*vssst vssst vssst* My phone vibrated in the pockets of my blue distressed jeans.

 

Falling from seventy stories high, my life flashed before my eyes.

I see myself running through the playground as my parents watched with big smiles on their faces. I was only a child maybe eight or nine-years old, but it looked like I had all the happiness in the world. Where did it all go?

Growing older meant having more responsibilities and having more responsibilities meant more stress. More stress equated to less happiness and that’s probably what happened to me…

I thought meeting Valerie would allow for everything to get a lot better.

I thought a marriage was supposed to make me happy.

I thought having a family fixed everything.

I thought wrong.

 

*vssst* My phone buzzed again.

 

I seemed to be falling in slow motion. As I took out my phone I saw that Valerie had texted me:

9:04 PM : “It was only a joke, I’m sorry! Please forgive me”

9:43 PM : “I still love you, text me back.”

 

But it was too late.

The floor came closer to me with every second that passed.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

 

I jolted from my bed, looking and touching my body checking if I was still alive and not a ghost of some sort. I felt a breeze and looked out the balcony to see the bright moon. It was a full

moon. I stepped out onto the balcony admiring the beautiful sight of the moon, but was interrupted by my phone.

 

*vssst vssst vssst* My phone vibrated.

 

It was Valerie again just like in my dream. There were six missed calls and two unread messages.

9:04 PM : “It was only a joke, I’m sorry! Please forgive me”

9:43 PM : “I still love you, text me back.”

 

Phone in hand, I turned my hand over to reveal the backside of it. I gazed at my ring that had a faint glimmer. It wasn’t as shiny as it used to be, but it still shined… just a bit.

 

I stepped away from the balcony and finally texted her back, “I love you too”