P.S I Love You

Holly has been back from Ireland for a month now. Her stomach was getting a tad bigger, but nothing dramatic. She and Sharon were able to schedule their first ultrasounds together. Holly wasn’t ready to deal with this alone.

Holly still had morning sickness, but it wasn’t so bad anymore. She entered her third month on the 22nd of June. Holly didn’t care what she had, she was just thrilled at having Gerry’s baby. Her mother was also getting a little excited everyday. Kara was thrilled when Holly called her to tell her the news. Kara was back in Australia, but assured Holly she would be back for the baby shower.

Holly’s depression was slowly dying away, but every time she got a letter from Gerry it would come back to her full force. Gerry wrote a letter last week telling Holly to buy new shoes and to get ideas from them before his next letter.

“I freaking hate it when you play these games with me.” Holly whispered to herself one night. She was sad when he didn’t respond in her ear like he normally did.

Holly continued walking down to her mothers bar. She promised to meet Daniel so they could hang out. She got closer to Daniel over the last month. He took her out to dinner a few times, or they just hung out at his place.

Holly came threw the door laughing when Daniel was drying his shirt.

“Another spill?” she laughed.

He rolled his eyes, “Yes Holly.”

“Oh grouchy are we?” She teased.

Daniel couldn’t help but to laugh. He waddled the towel in his hand and threw it at Holly’s face. She caught it and smiled so beautifully it made his heart skip a beat.

“So what are we doing today?”

Holly sighed, “I packed away some of Gerry’s stuff. I need to get rid of some of it. You could help you know.”

Daniel smiled, “I would love to help you get rid of Gerry.”

Holly snorted, “Jeez. Did you take your medication today?”

Daniel sighed, “No actually I forgot.”

Holly and Daniel both laughed. Patricia came around the corner seeing Holly laughing with Daniel. She hasn’t heard that happy laugh come out of her since Gerry died. She loved the life that filled her eyes whenever she was with Daniel.

“Hey Holly.” She whispered.

Holly grinned when she saw her mom, “Hi mom.”

Patricia loved that smile also, “What are you up too? How’s my grandchild?”

Holly propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, “Hanging with Daniel, and the baby is fine.”

Patricia smiled, “Good. What are two going to do today?”

“Help Holly get rid of Gerry.” Daniel smiled. He turned to wink at Holly who rolled her eyes.

Patricia smiled, “That’s nice.”

Holly cocked an eyebrow at her mother. “You would say that.” She whispered it so low Patricia couldn’t hear, but Daniel snorted so loudly Patricia turned her gaze at them both.

“What was that?”

Holly shook her head, “Nothing.”

Patricia grunted as she picked up a box on the counter and walked up the stairs. Holly slammed her fist on Daniels hand. He was picking up the glasses that were in the sink and screamed out in pain when she did that.

“What the hell was that for?!” he yelled.

Holly scowled, “You being so rude about my husband’s death.”

Daniel cradled his hand in his other and starred at Holly. “Well you asked me to get rid of his stuff.”

Holly sighed, “Then why couldn’t you say it like that. Instead of saying ‘I’ll help you get rid of Gerry’”. Holly failed at imitating his voice.

Daniel laughed, “Because it was easier.”

Holly rolled her eyes and jumped off the stool, “Well come when you want. I’ll be at the apartment.”

“Ok.”

Holly walked out the bar and into the baking heat of Brooklyn. She usually loved summer in New York, but since she’s been pregnant the heat is just another annoying thing she has to deal with. Holly opened her apartment door and settled herself on the sofa. Her phone started ring, but she was too far out of reach to get. She let it go to the message machine.

“HOLLY!!!!” Denise yelled. Holly laughed out loud as she reached behind her to grab her phone.

“What? Jeez.”

“Holly! Tom proposed!!” She was still screaming. Holly was happy for Denise. Tom has been her boyfriend for the past three months. Of course Sharon or Holly didn’t know about him until they came back. Denise wanted to surprise them. They were surprised….that she had a boyfriend.

