Waiting

“Hi there…”

Thomas could hear the smile in her voice.

“I’m sorry I missed your call.”

A passing truck jumbled up her next words on the voicemail.

“Anyways, call me back…I love you.”

Thomas flipped his phone and stuffed it into his pocket. He felt a strong current of wind brush against him as he tapped the middle of his glasses, pushing them back in place.

The sun had not yet risen, and a great dust of stars glittered on a dark blue horizon over the cityscape.

“Why am I here again?”

Thomas opened his eyes. Turning, he looked over at his best friend, Andrew. He, too, was dressed for work today. Button-down long-sleeve shirt with a tie of his choice, tucked in, paired with black slacks. Even a scuff on their shiny black shoes would send them home to re-dress or go shopping, as their unrelenting boss would caution.

“You’ll see…” his smile grew wide.

“Because I’m about to hurl right here, right now…you know I hate heights.” Andrew sat with his head between his knees.

Thomas laughed, “Trust me, it’ll be worth it…plus you know why I’m here.”

“Yeah, I do.” Andrew leaned his head back and sighed. “Is today what I think it is?”

“One year ago today…and I’ve stood on this very spot 365 times every morning since it happened.”

Andrew wobbled as he stood up, but quickly sat back down, “Nope…you’re getting my sympathies from way over here.” He paused, sitting with his eyes closed, “I can’t believe it’s been a year already.”

Thomas hopped down from where he stood and faced him. Andrew was looking more pale than he realized as the dawning light faded in, but the sun had still not come up.

“You know…” he patted the phone in his pocket. “That was the last phone call we had…we had missed each other all morning, playing phone tag.” He grinned, “I think that’s what I miss the most…her voice.”

“It took a long time, but I’ll say it again…it’s good to see you smile.” Andrew leaned back carefully, “...but why so chipper, today?” Andrew clung back to his legs as a rush of wind encircled them. “Dude…” he calmed himself.

“You okay?”

“Not really…” Andrew shot back, but breathed in and exhaled slowly. “What I’m trying to say is I would be a wreck if it were me…the anniversary of when it happened, knowing that if it were someone who was taken from me.”

Thomas looked down, his eyes lit up despite what he felt on the inside. Fleeting hope was still hope.

“Because of what she said to me…”

Andrew stared; he felt like his friend was gazing into the depths of him. The very soul and secret he clung to for 365 days. “…you mean her final words?”

“Yeah…” Thomas nodded.

Andrew let out a longer sigh, “Thomas…you have to let it go. I thought counseling fixed…”

Thomas met his eyes. An inner feeling of petty wrath swelled up as his knuckles grew white.

“I mean to say…I thought counseling helped you through this…”

His grip lessened, and the blood flowed back into his fingers as he tucked them into his pockets.

“No, I never gave that up, not for one second…even the last ounce of whatever you want to call it…I’m holding onto her final words to me.”

It can’t be for nothing.

Andrew once again attempted to stand, this time his legs locked as he threw a hand on the nearest ventilation unit next to him.

“There’s hope…yes, we should all have that!” He began to shout over another wave of high winds. “But don’t confuse hope for delusion!”

“I’m not delusional, Andrew!” Thomas yelled as well, but there was no wind. “She said…!”

“A dying woman, who said her last words…and at the end you have no idea what she actually meant…hemorrhage can make anyone say anything.”

Thomas jammed a finger towards Andrew, as if striking him from across the small distance between them, “She’s coming back.” He turned and hopped back up on the HVAC unit. Peering out over the horizon. “…and I believe her.”

He could hear Andrew’s frustrations behind him, almost imagining his friend throwing up his hands to give up and just sit back down. “…but why am I here?”

Thomas stood there, gazing out at the rising sun, its purple hue turning orange as it shimmered in its fiery mirage. He smiled as he continued to stare out upon a new day, “I wanted someone here with me when it happened…to share in my joy.”

Andrew blurted, “Well, looking at my watch…she’s got four minutes before I leave you on this roof by yourself.” He cleared his throat, mumbling, “I’m not getting chewed out by Mr. Hemmings…again.”

“Mary…I’m here,” Thomas whispered. “I shouldn’t believe you, everything within me tells me…I shouldn’t.” He closed his eyes, “but I do…”

A great wind surfaced, slowly overwhelming Thomas as he could feel it against his body, the hairs on his neck standing up. Thomas closed his eyes.

Everything happened at once, every memory passed him by as if a lightning bolt struck. Branching out and softly touching the in-between moments of Thomas and Mary as it reached its final point of contact.

It’s happening.

2 Years Ago

Thomas kicked open the roof door as he loosened his tie. He ruffled through his hair, yelling at the top of his lungs as he threw punches in the air, aiming wildly and at nothing.

“Hey…”

The sweetest voice interrupted one of his not-so-best moments. Thomas straightened himself and turned over his shoulder towards the other end of the tower’s roof. Her head popped up like a prairie dog.

“Uh…hi there,” Thomas cocked his head.

“You okay?” She smiled. “That was quite a show.”

“Yeah…no, I usually come up here every other Wednesday to do…this.” He motioned with his fist, softly punching the air around him.

“Well…it’s not very good form.” She turned back around, disappearing from his view.

Thomas grinned, "You're not going to jump or anything…right?”

