Chapter 11:

The next few days passed. Most of them were just like all the others. Each day was filled with tortured thoughts and wonderful moments spent enjoying his favorite female from the past. Without fail each morning was greeted with spectacular sunrises. And at each evening came the most dramatic color filled sunsets Dan had ever witnessed.

As they stood there holding hands and watching nature’s final cinematic painting of the day, it became clear to Dan that the weather would soon change and it would get colder and maybe wetter. But, all in all, nothing too peculiar had happened. They had made their trips to town and ran into casual acquaintances with little or no problems. Everyone they met seemed to accept them as they had before. No one ever mentioned the newspaper story.

But, now it was cooling off and they decided to go inside. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. It was time to face his greatest fear. Would he lose her now? Would she slowly evaporate into nothingness this time? These were the heaviest thoughts he’d had so far. Tomorrow would involve the greatest risk to her existence.
After the phone call to his parents and to Ronnie’s Mother, how could Dan expect them to just accept the situation as if it was an everyday occurrence?

Ronnie had gone into the house just ahead of him. As he entered the house he froze as he caught sight of her holding the brass urn. He was certain that he actually stopped breathing. Everything had become a still-life portrait. Why hadn’t he hidden the damn thing? He thought he must have been too afraid to move it on purpose as that might cause Ronnie to ask where the ‘strange’ gold box had gone.

Dan just stood there, his eyes glued to the image before him. After what seemed like minutes he knew it was time to start this ‘movie’ up again. “What’s this gold metal box for? Is it an award from a dog show?” Ronnie asked curiously. He didn’t dare lie. He didn’t dare tell her the truth. Was this relationship to be built on trust? If it were, then he had better come up with a good answer. “I don’t really know yet. I’m still trying to figure out why it’s there. It seems to be some sort of container, but there is nothing inside.” he returned honestly.

Ronnie set it back down and straightened one of the pictures of their dogs. The most amazing thing about what had just happened was that she never faded out at all. She had remained completely whole. Was it a paradox that she had been holding the very item that had once held her remains? The rest of the evening went by without further incident.

As they at last lay down for the night and held each other close, Dan knew the end might be coming. He shuddered at that thought and chose to stay awake. He held Ronnie closer than he had ever held her prior to her demise. Tonight he would make sure no dreams would mess up the works.