“What? Oh my god!”

“I know! We’re planning a New Years Eve wedding!”

Holly smiled, “That’s great Denise.”

“When is you’re due date?” Denise asked.

Holly grinned, “December 20th.”

“Oh good! You’ll be popped by then!”

Holly frowned, “Hey.”

“Does Sharon know hers?” Denise continued on as if she didn’t hear Holly.

“Haven’t you talked to her?”

“No. I haven’t talked to her in two weeks.”

“What? I don’t believe that.” Denise and Sharon were closer than Holly and Sharon.

“I know, but I’ve been busy.”

“I bet. Sharon does know hers actually. It’s January 10th I believe.” Holly remembered the day she went with Sharon to her first doctor’s appointment.

“I need to call her, but first I need to ask you a question.”

Holly yawned, “Ok.”

“Holly, will you be my maid of honor?”

Holly gasped in surprise. She didn’t expect this. “Yes.” She didn’t even have to think about it either.

Denise screamed, “Yay! Oh I’ll call you later. I need to call the rest of the family.”

Holly giggled, “Ok. Thank you so much Denise.”

“No problem. I didn’t even have to think who I wanted! I love you.”

Holly smiled, “Right back at you.”

Holly laid the phone beside her and laughed out loud. She couldn’t believe Denise was getting married. Holly looked around her apartment, the emptiness was screaming at her again. She suddenly thought about her friend’s life and how they were moving on so easily. Sharon was pregnant with her lovely husband. Denise was getting married to a man Holly hasn’t even met yet.

Holly looked at her stomach, “I wish you were here Gerry.” She whispered.

Holly saw a picture of her and Gerry together in Ireland before they left. She grabbed the picture off the stand next to her. She ran her hand along Gerry’s face. She couldn’t believe he was gone, that he wasn’t here to experience this wonderful moment with her. Holly put the picture on the living room table when a book labeled, “Holly’s designs” caught her attention.

Holly bent over to get it from under the glass table. She opened it to find a bunch of drawings of clothes and shoes. Holly used to love spending her time after work to draw all these designs. Gerry used to push her to show them to someone, but Holly did this for the love of it.

Since she doesn’t really have a job anymore –she got fired last month when she insulted a customer- Holly was considering showing these to someone.

She heard someone at the door knocking; she pushed her self up to find a young teenage boy with red roses in his hand.

“You Holly Kennedy?” he asked.

Holly smiled, “Yes I am. Who sent these?”

“You’re husband ma’am. He also asked to deliver this letter to you.” He handed Holly the flowers along with the letter. He didn’t know what to do when he saw her eyes fill with tears.

“Thank you so much.” Holly whispered. She waved him off and closed her door to lay the flowers on her kitchen table. The roses haven’t even blossomed yet, they were still waddled it a tight bud. Holly pressed her nose to one and smiled gently to herself. They smelt so sweet.

Holly grabbed the letter and took it to the living room. She propped her feet on a pillow and sliced the letter open. The letter came with a necklace that said, “Mrs. Kennedy.” Holly held the silver chain up for a better view, the letters were in a nice cursive lettering. A tear fell from her eyes as she put he necklace around her neck.

Holly opened the letter with shaky hands.

“Baby,
Roses are beautiful aren’t they? Roses to me symbolize the beauty of a flower, so they go nicely with a beautiful woman like you. Like the necklace? It’s something I wanted to give you personally love, but as you know time slipped away. Get it? Ok that was a terrible joke. Listen, I know you hate your job, but look for signs. I’ll help you. P.S I love you.”

Holly put the letter down on her stomach and starred at the binder with all her shoe designs. She nibbled on the inside of her cheek thinking about showing these to Denise. Denise knows a person that designs really expensive shoes, she has her own shop downtown. Holly picked up her cell phone on the table to call Denise.

“Holly? What is it? Something wrong?”

Holly rolled her eyes. Lately she couldn’t call any of her friends without them freaking out. “No I’m fine. Listen can you come down here? I need to show you something.”

