Remembering a much happier time, Kyle lit a candle during a church service to remember his wife, Gloria, and his son, Raphael Michael, who had both been taken away from him much too soon. It had been 6 years already and every date of the anniversary they died in a horrible car crash, he came to light a candle in their honor. Just a little token to let them know he had never forgotten them and never would.
Gloria had been the love of his life the first time he spotted her across the courtyard on the college campus where they both attended. At first, Gloria had wanted nothing to do with Kyle, thinking he was a party-er like most guys on campus. Kyle had to prove himself time and again that he was not interested in the drinking, smoking or whole bar scene like most of the guys there on campus. It took him about 4 months to get his point across to Gloria and she finally gave in and went out on a real date with him.
She really wanted not to like him, but he was such a gentleman in every sense of the word. Opeining up the car door for her, she had only thought that happened in movies and not in real life! Gloria had a hard time trusting men, her dad had abandoned her mother several years earlier. Leaving her mother to raise 7 kids without sending a dime to help out or ever looking back. Because her mother didn't have much of an education herself she was forced to work at dead end jobs not making nearly enough to support herself much less 7 kids.
After several months of trying to make everything work, her mother, Sylvia, was at her wits end. She had asked family to help out and take some of the children until she could get "settled." No one could or would help Sylvia, so she had no other choice but to do right by her children and turn 5 over to a foster care facility. She kept two of her seven children, Dennis and Gloria. They were the oldest and they could soon help out around the house. It broke Sylvia's heart to let the other children-Estelle, Hal Jr, Ben, Gretchen & Lilly go, and she vowed that she would one day get them all back under one roof and things would be much better.
Because of this terrible time in her childhood when Gloria and her siblings had been separated, when Gloria was old enough she tried to locate all of her siblings. She only had success in finding Hal Jr, who she could tell had a hardened heart from what had happened to him many years ago and one sister Lilly who said she was content in her new life and didn't want to relive any of the past and the memories that were associated with that part of her life. Though, Gloria guessed she could understand those sentiments, it still broke her heart remembering the holidays when they were all together, in much happier times.
Hal Jr. had always looked up to Gloria and she must admit she always liked to take him under her wing when it was necessary. They had quite a bond, those two, at one time. She was hoping that in time, when the wounds healed, they could be close once again. Of course, she knew a large part of that would depend on Hal Jr. Hal Jr. did not seem happy to be reunited with her or Dennis and after about 3 outings he had distanced himself from his siblings. He didn't want to remember his old life. He thought of their mother as a true angel and if he closed his eyes and fell deep in thought, he could still remember how she smelled. She always smelled of fresh Ivory soap. And sometimes flour. The thought made him smile.
Hal Jr. never questioned his parents love for him and his siblings until that fateful night when he was told to pack a few things for a sleepover for about a weeks time. He had hopes that he would see his father again and that his father wanted him to stay with him for awhile. Those dreams suddenly came crashing down around him when he realized he would not be spending time with his dad, or anyone he knew or cared about.
When he arrived at this new place he learned he was in a foster home, a place where you went, when your parents no longer wanted you. Of course, now that he was older, a grown man, he knew that wasn't entirely true, to him now, it just meant when no one else could properly take care of you. At the time, being a young boy and learning the first part, tore him up, he must admit. He was often told he wasn't loved enough and that was why he had been brought there. He didn't believe it at first but after being in this facility and in out of foster homes he started to believe truth in those spoken words. Why was he so unlovable? What did he do that was so awful?
After being away from his family and familiar surroundings for awhile he became hardened to life and his heart had toughened as well. Sad to say he had been sent to foster home after foster home, never letting anyone get too close to him, for fear his heart would break all over again, and he got into a little trouble here and there too, but he was smart enough to know jail was not the place he wanted to end up. Deep down he knew he was a good soul just had bad things happen in his life. If he cared to admit it, he had missed seeing Gloria. Dennis, not so much, but Gloria had always stood up for him when kids were mean and picked on him for whatever reason it was when he was a little lad. He admired Gloria, always had always would.
When their mom, Sylvia passed away, he was immediately notified by Gloria. Ah, Gloria, how he always looked up to her! In the early days at the foster facility he would imagine Gloria coming through those heavy wooden doors saying they were going back home with there mom where they all belonged. Of course, that never happened.
