No Frontiers

br> For Alison.

No one knew where she went every night; no one needed to know. It was a time that was entirely their own, owning not a thing to any one person. Every night was the same...a cloudy mist arriving to take her away, white a voluminous, yet not choking, or heavy. She never seemed to sleep, but she was strangely light and happy as she walked among the mist.

When they cleared, she walked in a garden filled with flowers of many colors, coated overall with greens. Cobblestones made of sandy, grainy material passed beneath her feet as she walked over the pathways that segmented the green piedmont. The air filled with magnolia...magnolia, how she loved it...

Her smile was ambient and distant as she stepped on the bridge; her hand caressed the railing and she shivered. It was cold, icy, the only object that didn't retain warmth here. But her body reflected the heat and enriched the metal with life.

She leaned over the dark railing, absorbed by the blue water running beneath the bridge. She watched the stream flow by, and caught her reflection. She ran her fingers through her brown-red hair; her other hand fixed her skirt nervously. From night to night, she seemed to change as if a year had gone by as if from year to year

Her eyes trained themselves upon a duck, which floated by her lazily. She watched it paddle away from her, it's green, white, and yellow body wiggling away in the distance.

She sighed softly, feeling the breeze tug her dress around. To herself, she sang.
"If your life is a river,
And your heart is a boat,
And just like a water baby, baby
Born to float....
And life is a wild wind that blows way on high.."

The warm, familiar caress of a hand slipped down and across her arm,
"And your heart is Amelia dying to fly.
Heaven Knows no frontiers and I've seen heaven in your eyes..."

A magnolia rested against her lips, stopping her song.
"As always, darling," She said, "You have wonderful timing."
"Magnolia," He said, "For your thoughts."
She took the flower from him, sniffing from it briefly, "I missed you all day today."
"I missed you all night."
Missy Hyatt shyly smiled at her late ex-husband, her soul filled with girlish flirtation.
Eddie Gilbert smiled at her, impishly. "There's a picnic downstream with your name on it."

They linked arms and descended from the bridge, slipping through the grass.

Their lunch was sublime. When the dishes were magically cleared away, Eddie stuck his hands in his lap and asked, "So, what's going on in the world of the living?"
She sensed the teasing quality in his voice, and it made hair prickle on the back of her neck. "I got married last month," She said.
"Married?" He asked. Eddie seemed pleased by that development.
"His name is...is...." She couldn't remember. Eddie's smile was light.
"I know why you keep coming here, at least," He responded.
"I don't understand it myself," Missy admitted, picking on the lace of her dress.
"I do.." He held her hand, "Honey, you can't forget about us, can you?"
She looked away from him, across the water, "I don't want to. You were the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Now she says it," He laughed softly.
"I...I keep wondering what it would've been like if we'd had a baby." She blurted out.
"Your clock is ticking." He teased.
"Well, I've tried having a baby before...I was just thinking about what it'd be like..." She trailed off.
"If we had a baby?" He finished for her. She looked away. "It wasn't meant to be, Mis. Maybe with your husband."
"I don't WANT his baby," She burst out feverently, "I want YOURS!"
They were both shocked by her outburst.
"Well, that's impossible, obviously." He smiled.
"I know, I know..."
He sighed softly, "Dear heart," He said, "Remember what we were like together? Especially when I was on...stuff..."
"We were impossible. That much is true. But every struggle was worth it, just to be with you."
"Too bad we couldn't make it."
"That's my fault."
"Why? The divorce was mutual. We were too young and pigheaded."
"Even after the divorce ..there were chances..after Hervey..." She lay back against the grass. "Ah, I've made such a mess of it all."
"We did."
"You didn't do anything."
"I did. I died."
"I can't blame you for dying!"
"I think you blame yourself for me dying."
His words stunned her.
"I think that you think that if we were still together, I'd still be alive. But things don't work out that way."
Missy felt hurt, "But I miss you. That's not out of guilt, or pain."
"But I'm always here. ALWAYS. But now's not the time to be together. You still have LIFE in you. But I'll..." He shook, : "You were the love of my life. I'll love you forever. Remember that, and use it to help you move on"
"What a contradiction: 'You're the love of my life', 'but don't wait for me'...Can't you make up your mind?"
"If I had my mind made up, I'd be with you. But because my body quit, I can't do it. Move on with your man. Love him for himself. Don't send yourself to an early grave."
"Oh, Eddie." She wrapped her arms around him, "I love you more every time I see you."
"And that's the problem. I can't see you anymore."
"NO!"
"We have to! You have to live your life." He held her fiercely. "One day, we'll have eternity."
His beautiful green eyes enveloped her. His lips caressed hers. Eternity. They kissed.

And then she woke up.

Missy Hyatt fell back against her pillows. The dream had been different this time...this time he had said goodbye. She fell against the pillows, containing her tears for her husband.

Something poked her wrist. Annoyed, she picked up the offending object.

From the picture, Eddie smiled back at her, from years before.

The picture was a sign; proof that he loved her, that he waited for her. Missy smiled to herself, realizing another thing was different about the dream before falling into a contented sleep.

She got to kiss him goodbye.

Somewhere, a radio played.....

"If your life is a river,
And your heart is a boat,
And just like a water baby, baby
Born to float....
And life is a wild wind that blows way on high.."

"And your heart is Amelia dying to fly.
Heaven Knows no frontiers and I've seen heaven in your eyes..."

The End