julie and julian

he day was so clear to me. I thought he was gone.

We had been arguing about who's turn it was to get the milk. It wasn't like there was any real need to get any, but we both hated not having any in the house. So we flipped a coin to see who would have to go and get the milk. I won of course. I always won. He shook his head at me, the mess of brown curls he had shaking with him. Julian smiled at me with that amazing smile of his. "You have to be clairvoyant, Bunny." he said. Bunny was his pet name for me. For the near 8 years we had been together he called me Bunny. He said my porcelain skin, cute button nose, platinum blonde hair and large brown eyes reminded him of the cute little creatures.

He had picked up the keys to his old truck. The thing was falling apart. Everyday that hunk of metal needed some mending. As much as I tried to make him get rid of the thing he wouldn't budge. The truck was the first thing he was able to buy himself out of college. Julian never really could explain the attachment he had to it to me. No matter how hard he tried, he said it was just the sentiment. I always laughed and joked about how one day that truck would be the death of him.

The call had come in not even two hours after Julian had driven into town. It was 20 minutes away from our small two story home out in the country, so it was typical that even two hours later he wasn't home. He had a tendency to pick up thirty more things than he had intentionally gone into to town for, so I wasn't pacing the floorboards when the call came in. It was Officer Nate, Julian's best friend. It was nearly ten and we usually never got calls so late in the evening. "Juliana?" Nate said into the phone. The use of my full name was the first sign of trouble. No one ever called me Juliana.

"What's wrong Nate?" I put down the book that Julian had gifted me just the week before.

"It's Julian."

I stood up abruptly. "What about Julian?"

He sighed over the phone. "There was a hit and run."

The breath I took in at the moment was sharp, almost painful. "Julian hit someone? And ran? That's not like him Nate. There has to be some mis-"

"Julian didn't hit anyone Julie."

"Then what are you talking abo-"

"Julian was hit."

At that moment I swear my heart had stopped. I couldn't feel it in my chest anymore. "Is .. Is he okay?" my voice trembled, scared of the answer.

"He's at Saving Grace Hospital. Come meet us here. I can send someone if you-"

"No. I'll make it there faster if I drive myself." Already gathering the keys to the only vehicle in our garage, Julian's motorcycle. I hated the damn thing, but it was the only available vehicle at the moment since my sister had borrowed my car this morning.

I fumbled with the keys as I yanked on the leather jacket that hung above the bike. I pulled on my helmet and quickly started the stupid thing. It roared to life and I quickly peeled out of the garage as quickly as I could, not even bothering to close the garage. I had no worries that our neighbors would bother to walk the five miles to rob us.

I made it to the hospital in record time, breakin all speeding laws in doing so. I rushed to the emergency room entrance expecting the worst. Nate’s tone over the phone did nothing to sooth my panic. In my head the wheels were turning dreadfully, what would I do without him? What would my life consist of? Who was I without Julian?

“Mrs. Hope?”

I turned to find Dr. Hayer standing there in his scrubs, covered in blood.

“How is he John?” I rushed over ignoring the tears that streamed down my face.

“We did everything we could for him. You know Julian, he was always the fighter.” John gave me a tired smile.

At his use of the past tense I had just known. I knew that I would have to live without my Julian. I could feel as though my heart had shattered into a million pieces and there would be no one who could possibly pick up the shards of my heart.

I swallowed trying to keep a calm facade instead of showing the death of my soul. “Where is he?”

John motioned for me to follow him. I could barely keep up as he led me down the hall. I couldn’t handle seeing my Julian just laying there, never to be able to say good morning to me as he rolled over, or tripping over that damn floorboard he always swore he would fix. Now it would never be fixed, and my neither would my heart.

As we came to a stop, I took in a sharp breath as John opened the door for me.

I gasped at the sight. I could see Julian bruised, cut, stitched up and deathly pale. But by God he was arguing with Nate.

“Where is Julie?! Why didn't you get her?! Damnit Nate you know she must be out her mind-”

I cut him off when I nearly launched myself at him. “Oh my God I thought you were dead.”

“I told you he was a fighter.” John said confused.

“You said was.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I'm sorry Julie. I didn’t mean to mess with your head.” John apologized.

“It’s fine John. As long as Julian is okay.” I looked at my husband.

“I’m in one piece. My truck got the worst of it. Damn bastards left a huge dent in the thing. The truck is what did the bulk of this damage. Thing saved my life.” he teased. I had to laugh. All those years making fun of it, and look, it saved his life.

“Oh,” Julian suddenly said. “Your milk is on the chair over there.”

I looked to find that a gallon of milk was laying there with the rest of his belongings. I laughed. He had given me life, death and humor all in the span of forty minutes. This man and his milk will be the death of me. I had almost lost a part of me today. I’d have to thank that hunk of junk sometime.

Comments