Scene 1: The Heartbreak?
Joshua McClendon stared upon the dark, evening sky. The snow fell gently to the ground, and the wind was surprisingly tender. The weather was beautiful, but it did not match his mood. His heart was achingly empty. He could remember one such winter evening six years ago, his first University year, and his sorrow returned a thousand folds. Scott Jamieson had been so alive then, laughing and jumping about. Just one brief moment of a magical kiss with the smiling angel (Scott's nickname), and he was in love, very deeply in love. They were inseparable then, till five years later?
Scott was diagnosed with liver cancer, but even that failed to wipe the smile from his beautiful face. He took it all in his strides, and he bestowed his smile upon anyone he met. The chemotherapy was taking its toll on him, unfortunately. He lost his hair, and the veins on his hands were damaged by the countless chemotherapy needles. He was a fighter till the end, not a word of bitterness was ever spoken, and the only time he cried was a few days prior to his death, when the doctor had to inject the needle through a vein on his right leg. Scott had gripped Joshua's hand tightly, screaming out in pain.
Joshua cried softly, and the tears flowed, unstoppable now. Scott had smiled at him for the very last time the night before Christmas, and they were holding hands in the silence of the night. Scott's parents had refused to visit him, and said he was dead long ago, when he came out to them. Joshua's parents retreated into the cafeteria, giving the couple the privacy they needed.
"Joshie, will you promise me two things?" He had asked, smiling as usual.
"Anything, my love," Joshua answered readily.
"Will you promise not to cry at my funeral?"
Joshua had broken down there and then, and they held on to each other, not willing to let go.
"Don't cry, baby. I'll be waiting for you in heaven. We can dance like we used to. I can still remember our first dance. You looked so beautiful then, and you still are, babe," he reminisced, still smiling that trademark smile.
Joshua pulled himself together with much difficulty, but he managed to do so after a few minutes. He willed himself to gaze into his lover's eyes, and promised that he would try not to cry.
"That's my baby," Scott had replied, and added, "One other thing, Joshie. After I die, promise me that you won't close up your heart to a new love?" They both cried, clinging to each other tighter.
"I'm scared, Joshie. I don't want to die, but most of all, I don't want to leave you. I used to be afraid that time would move so fast that I would not have enough time to fill my mind with images of you, and at the same time, I was afraid that time was moving too slow, and I would end up losing you."
"Scott, I love you, forever, and you would always be alive inside of me, here in my heart," Joshua had replied, guiding Scott's right hand towards his heart.
"Joshie, will you promise me that you won't close up your heart to a new love?" Scott repeated.
"I would try, Scott, but I love you so much, and it hurts. My whole body is aching with pain, and I wish that God would take us both." The dam had burst heavier now, and there was no stopping the tears.
"Joshie, listen to me, sweetheart. I am so proud and honored to have been blessed with the opportunity to love you, but more importantly, I have been blessed with your love. These past five years had been the happiest of my life. God is leaving you on earth so that you can be an angel for someone else."
"Scott, I...," Joshua's sentence was not finished because Scott had put his finger on Joshua's lips.
"Joshua, can we dance for a while?"
"Are you able to stand up, love?"
"Yes, with your help, I am able to."
After carefully maneuvering the IV-needles, Scott stood up, and they embraced each other. Joshua sang softly, and they began to dance a slow dance...
Verse 2: Do you remember how it was? When we never seemed to care The days went by so quickly 'Cause I thought you'd always be there...
And it's hard to let you go Though I know that I must try I feel like I've been cheated 'Cause we never said goodbye...
And if I promise not to feel this pain Will I see you again? Will I see you again?
Chorus: 'Cause time will pass me by Maybe I'll never learn to smile But I know I'll make it through If you wait for me?
And all the tears I cry No matter how I try They'll never bring you home to me Won't you wait for me in heaven?
The distant sound of a church-bell signified that Christmas had arrived, and Joshua saw through the window that the snow had begun to fall outside.
"Merry Christmas, Scott."
"Merry Christmas, Joshie." And Scott's body went limp. Joshua cried tears of sorrow, but he was relieved. Scott was no longer in pain, his lover would not feel the pain anymore?