“No,” she said.

He walked a little closer. “So…you come up here often?” He could see her sitting, staring out at the horizon in front of her.

“Uh, every other Wednesday or so…” she smirked. “I usually come up here to check out this scene,” gesturing towards the morning view in front of her. “So…it sounds like you haven’t had the best of mornings, huh?”

Thomas stood next to her, staring out at whatever he thought she might have been looking at. He scratched his head, “Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that…”

She turned with the biggest smile, “Surely, it can’t be as bad as all…” she pointed back with her thumb towards the door he had just come from. “All that...with the frantic punching?”

Thomas crossed his arms and gazed out towards the rising sun. “Well…backing up and scraping the side of my boss’s car when I was already late…not the best way to start the day.”

“Oof…yeah, that’s pretty bad,” she blew an empty whistle as she turned back to the view before her.

"Thanks for the pep talk…uh?”

“Mary…” she patted the spot next to her.

He sat next to her, nearly in disbelief at how he got there. “I’m Thomas.”

“Well, Thomas, let’s just sit here for a moment.”

They watched the fading hues of many colors come into view on that Wednesday morning.

The Present

The wind settled. A calm returned, and the familiar sounds of the traffic below were heightened; somehow even louder than before. His heart sank to the bottom, and he heard the crash like thunder deep within. He opened his eyes.

She’s not…

Everything remained the same. He shook his head, refusing to believe what all his thoughts were telling him.

She’s not coming back…

Thomas lowered his shoulders as the sun continually rose; his head downcast to the very spot where it happened. He gazed lazily at the spot they first met and their last.

“You said to wait for you…that you were coming back with the sun on the first day of spring.” Thomas pushed his glasses back in their place. “I’ve waited…every day, because of what you said to me...”

“Come on, Thomas, let’s go…” Andrew stopped himself. “I’m sorry.”

Thomas didn’t blame him.

What was one supposed to say to something like this? The dead don’t just come back.

He turned, unable to look his friend in the eyes, “Okay…let’s go.”

Without turning for a final look, he walked back over to his friend. Andrew uncomfortably stood up. He managed to walk somewhat briskly behind Thomas as they made their way towards the roof access door.

Wait for me…I’m coming back with the sun on the first day of spring.

Those words haunted him as he pulled the door open and walked through.

She’s gone.

A sinking feeling made him remember something.

I’ve never said goodbye…not one time.

“Thomas…”

He waved his hand behind, signaling to Andrew everything he needed to know at that moment.

Not now.

“Yeah…we don’t have to talk.” Andrew huffed, “You’re not crazy, man…you’re belief in something…something like this…goes beyond anyone I have ever known.”

Thanks, Andrew…but it’s meaningless...she’s not here.

He felt tears brimming as he turned down the next flight of stairs.

…coming back with the sun.

It came with a boom. Everything shifted, as if the building was in motion and came to a full halt. Both Thomas and Andrew grabbed hold of the rails next to them.

“What on earth…” Andrew looked at Thomas, “…was that?”

…wait for me.

Thomas bolted up the stairs past Andrew, slipping on the steps as he lunged upwards.

“Wait! Thomas!”

He didn’t stop, he didn’t look back. Onwards he sprinted towards the coming sun on that Wednesday morning.

Thomas pushed open the door. It flew off its hinges. A great pull tugged at him as he stood there, his tie whipping back and forth, and his shirt floating as if it were underwater. Grasping the edges of the door frame, he looked out across the rooftop.

What is that?

A great void hovered slowly in motion with the colors of a violet nebula. Its core was smooth, but it violently rotated against itself.

Thomas felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

“What’s going on?” Andrew yelled over the thunderous noise.

Thomas stared in the silence of the chaos. Unmoving, unflinching as she stepped out into view. She looked different, even more beautiful than the day he first met her.

He stood there, clueless about what to do or say next.

Mary pointed towards the sky above them and yelled out something he couldn’t quite make out. Thomas looked out and noticed something strange. The blue sky was fading to a brilliant white, and like falling rain, the stars fell from their places. Collapsing and dissipating into sapphire embers as they reached across the far end of the horizon. Buildings and all kinds of debris were peeled away from the earth; slowly ascending into the atmosphere.

Thomas looked back at her, his hair whipping in the wind and his glasses flung off his face. He could see her lips moving, “Come with me!” Her voice was barely heard over the rumble. She held out her hand towards Thomas.

He stared in awe, “Is this real?”

Andrew shoved him out the door. “We gotta go!”

Thomas caught his balance as he stood and took a small step towards her. He felt the echo of each step he took; until they stood face to face with each other.

“How is this possible?”

Andrew stood next to him now, constantly looking up at the shattered sky above. Yelling something nonsensical.

“But you died…”

“Yeah, I did…and we can change all of it.”

She grabbed his hand.

“But not in this time, not in this world.” Mary looked back at where she had walked through. “It’s time to go.”

“Okay…” Thomas grabbed his best friend and ran, pushing him into the void behind her. “See you on the other side, my friend.”

“Wait…wait!” Andrew exclaimed as he slipped out of their world.

The building beneath them groaned as it shifted from its foundations. It was happening all at once, but for Thomas it felt as if everything for the first time slowed down. It was just the two of them, and all they could do was smile.

“Hey…”

“Hi there…”