Short Story Anthology : 2012-2013 World Literature

bringing her a rose and telling her how beautiful she was. She smiled, but these smiles vanished seconds after as she was brought back to reality.

After a few months I found myself visiting her multiple times daily at the hospital. I paid her all my time; she is the number one thing I cared about. Still of course I was bringing a rose every day, it was my routine. Sometimes they were pale peachy pink, the color of her skin, sometimes red the color of the lipstick she always used to wear. I missed that about her, she was always wearing red lipstick, and it was adorable. She looked so happy and it was on more thing I couldn’t help but stare at. Now her lips were pale, no lipstick, but still beautiful. No matter what happened, she still maintained all her beauty inside and out. She will forever be beautiful.

She started to get weaker and weaker, the treatments weren’t working. My head was a traffic jam of everything, I could not think straight. I was lost, for once in my life. I didn’t know what to do. I thought and thought 24/7. But I knew I had to be with her, next to her side, holding her hand, next to her vases of all the living flowers left that I had gotten her. It sure was adding up. It showed the time we’ve been together through this. The love I had for her, and the beauty of her. They showed every day I did not stop caring; I was a man of my word. Not only was I a man of my words, but I wanted to do this; what I loved. Looking at her pale face with a bald scalp and tiny body always brought tears to my eyes. She was beautiful and so tough, I still have a picture of her in my mind. Her lying there helplessly, looking up at me with her big eyes, looking for guidance. She looked up to me for support and help, I gave her all I had.

It wasn’t enough.

I woke up that day. Not prepared for it to be the worst day of my life.

I got ready and put my coat on and walked out the door, got in my car and drove.

But first I had to pick up a rose, which I got at a cute little flower shop called Flower Hill. They expected me every day. That day all’s they had was white roses for some reason. Of course I got one, I just had never gotten a white rose for her yet. I remember that I couldn’t wait to give her this white rose, it was beautiful and different from the other pinks and reds. I wanted to see her cute little smile.

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