When Hal Jr. first go the call of their mother's passing he couldn't decide whether to attend the funeral or not. He had been to a funeral a time or two in his life, not something he particularly enjoyed too much, but then again who likes attending a funeral?
Gloria had said he could arrive early and help with the arrangements if he was interested in doing so. He had no use for helping with the arrangements but he did decide to attend the funeral and the burial. Walking up to the church where they all used to attend as a family brought tears to his eyes, that was unexpected for him. He spotted Dennis right away. Dennis stood to shake his brothers hand and then reached to give him a big bear hug which made Hal Jr stiffen. Dennis made small talk with Hal Jr and introduced him to his wife of 11 years, Mary. They had 2 young uns at home and since they were only 3 and 5 they were much too little to attend this service. They were home with a sitter. Hal Jr was asked to meet his 2 nieces after the ceremony but being the loner that he was, did not commit or decline the invitation.
When Hal Jr saw Gloria tears immediately sprung into his eyes. The years had been kind to her, she looked the same sweet Gloria that he remembered all those years ago. The funeral service and burial for their mother proved to be much harder than anticipated....for all of them.
After the funeral as previously mentioned-Dennis, Hal Jr. and Gloria tried to keep in touch. Hal Jr. held resentment that he knew was not Gloria or Dennis' fault but he chose to withdraw from them and their lives.
This is why Gloria had such a hard time, in general, trusting men. First her father abandoned them, then Hal Jr. left their lives. Though she still kept in touch with Dennis an on occasion still tried to find their father, each time turned up nothing. Nothing at all. She too, felt disheartened, at times. So when she met Kyle, she was very skeptical.
At times, Gloria would intentionally pick a fight with Kyle just to see if he would leave her. He never did. Kyle became a constant in her life and in no time at all in her heart as well. She was a sophomore and he a junior when they met in college. They dated for 4 years before getting engaged. They were engaged only 6 months when neither of them could wait any longer to become husband and wife.
Married life agreed with both Gloria and Kyle. Kyle was the only child born to Alice and George and they were tickled to welcome Gloria into their close family. Dennis and his family were the only ones who attended the wedding from Gloria's side of the family, but that was ok, she assumed that was how it was meant to be. She had tried to find Hal Jr. again but to no avail.
Before walking down the aisle, she had said a quick prayer in her head for Hal Jr. Then she walked down the aisle into the arms of the only man that had been a constant in her life and she knew he would be with her til death do they part.
Gloria had become a nurse and after graduating nursing school she landed a head nurse position at Mitchell General Hospital, where the staff loved her. She worked on the heart unit and it was a job she enjoyed. Kyle had graduated with a teaching degree and had a hard time finding a full time teaching job. In the meantime, until he landed a full time teaching job, he began coaching special needs kids part time. Yes, it was only part time, but something Kyle really came to enjoy doing. Many nights Kyle and Gloria would discuss Kyle going back to grad school to get a degree where he could teach Special Ed. Gloria assured Kyle that she could manage their bills if he chose to go back to school.
After two months of deliberating Kyle enrolled full time in grad school. This program would take 18 months to complete, and if he needed to could get a part time job to help out. They would cross that bridge if they needed to come to that. Once Kyle graduated they both decided that would be a good time to start a family. They both wanted kids, how many, they couldn't seem to agree, but they knew they could provide a loving home for at least 2 or 3. Kyle loved his classes, loved volunteering and loved his wife, Gloira, with all of his heart!!
About one year into Kyle's studies, Gloria began to feel sick on occasion and one night on the way home from work she stopped at a local drug store to pick up a pregnancy test. She waited until the next morning, barely sleeping at all with anticipation what that little stick would soon reveal. Pink would equal positive. Green would equal negative. To her amazement, it was pink. Her and Kyle were going to be parents!
Now how to tell her husband! They had planned to wait until he was finished with school, which would be in about another 8 months. That night she had fixed his favorite dinner chicken lasagna and apple pie. She had taped a card on the bottom of his dessert plate that said "congratulations you are going to be a daddy." She watched him intently when he read that special message, tears welled up in his eyes and he rushed to pick her up in his arms! He hugged her so tightly and was thrilled with the news! They truly loved each other and even though this news came earlier than they both planned or expected, both were over the moon thrilled with this news.
