The two words that she spoke made me freeze. It was incomprehensible. Impossible. She’s lying, right? She has to be. Because there is no world that I could ever live in where this is the truth.

A crazed laugh escapes me. “No. Stop messing with me. It’s not funny.”

She looks at me with pity, as tears fill her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved-“

“Stop it!” I scream, “Stop lying to me!”

The world around me spins as I sink the my knees, clutching my head with both hands. I can’t fall for her sick joke. Her trick. He’ll be home soon. He’ll be home soon and we’ll laugh about this. He’ll be home soon. He promised.

I feel a pair of hands wrap around me, and I immediately slap them away. I stand up fiercely and ball my hands into fists.

“Don’t touch me! Get out. Get out! Either get out or stop lying to me!” My loosely curled hair falls around my face and sticks to my damp cheeks. When did I start crying?

“Please don’t push me away, I’m here for you, whatever you-“

“NO! STOP! He’ll be home soon and everything will be okay! He promised me! He promised me!”

Giant tears drip down my face and hit the wooden floor. I bring up the heel of my palm to wipe them away when I see her take something out of her pocket. My face pales and I freeze once more.

It can’t be. But it is. He swore he would never take it off until…until the day he died. The gold ring glimmers in the sunlight streaming in through the window, and suddenly, I’m back at the altar.

I’m wearing my gorgeous white gown and long lace veil. And there he is. Standing right in front of me wearing his cocky smile and his black tux. Distantly, I hear a woman’s voice calling my name. I turn to look around, but he catches my chin and turns my face back towards him.

His light blue eyes shine as he says, “I think this is the part where we kiss.”

I smile back at him and wrap my arms around his neck, ignoring the voice calling me. This is where I’m meant to be. With him. I lean in for a kiss and whisper to him.

“I think so too.”