Post by Ali on Aug 30, 2009 17:57:35 GMT
Declan sat in silent vigil by his sixteen year old daughters hospital bed. Hooked upto various machines she was oblivious to the world. It had started out like a normal day, a day like any other, and then one phonecall had changed everything. Just like that one phonecall from Steve had all those years ago. India and two of her friends had been driving to go and see a concert and an accident had occurred. One of them now had a broken leg, one had escaped without injury and the other was now lying here in this hospital bed in intensive care. It was like some sort of nightmare in which Declan did not know how to wake up. It was as if history was repeating itself...it could have easily have been her mother lying there sixteen years ago - but surely the fates would not be so cruel would they? He hadn’t left India’s side . He couldn’t. He had left Bridget’s hospital bed that fateful day and look what had happened. Declan struggled to catch his breath as the thought flashed through his mind what if i lose her?
He watched India as she lay there. So still, so pale, but still so very, very beautiful. His sunshine girl. Declan often thought that she was the perfect mix of Didge and himself. She had long dark curly hair the exact same shade as his own, but those gorgeous blue eyes were the eyes of her Mum. She had Declan’s humour and often the two of them would fall about laughing at something no-one else found remotely funny. She was smart like her Mum and although she had inherited his quick temper it was counterbalanced by Bridget’s ability to see the good in everyone. As such she had an open and kind nature.
Declan stood up slowly and stretching his legs he walked over to the window. Staring out unseeingly at the twinkling lights that dotted the horizon , he fought back the tears as he prayed that he would not lose his little girl. It had been such a struggle sometimes, bringing her up on his own without Bridget. He knew how India suffered growing up without a mum. At least he himself had known Bridget, had laughed with her, loved her, but poor India only had Declan’s memories. He often wished he could have shown India what Bridget had been like, that vibrant infuriating girl who had captured his heart and danced off with it into the unknown. He had tried to let India know how much Bridget had loved them both. As he stood there in the cold, isolated hospital room with their beautiful young daughter lying there on the brink of life or death, never in his life had he needed Bridget more
Please Didge, if you can hear me, please help her, don’t let her die
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India found herself watching a young man talking to a young girl on his doorstep. She suddenly realised with a shocked thrill that she was seeing her parents but it was many, many years ago.
“DAD!” She shouted but he didn’t turn around and she realised that they couldn’t see her or hear her. She was there to watch a scene that had already played out in history. She hungrily took in every detail of her Mum. She couldn’t believe she was standing there, real and alive! She was much tinier than India had thought she would be. Her husky voice brought a shiver to India’s skin...
“I’m sorry that i made you slip” Bridget was saying to a bemused Declan
He wasn’t really listening, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He had never seen her like this before. He had only ever seen her mad at him. He was astounded to see her standing there almost vulnerable as she made her apology. He glanced down at her hands, he hoped she hadn’t burnt them
“How’s ...how’s your hands?”
Bridget, perplexed glanced down at her hands and felt her cheeks redden
“i’m okay, i’m good” she assured him briskly
And as they stood there, the silence stretching, something passed unspoken between them, as brown eyes looked into blue
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India blinked and she was in Harold’s store laughing along with everyone else as her Dad told her Mum he loved her
“I Love ya” he muttered, brown eyes bright
She leaned forward excitedly. A look of delight on her face
“What?”
He smiled a wry grin “I Said I love you”
Her lovely blue eyes sparkling, a mischievous look on her cheeky face
“I didn’t quite catch that”
He looked resigned “I love you” he obediently repeated
“Pardon?” she teased
By this point he had cottoned on to her playing and adoring eyes never leaving her face, he stood up and shouted
“I LOVE YOU BRIDGET PARKER. I LOVE YOU”
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“Do you hate my hair?”
“No”
She cocked her head to one side and said miserably
“i do. I hate my hair”
Her earnest blue eyes sad, she looked utterly crestfallen standing there in front of him and he couldn’t have loved her more
“Well” he said softly, reaching out and running his hand softly down a curly tendril of her hair, an indulgent look on his handsome face
“I Kind of like everything about you”
He stroked her cheek and she suddenly grinned. A Cheeky grin that lit up her impish face
“Just aswell” she answered huskily as their lips met
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India had just watched her Father pass out in the Tattoo parlour. What a wuss! She was watching them now, her Dad feeling sorry for himself, her Mum hiding her amusement
“Do you know she managed to ink in a little dot? Right before you passed out?”
He shifted restlessly
“Where?”
She pointed to his arm with her black felt tip pen
“There”
“Ah yeah. Heh! It’s tiny”
“It’s not tiny to me. Whenever i see that dot, i’ll know that you love me” she said sincerely, her young face intent
His brown eyes shone as he gazed at her
“loud and proud”
She looked at him, her face full of love
“Loud and Proud” She agreed softly
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India felt a little thrill when she saw herself mentioned for the first time. Funny how those two little words changed their whole life
“I’m pregnant”
She watched how her Parents battled to hold on to everything they had when it started to unravel....
