My Heart Beats With Thine

By: Mylinda Antoinette

Author’s Note: This story is intended to be a modern “Sound of Music”. I know the story itself is a true story, but while watching it the other night I got the strangest desire to write a more modern version. So here it is! Please note that this version will not be the entire story told in “The Sound of Music”. There will be no war/conflict unless I can find a way to work it into the story.

Prologue:

Thirty-six year old Matthew Harris sat wearily by the bedside of his dying wife, Hannah. The stark white hospital walls and slightly unsteady beeping of her heart monitor indicated that his cancer-stricken wife certainly did not have long to live. His red-rimmed eyes and pale, tearstained cheeks, as well as the occasional grey hair that appeared in his short and wavy dark brown locks, were clear signs of the toll his wife’s condition was taking on him.

He sat up straight as he saw his wife’s eyes slowly flutter open. A soft smile crossed his face as the tears returned to his eyes, and he reached out to carefully take her hand. She smiled back, and then a pained look crossed her face. She beckoned for him to move closer to her. He slowly bent down so that his ear was near her mouth.

“Tell… the children… I love them…” she murmured, her voice hoarse and tired. “And always… remember… I love you…”

“I love you, too, Hannah,” Matthew choked out. He rubbed her hand gently. “I always will.”

“Look… in my… pocket,” she said, squeezing his hand with the last bit of strength she had. Then she closed her eyes, and the intermittent beeping changed to a single long and drawn out beep, lasting until a nurse came in to turn it off and found Matthew crying hysterically by his wife’s side.

It took over an hour for Matthew to stop crying long enough to remember his wife’s last request that he look in the pocket of her hospital gown. He carefully drew back the covers and saw a little, nearly square shaped impression in her pocket. His curiosity got the better of him, and he carefully reached forward and, with trembling hands, withdrew a crisp, ivory colored envelope, with his name written on it in Hannah’s fine script. The tears began to flow again as he carefully slit the envelope and removed from it several sheets of paper. He noticed his name written in the familiar handwriting, and had to pause a moment to compose himself. Then he began to read.

My dear Matthew, the letter began, if you are reading this, then the worst has come to pass. I have just passed away, and with any luck, it was with you by my side.

From the moment I first heard the doctor’s report of the cancer, I somehow knew it would come to this. Don’t get me wrong – I held every hope that God might not be ready to call me home yet, that I might be blessed with a few more years with you and our beloved children. But alas, it apparently was not meant to be. I write this letter to you on the very evening that we found out about the cancer. I knew that if I did not get my final wishes down now, I might never have the chance, for I was sure to be too weak at the end to write them before.

Matthew, we have been married for fifteen wonderful years. I loved you from the first moment we met, as strange as that may sound to one as rational and logical as you. I would like to think that after so many years of marriage, I now know you almost as well as I know myself. And if I know you half as well as I think I do, I know that you will never let yourself fall in love again, for fear of getting hurt again and for fear of dishonoring my memory. Matthew, if you ever find someone you love again, do not be afraid of it. Welcome it, embrace it. I would hate to see you lonely for the rest of your life. You are still young. Do not deprive yourself for my sake. Love and be loved; this is the greatest joy in life. Take care of our children, and do not let them forget that I loved them very much, and make sure that they know I did not choose to leave them. Most importantly though, my dear, do not forget that I love you, and that our love will not die because you love another once I’m gone.

Time is short. I must close this letter, but please do not forget that no matter what happens, I will always love you. All my love, Hannah.

As he finished reading her words, he stared at his wife for several minutes. “I love you, Hannah…” he murmured, tears filling his dimmed blue eyes once more before he rose and left the room, knowing deep down inside that nothing would ever be the same again.

Getting reviews will help me keep this going if you want me to. Just because this story is loosely based off of the idea of Sound of Music doesn't make it any less mine; I'm taking a LOT of liberties with the story here and just using the general idea of the story. You'll notice some similarities, but the characters and situations are different in many ways. Because it is only LOOSELY based and uses my own characters, I do not consider this to be fanfiction, which is why I am posting it here. Please leave a review.