Forever Ends Too Soon
Changing Memory
Laura’s POV:
“Zach, where are you taking me?” I ask him as he drags me to the park.
“Just be calm, Laurie.” He says for the tenth time today. I'm starting to get worried now.
“Are you going to kill me?” I ask him and he laughs.
“No, I’m not.” He tells me and keeps running.
“I’m getting tired and my feet hurt.” I complain and he picks me up, throwing me on his back. I could get used to this.
“Better?” He asks and I laugh.
“Definitely.” I tell him. He finally gets to the playground area and sets me down.
“Alright, here we are.” He tells me and I look around.
“What’s the purpose of being here?” I ask him and he looks at me like I’m crazy.
“There is no such thing as being too old to go to the park. We can climb the monkey bars, go down the slide, whatever you want.” He says and I smile.
“I don’t know about you, but I am going to the swing sets first.” I run and he follows me. I sit down and he starts pushing me.
“Alright, I’m sitting by you now.” He tells me a few minutes later. It’s nice just being here with him. We’re laughing and seeing who can go higher. All of a sudden he stops.
“Zach?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“You can keep going. I love you so much, Laurie, and I like seeing you happy.” He tells me. I have felt really happy with him.
“I’m kind of ready to go down the slide.” I tell him and he laughs. We climb up and I sit in his lap so we go down together. Little kids stare at us, but it’s okay.
“You go this time, I’ll be down here and catch you.” He says and I laugh. I no longer feel 20, I feel five again. I slide down and see Zach on his knee. I stop and start to get up, but he stops me.
“What’s going on?” I ask, but I think I know.
“Laurie, I love you so much. I promise you I will not leave you. Not because you’ve been through so much already, but because I really, truly love you. Laura Gilbert, will you marry me?” He asks and holds up a ring.
“Yes!” I yell, tears streaming down, but I like these tears. I jump into his arms and he holds me.
“Are you okay?” He asks me and I know he wants to know if memory is killing me.
“I’m okay.” I tell him. I look up and I hope Jimmy’s happy I found Zach. Tears threaten to fall, but I fight them off.
“You don’t have to be.” He tells me.
“Zach, I am engaged to a guy I really love and I trust him when he says he isn’t going to leave me.”
“He must be lucky.” Zach smiles.
“He is, but I’m luckier.” He carries me back to the swings and we sit, talking.
“I love you, Laurie.”
“I love you, too, Zach.” This is right.
“Zach, where are you taking me?” I ask him as he drags me to the park.
“Just be calm, Laurie.” He says for the tenth time today. I'm starting to get worried now.
“Are you going to kill me?” I ask him and he laughs.
“No, I’m not.” He tells me and keeps running.
“I’m getting tired and my feet hurt.” I complain and he picks me up, throwing me on his back. I could get used to this.
“Better?” He asks and I laugh.
“Definitely.” I tell him. He finally gets to the playground area and sets me down.
“Alright, here we are.” He tells me and I look around.
“What’s the purpose of being here?” I ask him and he looks at me like I’m crazy.
“There is no such thing as being too old to go to the park. We can climb the monkey bars, go down the slide, whatever you want.” He says and I smile.
“I don’t know about you, but I am going to the swing sets first.” I run and he follows me. I sit down and he starts pushing me.
“Alright, I’m sitting by you now.” He tells me a few minutes later. It’s nice just being here with him. We’re laughing and seeing who can go higher. All of a sudden he stops.
“Zach?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“You can keep going. I love you so much, Laurie, and I like seeing you happy.” He tells me. I have felt really happy with him.
“I’m kind of ready to go down the slide.” I tell him and he laughs. We climb up and I sit in his lap so we go down together. Little kids stare at us, but it’s okay.
“You go this time, I’ll be down here and catch you.” He says and I laugh. I no longer feel 20, I feel five again. I slide down and see Zach on his knee. I stop and start to get up, but he stops me.
“What’s going on?” I ask, but I think I know.
“Laurie, I love you so much. I promise you I will not leave you. Not because you’ve been through so much already, but because I really, truly love you. Laura Gilbert, will you marry me?” He asks and holds up a ring.
“Yes!” I yell, tears streaming down, but I like these tears. I jump into his arms and he holds me.
“Are you okay?” He asks me and I know he wants to know if memory is killing me.
“I’m okay.” I tell him. I look up and I hope Jimmy’s happy I found Zach. Tears threaten to fall, but I fight them off.
“You don’t have to be.” He tells me.
“Zach, I am engaged to a guy I really love and I trust him when he says he isn’t going to leave me.”
“He must be lucky.” Zach smiles.
“He is, but I’m luckier.” He carries me back to the swings and we sit, talking.
“I love you, Laurie.”
“I love you, too, Zach.” This is right.