Day 12 of 24/7

I had the idea for this story about a year ago and never managed to get it out of my head. It came about as a result of a prompt from the publisher of "Torin and Sunshine". I’m pleased to offer you the short-short, which seems to be a good format for me.

Rose

 She dreamed. Charlie, her darling, was waiting for her. His shy smile flickered and he held out the flower that was her namesake. “I’m here, Rose,” he said. “I told you I’d come for you.”

 She smiled in her sleep and murmured his name. “Charlie Darling.”

 “What did she say?” A voice intruded into her dream. She fought to stay there, to see Charlie, but more voices, although low, dragged her away. “Who’s Charlie, Mother?” her daughter’s voice.

 “Did she say ‘Charlie, darling?’” her granddaughter.

 “No, Callista. She said ‘Charlie Darling’. He was her beau who went to the trenches in the Great War. He never came home.” That voice was Beryl, Rose’s sister. “They were to be married when he got back, but he was killed only a few weeks before Armistice.”

 Rose remembered the terrible telegram and the letter from Charlie’s mother, telling her of his death. She had felt as if the whole world had ended that day. Oh, she had moved on eventually, married Joseph and had a fine family, but Charlie had always been her Darling, and she had always been his special Rose. A tear slid down her parchment cheek. She was vaguely aware of her sister and daughter’s voices talking above her, and then a softer voice at her ear.

 “It’s okay if Charlie is waiting for you, Nanny.” It was Callista. “You can go to him now. We don’t mind. Grampy wouldn’t mind.”

 Rose sank into the dream again. Charlie’s smile widened and this time he stepped forward to take her hand. “Oh, Rose,” he said. “I never stopped loving you, you know.”

 “Nor I you, Charlie,” she said. “Never.” She took his hand. Behind him, Joseph waved at her and winked. “It’s his time now, Rosey,” he said.

 She smiled gratitude at him and he walked away. Charlie took her in his arms and held her close. “It’s beautiful here, Rose. You’ll remember it from before.”

 “But my family,” she began.

 “They’re fine,” he said. She looked behind her at the shell on the bed. Tears streaked Callista’s face as she stroked the veined hand that lay on the coverlet. She heard Callista’s voice.

 “Nanny’s gone.”

 Rose looked down at herself, at her hands, young and vibrant again, and then at Charlie, the same as he was the day he went to war. She laughed aloud and let Charlie spin her in a joyous dance, then she and her Darling walked into eternity.