SHE LAY SILENT, LISTENING TO THE THOUGHTS RUNNING THROUGH HER HEAD. HER HAND REACHED OVER TO TOUCH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BED.... IT WAS COLD. SHE SIGHED. WHEN HE WASN'T THERE BESIDE HER AT NIGHT, SHE FELT SO ALONE........

SHE HATED HERSELF FOR DEPENDING SO MUCH ON HIM FOR HER HAPPINESS, BUT SHE DID.

THE HOURS TICKED ON. SHE HEARD THE CAT GETTING INTO MISCHIEF SOMEWHERE IN THE ROOM. SHE DIDN'T BOTHER TO GET UP AND CHECK IT OUT.

THE QUIET DARKNESS SOON BECAME TOO MUCH FOR HER. SHE GOT UP, PUT ON HER ROBE, AND WENT OUTSIDE, SITTING ON THE PORCH. IT WAS A BIT WARM FOR A DECEMBER NIGHT, AND THERE WERE A FEW STRAY CRICKETS CHIRPING ALONG THE SIDEWALK. SOON, THERE WOULD BE NO CRICKETS. THE AIR WOULD BE TOO COLD FOR THEM TO SURVIVE. JUST LIKE THE COLD DARK NIGHTS OF YESTERDAY WERE TO COLD FOR HER TO SURVIVE.

NOW THAT HE WAS IN HER LIFE, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LONG SPANS OF THOSE DARK NIGHTS. SOON, HE WOULD BE THERE, BESIDE HER, HOLDING HER, WHISPERING TO HER, TELLING HER THAT ALL IS WELL WITH THE WORLD............AND SHE BELIEVED IT...........AT LEAST ALL WOULD BE RIGHT IN "HER" WORLD....................

SHE GOT UP FROM HER CHAIR, WALKED BACK TO THE BEDROOM, AND TRIED ONCE MORE TO DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP. SOON, SHE DID.........AND DREAMS OF WARM MEMORIES FLOODED HER SUBCONSCIOUS.

WHEN SHE AWAKENED, HER BELOVED LAY THERE BESIDE HER, BREATHING PEACEFULLY. HE HAD MANAGED TO SNEAK IN SILENTLY SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT SO AS NOT TO WAKE HER..............

SHE LAY THERE FOR SOME TIME, WATCHING HIS CHEST RISE AND FALL FROM HIS BREATHING..........WATCHED HIS LONG TRESSES FALL ACROSS HIS FACE, WANTING TO BRUSH THEM ASIDE, SO AS TO SEE HIS BEAUTIFUL FACE, BUT NOT WANTING TO DISTURB HIM.

SHE WAS ONCE AGAIN HAPPY...............HAPPY BECAUSE THE SOURCE OF HER HAPPINESS WAS THERE, SAFE, SECURE, BESIDE HER.

NEVER GO TO BED ANGRY AT THE ONES YOU LOVE...........ALWAYS WORK THINGS OUT, ALWAYS TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM. ALWAYS KEEP THEM IN YOUR HEART.................................MICHAEL, I LOVE YOU.