Super Avenged: Only Human

“This is the end of the road for me, Jimmy,” Miya sighed, looking earnestly into the camera. Excess water gathered in her glimmering sky blue eyes as she continued to speak. It had been only by chance that I peeked into the mailbox the day after I got the most recent video. Inside, I found another brown envelope and went back into my apartment to watch it. If I was not mistaken, this video was Miya’s last farewell.

“It’s been a long, wonderful road, full of heartbreak and sorrow, but also love and happiness. And I only wish that the road would go on farther, but it appears as though the length of my road is not of my own choosing. It thrills me even now that our roads merged together. If only we could continue down it more. And perhaps I might not be here now if our roads hadn’t met, but I’m still extremely happy that they did. You have changed my life, Jimmy, and you showed me how to love again. And that is something that I wouldn’t trade for an eternity of life.

“Seeing death so close really puts a person into a reflecting mood. Since my future has completely disappeared, I find myself looking back to the past. I think back on our first kiss...You remember, don’t you? We were out on my balcony, and neither one of us had a good day. And I let go of all my heartache and just...kissed you. And we never looked back, not once. Our relationship got off to a rocky start, but none of that matters anymore. It’s only proven that we can stay together through rough times.

“And our wedding was nothing but magic. It will be a good memory to die with, certainly. The honeymoon: nothing short of terrific. Nothing but you, me, and a lifetime ahead of us to spend together. It felt so good, didn’t it? It made me feel euphoric, that I’d somehow managed to find myself such a perfect guy and that he loved me back enough to sacrifice his entire lifetime to loving me. And I get the feeling that you felt the exact same way.

“Though there are so many things we will never get to do—raise a family, see our 50th anniversary, have a second honeymoon—what we have accomplished is just fine for me. A few wonderful memories are so much better than no memories, or a whole bunch of decent memories. Oh, but how terrific it would be if I could stay alive long enough for us to make all new memories together. And how horrific it is that our roads must separate once again, so shortly after they merged.”

Miya paused in her speech to wipe away the tears that had escaped down her cheeks. Men are supposed to be the strong ones; men aren’t supposed to cry. But I must admit: I felt on the verge of tears.

“Jimmy, I remember on our last date. You told me that if you died, you wanted me to find another guy just as perfect as you are and snatch him up and be happy with that guy. But I could only meet your request with incredulity. How on Earth would I ever find another guy as perfect as you are? No man on this planet could ever compare to you, not even by a long shot. I have never met a man who loves me as much as you do, and I never will.

“Therefore, I am going to tell you to make your own decision. Since I am going to die, I want you to do whatever will make you the happiest. I want you to grieve for a short amount of time, and then I want you to heal. From there, you can make your own judgments and assessments. You can find your own way. If you would be happiest becoming a grumpy old hermit, then so be it. If you want to recover from my death and find yourself another woman to give all your love to, I would be thrilled beyond compare. I only want you to be happy, Jimmy. You must find happiness without me.

“But don’t think that I won’t be there with you every step of the way. You will not see me, or hear me, or sense me in any way. But I will always be there. You will always be able to find me in your heart. And you will always be found inside of mine.”

Miya paused again, her tears coming faster and thicker now. She scraped the back of her hand across her cheek. I sat on the edge of my seat, blinking back my own tears.

“Jimmy, I want you to know that I will always love you. Everyone thinks that you lose all feelings when you die, but I don’t think they are ever lost. Those feelings are just relocated elsewhere, and they never weaken. I will always love you, even beyond the grave. You have all of my heart, Jimmy, and I know that you will take care of it.

“I love you, James Owen Sullivan.” Miya paused, taking a deep breath as more tears slid down her pale cheeks. “Good-bye, Jimmy,” she whispered, her voice breaking as she said my name. Then, the screen went blank.

“Don’t worry, Miya,” I said, feeling hot tears prick at my eyes. “I won’t let you die.”