“What is your answer Melody?” The angel asked her.
“Can I think about it?” Melody asked, having no clue what to say.
“You have half an hour. Remember, choose your words wisely.” With that the angel disappeared.
Melody sat down on the floor of the white room and began to think. There were so many reasons she loved Aj. He was smart, funny, good looking, talented, was always there for her, never gave up on her, and knew how to make her smile. How could she answer the question simply? What if she answered wrong? She knew it was true love, but how was she possibly going to prove it to the angel. Melody searched her mind and heart for the best reason possible. Time slowly ticked away.
***************
A doctor approached the Hartfords.
“We are doing all we can, but we don’t think we can help her for more than another 30 minutes. If you want, now would be the time to say your last good-byes,” he said in a monotone, trying to tell them as calmly as possible.
“Melody, baby, this is mom. I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I just want to tell you I love you. You were always the best daughter I could have wished for. I wouldn’t have traded you for anything in the world,” her mom said, running her hand over Melody’s face.
“Melly, I know you don’t like that name, but I have always called you that since you were just a tiny baby in my arms. You were the most beautiful baby; all the nurses said so. I’ll miss you Melly but you will be in all our hearts,” Mr. Harford said, his arm around his wife.
“Hi Mel, you always were the greatest friend, and I just hope you are happy in heaven, I’ll miss you so much, Vallery said, Suzy just nodded and held Melody’s hand. Suzy was crying to hard to say anything.
****************
Melody sat in the room; she could hear her parents and Vallery’s voices. She listened to ever word they said. Hearing their voices made her try even harder to think of the right thing to say. Melody didn’t want to leave them. The voice she heard next was what she needed to hear.
***************
“Melody wasn’t the average girl,” Aj told Howie, “she was so much more.”
“I know Aj, Melody was a fantastic person,” Howie agreed.
“Not to mention beautiful, how could one person be so beautiful inside and outside?”
“I don’t know.”
“If only I could just see her again.”
***************
Melody shook her head; she knew what she was going to say. The only thing she could do now was wait for the angel to come back. Melody sat and sang silently to herself.
“So many words, for the broken heart. It’s hard to see, in a crimson love, so hard to breath, walk with me and maybe. Nights of light, so soon become, wild and free, I can feel the sun….”
***************
“She isn’t gone yet, she is still holding on,” Mr. Hartford said.
“Come on Mel, you can hold on a little bit longer,” Vallery urged her. The doctors hovered over her, checking blood pressure, heart rate, and many other things.
**************
“Melody?” The angel said, reappearing.
“Yes?”
“Are you ready?”
“I am.”
“This is your only chance, after that I will make my decision. Why do you love him?”
“Okay, I thought about it, and this is my answer. I don’t know why, I just do, when I am around him I feel better and safe, and his kiss seems to cure all my problems and I don’t know why. So, that is my answer, I don’t know why I love him, I just do.”
Melody watched the face of the angel, her expression remained unchanging.
“I have decided your fate,” the angel said, after a long pause.