Denise smiled, “Yeah. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes at the most.”

Holly grinned, “Ok, see you.” She snapped her phone shut and grinned to herself.

“You are really something you know?” She whispered to Gerry.

Holly rolled off the sofa; she grabbed the vase of flowers on the kitchen table and carried them to the living room to set them on the living room table. Holly took the letter to her bedroom where she put it in her nightstand drawer with all the others.
“Holly!” She heard Daniel call from the other side of her door. Holly laughed as she skipped over to the door.

“It’s about damn time.” Holly teased.

Daniel nudged her arm looked around her apartment. He’s never been here before, it was small but enough to fit two people in here. Two married and happy people.

Holly walked over to her room to get the boxes, something felt different with Daniel in her home. She brought a small box to the living room when Daniel rushed over to her.

“Don’t pick up anything heavy. You could hurt the baby or something.”

Holly giggled, “I guess you took your medication before coming here?”

Daniel laughed, “Yes. Whisky helps.”

Holly and Daniel laughed together. They went through the boxes for Daniel, just to see if he wanted anything of Gerry’s. Holly noticed something was missing here, she couldn’t feel Gerry around her while Daniel was here. It made her feel like he was mad about him being here, but she knew it was stupid. Maybe Gerry was happy that she was spending time with someone else and was giving her privacy.

Denise let herself in to find Holly laughing with Daniel. She knew Daniel was crushing on Holly, they all knew. He made it so damn obvious. The only one that didn’t know was….Holly. Denise was getting worried about Holly lately, she’s been hearing from Patricia that she seems depressed again.

Denise walked over to the bedroom where Holly and Daniel were spaced out.

“Hey.” Denise smiled. She gasped when Holly looked up at her, she could see the happiness that was filling her eyes right now. Denise hasn’t seen that since before Gerry passed away.

“Hi.” Holly laughed.

“What’s up Denise?” Daniel chuckled. Holly was telling him the first time she and Gerry told Patty that they were getting married.

“Well Holly called me here.”

Holly stood up to hand her the binder. “Look at this. I made this when Gerry was still alive. I used to draw in here all the time.”

Denise smiled at the sound of Holly’s voice, she sounded just like she used too. Denise took the binder and opened to find the most gorgeous shoes ever.

“Oh my god! These are gorgeous!”

Holly grinned, “I forgot completely about this. Gerry is guiding me, he sent me this letter and I found this. I want to pursue this Denise. I really do.”

Denise laughed, “We need to show this to someone. These are too good to pass up.”

“I know that’s why I called you because you have that friend.” Holly shifted her weight to her left leg and watched Denise’s face spread into a huge smile.

“Oh yeah! She would love these.” Denise closed the book and placed it inside her bag. She held out her left hand to show Holly her ring.

“Oh my god! That is so pretty.” Holly held Denise’s hand in hers. The diamond was a small square shape that rested on a silver band.

“Tom said it cost him 2,000 dollars.”

Holly gasped, “Holy shit!”

Denise smiled, “I know.”

“Have you told Sharon?”

Denise nodded, “Oh yeah. She was really happy and disappointed because he hasn’t gotten the ‘Sharon approval’”. Denise rolled her eyes. Sharon and Holly were both really protective of her, and that’s why she loved them so much.

Holly laughed, “Nor mine. We don’t even know what he looks like Denise.”

“I know. You’ll meet him tomorrow at dinner ok? Is that alright?”

Holly let Denise hand go and crossed her arms, “Yeah totally. What time?”

“I’ll call you. I need to go Holly; my mom is coming tomorrow so that’s the reason for the dinner.”

Holly sighed, “Oh ok.” Holly and Denise’s mother never got along. Ever since that one college trip they both took together, Denise’s mother found out they went alone and not the rest of their class. Her mother always blamed Holly.

“I know I’m not all that thrilled to see her either.” Denise hugged Holly goodbye and walked out the door with a wave to Daniel.

Holly sat down with Daniel and continued to laugh with her new best friend.