Unusual Proposal

      The knock on the door echoed through the silent apartment. A middle aged woman navigated the living room, making her way to the front door. I wonder who this could be she thought to herself as she looked into the peephole. Outside stood two police officers dressed in their blues. Immediately she thought of the next door neighbors, their constant fighting had probably escalated into something violent. Sometimes their fights were so loud it could be heard throughout the building. The police had been out several times to quiet things down, which usually consisted of taking the boyfriend away. They had never knocked on her door though. This was different. Something terrible must have happened to that poor girl she sadly reasoned. Undoing the chain lock and turning the dead bolt , she opened the door.

"Hello, officers. Is there something I can help you with?" she said

      She looked at the officers with concern, One of the officers was an older gentleman , he had a sad and hardened look on his face. The other man was a few years younger and he shared the same dismal look. The older seasoned officer spoke first.

"Mrs. Reynolds?" the officer questioned

"Um, No, I'm Joan, Joan Simmons" she answered

"Well , I'm Officer Wilkes and this is my partner Officer Reyes" the man clarified
"Do you know a Daniel Reynolds Ma'am?" Wilkes asked

"Yes, Yes I do, is everything alright?" Joan responded "Did Danny do something? Is he in trouble?

      A look of confusion, panic and despair washed over the woman's face. Officer Reyes took off his hat and hung his head low, Wilkes removed his hat the same and grabbed the woman's hand.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to tell you this Ma'am, Daniel Reynolds was in an automobile accident this afternoon." said Wilkes "He was ---"

"Is he alright? Joan interrupted " Where is he? , which hospital did they take him to?"

      Joan seemed bewildered, lost in a haze and starting to get frantic

"One second, Let me get my coat, I'll be right back, One second, wait right here" Joan beckoned

"Ma'am,  Ma'am " Officer Wilkes reasoned his voice growing louder

"Yes?" Ms Simmons questioned looking up from the chaotic scramble for her things

"Miss , Daniel Reynolds was killed in the auto accident today" Officer Wilkes confessed "I am so sorry Ma'am"

      Ms. Simmons stared straight ahead with a hollow blank expression, like someone had sucked all the life from her. She didn’t move , not the rise and fall of her chest , not a single blink of the eye. Time stood still and everything was silent. 

“Ma’am... I hate to be the bearer of this news at such a tragic time, but Daniel is at the morgue, and we need someone to identify the body. I’m sorry Miss to ask this of you now , but it must be done”

      The tears welled in the poor woman’s eyes. She let out a pain filled sob and her body  wavered , her limbs like rubber.

“OK, OK.. Let’s go, let’s go” she replied

      The two officers escorted Ms. Simmons down the steps and into the patrol car, shutting the door behind her. The cruiser pulled away leaving the apartment building behind.

“Oh Dear God, why?” Ms. Simmons sobbed “How could this happen, I’m not ready for this! “she pleaded out loud  “ I’m so sorry Danny , I would have married you, I’m such a fool, God why? she screamed in the back of the cruiser.

      The officers sat silently as they rode to the morgue. Ms. Simmons lit up a cigarette , puffed furiously and wiped the makeup and tears away between cries and puffs. “I was ready to be with you, I wanted a life with you , Please don ‘t be dead, I’m sorry, I take it all back , Please don t’ be my Danny “she rambled, repeating herself over and over for reassurance.

      After pulling into the morgue and parking, the officers then escorted Ms. Simmons into the lobby. There they spoke to a woman and signed some papers. Ms. Simmons watched on, still crying uncontrollably

“Don’t be Danny” she repeated

      A young blond woman led them into the cooler rooms and talked with Wilkes. The room’s cleanliness was immaculate. The stainless steel doors gleamed, reflecting the fluorescent lights from above with a soft glow  Wilkes walked over to one of the coolers and checked the clipboard . He looked up at Reyes and Ms. Simmons and opened the cooler drawer.

“Is this the Daniel Reynolds you know Ma’am” Wilkes asked grimly

Ms. Simmons  walked over to the body, half unwilling to look. There was a man in a white hospital gown laying there. It was Danny, It was her boyfriend and would have been her fiance or husband by now if she had accepted his proposal five years ago to this very day.

“Why? , Danny, Why?, I love you Danny, I’m so sorry , Don't leave me like this, please I take it all back, I can't live without you” she cried as she collapsed on his chest, her face buried in her arms. The two officers and the young woman looked at Ms. Simmons with sympathetic faces. The blond woman whispered something to Wilkes and began to approach Ms. Simmons.

"Ma'am..., I'm sorry to disturb you"she said resting a hand on the older woman
"We found this among his belongings ,I'm sure he wanted you to have it" said the woman, holding out a small black velvet box.

Joan looked up through her red, tear filled eyes and gently took the box. She set it in her palm , slowly opening it with her other hand. A large diamond sparkled on a platinum band. She grasped it lovingly, like a priceless treasure from an ancient world. She studied it meticulously, turning it in the light. A small inscription was engraved on the band. Looking closer she read it to herself, "To Joan, My Friend, My Love, My Life.
Her tears had started to dry, a small laugh escaped her through her sniffles. Joan slid her precious jewelery onto her finger and placed a loving kiss onto Danny's forehead.
She stood in front of her deceased lover, stroking his hair, lost in a far off place.
After five minutes had passed Officer Wilkes stepped forward

"Ms. Simmons......, Ms. Simmons., Are you OK?" he asked

Without opening her eyes, her hand still running through Daniel's hair, she spoke

"I'm going to be fine" she said in a whisper " but please , please call me Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs Daniel Reynolds"