Pictures of life

Mike was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Katie to come home from work he had been waiting for three days now.  He called off work for two days, he phoned the local hospital and asked if she was there the only response he got was, “Mike she has been at work for three days I’m sorry I don’t know what to tell you.”

The front door never opened he just sat there staring at the pictures on the fridge waiting for her to walk through the door.  Each picture telling a story in his mind of how they met, the life they have led, and the memories they have made together.

The picture of the day they met at the fair her sitting on his lap in the photo booth her lips pressed into his cheek, each wisp of her hair flowing in the summer breeze that blew through the booth.  Her cologne filling his nose as he took in each breath with every thought on how much he really liked her  He could still see the look in her eyes as she kissed him goodnight at her car, got in and drove away with a glowing smile on her face.

The picture of the day he met her parents for the first time, his sweaty palms when he first shook hands with her really large father of 6’8” frame with hands big enough to crush him with one punch he kept thinking as he look up to look him in the eyes.

He struggled to hide how much he wanted to touch her out of respect of this southern classic farm family.  How each minute seemed like a test of whether he would be a good addition to the family not just for their only daughter?  His first time milking one of the families’ dairy cows,  It kicked him so hard he fell and screamed a foul word afraid he was about to be disowned by her father, “Yeah you gotta watch out for Millie she’s a kicker.” was all he said as he giggled and helped him up.  They all had a great laugh at dinner over that one.

The picture of the day they got engaged how she looked so happy and glowing as he put the ring on her finger just moments after asking her father for permission.  He was so nervous he dropped the ring twice trying to get it on her finger, “Sorry.” He sat smiling thinking of how happy she looked that day when they were finally making the big step together.

That led to the picture of their first small house they purchased down the road from her family with the classic dowry her family gave him as a wedding gift.  She looked so happy the day he carried her in just days before their wedding together.

The wedding day picture of just her looking angelic at the camera her hair up just so, a wisp of hair hanging down each side of her face, she looked so heavenly to him that day.  The way he had to keep pushing it out of her face as they said their vows to one another, she gushed at how she loved him and wanted to be together forever.  He stumbled through his poorly written love scratchings that made him sound like a fourteen year old boy with a crush for the first time.

The picture of the day they took over the family farm after her dad had a stroke and was unable to work the farm anymore.  How terrified he was after being a part time participant to becoming the main bread winner for the entire family.  Only weeks later to help her bury her father and mother within another two months   suddenly they were without her family and slowly she seemed to be moving away from him.

The picture of the day she received her nursing degree and started working at the local hospital as an RN.  He was as proud of her as he spun his wedding ring on his finger while she walked across the stage.  A slight twinge of fear in his heart as he could feel he was losing her and it was only a matter of time.  He had no idea how right he truly was after all.

The picture just weeks before when she bought her first new car on her own she didn’t want him to cosign or be on it, “I want to know if something happens to you I can do this on my own.” was all she told him as she made the decision basically on her own.  He felt so left out of her life already at this point but, he loved her so he smiled and just politely responded, “You’re going to be fine honey I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

And there he sits in the house they bought together after working the family farm that has now become his only source of work and income waiting for her to come home.  He kept calling her cell phone it would ring a couple of times but, she never picked up.  He notified the local police department and they just politely told him, “We are sorry she hasn’t been seen in town for several days.”

He got up from the table and walked into the spare bedroom where he was painting the walls a bright pink color for the daughter they were expecting together.  “Where are you, Katie?” he kept saying aloud as he started back to painting the room, assembling the furniture.
He went about his business for several more weeks with no word from her and unable to locate her with any friends that he knew she spoke to.  No one had apparently seen her for weeks and if they knew where she was they were not telling him.  “Sorry Mike we haven’t seen or heard from her in weeks either.”

One day while he was milking the cows the backdoor opened and in walked a slim, non-pregnant Katie with a baby in her arms.  She never said anything and all he could do was cry as he looked down at the beautiful baby in her arms.  Her beautiful blue eyes, her thick black hair and her dark olive skin Mike now knew why she took off since both Katie and his skin is a pale white color and neither is of Greek descent.

“I’m sorry.” was all he heard her say as she looked into her eyes a snapshot of this day now implanted in his head forever like the pictures on the fridge.  “I’m just glad you came home to me, baby.”