Page 139 of Champagne Nights

“That friend wouldn’t happen to be a girl named Paisley, would it?”

“Maybe.”

“Ben, come on. Who is she? When did you meet her? And I can’t believe you went surfing.”

“I met her at a support group for widows. Someone had told me about it, and I was curious, so I went one time, and that’s when I met Paisley. Her husband passed away from a massive heart attack.”

“Damn. Was she married to some old guy?”

“No. He was twenty-seven.”

“Oh, gee. That’s terrible. She’s hot,” he whispered.

I smiled. “I know, and she’s smart and fun.”

“That’s great, bro.”

“Listen, I’ll call you during the week. I have to be at the station early in the morning.”

“Talk to you later.”

“Bye, Finn. Oh hey. Do me a favor and don’t mention Paisley to Mom and Dad yet. I was thinking about bringing her over to dinner next weekend.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

After brushing my teeth and changing out of my clothes, I climbed into bed and placed my hand on the side that Amy had slept on. Thoughts of her smile, kindness, and laughter consumed me as my eyes filled with tears. I liked Paisley a lot, but guilt invaded my mind every chance it got. Was it normal?

As soon as I fell asleep, I had a dream. Amy and I were riding bikes in Maine to check out the Portland Head Lighthouse. She was ahead, looking back and smiling at me. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and a subtle wind swept across the coast, giving a cool touch to the warmer temperatures. As soon as we got off our bikes, I grabbed her hand, and we stood and stared at the lighthouse we had always talked about visiting.

“Isn’t it beautiful, baby?” Amy smiled.

“It sure is. Get closer and stand in front of it so I can take your picture.”

She did, and as I stood there and stared at her through the lens of the camera, I saw Paisley. I lowered the camera and looked at Amy.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I replied in confusion, bringing the camera back to my face. Again, when I looked through the lens, all I saw was Paisley.

I stood there frozen as I dropped the camera on the ground. Amy walked over to me, grabbed my hand, and we ran down towards the water. Her white dress swayed back and forth, as did her long brown hair. Suddenly, she disappeared.

“Amy!” I yelled. “Where are you?”

“Boo.” She laughed.

I turned around and was startled by what I had seen. Amy stood in front of me, her hair gone from her chemo treatments. Her skin was as pale as a ghost’s, her lips cracked and bleeding, and her eyes sunken in with dark circles underneath them.

“Amy,” I whispered as a tear fell from my eye.

She gently smiled as she walked closer and placed her hand on my cheek. “My sweet and beautiful husband, it’s okay. Don’t feel guilty. I’m at peace now and where I’m supposed to be. You can’t live the rest of your life alone because I died. I want you to move on, my darling, and make a new life with someone who will love you just as much as I do. Don’t close yourself off. Open your heart, and promise me you’ll be happy. Can you be happy again, my love?”

I shook my head as more tears streamed down my face. “I don’t know.”

“I do know.” She smiled as she wiped away my tears. She began to walk away and smiled as she turned around and looked at me.

“Go be happy, Ben. Live your life to the fullest. Paisley can help you do that, but you may need to help her first. Be patient and follow your heart.” She blew me a kiss and then vanished.

My eyes flew open, and I could feel my face soaked with tears. My heart was beating rapidly, and I was drenched in sweat. I climbed out of bed and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. I could feel myself still shaking. It didn’t feel like a dream. I finished my water and took a deep breath as I returned to bed.

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