She was lying on the sofa, waiting up for him when he got home. As she sat up after hearing the door go, she gazed at him imploringly and he felt himself soften a little. He never could stay mad at her for long. She had this power over him, this invisible bond which drew him back to her time and time again.
“I’m not changing my mind” she told him firmly
Declan knew not to push it
“I’ll work on that” he promised
He held out his pinkie finger and with a sad half smile on his lips he watched her solemn face as she linked her pinke finger to his .
And he kissed her hand to seal the deal
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Declan heard the clapping as he kicked the ball over the line. He knew without looking who it would be. She stood there, beautiful, her bump really pronounced now and he felt the tears begin to form. He had so wanted this. He tried to be strong but he couldn’t and he turned towards his source of strength who was holding out her arms to him
“Come here Dec”
And he started to cry as he almost ran into her arms, burying his face in her neck as he sobbed for his broken dream
“I was going to be somebody”
“you are somebody”
Breathing in the familiar strawberry scent of her, he admitted gruffly
“I’ve missed you”
“Me too”
And even though he knew that the situation hadn’t been resolved, he gasped as he drew her nearer, crushing her lips beneath his, needing her as much as he needed oxygen
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India smiled as she watched the balloons go soaring up into the sky, up...up...
Bridget’s blue eyes shone as she watched his gorgeous face become hopeful as he dared to believe...
“We’re a family, the three of us”
Declan laughed in delight at his beautiful girl. Always so different, always surprising him
They watched as the balloons soared up into the wide blue sky excited at the thought of Tadpole....of their future. Together.
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India found herself in an old country church. She smiled as she recognised it from the photos she used to gaze at. The church her parents got married in. She had been there too of course but then she had been inside her Mum. She entered the church to see her Mum and Dad exchanging wedding vows. Her Dad was the most handsome man India had ever seen and her Mum looked like some fairy nymph from a far away land
Declan looked at the girl whom he had always loved. Finally she was his wife. She looked so beautiful and he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. All his life he had believed that he was not capable of that kind of love and then he met her and he had known. He had known that this girl with blue fire in her eyes and spirited nature was the love of his life. The person who understood him like no other. She had taught him how to be calm , to trust, to believe in himself . His bestfriend, his lover, his soulmate, His Didge
Bridget looked at the young man who was now her husband. And hadn’t she always loved him? She hadn’t wanted to at first but she couldn’t deny what her heart had been telling her. She knew he was the one. Her very best friend. He could make her laugh like no other, could make her feel safe like no other, and he loved her like no other. As she looked into his familiar warm brown eyes she knew without doubt that this man was the love of her life.
She looked down at her bump “and we will always love you”
“always” he confirmed placing a possessive hand on her huge bump
Bridget broke off the kiss and gasped
“Tadpole’s saying congratulations”
Laughter rang out around the small church as the couple kissed again. It was a day of sunshine, of pretty flowers, of romance, of friendship and of course love
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India watched as her parents cooed over her in her cot. She watched as her Mum leaned over her with such a look of tenderness on her face as she began to tell her a story. She wished with all her might that she could remember her Mother’s touch. She had heard her Dad tell this story a thousand times but somehow he had never gotten across how pink the nursery was, or the way her Dad looked so content in a way that India had never seen him. Or how good her Mum smelt. Or how her Dad had to constantly be in physical contact with her Mum
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Finally India found herself standing in a lush meadow surrounded by flowers. She knew this was different somehow. It felt different from all the other scenes. The light was brighter, everything seemed more vivid. She watched unsuprised as a young women walked towards her. It was as if she had always known that this was going to happen. It seemed like she had been waiting all her life for this. She was dressed in a white flowing dress that fell to just below her knees and she stood there smiling at India, her soft brown hair falling in waves down to her shoulders. India was in awe as she realised that for the first time she was seeing her Mum and her Mum could see her. Two pairs of identical blue eyes stared at each other. It was crazy but for her whole life India had had conversations with her mum inside her head but now she was here and she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Her mum gently clasped India’s hand
“Indie” she murmured
India continued to gaze in awe. She just couldn’t believe that her mum was standing there, holding her hand
Her Mum laughed
“i’ve got so many things i wanted to say but there’s not enough time. I Suppose there never is really. Look at you...you’re so very beautiful, i knew you would be...you remind me so much of your father”
“i don’t understand am i...am i ....”
