Live Like You’re Dying

Title: Live Like You’re Dying
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRM
Summary: The maid smiled at the new comer. “You must understand life is very precious to them.”

 

***

The young woman looked around the modest house with wide eyes. The walls were filled with pictures and artifacts from around the world. She frowned slightly when she noticed that the photos consisted of two men.

“Is that going to be a problem, Rose?” The older woman stepped up and asked. “If it is you can leave, and I’ll train Emily for this house.”

“No, ma’am its fine, just shocked me is all.” Rose smiled brightly. “They travel a lot.”

“They live life to the fullest.” Joan smiled softly. “I’ve been cleaning for them for five years. Each year I get a gift from some exotic location.”

“That is nice of them.” Rose followed Joan into the kitchen.

“It’s not the gift, it’s the thought. They make sure to bring something back as a thank you, not to impress me.” Joan set the cleaning buckets down. “One rule you must know. Don’t move anything in the kitchen. Timothy will know and he will yell, loudly.”

“Why?” she asked looking around the kitchen. Everything was neat and orderly.

“His kitchen is his domain,” Joan snickered. “And I don’t blame him. He’s a great chef, though only a few know about it. He won’t admit it, but he’s eccentric enough to be a chef. I don’t know how, but if you move a knife he knows. He keeps the kitchen clean and well organized, so just do a quick dust over the counters, and mop the floors.”

“Is this real?” Rose looked at the certificate on the wall. “He studied in Italy?”

“A gift from Eric, a six week program studying with the best chefs in Italy, Timothy had been ecstatic not that he showed it.” Joan smiled. “He makes the best lasagna.”

“How long have they been together?” Rose asked walking into the living room. She stopped short staring at the comfortable room. Wood floors accented by a soft brown couch and love seat, old trunks used for coffee and end tables. Behind the couch, wall to wall ceiling to floor walnut bookcases filled with books.

“Ten years last week,” Joan answered. “Another warning…”

“Don’t reorganize the books?” Rose smiled.

“Exactly,” Joan set the pail on one of the trunks. “This room is usually clean, cluttered, and always in a need of a good dusting. The windows need to be washed twice a month, and the floor waxed.”

Rose dusted over the books glancing over the titles. She was surprised by the large range of titles and subjects. “What do they do for a living?”

“Timothy is a Lieutenant at the Miami-Dade Police department, runs the swing shift for the CSI labs. Eric is a level three CSI works on day shift under their old boss Horatio Caine. Though I say another five years and Horatio will retire and its likely that Timothy will take his spot as day shift, and Eric may move up to Swing shift supervisor.” Rose answered with pride in her voice.

“How did they get together?” Rose glanced at a photo of two men on a yellow bike. “They just don’t seem to fit, yet they do.”

Joan paused at a picture on the mantel place. “They were friends before lovers. Eric told me the story once. He said he learned to ‘live like you’re dying’.”

“Was he sick?” she asked stopping her dusting.

“No,” Joan handed her the crystal frame and picture. “She was.”

Rose studied the picture, “She’s beautiful.”

“She died ten years ago of cancer,” Joan set the picture back down. “But it had started a year before that. He explained his heart stopped when the fatal words ‘Officer down’ came over the radio. Tim had been shot. At first they weren’t sure he would make it, but he pulled through. He was out of work for over a year, healing.”

“My God.” Rose sat down.

“Eric told me he had realized he was in love with his best friend, but didn’t know what to do about it.” Joan said.

“The young woman?” Rose asked.

“His sister,” Joan sat across from Rose. “He held her hand through it all, the appointments, the chemo, the disappointments, and final at the end. Her last wish was for him to grab the one he loved and live.”

***

Eric drove away from the lawyers, the envelope on the seat.   He pulled up to a secluded section of beach and parked the car. He held the envelope in his hands feeling it, weighing it. They had buried Marisol a week earlier; they read her will just a few hours ago.

He took a deep breath and opened the envelope. A disc and letter fell out onto his lap. He grinned at the CD, ‘Play Me’. He slipped the CD into the player and relaxed back into the seat.

He said I was in my early forties
with a lot of life before me
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime
and I spent most of the next days
looking at the x-rays
Talking bout the options
and talking bout sweet time
I asked him when it sank in
that this might really be the real end
how’s it hit you when you get that kinda news
man what’d you do

Eric choked back the tears. It was one of Marisol’s favorite songs. He had teased her about taking her to Texas to ride a bull.

and he said
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

He clicked off the CD not able to listen to the words. He wiped the tears and pulled out the letter.

‘Eric,

First off, put the song back on. I’m trying to tell you something and I won’t put up with your stubborn streak. Remember I’m dead, I’ve got all the time in the world. I’m waiting… Don’t make me come down there and smack you.’

Eric choked between the tears and laughter. He let the tears flow he really missed his sister. He wisely, knowing not to cross her, hit play.

