Reflections

My mind had kept reeling over the recent event I witnessed last night. It literally blow me away at how the dynamics of our families where falling apart all because of me. The argument from the Reeves household was so brutal....

“Why is she bent over this one stupid boy,” Mrs. Reeves yelled.

“Because she loves him, Clarissa. Don’t tell me you forgot what that was like,” Mr. Reeves snipped back.

Mrs. Reeves stare hard at her husband and responded, “I knew what love was and it was never like this. This is unhealthy.”

“Give Julianne a break for pete sake. Dan and Martha are going to pull the plug on the boy.” His head shot up, “But you’re probably content on that.”

Placing a hand on her chest, Mrs. Reeves replied appall, “I would never wish a child to die, Benjamin. I'm just shocked that our daughter isn’t thinking about her future after he dies.” She threw a paper down on the coffee table, “Julliard, Ben. She got accepted and-”

Mr. Reeves chuckled sarcastically, “Here you go again. Thinking only of yourself. Julliard can wait. Our daughter is living in this moment right now, in terrible grief. And I’m not going to lose her by pushing her into something she’s obviously not ready for.”

“Julliard won’t wait,” Mrs. Reeves hissed as Mr. Reeves countered back, “Yes it can.

Stomping around the foyer, she yelled, “I told her not to date him. Micheal would have been-”

“A terrible choice.”

A small voice echoed out and I noticed on top of the stair well Amelia sat quietly listening to their argument.

"Amelia." Mrs. Reeves face suddenly blanched, "Julianne. When did you get here?"

Julianne stared at the ground and mumbled, "I came earlier in the morning, but I think I should leave now."

"No Julie. Don't go. You deserve an apology from mom," Amelia barked.

Mrs. Reeves went livid, "Amelia, don't even talk to your mother that way."

Julianne raised her hand up, "Thank you Mia, but this has always been between Mom and me." She leveled her green eyes upon her mother and stated, "He'll never be good enough for you."

Like a corner cat, her mother stood quiet as Julianne ranted, "Tyler has always been respectful, loving, accepting and always supported all my dreams. Never once had he hurt me."

Taking a step forward, Julianne hissed, "Hurt me as much as you've done in this one night. You could learn a lot from him." Julianne grabbed her coat and looked back at her mother's stoic expression, "It'd make you a better mother."

The door slammed hard after Amelia follow behind Julianne.

Rubbing my shoulder I stared at the mirrors before my feet. My Julianne was my freedom and she had no idea.

I shifted my eyes up to the one particular mirror that once held a clock. It had recently shifted and I finally found the truth.

My body laid still on the hospital bed with different tubes connected to me. I was unresponsive and it made my stomach twist at the unnatural site.

“Alright, we will be pulling the plug after you give your last goodbyes,” a voice echoed around and my eyes found my parents and a doctor in white jacket by my bedside.

My mother started to cry in pain as my father wiped his face with his hands. I shifted up to my knees in disbelief.

They were really giving up on me.

My eyes began to well up and a hard lump suddenly got stuck in my throat when listening to my mother's words. “You’ve been such a fighter baby. But it’s okay to let go. It's okay. I, I, love you sweetheart." She choked back a sob and added, "We’ll be okay. I promise." She brushed my hair gently as whispered, "We are just waiting for Julianne to tell her goodbye.”

My hand smacked the mirror before I turned my body around and slide down to the floor.

I didn't want to see my own death, I thought helpless as my hands shook.

A slight knock echoed and I closed my eyes waiting to hear Julianne's voice for the last time.

"She isn't here yet?"

I turned my head in surprise to find Mr. Reeves standing in the room.

My father shook his head, "Not yet."

Mr. Reeves eyebrows furrowed before he asked, "May I?"

Waving him forward, my parents gave us both space. Mr. Reeves sat by the bed and took my hand. "You must have been to good for this world. The only one that saw that more than me was Julianne." He cleared his throat and stated, "I never got to express it much, but I believe you were meant to make her happy." He gave a small chuckle, "It’s uncanny how similar you two are."

My mother was itching to get back to my body and so Mr. Reeves' finally added, "Tyler I promise I will try with all my heart to make sure she’s keep safe and hopefully happy again someday.”

Off to the other side of the room of mirrors, I rotated my head to a faint door slam from the mirror showing the night sky now.

Curiously I slowly walked closer to finally see Julianne picture rippling in the large body water. She was above the surface and my mouth opened in surprised as I put together details I didn’t notice before. The rippling waves, the rush of water, the trim of grass that all edged our lake.

Wildly her hair blow in the wind and she held her one fist tight. “I can’t watch them do it. I can’t,” she whispered. “I promised to wait for you, but if you won’t come for me....” I froze suddenly in concern as she focused onto the cold water. “Then I’m coming for you.”

“Nooooo!” I yelled as I watched Julianne plumage down into the water with bubbles exploding around her body. In reaction I put my hands to the barrier and before I knew it, water gushed out flinging my body back to the other side of the mirror holding my death.

Getting ready to push my self up with the wall, my hand passed through another mirror by accident.

Twisting my body quickly, I again swiped my arms through the mirror to feel the warmth of the hospital room. It seemed Julianne's connection had opened all the portals.

A heighten excitement filled me realizing I could go back. I didn’t have to die.

“We can’t wait for Julianne much longer,” my father said.

“Hell we can’t.” Mr. Reeves stated back, “She at least deserves closure.”

My head twist back to the reflection with Julianne floating in the water with her hair fanned out. With grace she leaned back watching each of the bubbles float up to the surface with ease. There was no fear. No her face held a peaceful expression, as if fighting the natural instinct to gasp for air was nothing.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized with grief, she won't be there if I went back to my dying self.

She was giving up.

Taking a step forward, I observed my Julianne was very lost and lonely. She needed to move on. Live her life to her full potential. I was important because she needed me.

Filling my lungs with as much air as possible, I started to charge at the mirror of water and dove straight through. The cold water crashed around shocking my adrenaline pumped body. Swimming to the love of my life, I reached out and grasped her hand.

Instantly her eyes opened wide with awareness and suddenly the world slowed down. Like two soul being brought together, our bodies spun out of control around each other. Tighten my hand on hers, I pulled her into my arms kicking to the surface.

She was unaware of anything as I only gazed into her eyes. With in seconds of breaking the surface, time had seized to stop as she crashed her lips to mine.

If this was to be my last goodbye, I felt ready. Our bodies hit the surface and I whispered my last words, "Live for me Jules. Live for me."

Again the horrid sensation of blinding light and and rippling pain crushed my soul. But I didn't care as I gently cradled Julianne's body on the shoreline.

I finally understood why this had happened to me. I was a big part of her life and she loved me no matter what. If I could do it all over again I would never doubt her for a second as she has done so faithfully to me.

Julianne was a reflection of me.

Slowly my eyes became heavier and feeling of her warm body dissipated.

I was dying.