Why Not Simple

Nelia knelt down as he took his last breath, “you did not listen, why didn’t you listen.” The flowers are all in bloom this time of year, it makes the skin feel as if it had been pressed with rain from the day before. There were crowds of people standing around, trying to catch a glimpse of what happened. Three years previous of the accident, Nelia and Trevor met in college. It was love at first sight ,the way she looked at him and the way he looked her, was something out of a fairytale. Her family and friends knew he was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. After many months of receiving flowers, candy and dinner invitations, Trevor announced his love to Nelia. Trevor was an exploratory person, always hiking and biking, there was never a dull moment when the two of them were together. “Stand back ,can’t you see he needs air,” Nelia kneeling at his side, with her face streamed with tears. “Why couldn’t’ you just asked me face to face, my answer would have been yes.” Nelia remembered the time Trevor posted I love you with flashing lights on the biggest billboard for Valentines Day . She considered how she only got him chocolates and he went completely out of his way, he always did. The night before the accident Trevor called Nelia, he was so eager and he explained he would not see her until Saturday morning. His instructions he gave her that afternoon on the phone, was to meet him in the morning in the field down by the waterfall where they first kissed. Nelia not sure what he was up to , did request he make the surprise simple. That night Nelia was unable to sleep she tossed and turned like a spinning ball in a box. “What is he up to this time,” she knew that the surprise would be bigger than all the other special invitations he had ever done before. Nelia was not sure of his plans and was unaware that morning Trevor made arrangements for a small plane to fly over the field where they first kissed and said I love you. Trevor was very impatient that Saturday morning, he called his family and his friends. “I can’t tell you exactly, I don’t want to spoil the surprise.” Trevor then hanging up the phone with his mother, completed his arrangements. The morning of Saturday Nelia awoke, her head was pounding from the lack of sleep, but she was eager to meet up with Trevor. As Nelia walked through the field she could smell the scent of wild flowers. The sun was starting to peek over the hill and the air was brisk, almost like breathing in a bouquet . Nelia could see her family and friends, they were all crouched down over a white sheet that was laying in the field. As Nelia approached closer to them she could tell that there was something wrong. The cry of Trevor’s mother echoed below the waterfall, it veiled the peaceful spray of falling water . The hands of Trevor’s father shadowed his tears as he sobbed . Nelia heartbroken, knelt to her knees to a limp body battered and torn from the weeds. His voice was cracking and only a whisper made it’s way out. With his last breath, “I wanted to do something great for you , because I love you.” Nelia clutched the white sheet that lay entangled around him. Her eyes swelled with tears as she read the bold red letters on his parachute, “Will You Marry Me Nelia.”

Author
Tanya L. Lyles 2008”