~The reason it hurts so much
to separate is because
our souls are connected.
-Nicholas Sparks

My nostrils engulfed the delicate hint of vanilla in the air, and with this, my brain was flooded with pictures of an unidentified woman. Her face was merely as pretty as the first day I saw her, her eyes twinkling with laughter and her teeth glistening as she smiled. So much time has lapsed since then, and all I had left of her was the occasional fleeting memory. I had lost the sound of her voice and the tactile sensation of her skin. My chest ached at the thought of that loss. I had never lost anything, so why did I feel this way and who was that woman? No one had ever replaced her, and no one ever would.

"Vincent," the angelic voice whispered. Suddenly, a bright light covered my vision, preventing me from seeing anything. "Hello?" I hollered out. The light got even brighter, making me squint my eyes shut, using my hands as a shield for my eyes. In a flash, the light was gone. I removed my hands and was greeted by the most contagious smile.

"Grandma" I called out. She walked up to me, wrapping her arms around my torso. "Why are you here?" she chuckled, taking my hands in hers and starting walking into the white room that appeared to have no end. "The real question is what are you doing here?" I looked around for a second and then back at her. "You mean this is heaven?" she slapped my arm, playfully grinning at me. "No silly, I'm here to tell you to go home." In a wave of her hands, the sky revealed images. Images I can't really work out. There were two kids watching their mother cook. The mother had those same brown eyes that I enjoyed looking at as a child, but my life changed and I couldn't even bring myself to look at my own reflection.

"Who are they?" I was confused. "These people are your family. That's Venice, your daughter, and Vince, your son, and your wife. You should go see them. They need you. It's not your time to die. You have something more waiting for you." Do I have kids? But what about my commitment to Laura? She's the only woman I'll marry.

"What more is waiting for me?" She caressed my face and smiled at me lightly. "You'll find out in time now go, " she let go of my hands and started to float away. The same bright light returned, making me close my eyes shut. "No, please wait!" I shouted, but when I reopened my eyes, I had to close them back shut. A sharp pain lanced through my head and colorful spots flashed in front of my eyes. It felt like my whole body had been crushed and every movement caused some muscle or bone to ache.

The pain felt like someone had struck a knife into my skull. The rest of the world became detached, and all I could concentrate on was the pain rooted deep in my head. I could hardly hear anything around me. All I felt, all I knew was the pain of that moment and that it wouldn't go away. My eyes were fighting to open, and the other part wanted nothing more than to just stay in that godforsaken place.

I was tired of it, and everyone else was tired of it. I could hear them constantly shouting at me to get up and return home. I strained so many times, but I wasn't trying enough. I got angry. My eyes flashed open and my fingers started moving. I clenched the sheet and a tear fell from my eyes. I inclined my head against the pillow. Forcing my eyes shut, I wished for the pain to go away.

I sense as though energy is being constantly drained out of me, as though I'm leaking electricity. I breathed in and exhaled, going at a normal pace to get a regular heartbeat. "Laura I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I didn't protect you." I failed again. How many times is that going to go on? How many times is history going to repeat itself?

Forcing myself up, I pulled off the wires and stood up. My reflection caught myself in a nearby mirror and I frowned at my caveman appearance.

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I walked down the steps and heard shouting from the kitchen. "Vince, don't eat that or you're grounded forever," the voice said in a warning tone. I've heard this voice so many times. I even remember getting a scolding too from this female.

I went to the kitchen to see the woman cooking. She hadn't realized my presence until Venice yelled. "Father?" The surprised looks were all present on their faces. I felt a burning sensation on my foot that caused me to move all my attention from her to what was happening around me. Vince was standing beside me with a frying pan full of tears flowing down his cheeks. "How could you leave us? Have you any idea how much it hurts dad?" He had his face pressed against my torso sobbing. I felt a lump in my throat and I couldn't stop the tears that fell from my eyes.

"Now, now please don't cry. You know you are too big to cry," I patted his head, wiping away my tears as well. "Mom?" she hummed in response and continued what she was doing. Her mind was far too far to even notice that I was here, though the music was playing, I thought she would at least notice my presence. "Hello, little Laura." In a flash, she turned around, tears welling up in her eyes.

There is a distance in Laura's eyes as she takes a few steps backward, bumping into the kitchen counter like she wasn't expecting it. Her head rolled with the impact, her eyes glazed. Her voice comes out thin and distant, "What, but, no, it didn't, that's... not... right..." She's breathing all wrong, beginning to gasp like there's not enough oxygen in the air. "They said you wouldn't you - wouldn't wake". She was breathing heavily then she collapsed onto the floor trying to prevent the sobs from escaping from her mouth.

We stared at each other in an odd way, as if it were a silent argument. Our glances battled each other until tears arose, and I found her crying. I kneeled down beside her and brought her to my chest while she cried.

"Why did you do it?" She hiccuped, tears rolling down with the same quietness. I sighed, wiping her tears. In a moment, I pressed my lips against her, felt her body loosen and her arms touch my shoulders. I chuckled beneath her salty tears, "It's payback." Then we hovered right there, quite soundless for so long, simply feeling each other's presence.

I looked out the balcony feeling the cold breeze against my skin. I inhaled and exhaled, calming my nerves. "It's been so long?" I turned around and Laura had her arms folded across her chest, shielding herself from the cold. "Yeah, it has," I sighed, focusing my eyes on the sky.

"What I'm trying to say," she said, taking steps towards me, stopping inches away from me, "is that I was crying because I realized once more the suffering you had to go through, and I can't believe you made it out alive. Because I can't take it, I can't bear the fact that this world fucked you up so badly you can't believe someone loves you." The things that I did in this world, the selfishness and cruelty, I don't regret them. I never once went back on my words and all the sacrifices that were made so she could be standing in front of me.

Everyone deserves a second chance, but I've got so many chances that I've lost count. And all I did was fuck it all up. I caused her pain and I can't bring myself to let go of what happened. "I can't believe someone like you can love me, because I don't deserve it," she whispered, a lone tear falling from her eyes.

"Let's make things clear here and now: the one that doesn't deserve to be lucky here is me. And with you, I fucking hit the jackpot, so don't tell me again that you can't believe me, because you're a fucking miracle and I thank the universe every day not only for having you in my life, but for letting you keep going with the shit you had to face all alone." She smiled, caressing my face. "You're not alone anymore. And you'll never be again."

My hand rested below her ear, my thumb caressing her cheek as our breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down my spine, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. I could feel the beating of her heart against my chest. "I'm sorry Vincent. I'm so sorry-"

"Sh." I hushed her, before moving my finger, and pressing my hand against her cheek, giving me more support to push myself towards her, and connecting our lips again. My lips were firm against hers, but the kiss remained soft, gentle, slow. We held it for a few seconds before our lips began to move in perfect sync, slowly, cautiously. I exhaled through my nose, not wanting to let go. My entire body had been taken over by the overwhelming feeling of relief, combined with eccentric panic, and lust. I moved my hand from her cheek to the back of her head, my fingers tangling in her long, dark chocolate hair, lightly pulling her into me, adding more pressure to our lips, deepening the kiss.

"Excuse me but.... I" We pulled away from the kiss and looked in the direction of the person who interrupted our makeout scene. I licked my lips looking at Laura from head to toe. Was it me or did she become more attractive? "Does she taste that good?" Mason said with a smirk plastered on his face. "Yes, she does taste that good. No one will ever know this but me." Laura blushes, hiding her face with her hair.

"Gross," the twins said, covering their eyes. The room erupted into laughter at the simple word.