The Eve Before Halloween

The eve before Halloween I visit Melissa’s gravesite and place abouquet of yellow roses against her stone. She'd be thirty years oldtoday. The cemetery is empty, and the rain is cold against my face, butI am here.

“Hi, Sweetie. In honor of your favorite holiday, I’m having a Halloweenparty and celebrating your birthday tomorrow. I wish you could be here,”I say, tearing. I walk to my car briskly, the umbrella inside out fromthe wind.

The rain becomes heavy and when I drive off, the petals of the rosesblow in front of my car.

From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher