They run through the school parking lot with their backpacks over their heads to protect themself from the rain. She gets in the passenger seat of his car laughing hysterically. He pulls out of the parking spot with one hand on the wheel and the other holding her hand. The music is blasting and they are yelling the lyrics at the top of their lungs. He tells her to close her eyes. Her hands go over her eyes as he parks and brings her to a playground. He guides her over to the swingset and tells her to open her eyes. Swinging and laughing they are getting soaked by the pouring rain. Together they jump off the swings and run over to the puddles of rain and mud. Jumping, laughing and dancing in the pouring rain he grabs her around the waist and embraces her.
She is upstairs finishing the last bit of her makeup. She twirls around in her emerald blue dress and puts her silver high heels on. She leaves her room and slowly walks down the stairs. He is waiting for her. He adjusts his tux and walks over to the bottom of the steps. As she approaches he reaches out his hand for her to hold. She grabs his hand and he carefully places the corsage on her wrist. She puts the boutonniere on him and they walk out to the limo that is waiting for them.
She is sitting in the bleachers shivering, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She sees him in the dugout and blows him a kiss. He pretends to catch it and his friends start laughing and imitating the interaction. He gets up to bat and she starts chanting for him. On the first pitch the bat hits the ball with a deafening bang. He sprints around the bases as his teammates all rush on the field to celebrate the win. He runs around the fence separating him and her. He picks her up in the air and twirls around. The blanket around her shoulders drops to reveal a jersey with his last name on the back.
Standing out in the drive way she wraps her arms around him and stays there unmoving. Tears are falling on his Duke sweatshirt and she wipes her eyes slowly and stares at his face. She lets go, puts on the Stanford backpack, and goes to the car packed to the brim. One last final look. One last tear down her cheek. She drives away knowing she won’t see him for months.
Skipping through the tall grass and picking flowers she lets out a silly laugh. Her flowy dress blowing in the wind as she sprints through the meadow at golden hour. She turns around to see him but instead she sees something else. Tears stream down her eyes and a smile spreads across her blushing cheeks. On one knee he reveals the oval diamond. With no hesitation she bends down to kiss him and he slides the ring on her finger. He lays down a blanket and together they lay and stare at the clouds until it gets dark. They fall asleep on the blanket, her head on his chest and his hands wrapped around her.
She lays in the hospital bed stunned by what she is holding. He is over her shoulder smiling and talking to the baby in a quiet voice. She looks at him in pure joy and carefully rocks the child back and fourth. She starts whispering to the baby. He strokes her hair as she is singing a lullaby and a tear of joy rolls down his cheek and falls onto the blanket thats covering her.
She walks up with the baby in one arm and a bouquet of flowers in the other. She kneels before the gray stone and places the flowers at the bottom. She sits there. She waits. Wishing time could go back. Wishing that she could be back with him on the playground. Back at prom. Back at his baseball games. Back to the day in the meadow. She isn’t ready. This can’t be goodbye. This can’t be goodbye. She sobs as she reads his name etched on the grave.