He said I was finally the husband
that most the time I wasn’t
and I became a friend a friend would like to have
and all the sudden going fishin
wasn’t such an imposition
and I went three times that year I lost my dad
well I finally read the good book
and I took a good long hard look
at what I’d do if I could do it all again

His thoughts drifted to Speed. He had finally back in the field after fourteen months. The bullet had done some severe damage to his shoulder. At first they weren’t sure he would ever get back in the field. He was ecstatic to see his friend again, but his smile faded at Speed’s tired eyes and expression. He knew something was up but didn’t know what.

and then
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

Tears streaked down as memories of Marisol crossed his mind. The caring older sister, the many times she got him in and out of trouble. He held her as she cried when they got the news and then listened to each precious breath fade.

Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about
what’d you do with it what did you do with it
what did I do with it
what would I do with it’

Sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I watched an eagle as it was flying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying.

He hit stop and just let the tears fall. Picking up the letter be began to read his sisters last words.

‘I’m glad you listened to reason. Now Eric I’m going to say this once and if you don’t listen to me, I’m going to torment you at work by haunting you. Don’t think I won’t. I had no regrets, and you know this. I only wished to see you happy. And I know you can be, and I know who with. Please Eric, after reading this put the car in gear and go to Speed’s house. Pull him into your arms and never let go. He needs you. He doesn’t show it but he’s terrified of living. Take him sky diving, Rocky Mountain climbing, and if you actually ride a bull I’ll make sure to have plenty of guardian angels around. Please Eric, live like you were dying.’

***

Eric stood in front of Speeds door, nervous as hell. If this didn’t work he was going straight to the cemetery to yell at her. The door opened and he looked up into dark eyes. He saw it, what Marisol saw. He stepped into the house and shut the door, pulled Speed into his arms and kissed him hard and deep.

He hadn’t let go yet.

***

Rose wiped the tears away from her eyes. “They’ve been together since?”

“Ten years,” Joan smiled as she grabbed her cleaning supplies. “Let me show you the rest of the house.”

Rose followed Joan down the hall, she paused at the wall of pictures. She studied each one absorbing their lives.

I went sky diving

A picture of the two men freefalling.

I went Rocky Mountain climbing

A picture of them in hiking gear on top of Pike’s Peak; Eric’s arms were wrapped around Speed as they looked out over the landscape.

I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu

A picture of Eric dressed in jeans, chaps, cowboy shirt and hat sitting on a bull, with a picture next to it of Speed yelling at him in the emergency room. The third was of the two curled up on a couch, Eric’s shoulder bandaged.

And then I loved deeper

A picture of the two men in linen suits as they took their vows in Hawaii. The picture next to it was a small group of people surrounding them with acceptance and love.

I spoke sweeter

A picture of a young man next to Eric at a crime scene, a reporter caught the special moment of mentor to student.

I watched an eagle as it was flying

A picture of the two men once again in the mountains, an Eagle in flight could be seen in the background. Eric was looking at the Eagle, Speed was looking at Eric.

To live like you were dying.

A picture of them on a boat, Eric in Scuba gear, Speed watching silently.

To live like you were dying

A picture of them in their backyard with the same group in the wedding photo, Speed was laughing as Eric whispered something in his ear.

To live like you were dying

A picture of them on bikes as they flew down the street.

To live like you were dying

A picture of Speed in chef’s apron and hat, with a proud Eric next to him.

To live like you were dying

A picture of them in St. Petersburg, a surprise trip to Eric from Speed.

***

“Where are they now?” Rose asked.

“Australia, a surprise trip for Eric,” Joan answered. “They should be back next week…” She paused at a noise. She blushed, “Or maybe they came back earlier.”

Rose frowned then looked towards the master bedroom. Her eyes widen when she heard the noise, a soft moan followed by a throaty groan. “Maybe we should come back tomorrow?”

“Good idea,” Joan grabbed her gear and the two house keepers left.

***

“I think we scared the cleaning staff,” Eric laughed as he pulled Speed closer to him.

“You’re the one who wanted to come back early,” Speed pointed out. He caressed Eric’s chest.

“You were miserable,” Eric got up out of the bed walking to the wash room.

“I wasn’t miserable,” Speed sat up as best as he could.

Eric looked at him, “You couldn’t go anywhere, and considering its summer there, the cast was annoying the hell out of you.”

“It’s not my fault I broke my leg second day into the trip,” Speed lay back down. “Damn Kangaroo.”

“He liked you,” Eric laughed.

Speed glared, “He knocked me over.”

Eric cleaned the two of them up. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“Not your fault the Kangaroo was psychotic,” Speed grumbled. “We can always go back…”

Eric leaned over and kissed him deeply. “I love you.”

Speed caressed his cheek. “I love you, too.”