Disclaimer: They are not mine, they are NOT mine, they are SO not mine! Sigh.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Lady T for filling in for me, for putting up with my oddities and for going above and beyond the call of duty. The girl is a saint! ; )
That was three weeks ago, and so much has happened in so little time. We decided to be married as soon as possible and we have already sold my house. We have a buyer for the business and it is to close at the end of this week. Joseph's family is thrilled and I have yet to meet them, but from everything he tells me, I am sure that I will grow to love them as much as he does.
The wedding date is set for November 12th, and you can see that I am very busy getting everything prepared. We will be married in Boston, so it makes preparations even more difficult. Joseph is spending a lot of time at the mill preparing it for the change in ownership. He is very conscientious and has been so good to the men, they are really sad to see him go.
We have not been together, well, that is we have not lain together since that first time, but I am filled with desire for him and I am very happy and eager to start our life together.
And so, I suppose that the reason that I felt the need to write all of this down was because life changes so quickly. I have to sit back and take time, MAKE time now, to remember my beautiful Thomas. I wrote it all down in you so that I could always come and read the words and remember exactly how I felt and how it all occurred.
I do still miss him desperately and I probably always will, but I am so thankful for the time that I shared with him, and for the wonderful friend that he gave to me. I am making a vow to you and to myself to read this book throughout the years and remember everything that he meant to me and all of the things that he did for me.
I will hide you away very safely so that Joseph will never have occasion to read you and be hurt, but I will get you out, I will open your pages and remember as often as I get a chance. I promise.
Tomorrow, I plan to take the time to draw a picture of Thomas like the one I did of myself last week. I want to do it before his face is not quite so clear in my mind. I will put it in you and then it will always be there, available to refresh my memory as need be.
I realize that my story is almost finished, and I feel as if I am leaving an old friend. It will be your responsibility to hold these precious memories for me throughout the years and, when I look at your leather cover and sturdy binding, I know I have chosen well. I entrust you now with my deepest secrets and I thank you for keeping them for me.
Elizabeth
X~O~X
Logan sighed. The girl was happy, the kid's best friend was happy, it had all worked out great in the end.
For everyone but Thomas.
Logan wondered what became of the kid. Why did he have to leave, what was so important and secretive that it would force him to leave when he obviously wanted to stay so badly? He felt a terrible sense of loss for the boy, but at least it was a comfort that everything had turned out the way he had planned.
Logan had been worried about the girl for a while. It seemed as if she had been really close to throwing her whole life away for a memory.
He sighed again and turned the page to see if the book was truly over. He was surprised to see a few dozen entries where Elizabeth had read the book over the years and entered a small notation each time.
Sometimes it was, "I still remember you, Thomas." Sometimes it was, "You still have a place in my heart, my darling Thomas." Once she wrote, "I have always wished that I'd had your child, Thomas."
After each entry was the date and Logan frowned in interest as he noticed how her handwriting changed over the years. The last entry was difficult to read and it was obvious that she had been very old when she wrote the words... "I have never forgotten you, Thomas." The date was June 9th, 1952.
"Damn!" Logan ran the numbers through his head quickly and was amazed to find that she would have been in her mid-eighties. He sniffed as he shook his head in admiration. She had kept her promise, and he held the proof in his hands.
He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and was just moving to set the book down when he remembered... she had said that she was going to draw a picture of the kid -- he wondered what had happened to it. He flipped quickly through the remaining empty pages of the book until one opened, revealing the picture of a handsome young man.
Logan took it out carefully with shaking hands. "Oh, God -- no fuckin' way!" he muttered hoarsely as he read the name under the drawing.
All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.