Waiting

I look out the window, then look down at my wrist. 

He should be back by now. He promised he would be back soon.

 I met the man of my dreams. Just a short time ago. He walked into my life, and I accepted him. I never thought I would find the right guy; And yet, this simple man comes waltzing into my life... Perfect.

A tall, skinny man, with a personality to match that of my own. 

We were married just three months after I met him. 

Tonight was supposed to be a night we had to ourselves. We were making dinner, and he had forgotten an ingredient at the store. 

What's taking so long? It only takes ten minutes to get there and back. It's been over an hour. . .

Even as this thought entered my head, I could feel something was wrong. My stomach was churning as the lightning flashed and the rain fell.

I waited for two more hours. Then, I heard the knock on the door, it made me jump. . . .

I sat in the den, looking at the piano as I sipped my hot chocolate. It was his favorite thing to do. Sit at the piano and play me my songs and sing to me. I waited for the keys to start playing themselves. It has been 2 years. Every night, I sat and I waited for the piano to start. Praying he would walk through the door and start playing the piano for me.

My head started to bob, and my eyes closed and drifted. 

In the distance, I could hear something. my favorite song. I started to hum, my eyes opened slowly.

There he was. Sitting at the piano playing and singing. 

I stood up and walked over to him. Hardly daring to blink.

If I blink, he'll be gone forever.

He turned his head, looking right into my eyes. And he smiled.

"You've been waiting all this time. I'm home. You don't have to wait any more."

Warm tears streamed down my face. 

Every night after the first, he came and played for me. One song, then he ascended again. Disappearing right before my eyes. For months.

One night, after he sang to me, and turned around on the piano bench. He looked me in the eyes. 

"No more. It is time for you to move on. If you keep waiting, no one will come."

He stared for a few minutes. I looked right back at him. Tears welling up in my eyes. I knew it was time. I couldn't wait for him every night. I needed to find a new love, a new life.

I nodded my head, and blinked my eyes. He was gone. He told me with that last look that I could wait. Wait for the next  one to come along. And he would come.

 I waited.