I'd Do Anything For A Smile

Hearing the phone ring, I groaned and sat up, still half asleep, to pick up the phone, “Hello?” my voice sounded hoarse.

“Good morning, may I speak to Lyndsey Evans please?”

“This is she”

“Hi, I’m calling from the Medford Health Clinic to remind you of the appointment you have tomorrow at 9:30”

“Oh, ok, thank you”

“No problem, don’t forget to drink a lot of water before”

“Ok” I hung up the phone and got off the bed. As I walked to the bathroom I pulled up my shirt to reveal my protruding belly. I’m now 4 months along and tomorrow I finally get to know the sex of the baby. It’s been 4 months since I’ve seen Michael; he hasn’t called nor written to me. That made me extremely worried and I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. I shook my head and sighed to myself as I turned on the water to take a shower. I was hoping that today was going to be a good day.

As I walked into the kitchen I glanced at the fridge and spotted a picture of me and Michael. I walked to the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk; as I closed the fridge door I traced the picture with my index finger. Michael’s deep yellow green eyes shined in the sun and his smile was amazing. We were at a picnic with our friends and I was sitting next to him. He had his arm around me and his brother Eric was telling him something and my friend Jane shot the picture. I missed him and his touch so much but I know he will come back to me.

I made myself chocolate milk and grabbed a donut and walked to the couch. I turned on the T.V and flipped through the channels. After finding nothing to watch I turned off the T.V and sat in silence. Finishing my drink I set down the glass on the coffee table and that’s when I heard a knock on the door. I quickly got up and opened the door to reveal to men in uniform. There faces were written with sadness and regret.

“Are you Mrs. Cornerstone?”

“Y-Yes”

They looked at each other, silently debating who was going to speak. The older one looked at me “I’m afraid I have some bad news to tell you”

No, please don’t say it.

“Your husband Michael Cornerstone has lost his life in battle for his country”

I felt the tears burning me eyes. I shook my head, “No, it can’t be”

“I’m very sorry for your loss, your husband was a brave soldier” he gave me a weak smile.

I felt silence fall over everything and I nodded and closed the door, not wanting to hear anything more. I walked into my bedroom and crawled on the bed. I hugged my pillow and let tears stream down on my face. He promised me he was going to come back, “Michael,” I sobbed “why did you leave me? We were supposed to raise a family together! You lied to me!” I cried out. Now sitting up I rocked myself back in forth holding myself. I closed my eyes and remembered a time we spent together.


He held me close to him not wanting to let me go. My back was to his chest and we were on the beach watching the sun go down. The sky was a fiery blaze with red, orange, and white mixing together.

“Lyndsey”

“Hmm”

“Do you think we’ll be together forever?”

I shrugged “I don’t know baby” he exhaled deeply and stayed quiet. I felt like I was supposed to say something so I did, “Why?”

“I don’t know, it’s just that…Are we going to last? We have been together for 3 years and I don’t know, shouldn’t we be starting a family?”

This caught me off guard. I turned around to face him “Mike, do you want to?”

He smiled and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear “Yeah, baby, I do”

I smiled back and hugged him tightly “Oh my God, Mike!” I shrieked.

“I love you so much, you have no idea, but I need to know one more thing,” he paused for a moment and traced my bottom lip with his thumb “do you love me?”

“Of course, Michael, I love you so much”

He reached into his pocket and kneeled on one knee “Baby, I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re the only thing I want in this world and I don’t want to ever lose you. Will you marry me?”

Feeling the tears forming I answered “Yes, I will marry you”

He slipped the ring on my left finger “I love you” and then stood up.

He hugged me tight as I answered him,” I love you too” and I couldn’t help but let the tears of happiness fall down my face.
I dried my tear stained face and walked over to his dresser. I put on his shirt and walked around the house that I was now completely alone in and will stay that way. There wouldn’t be anyone holding me when I cried. I then turned back to my room and laid on my side of the bed careful not to ruin his side.

The broken pieces of my heart ached and I looked around the room to find a memory everywhere. I whispered, “Everything I do reminds me of you, why did you leave me?” my throat tightened as tears found there way to my face again, “I need you to make everything ok again” my body shook from my violent cries that took over me. Anger rose through me, this was my fault. I never should have let him go, he is so far away from me and I could never be in his arms again. I laid back down and hugged his pillow, surprised that it still smelled like him “I love you Michael, I miss you”