Angel Standing By
Elizabeth entered their bedroom, his bedroom. It had been so long since it had been their bedroom. She saw him sleeping angelically in his bed. He was sleeping very lightly. She could tell by his breathing.

‘He must’ve just fallen asleep’ she thought.

Elizabeth walked over to the bed and kneeled down next to her angel. She looked at him wistfully, wiping a tear off her cheek as it slipped past her eyelids. She longed to hold him and to kiss him. To gaze into his blue eyes as she whispered ‘I love you.’ She longed to hear him whisper her name as they made love. She stroked his cheek with her hand, He moved slightly in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent, then settle back into his original position, like nothing had disturbed him in the first pace.

All through the night I’ll be standing over you.

More tears slipped past her eyelids as she sang their song. She remembered that night so well. The night it had all begun. It seemed so insignificant at the time, but now it was a night she would never forget.

All through the night I’ll be watching over you.

It had been such a beautiful night. Clear sky, full moon, bright stars. Very romantic. He was having a party that night. Nothing big, just them and six of their closest friends. They were celebrating their long awaited graduation, but it had turned out to be a night that would change the rest of her life.

And through bad dreams I’ll be right there, baby,

They had his stereo setup outside, where the party was, with several different CDs in it. Some how she had managed to persuade her best friend of 18 years, and boyfriend of two years, to put her ‘Jewel’ CD in there. They set it on random. After two hours of moderately fast music, wild chatter, and dancing, a slow song began to play. He asked her to dance, silently willing her to accept his proposal with his alluring blue eyes.

Holding your hand, telling you everything is all right

She of course did. She remembered, painfully, the way he held her in his arms. So gentle, yet so secure, making her feel so safe and warm inside. It had been this song playing, only that night it had been him singing it to her.

And when you cry I’ll be right there.

She’d nearly cried in his embrace at the beauty of his voice and the look in his ocean blue eyes. At the end of the song he’d asked her to be his forever. She remembered the look in his eyes when he asked her and the smile that played on his lips as he slid the ring onto her finger when she accepted.

Telling you you were never anything less than beautiful They were married the following spring. It was a beautiful wedding. All their friends and family were there. They had an amazing honeymoon in Paris. Elizabeth smiled as she remembered it. The wine, the baguettes, the picnic in the park, it had all been so wonderful. Sharing it with Ashley, her Ashley, had only made it all the more wonderful. They came home two weeks latter to a cute little cottage like house in a quiet neighborhood.

So don’t worry baby,

They had been together for four years when she found out that she was pregnant. It was a girl and they were to name here Paula Jane Angel, after his mother and hers. Nine months later she was rushed to the hospital. Their beautiful baby girl was born. She had her father’s blue eyes, her mother’s full lips and brunette hair. They’d both cried for hours, holding their baby girl in their arms, awestricken at the mere thought that they had created something so beautiful.

I’m your angel standing by.

They were on their way home from the hospital, it was raining, really hard. Ashley had been extra careful driving home that day. How could he have known that a car would run a red light on 70th and 3rd? But it did, and it hit the passenger side, the side she was sitting on. She died instantly. Paula Jane would’ve been quick to follow if the paramedics hadn’t gotten there when they did. Ashley had blamed himself. She watched in anguish as he held their baby girl and cried. All the while blaming himself and apologizing to her, because she no longer had a mother. It had been two months since that awful day though. He was better, and although she no longer needed to, Elizabeth came to see Ashley every night with out fail. Promising to always be his angel standing by.

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