Pain and determination

Notice: I have changed the name Meghan to Marlene. I edited the previous chapters as well.

Reason: I chose the name Meghan because I wanted a name with 'M' as Micheal and she are twins and there was some news about Meghan on Tv so I was like...yeah why waste time thinking of a name but now I think that Marlene sits well.

I won't be changing the names anymore.

Alex wood up and today he had no dreams, no nightmares, just a normal sleep. He draws the cream coloured curtains and looks at the sky. The sky is grey and the sun is about to rise soon.

He knew that he should move on with his life and that's what Lia would have wanted him to do but he couldn't stop his mind from thinking about her. He is wrapped in cold-hard chains but is afraid to break out of them, thinking of them not as bounds but as a gentle embrace.

His face is grim and dark. He quickly washed himself and wore the black mourning suit. He didn't bother to comb his hair and just used his hands to set it.

He didn't eat breakfast or even drink water. He took the car keys and went towards the car.

He drove to a florist shop. This shop has currently has good amount of traffic. There are few young men buying roses to propose. Few people buying all sorts of flowers for home decoration. The clerk spots Alex and comes to him.

"Sir we have wide variety to flowers. Which ones would you like to buy or if you would are going to gift them to someone then we have specially assorted flower bouquets." The clerk is quite cheerful and she looks like a fairy with her floral themed dress.

"Give me few Lavenders, crimson roses and blue irises." Alex says in a low voice.

The clerk becomes silent as realised that this customer is here to buy flowers for a tomb. She packs the flowers neatly and gives it to him and collects the payment without making a sound.

Alex take the flowers and goes to the cemetery. He walks to the graves of his family. There are three graves side by side. They are the graves of his in laws and Lia. Lia's grave doesn't have a body as they never found it.

He cleans the graves carefully without leaving a speck of dust behind. He places crimson roses and blue irises on all the graves and Lavenders only on Lia's grave.

Blue iris symbolises hope and faith.

Crimson roses stands for mourning and sorrow.

Alex brought Lavenders for Lia as they were her favourite flowers.

He kneels before her tomb and reminisces about the times they spent together.

"Lia you brought me happiness and joy. You gave me the one thing I ever wanted that is family.

Meeting you was the best thing that has happened to me. The times I spent with you are the happiest moments of my life."

Alex starts talking while tears keep spilling out of his eyes. "I hope that you will be happy where ever you are."

"How could she be happy?" Alex hears a voice from behind. He was startled and looks behind him to see Shelly. He quickly wipes his tears away, refusing to show his weak side to anyone. He looks at her in confusion.

Shelly is wearing a long sleeveless black dress with a black coat on it. She is hold few crimson roses in her hand. "Tell me Alex, how can she be happy when you are like this?" She continues.

"You said that she pushed you away and saved your life. She sacrificed her life to save yours. Do you think she did that to have you mourn for her everyday for the rest of your life?"

"What are you doing with the life she saved? You are just wasting it away and yet you say that you love her. Aren't you insulting her sacrifice?" She says.

"Stop." Alex weakly mutters. " Tell me then. Aren't you just wallowing in sadness everyday? Is that how you repay her. She gave her everything to you to make you happy but you are repaying her like this."

"I don't know what to do." Alex wants to shout these words but manages to restrain himself so as to not disturb other visitors.

"I know that I should move on but I cannot do that. I can't move on. I don't want to distance myself from her. I don't want to throw away her stuff. I can't move from my home, 'our' home."

"Alex" Shelly calls gently."Moving on doesn't mean forgetting something. It is also not moving away form the sweet memories. It is to look forward to the future. It is to find more happy moments so that you can tell Lia that you are fine and that she can rest in peace. It is so that you can tell her the happiness you have experienced in your life that she saved."

"Lia will definitely not be happy if she knows that you are just working for the company and doing nothing else. Ask yourself, would she be happy with what you are doing?"

Shelly proceeds to kneel beside Alex and arranges the flowers which she brought.

"You said that you want to build a big family. You wanted to be surrounded with people who genuinely care about you and you want to experience the warmth of a family so why not build one. Let's setup an orphanage. Give them the warmth and care you have not received when you were a child. Let them grow up without worrying if they would have enough food or clothes."

Shelly looks at Alex. She finally sees the glow in his eyes. This is not the fake front he puts up to cover his weakness but a genuine indication of emotions. His gaze contained myriad for emotions such as determination, hope, hesitation and fear.

"Thank you Shelly." Alex mutters.

Lia, I will be sure to bring lots of happy memories and stories when I visit you in the underworld.

THE END

author: No, the story doesn't end yet. This is where his journey starts and I won't make such abrupt endings partly because I don't plan to end my author career🤫😜