Charlie held the kids
hands as they walked through
the graveyard. The kids were
both seven years old, understanding
that this is a place where sadness
reaps. This is a place that they
don't belong to. This is a place
they don't know anyone.
"Adelina, Theo, this is where your
mom sleeps." Charlie sat down on a small
bench with the kids as they watched
the partially painted gravestone glow.
It stood tall in the middle of two
cherry blossom trees, whose branches
entwined so delicately.
"Our mom? I thought she was away
at her job." Theo furrowed his brows.
"Kids, I have to tell you a little story. And once
I'm done, we will," Charlie pulled out a box of
yellow paint, light yellow, dark yellow, any shade
of yellow possible.
"We're going to finish painting that
gravestone because mom would like that.
She'd love that. Just like how she loves
you two so much."
Charlie told and sometimes stuttered and told,
the story of Azura and him. Of how they met,
of how they passed notes on napkins
with Azura's coffee stains. Of how he hates
the taste of coffee. Of how they helped
each other during the toughest of times. Of
how Azura laid on the hospital bed, holding
them so tightly. Of how Azura whispered I love
you and closed her eyes. Of how Azura was
laid down into the earth as Charlie held the
babies in his arms.
Charlie held the kids once more, to comfort
them when they cried when the truth rung
throughout the land.
Charlie pulled them up and handed them
brushes, taught them how to hold it
correctly and how to mix blue and yellow
to form a beautiful shade of green,
because after all, green means healing,
growth, and protection.
Azura will always protect her family
from the skies above and Charlie will heal.
The kids will grow, knowing that their parents
love them more than any shade of yellow,
green, and especially
b
l
u
e.
