Eric and Julie grew up together in a small town in the country. Ever since ore-k they have had at least one class together. Their parents were close friends and Eric lived a mile down the road from Julie. He lived on a small farm, working with the horses in the summer. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In kindergarten, Julie was coloring when another kid took her crayon and broke it. Eric saw, and decided to push the kid. He turned around and got Julie a new crayon. She smiled when he handed it to her.

First grade was even better, Eric and Julie became best friends. Julie was playing on the monkey bars at recess. Eric knew she shouldn't be up there, and he was right. Julie fell on Eric and they giggled, holding hands all the way to the nurses' office. They were the best of friends.
In second and third grade Eric would use the building blocks to make a castle for Julie. She would be his princess and he would rescue her. They rode off on the stick horse. Eric and Julie did everything together. Their parents took them to the beach one day. Julie challenged Eric to a race. The two kids took off down the beach. Julie splashed into the water, turning around to see Eric fall in the sand. She ran over to him and offered her hand. He took it, with a grin spreading across his face, and pulled her down with him. They laughed so hard they cried.
Everyday in the fourth grade Eric and Julie went to an ice cream shop after school. Eric would always ask for chocolate chip cookie dough, because he knew it was Julie's favorite. They would share the ice cream and walk home together, hand in hand.

Fifth grade was Eric's favorite. He got to do a science fair project with Julie. They both shared a love for science and enjoyed spending time working together. Eric loved to watch Julie water the plants for their project. She was so gentle with them. She would take the spray bottle and sing while she worked. Once, Eric tickled her while she was watering plants, she squealed and sprayed him. He got another bottle that was sitting on the table and they got in a water fight. They won the science fair that year. Julie was so happy that she kissed Eric's cheek when they got their ribbons.

Sixth and seventh grade were different, Julie took an interest in other guys. She had the worst judgment too. Julie went out with guys that hit her and called her bad names. When Eric asks her how her relationship is going she lies and says everything's ok. One day Julie couldn't hide a bruise from Eric and he found out what had been going on. When he was in gym he gave Julie's boyfriend a piece of his mind. Eric then got suspended for fighting but to him, it was worth it to know that he'd never mess with his Julie again. Julie heard about what happened in the gym with Eric. After school she got ice cream like always. She didn't eat it right away, not without Eric. Instead she waited and took it to Eric. They sat under an apple tree and split it.

In eighth grade, Eric invited Julie over. They climbed the hill in the middle of the fields, the sun setting on the horizon. Julie layed under the apple tree to watch the stars come out. Eric layed next to her and held her hand. She rested her head on his chest and fell asleep. He smiled and stared at the stars, remembering when Julie had fallen out of the apple tree and broke her arm. He remembered carrying her down the hill, and holding her hand in the back of the truck on the way to the hospital. All the memories of picking apples came back to him. When they were younger, Eric would play tag with Julie here. He looked down at Julie sleeping, and kissed her forehead. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her home to tuck her in.

By ninth grade Eric knew he loved Julie, he tried so hard to show her he loved her. He was always there for her, he would even carry her books and walk her to class. There was a tornado one day that hit the school. Eric and Julie happened to be in the same class when it hit. Julie was terrified, she was shaking. Eric wrapped his arms around her. He whispered, "It's going to be alright, I'm here. You're safe." and one tear rolled down her cheek. Eric wiped it away and held her hand. Julie started to wonder about Eric that day. Everyday he did something that made her love him even more.

It was tenth grade when Eric asked Julie to a school dance. She thought he'd never ask and he thought she'd never say yes. But they were both wrong. Eric asked Julie if she'd care to dance with him when her favorite song came on. She rested her head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him, and he bent down and whispered in her ear that he loved her. Eric was surprised to hear her say it back. He said, "I mean it Julie, I love you. More than a friend, more than a best friend." so she said, "I know. I said I love you too." Then she got up on her tip toes and kissed him. He picked her up and spun her around. Jullie was finally his.

Eric and Julie stayed together throughout high school. Eric took Julie to Prom and they graduated together. They spent the following summer working on Eric's farm. Eric took her to the loft in the hay barn. He handed her a big rope and said "swing." She stared at him and smiled. She said, "Swing with me." He told her he'd catch her if she fell. "Push me." She kissed him. From there they just let gravity take them, and they swung back and forth on the rope. "I'm flying" Julie giggled. Eric took one of her hands and they let go of the rope, falling into a bed of hay. They stayed there and talked all night until they fell asleep in the bails.

