West Virginia Young Writers 2012 Anthology - Marshall University

We stepped in a tidy little room where Daddy lay on a bed. He wasn’t moving. His eyeswere closed. As soon as Mommy saw him, she was at his side. She touched his hand, and heslowly opened his eyes. “Are, are you okay?” she said, trying her best to stifle her tears.He squeezed Mommy’s hand. “Julie, I’m goin’ to meet God. I was waiting for you tocome so I could tell you that I’m not leaving you. I’ll always be in your heart, and then somedayyou’ll see me in Heaven.” His eyes glanced over at me and my sister and he said, “Girls, alwaysremember your daddy loved you so much!” His soft, melodic voice rang in song. “I’ll meet youin the morning, by the bright river side, when all sorrow has drifted away: I’ll be by the portals,when the gates open wide.” His voice faded away, and his forever green eyes closed, their lasttime on earth.I felt the hot tears streaming down my face, and Mommy looked at me with anindescribable look. A look of peace came over her. Why was she not crying? I never cry, and Iwas crying. She’d been married for 14 years to the most important person in our family, and hehad just died. “Amy, don’t cry,” she said in an unusually calm voice. “Honey, your daddy is inGod’s hands.”12 12