A Cashier and a Movie Star...Can They Really Fall in Love?

My tears fell on her face as I kissed her. I heard the doctors gasp, but I ignored them. If this was my goodbye, I was going to make it nice for her. I kissed her tenderly and to my surprise, I felt her kiss me back. Her hand slowly brushed past my cheek, and entangled it into my hair, pulling me closer to her. It was then that I heard the heart monitor beat normally, and I smiled into her kiss. After a few minutes of passionate kissing, she pulled away slowly, and smiled back at me. My heart melted as she wiped and kissed away my tears, and soon, she was crying too.

I hugged her tightly, not ever wanting to let go as she sobbed into my shoulder. “I’ve made it back to you… I’ve done it! God, Tom, I was supposed to die! I wasn’t supposed to be here… but I’m here!”

“I know, I know my love,” I whispered softly. “Everything’s going to be fine. You’re safe now, and nothing bad will ever happen to you again.”

The doctors left the room to give us privacy, and I lay there on the bed, Joanne leaning her head against my chest. “My God, I can’t believe it… I died, and then I came back! I went to heaven, and I saw my grandma and grandpa! But they said I wasn’t ready… And oh God! I saw myself die! And I couldn’t- just couldn’t let that happen. I’ve made a horrible mistake by telling you I didn’t love you. I was being selfish, and not understanding that you have a demanding job, and that you have to do what you have to. I’m such a horrible person to cause you so much pain, misery, and grief.”

“I should have known I was working way too much,” I said as I kissed her forehead and ran my fingers through her hair. “I mean, I left you at home, and you would only see me lying next to you sleeping, and getting up to go to work. That was it. I’m the selfish one. I could have asked them to cut back my hours, or give you some hours…”

“You have done so much for me as it is,” said Joanne. “I can’t ask you to do any more…”

“Then,” I said softly and slowly. “Can I ask you something? Will you marry me this time, for real? And not take it back?”

Joanne looked at her left hand and saw the ring, and smiled. She kissed me, and I knew in a heartbeat that she would now be mine forever.

Joanne Mazza
I flew in every direction, trying to find my body, but I was starting to give up hope. But I had time right? I was just in a coma, not able to come out. Boy was I wrong.

All of a sudden, I felt this jolt, and instantly knew I was starting to die. “No…” I whispered, flying faster and faster. “I can’t die… not now. Gotta find my body. Gotta find my body!”

I finally found myself in the hospital, and surveyed the scene. Doctors were giving me electrical impulses to stimulate my heart, but it couldn’t kick start it to beat normally. I was going to die.

I saw Tom, tears in his beautiful blue eyes, standing away from me so the doctors could do their procedure. “Please, if there is someone or something out there, let her live… I’m begging you,” he sobbed. “Let-her-live…”

“Sir, there is nothing we can do more for her,” said the doctor as he patted Tom’s shoulder. “I’d suggest you say your goodbyes. Her heartbeat is very faint, and we cannot risk giving her another shock. I’m sorry…”

I gasped, and flew over to my body. Was it too late? Were all my efforts in vain? I flew into my body. The last words I heard were, “Please don’t give up on me now…”

I felt a familiar pair of lips on mine, warm and passionate. Was I back in heaven? It was the nicest feeling I felt in a long time. I heard a steady beeping noise, and wondered what the hell was that sound. I kissed back, knowing whose lips were on mine, and ran my fingers through his hair. We kissed for what seemed like forever, and I pulled away, smiling back at him. I saw that he had been crying, and I kissed his cheeks all over and wiped the tears from his eyes. Then it hit me… I was in a hospital, and had almost died.

I started to cry, and Tom held me against his chest. “I’ve made it back to you… I’ve done it! God, Tom, I was supposed to die! I wasn’t supposed to be here… but I’m here!”

“I know, I know my love,” he whispered softly. “Everything’s going to be fine. You’re safe now, and nothing bad will ever happen to you again.”

The doctors left the room to give us privacy, and Tom laid there next to me as I rested my head against his chest. “My God, I can’t believe it… I died, and then I came back! I went to heaven, and I saw my grandma and grandpa! But they said I wasn’t ready… And oh God! I saw myself die! And I couldn’t- just couldn’t let that happen. I’ve made a horrible mistake by telling you I didn’t love you. I was being selfish, and not understanding that you have a demanding job, and that you have to do what you have to. I’m such a horrible person to cause you so much pain, misery, and grief.”

“I should have known I was working way too much,” he said as he kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair. “I mean, I left you at home, and you would only see me lying next to you sleeping, and getting up to go to work. That was it. I’m the selfish one. I could have asked them to cut back my hours, or give you some hours…”

“You have done so much for me as it is,” I said. “I can’t ask you to do any more…”

“Then,” Tom said softly and slowly. “Can I ask you something? Will you marry me this time, for real? And not take it back?”

I looked at my left hand, and sure enough, there was my engagement ring on my ring finger. I thought for a while how my foolishness had almost destroyed him, countless others, and myself. I could just kill myself for being so stupid!

Memories started to come into my mind as I began to come up with my answer.

“I don’t love you anymore…”

“Sir… you are driving past the airport. Turn around, or I’ll miss my flight!” I yelled at the taxi driver. The driver turned around and gave me an evil grin. “You cannot be serious!”

“Oh yes I am,” said Alex as he turned back to watch the road. “All Melissa’s idea. You escaped from us once, it’s not gonna happen again. We now know why and how you escaped, and we’ve fixed that little problem with a little occlumency, if you will.”

“You thought you won?” asked Melissa as she kicked sand into my face and cuts. “Boy were you wrong. And now, I’m going to be nice and let you have your choice. You can become like us, or you can die. Take your pick…”

“Well, what is your answer?” asked Melissa as she looked down at me. I slowly got up from the desert floor, brushed myself off, looked her straight in the eye… and spat in her face.

“I can play that game too,” said Melissa angrily, wiping the spit off her face. Alex ran towards me, and elbowed me hard in the jaw. Blood gushed from my mouth, and I started to cry as Melissa and Alex closed in on me. “You couldn’t have opted for the easy options…You just had to have things done the hard way. The painful way. Oh well, it’s your funeral…”

After that, my mind was a blank, but I knew Tom had saved me that fateful night. If he didn’t, I would have been long gone by now. I knew what my choice was.

With tears in my eyes, I smiled back at him. “Yes, I will be your wife.” I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I will be yours forever and an eternity…”