I haven't seen my fiancee since November, and its June." The tears started flowing again, "And they will never meet." I buried my face in my hands.14

"Can it not be mended?" She repeated, which angered me.15

I jumped up and spat at her, "She is dead! How can he meet her? It's impossible."16

"No, it's not." The woman started digging in a messenger bag, beckoning me closer with her other hand. "Stand still. Think of your mother, think of your lover, think of them together." She sprinkled some sweet smelling dust over me. Suddenly, Scott appeared, bewildered.17

"Where am I? I should be at work right now! Charlie's going to murder me!" He was looking this way and that, until he saw me, and began running to me. "Allie!" He scooped me up in his arms, covering me in kisses, holding me, wiping away my tears.18

"Allie?" A familiar voice from years ago suddenly appeared. I turned away from Scott, my knees buckling beneath me as I saw the dark haired beauty that had been my mother. Scott caught me, whispering, "Who is she?" Her green eyes glistened back at me, my matching ones glistening back. I ran to her, leaving Scott behind. I sobbed against her flannel shirt, the same one which I was wearing. 19

"Mom..." I cried against her, not wanting to ever let her go. She pulled my chin up, and gave me an eskimo kiss. Memories I had blocked out from my childhood came flooding back. I pulled at her hand, leading her over to Scott.20

"Mom...This is Scott Walters. He...He has asked me to marry him." I bit my lip, before continuing, "And Scott, this is Julieann Marie, my mother." 21

Scott was bewildered, but offered his hand to my mother. She took it, but pulled him into a hug. His face covered with surprise melted into a blissful smile. 22

"Scott, take care of her for me, ok? I know you will." My mothers body began to fade. My smiling face turned to a mask of horror. 23

I clung to her, crying, "Mom, please, please stay a little while longer, please."24

Scott was looking straight into her eyes, "I will ma'am, you can be sure of that." 25

Smiling, she nodded to him, then took me in her arms once more, "I know, Allie, it's like losing me all over again, I'm so sorry, but I have to go. Take care of him, he needs you, I can tell. Good bye, I love you."26

"I love you, too, Mom." Tears flowed down my face as Scott wrapped his arms around me. My knees buckled again, and he picked me up, laying me on the stone.27

"Allie, I am fading as well. I will see you soon, remember, we'll always have the beach, and we will be together in August. I love you." He kissed my lips, crushing me against him, then he kissed my forehead, and faded into the wind.28

Curled up into a ball, I began crying. The woman stepped off her cloud, and came over to me.29

"You are more like your mother than you know, and Scott will learn of her through you." She dipped her thumb into a vial of clear liquid, and drew a symbol on me. She smiled, and disappeared. 30

I opened my eyes, and sat up. My cell phone started ringing in my pocket, and I opened it.31

"Hello?"32

"Allie?"33

"Scott, love, whats up?"34

"I don't know, but I had the wierdest dream. I was in a meadow with you and your mother."35

"I had the same dream, just now."36

"Really?"37

"Yes, Scott, I did. Welcome to the family."