Mr Wonderful

“I’m sorry to say but,” the doctor said solemnly and we all knew what was coming next. “Mr. Porter passed away on the operating table.” At that moment my knees gave in and I collapsed on the ground. Everything around me fell silent and the people around me became one big blur. All I remember is Cameron picking me up and holding me in his arms as I cried uncontrollably. I couldn’t even tell you how long I stayed in my room, wearing Zach’s shirt and crying hysterically. The only time I left my house was to go to Zach’s funeral which just ended with me in tears and Cameron trying to calm me down. Cameron was so nice to me after Zach’s death. Sometimes he would even join in on crying. I spent many years just working at my dad’s record company and not really opening myself up to anybody, except for one person. I ran into this person 3 years after Zach had passed. I was sitting at a bench in the park when a figure walked toward me. “Jackie?” they questioned. I looked up and saw the semi-familiar face of David Pavluk from The Downtown Fiction. “Hey David!” David smiled and sat down next to me. “The last time I saw you was at Zach’s…” he stopped. “Funeral” I added. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. This was the first time I had not teared up after hearing Zach’s name or anything about him. “How have you been?” David asked and then we had a conversation until it got dark. “It was nice catching up with you David.” I said after David had walked me to my car. “I’ll call you later.” I smiled and got into my car. This was also the first time I had felt truly happy about something in over 3 years. Fortunately I kept Zach’s promise to me and moved on. Two years later David and I got married and now it’s two years after that. At the age of 26 I already have a son named Charles Zachary Pavluk and have a daughter on the way. I had kept Zach’s other promise. Every year on the anniversary of Zach’s death, Nathan, Michael, Cameron and I gather at Zach’s grave and we pay our respects. Then after we go out to lunch and reminisce on the past. Even though I had moved on, Zach will always be in my heart and in everyone else’s as well.