India let the question go unvoiced. She didn’t want to say the word out loud
Her Mum looked at her kindly
“Dead? No sweetheart but it’s going to be very, very hard what you have to do next but i know that you can do it. We haven’t got long...now listen to me sweetheart, in a minute a bright light will start to appear and you’ll have this overwhelming urge to enter into it, but you mustn’t Indie do you hear me? The more you resist the harder it will become but just hold my hand and keep hold of it until you hear your Dad’s voice okay? Then let go. Let go as soon as you hear your Dad’s voice. But not before”
Her Mum leaned forward to wipe the tears streaming down India’s cheeks as she sobbed
“But i don’t want to leave you! I’ve only just found you. Please Mum”
Her Mum smiled at her sadly “i know sweetheart. I’ve missed you both so much. I know how hard it’s been for you...i wanted to show you just what your father and i meant to each other and how important you are. To give you strength....”
Her voice trailed off as she struggled to contain herself
“i didn’t want to die you know...to leave you both but i didn’t get that choice but you have and you must be brave for just that little bit more okay?”
“i’m scared” India whispered
“i know you are my darling, i know you are. But i’ll be right there beside you okay? I promise. I’m so proud of you. Of both of you”
India sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the cuff of her sleeve
“He misses you so much. He’s never loved anyone as much as he loved you. He still kisses your photograph every night”
She watched as tears glistened in her Mothers eyes as she said affectionately ” he always was a dag”
Her Mum’s smile faded as she saw the fear in her daughter’s eyes
“It’s hard to explain Indie all of this. It’s like when you go on time has no real sense not like it does in the physical world. I could have died 5 seconds ago or a thousand years ago. I’ve always watched over you both, i used to stroke your hair everynight when you were a little girl and when your Dad had that terrible injury on the footie field i massaged his leg everyday until the pain ceased. He has done such a good job looking after you. I knew he would. He promised me”
India smiled. Comforted by the fact that her Mum had been there even though they didn’t realise
“yes i’ve always come when either of you have needed me” She laughed at India’s shocked face “yeah i can hear your thoughts too....don’t worry i’m not around all the time!”
She laughed as India’s confusion grew “Don’t worry sweetheart, one day you’ll know what i am talking about but thankgoodness it’s not yet. You have such a wonderful life ahead of you...and it’s time to start living it again”
India gasped as a white light suddenly exploded in front of her and India was overwhelmed at how beautiful it looked....her body began to feel pain stir up and spread and she knew instinctively that if she entered the white light the pain would go. She clutched her Mum’s hand tighter as the pain began to tear at her
“now remember Indie don’t let go until you hear your Dad...that’s it...hold on to me...we’re almost there...good girl”
As the pain began to ravage her body and the white light became even brighter, India squeezed her Mum’s hand as the world began tilting and spinning
“i love you” she whispered to her Mum as everything started to become hazy
She heard her Mum’s voice through the spinning vortex
“i love you too my darling....keep holding on....tell your Father that i love him”
And still India held onto her Mum’s hand and just when she didn’t think she could hold on any longer the blissful sound of her Dad’s voice became clear
“Indie....Indie...please darling...please wake up...indie...
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India sat up in the hospital bed. She felt incredibly tired but she had to tell her Dad whilst it was still vivid in her mind
“I’m sure i was gonna die dad. And she saved me...i know she did. You do believe me don’t you Dad? I know it’s really weird but i’m sure i wasn’t dreaming...it was real”
Declan eyes swam with tears
“You saw her?” he whispered in awe
India nodded, a smile lighting up her beautiful face
“She was just...so....i can’t explain it but she just made me feel so special. Does that make sense?”
Declan nodded
“Yeah. She had this way of making everyone feel really important. She just knew exactly the right thing to say to make someone feel at ease. It sounds really corny but she just lit up a room by being there,- she just had this energy about her and everybody loved her”
“She said she was proud of me. Of you...that she misses us. And she was so pretty Dad... and she smelt like, like...”
“Strawberries” Declan finished for her “She had this shampoo that she always used, some fruit based scent but it always smelt like strawberry on her...i used to bury my face in her hair and breathe it in...”
His voice trailed off as the tears slowly began to trickle down his cheeks. India felt her own begin to fall and with a sigh Declan gathered India in his arms gently rocking her as if she was still a little girl
“shh shh it’s alright sweetheart, it’s okay, just let it out”
And they both cried in each others arms. For that amazing young women who had died long before her time and they cried for themselves who had to live without her
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Declan and India never forgot that amazing day and it gave them the strength to carry on with their lives. It also became a folklore of sorts in the family, this tale of true love and how it never stops just because somebody’s heart stops beating. And as the days became weeks, the weeks became months, the months became years, and the years became centuries and still the story was told . And it always began like this
Once upon a time there was a very handsome boy with a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts, and a pretty girl with eyes the colour of bluebells. As good stories go, this is one of the best for it contains the greatest of ingredients. You see not only does it have laughter and loyalty, fun and friendship, tragedy and sorrow, it contains True love. Oh yes above all else it is a tale of love. Their names were Bridget and Declan
. God how I miss them.
