In Love's Arms

“I’m going to marry you one day.” Beth said to her long time crush¹ Jake. She wore her favorite blue teddy bear shirt. Her four-year-old blue eyes shined in the sun.

“No you’re not, you’re a girl.” Jake said.

the California afternoon wind blew his light brown hair. Jumping off the monkey bars he laughed back to class.

Sitting alone and confused she didn’t know what to do. Beth sat high on the monkey bars crying. How can her future husband just leave like that?

She was going to get him, but how? “I will not let him get away! I won’t! I won’t!”

15 years later:

“I love you, too, Jake.” Hanging up the phone she caught her mom smiling. “What?”

“When is he coming in from France? He’s been there for awhile.” She sat down on her black leather couch². The house was made up of different Indian stuff³. On the walls were different dream catchers. Her mother was a full blood Cherokee Indian. She passed away when Beth was eight.

“He has a lot of schooling⁴ to do right now. Maybe this Saturday.”

Fixing her short overalls⁵ she thought of Jake. Who would have thought they were going to date when she turned five?

“Is he still living in Colorado?” Her mother Kay wore a white tank top with tan⁶ pants. And long blonde hair with pretty blue eyes. She was the most beautiful woman on Earth. And Beth is looking like her by the minute.

“Yeah, I hate having a long distance relationship.” She plopped on a leather chair.

“It’s ok baby, you know he loves you more than anything in this world. Love will keep you together.”

Beth could not help but smile. Her mother is and will always be her best friend.

Jake sat in his hotel the school rented for him. School of law. He loved going overseas for everything. But he missed being with Beth. That hurt him the most.

Spending the lonely nights in the hotel made him think of how much it would hurt to spend the rest of his life without her in it.

Getting up off his bed he went into the bathroom. Watching his reflection⁷ in the mirror, all he could think about was Beth. He would leave Thursday, and get there Friday night.

Turning off the light he jumped into the cold bed. On a coffee table near his bed rested a frame⁸ with them in it. It was taken at a beach about two years ago. It was the best time of their lives.

It was Thursday morning and Beth waited for Jake’s morning phone call. He would call at eight — it was ten.

Beth got out of bed and got her favorite blue tank top. She took off her shirt and screamed at the top of her lungs.

“What? What?” Her mother came rushing into her room. Staring at her naked⁹ daughter she saw the lump¹⁰ of her breast. “Does it hurt?”

Beth could only say “No.” Looking at the lump, she cried in pain.

“Let’s get you to the doctor.”

“Ok, let me get dressed.”

Shutting the door behind her, the room became silent. Shaking she put on her shirt, and ran out into the living room.

“Mom, where are my blue shorts?”

“In the dresser, second drawer.”

Finishing getting dressed she hopped¹¹ into her car. Her red mustang drove like a baby.

they waited for the doctor to come in. Beth could not begin to think she had cancer. As her mind drifted¹² off her cell phone rang.

“Hello?” Her heart skipped a beat, hoping it was Jake.

“Hey, how are you?” He asked out of breath.

“Could be better. Why didn’t you call me this morning?”

“Sorry, school got ahold of me today.”

“Why are you out of breath?” Looking stunned¹³ she stared at her mother.

“I’m so sorry, he’ll call back.” Her mother gave Beth a hug.

the doctor came in, and GREeted his self. “Hello. I’m Kevin Baker¹⁴.” He smiled while examining her breast.

A few minutes went by while they waited for an answer. “Yeah, it’s cancer, it looks like it’s been there for a while.”

Jake sat in the waiting room, unsure about going in or not. He just waited, five minutes passed as he walked towards a CNA. “Hi. My girl friend is seeing a doctor right now, can I have the room number?”

She checked her files. “What’s her name?”

“Beth Fowley.” Jake looked around the waiting room.

“Jake!” Beth said surprised. She gave him a hug. He held her tightly¹⁵, never wanting to let go of his angel. “I missed you so very much. I left last night; I could not stand being without you again.” He kissed her lips.

“I missed you, too.” Beth answered back.

“Let’s go home.” Kay hugged Jake.

Once they got home Jake grabbed¹⁶ her by the hand and sat her down.

“Beth, I loved you all my life. Ever since I saw you on the monkey bars, saying you were going to marry me. I knew I loved you. I can’t spend another lonely night at home without you being there. You make my life complete. Will you marry me, Beth?”

Tears of pain flooded her blue eyes. “I can’t marry you.” She shook her head, “I just can’t.”

Getting up, her mother tried stopping her. But Beth closed the door behind her. The door that she hid behind, hoping one day she could wake up, and the cancer could be gone. And Jake can have a wonderful life with her. Forever. How can he love someone that is going to die from cancer?

A week passed, message after message, Beth would not answer. Her mother would answer the phone every time he called. Jake had no idea what was going on. He needed to talk to Beth right away, and holding his phone calls was not going to help one bit. It couldn’t help the canyon¹⁷ deep whole in his heart that was full of pain.

He had to see her, whether she liked it or not. He had to tell her he didn’t care what happened to her, he still wanted to be with her. Getting dressed in his blue jean shorts, and his favorite white shirt she loved to see him in. He got into his car.

Reaching her door he looked in the driveway, her mother’s car was not there. Now she would have to face him, and not hide behind her mother. He knocked.

“Coming.” Beth answered, she opened the door. She wore a red robe¹⁸ with her name on it. She got from her grandma a few years ago.

“Please let me in, we need to talk.”

She could not be rude. they needed to talk alright, about how he was going to lose his only love to cancer. How was he going to take that? She opened the door wider, and he slowly walked in.

“I hate how you can’t talk to me. I hate that we can’t be together. Don’t you understand I love you?” He ran his hand through his brown hair frustrated¹⁹. “You can tell me anything you need to. I’m here for you today, tomorrow, and forever. And you know this. Now what is wrong?”

He cradled²⁰ her on the leather couch. All her fears, and pain went away for that moment. Nothing seemed to matter, but him and her, together, forever. A silent tear ran down her right cheek and landed on Jake’s shoulder.

“I love you, that’s why I have to let you go.” She wiped her tear. Jake hated to see her so upset; she was usually a strong willed person. Her coming down like this was not usual, and it freaked him out.

“Let me go? Come on, what’s wrong?” Jake held her tighter, giving her a light kiss on her cheek.

“I have breast cancer. I found out a few weeks ago. I don’t want to marry you, and have you get hurt…”

He stopped her words with the sweetest kiss man could make. All her doubts and fears slowly drifted away like the wind. Everything fell into place; they found the love they thought they had missed.

They will forever be in love’s arms.