𝘒ö𝘯𝘪𝘨 / 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

I promise {Ghost}

Your eyes scanned the room, taking it all in once again, seeing the same things you'd seen a thousand times before.

'I'll be back home before you know it, y/n.'

The same furniture, the same decor, the same mess.

You sat down on the bed, the one that had once felt so soft under your skin. The slight dip still in the mattress with the thousands of hours you and him spent lying there.

'You promise?'

A twinge in the back of your mind reminded you that you were waiting, or at least what you told yourself, for a miracle.

But deep down you no longer believed it.

This was your life now.
You stayed in that room not in hope of divine intervention, but because you couldn't find it in yourself to face the harsh reality.

'I promise. I promise, love. And when I come back, I won't leave you ever again. Ever.'

You laid back onto the bed, the mattress molding to your body as you let your eyes drift closed.

The faint sound of traffic outside filtered through the open windows. You took one moment to listen before burying your head in the pillow, allowing your own personal prison to consume you, just for the night.

Just for now.
But you knew it wasn't going anywhere.
This was your life now.

No more Simon.
No more nights of him holding you.
No more sweet words as he gently kissed your neck.

No more days when he would cook you dinner and watch a movie with you on the couch.
No more nights spent in each other's arms, feeling every little twitch or movement of your bodies intertwined.
No more mornings waking up together, the smell of him lingering on the sheets.

No more Simon.
No more anything.

You felt his absence in every inch of the house you two shared, but it was the worst in the bedroom.

It was the place you two shared, the place you two made love, the place where you two felt so complete together.

It was no longer a home for two people, but a place where only memories remained of your life together.

His side of the bed remained unchanged, the blankets left as they were the morning he left. The sheets and pillows still had his smell on them, and you were unable to bring yourself to change anything.

'Mrs. Riley?'

'Yes, that's me. What-what is this about?'

'We...we regret to inform you that your husband has been killed in action.'

You looked over the folded flag sitting on the dresser. The letters "S.R." inscribed on it.

'Killed...'

There was something about that word. A cold emptiness. A lifelessness, as if something that had been alive was taken away, and no matter how much you wished, it was an irreversible end that nothing in the world could change.

And with that, you looked back at the name inscribed on the flag, knowing that this was as real as it would ever get.

'...in action.'

You placed the flag in a small shadow box, and hung it up on the wall. It was the only way you felt you could memorialize Simon.

It was the only way you felt you could remember his presence. You thought back to the way he would walk, the way he would look at you with those deep, piercing eyes.

'Well, Mrs. Riley, the results come back.'

You thought about the way he would hold you, and the way he would whisper into your ear, letting you know how much he loved you.

'And? What-what is it?'

'You are indeed pregnant.'

The thought tore through your mind, causing the tears rolling down your cheeks to increase.

Simon's child.

You wanted to deny it.
You took multiple pregnancy tests before you had the doctors confirm it.
They all came back the same; two little red lines.

How could he have died without knowing the truth? How could he have left without knowing that he would be father to the little soul growing inside of you?

He died without knowing that a little bit of him was still alive and growing inside of you.

He died not knowing that every little kick inside of your belly, every twinge and jolt of energy, was his child.

Months had passed.
You were nearing your due date.

You looked at your pregnant belly, the life of your child moving inside of you. You could barely contain the emotions coursing through you.

Your fear, your sadness, your joy, your anticipation. Every memory you had with Simon flooding your mind, every moment spent together, every little thing.

You tried to picture his face, the way he would look at you as he held your belly in his hands. You tried to imagine the words he would say, his voice full of pride and love.

But you couldn't. You couldn't bring yourself to imagine it.

You tried to focus on the small life stirring inside of you. It was real, and it was happening.

A baby girl. Riley Ann.

To the dirty blonde hair and deep, piercing eyes, Riley was a carbon copy of her father, the man you loved and missed so dearly.

Every time she looked at you with those expressive eyes, you felt like you could see his face through hers –the way he looked at you, the way he held you, the way he would gently touch your hair when you'd fallen asleep.

But every time your little girl smiled, or laughed, or crawled over towards you - you felt a bit better. And every time she spoke with his words and his voice, you felt a bit closer to him.

He wasn't completely gone. A small part of him was still here, in your child.

And for the first time in a while, the thought of the future didn't seem so scary.

Because it wasn't just you - it was you and her. And Simon, who had a bit of himself in Riley Ann's bright smile.