Now and Forever

Prologue


The letter had arrived in late September. It was a warm day. A bright yellow sun illuminated the clear blue sky as rainbow colored leaves danced in the cool fall breeze. She clutched the parcel tightly, a silent prayer on her lips as she began to tear the envelope. "God", she sighed, "Please...don't let it be more bad news."

The wind whistled lightly throught the trees, dancing playfully through her long dark hair. She unfolded the contents carefully, squinting in a frown at the single sheet of lined notebook paper.

Dear Megan - As you know, I'm not very good at writing things like this...

"Yeah, that's an understatement!", she mused, realizing it must have been a good nine months since she had last heard from him. As if he had somehow heard her comment, the letter continued:

I'm sorry I haven't written in so long. I was very sad to hear about aunt Julia...

Tears came to Megan's eyes as she lowered the letter. Although it had been nearly four months since her mother's death, the memories that surrounded her - this old house, the apple tree they had planted together in the front yard so many years ago, the old flowered curtains that still ordained the living room windows...she couldn't shake the feeling of hurt and loss that overwhelmed her. She thought also of her father who had died two years previous. Even though she hadn't been very close to him while growing up, his death had hit her hard. In the two years before his passing, she had made an extra effort to establish a better relationship with him. His death had been sudden, unexpected. Her mother was devastated. She would sit up in her room for hours and just cry. She hardly spoke anymore, and her lighthearted spirit seemed to wither away into nothingness. Megan became enraged at her father. How dare he dessert them just as everything was starting to seem perfect? As the months progressed, her mother sank deeper and deeper into depression. Megan tried to snap her out of it. She played all of her mother's favorite songs on the piano, invited her out to dinner, read her poetry, but it was no use. She saw the best doctors and specialists they could afford, but nothing seemed to cure her condition. As time went on, she grew ill. At first Megan thought it was a touch of the flu, or a bad cold; something easily cured, but as days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, she realized it was something much more serious. Her mother had given up her will to survive. Megan pleaded with her, almost begged her to come to her senses, to see what life still had to offer, but it was all in vain, as she died a short three months later. Megan's heart had broken that day. She cursed her father for causing them so much pain. She cursed her mother for giving up on her. But mostly, she cursed herself for all the time she had wasted when she was younger, pushing them away like she had. She hadn't appreciated the time they'd had together, and now she was alone.

Wiping the moisture from her tear stained cheeks, she once again turned her attention toward the letter.

I don't know what else to say. What can I say? I loved her a lot, Megan, and I hope you know...I love you too. We have a lot of catching up to do. Things have just been so crazy here.

"You think your life's crazy?", she asked aloud, "Man, that must make me ready for the nut house!"

I also wanted to let you in on a little secret. Megan, I'm getting married.

Megan almost dropped the letter at this startling news. Her cousin getting married? And for a second time? She would've never thought it possible. But who was the lucky (make that crazy) girl?

Remember all of those times I wrote to you about April? Well, she and I have decided that it's time to make our life together official.

From her cousin's past letters, Megan had gotten to know April pretty well. She new that Casey had met her almost seven years ago in her antique shop, which had later burnt to the ground. She knew that April had once worked for the insane scientist, Baxter Stockman, who's face had been plastered all over the news. And, she knew that besides her career and busy life helping take care of some unfortunate Italian friends of theirs, she was also helping her cousin raise his step-daughter, Shadow. From the day he had first written to her about April, she had liked her. The way she was willing to give so much of herself for other people touched Megan in a way that no one else would be able to understand. She smiled gleefully as she finished reading the letter.

It's no big deal, really. Our wedding will be on October 12. We've decided to have a small ceremony by ourselves in a little chapel here in town. I just thought you would want to know. Anyway, I will try to write or call you after the wedding so we can arrange a time to get together. We really do have a lot of catching up to do. See you soon.

Your favorite cousin,
Casey Jones

Megan carefully re-folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to mind.

"Why not now?", she grinned.



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