Gloria called the next day to make a doctor's appointment to officially confirm that they would soon be parents. Yes, it was true, they were due to have their baby in about 6 months, it was much too soon to know if the baby was a boy or a girl, but they would soon have a little peanut to call their own. They shared the news with their families, and again, Gloria felt a twinge of regret when she couldn't share this news with Hal Jr., it was like he left without a trace and fell off the face of the earth. Gloria longed to see her other siblings as well but she had heard over the years through the grapevine that her other 4 siblings had been adopted and moved out of state. Kyle was very attentive during Gloria's pregnancy and could not have possibly loved her more than he did at this very moment.
In two more months he would graduate with his new degree, they would have a new baby, Gloria would take some time off of work and their life would become a whole new chapter of awesomeness.
Hal Jr. had tried to find Gloria on occasion, didn't realize she had married, and was about to give up when he had a premonition that she might need him. So he did the only thing he could do to find her, contact Dennis. Dennis informed him that Gloria had gotten married to Kyle, a very nice guy, and they were due to have their first baby in a matter of weeks. Dennis let Hal Jr. know that him contacting Gloria would mean the world to her. He took that information and tucked it in the back of his heart where some of it still cared about the things. He dialed her number with a shaking hand, she answered. At first he thought about hanging up, then he let her know it was her long lost baby brother on the other end. She cried when he told her that!! He didn't know if that was because she was emotional from the baby, or what, he had heard women tend to get really emotional when they are expecting a baby. They talked for a few minutes, then Gloria mentioned to him once the baby was born (she kept calling it peanut) and he was hoping that wasn't the name they had chosen, that she wanted him to meet her wonderful husband, Kyle, and their um...peanut. He agreed to do this, gave her his phone# and said he would be in touch.
Two weeks before the baby was due, Kyle was offered a full time job at a local grade school for a music and arts teacher for Special Education. Gloria had known all along with Kyle's charm and many talents, things would fall into place for him. This job would be waiting for Kyle once he graduated in a month. Kyle and a very pregnant Gloria went out to celebrate. It seemed that this young couple had it all. Good educations, good jobs, a peanut on the way and most of all they had each other.
The next day was a normal day like any other, Gloria kissed a passed out Kyle holding his laptop on his lap in the middle of a research paper. She slipped quietly out of the door and was on her way to work, driving through town, somewhat distracted, and she proceeded through a red light, not noticing a black Mustang speeding through the same stop light hitting her head on. Her mini van spun several times and then landed on its side. The Mustang kept going. A passerby stopped to help the pregnant woman in the minivan, but she had no pulse. Choking back tears, he dialed 911 for help. An ambulance came and rushed the dead woman and baby to the hospital, neither survived.
Kyle was busy at home cleaning, preparing a nice evening at home for his very pregnant wife, with a surprise dinner guest, her brother, Hal Jr. When he got that dreadful call that changed his life forever. His wife was the absolute love of his life and she was now dead and was their peanut, their son. Kyle blacked out for several weeks somehow he managed to get through the double funeral. Dennis and Hal Jr. were both there, Hal had wished often that he had kept in better contact with this sister, his guardian angel. It really was such a blur to him. If only he would have driven her to work that morning, if only he would have done this, if only he would have done that, if only......
Kyle started his new job 2 months after this the tragic accident. The staff was very understanding and patient with him. He threw himself into his work. He loved his special ed students and treated them as if they were his own.
He knew that Gloria looked down on him from heaven and continued to watch over him as his personal guardian angel. He thought about ending his own life a time or two but that just wasn't his style, he never ever backed away from a challenge. And his life, was now a challenge, his challenge to overcome. Gloria had been a challenge from the first day he had laid eyes on her and that turned out to be a bigger blessing than he could have ever imagined. He would not change a thing, except of course, Gloria and peanut dying. In the end he knew that they were both happy, they were both being well cared for, they were both together, and they were both waiting to see him one day. Knowing that, each anniversary on the date of their deaths, lighting the candle in the church in their memory, gave Kyle some peace, if only for a brief moment.
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