The ocean breeze is warm and salty like it always is and she is laying on the hammock, swaying back and forth like she always does. Always humming that silly little song and twirling her short locks of gold.

I walk over to her, wondering if this time she gets to stay longer; though I hope she doesn’t. Every greedy part of me would like to keep her close forever. I imagine the stories she would tell of fairies and mermaids, still humming that silly little song in between.

I finally reach her and she looks older, still youthful, but something on her face has grown wiser. I give her my hand like I always do and she proceeds to place hers in mine.

As she hums that silly little song, she twirls and twists and trips still like she always has. She giggles at her clumsiness and I try to trip as well to ease her embarrassment.

The waves crash before us and the sun radiates off of those strands of blonde that dance on her shoulders. Her pure innocence is the only light that I get with my job and it breaks me to give it back each time.

I sit down in the sand, grabbing a fistful and watch it shift away with the wind. She sits down beside me and does the same, but with sorrow on her face.

“Death?” She whispers.

“Catalina?” I reply.

“I don’t know how much longer I have here, but I have this feeling I won’t be coming back for a long time.” She says solemnly.

I grab her hand and squeeze tight, with love, with hope, with every part of me.

“I hope that’s true, though, I will be sad to wait so long for a moment like this again. But you have a life to live and I want you to live it. I will be here forever…waiting for you.” I reassure her and a brief smile falls on her face.

She begins to hum the silly little song again….

But this time faster and I know it’s almost time for her to go.

“Here,” I say as I stuff a shell into her hand, “one for the road, something to remind you that I am always here for you.” And she disappears. Like last time and the time before but hopefully not again until a long time.