"And the Oscar for best supporting actor goes to.... Amy Burke from The
Reunion!"
The audience roared, applause reverberating through the grand hall as Sir
Garret Harrison stood to make his way down the carpeted aisle to the
stage. Ms Vanessa Heron, Mr.
Mark Frasier, and Mr. Max Shepherd watched from their seats; somber and
silent. Vanessa hid her face
in a kerchief. Mark wrapped
an arm around her shoulders. Max
looked pale. Garret accepted
the shining trophy from the presenting host and then stood at the clear crystal
podium as he stared down at it.
After another moment of applause, Garret lifted his
gaze.
The audience
quieted.
Garret cleared his throat. "As
many of you know," he began in a rough voice, "Amy Burke was lost to us due
to a tragic accident during her final
scene." His throat tightened
on the words, and he cleared his throat
again. Words disappeared, lost
again to the wave of grief and loneliness he felt at her
loss. Garret lowered his gaze
to the Oscar, adjusting his hold on it as the memories of that day gripped
his soul. Remembering the doctor's
soft words... "She passed away in her
sleep. It was
painless."
Painless... Garret cleared
his throat yet again. "Amy was
a... Amy was an actor such as I have never
seen. She strived to understand
her role, thereby doing her utmost in the performance of
it. She strived to understand
those characters her own interacted with, thereby deepening her own understanding
of what needed to be portrayed.
Amy..." Garret swallowed
hard. "Amy imbued a passion
and intensity into the movie it sorely
needed. She imbued a passion
and intensity into our lives as
well. Accepting us at our
word. Pushing us to strive harder
to understand ourselves and those around
us." Garret raised his gaze
again, not caring that tears had escaped his hold to rest on his
cheeks. He slightly lifted the
Oscar. "This is a testament
to that ability. Amy thanks
you, and I thank
you."
Garret turned to exit the stage, not hearing the roar of the crowd, not seeing
the standing ovation, and not feeling anything but
loss.
*
Garret closed the door of his English roadster with a deliberate action,
slowly turning to view the quaint cottage with the barn and the old Chevrolet
station wagon in the driveway. On the mailbox were painted hummingbirds and the name
Burke in cursive white letters. He
took in a deep breath, releasing it through parted lips before stepping
forward. He passed through the
gate of the white picket fence, accepted the greeting of the old German shepherd
that licked his hand, and made his way along the walkway border of pansies
and primroses to the covered verandah with the pine bench-swing and the white
screen door.
Garret's smile was slight and pained as he stared past the screen into the
house full of memories and stories. He could almost feel Amy beckoning him within its walls
of warmth and songs and love and
happiness. It soothed his aching
spirit, causing tears to burn in his eyes as they did nearly every time he
thought of her. I have not
tarried in the caves and caverns of
dragons. I have not listened to the songs and murmurs of
damsels. I have come to be with
you, sweet sweet
muse.
Garret
knocked.
A petite woman appeared in the hall at the
sound. She had white hair, slim
glasses, and a consoling smile.
Mrs. Burke was a vision of aging loveliness such as what Garret envisioned
Amy...
Mrs. Burke pushed opened the door and motioned into the
house. "Come on in, Mr.
Harrison."
The
End
Author’s Note: Normally I don’t like doing these
types of tragic endings, but it was a request. So, I did. Believe me when
I tell you that I have never cried so much as when I wrote the last two chapters
of this story. I couldn’t believe what I was doing, but I’m a slave
to my ‘fans’ and so I did as requested. I wrote a sad ending. I
mutilated the bunnies and flowers that I so love to write and killed love
(sob, sob).
I have included the alternate chapter twelve, as well as the epilogue that
goes with it. I’m glad
you enjoyed this story. I certainly enjoyed writing
it.
Mint