They wanted nothing more than to be together. It was obvious. Eric and Jullie got into the same college, school was close to home, so they still lived with their parents. One night, when Eric just couldn't get her out of his head, he snuck out to see Julie. He walked down the road, picking up pebbles along the way. He went around the house and threw pebbles at her window. Eventually, Julie woke up and opened her window. When she saw Eric waiting patiently, she wasted no time getting dressed and going outside.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I couldn't sleep. I was thinking about you, about us." Eric smiled, and Julie bound across the yard and threw herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck. Eric nearly fell over. He took her hand and ran. They didn't stop until they got to the river. Eric stripped down to his boxers, "Swim with me." He grinned. "You're crazy!" Julie protested, "It's nearly December." He was crazy, in her mind, but she stripped to her underwear and found a vine. She swung in hoping to get it over with. "It's so cold!" She screamed. Eric laughed and pulled her close and kissed her all over. Being close to him kept her warm and she could see his breath in the air when he spoke. They crawled out of the river and pulled their clothes on. They layed on the bank for a while until Julie insisted it was too cold to stay out. She got up and when Eric didn't she was concerned.

Eric was down on one knee, and he took her hands. Before she could say anything, Eric said, "Julie May Parker, I love you and I always want to be with you. I have loved you all my life and I always will. So Julie, will you marry me?" Julie didn't pause, "Yes, yes of course." She kissed him.
The church bells rang loud and clear. Julie could see a single tear roll down Eric's cheek as she walked down the aisle. They smiled at each other. Eric had never seen anyone more beautiful and nothing sounded better to them than "You may kiss the bride."

Months later, after they moved in together, Eric began to get sick. His health declined at a rapid pace and he was hospitalized about a year after the wedding. Eric decided that he needed to tell Julie why he was in the hospital. He told her that he was diagnosed with cancer in kindergarten. Doctors had been baffled at how long he had lived. Eric was only given five years to live when he was diagnosed. But he refused to give up, and he kept fighting.

"I told you I have loved you forever Julie. My love for you has kept me going, you have givin me the strength to fight on." Eric explained. Julie cried and begged him to say it was a joke. When he told her it wasn't, it broke her heart. "You have to keep fighting, you can't leave me. I need you. There's no easy way to say this but you're a father." Eric sat up with wide eyes. "Yes, you're a father now, you have to stay. You can't go." Eric told her that he loved her and that he'd live for her as long as he could. So Julie took him home. He was constantly in pain and taking pills for the cancer. Eric went through chemo therapy and it seemed to help.

Not long after, Julie gave birth to a healthy boy. Eric could never be happier. He spent all his time bonding with his son. Four years later. Eric returned to the hospital. The chemo had not completely treated the cancer. Eric said his goodbyes to his wife and son and was taken off life support. He passed away that night with Julie in his arms. His son, Thomas was curled up asleep in a chair next to the hospital bed. The last thing he said to Julie was, "I love you Julie, you gave me life. You'll make it through this. You are strong. I can't thank you enough. Take care of Thomas." And then he was gone.

Jullie became depressed and shut everything out. All she did was look at pictures of her and Eric, wishing to be with him. The one's of them at the fair, on his farm, at the beach, under the apple tree, all of them. Their wedding and birth of their son pictures were the most painful. Then she'd pull out a picture of Eric in the hospital, holding Thomas, and she'd cry even harder. She'd curl up in a ball on the couch and cry herself to sleep. As Thomas got older he understood more and more of it. He knew she was depressed.

Jullie was taking Thomas to school one morning. The traffic was bad. Thomas had asked about his father, not meaning to. Julie shut down and started to cry. She didn't notice that she had shifted over to the next lane and a semi was coming at her head on. By the time she clicked back to reality it was too late. She tried to swerve away but collided head on with the semi. Julie died on impact. Paramedics were able to save Thomas.

Thomas lived with his aunt after the accident. He then committed suicide on the one year anniversary of the crash. Thomas was only thirteen.