Jay walked up and down the halls, anxious.  His hair was mussed, his eyes tired and red.  He looked at the different pictures of people on the walls, and wished he was smiling along with them.  Life, lately, seemed like a dream one never wakes from.  The emotions of the dream shift dramatically from time to time, yet good always seems to win.  The only way to make the good win is by remembering.  Jay sat down on the floor and brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them.  There, on the floor, he began to remember. 
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The first memory took him back to High School, during the Fall Homecoming Game.  It was a chilly, dark night.  The radiant lights from the field intensified the feeling of pride for the home team.  This was a night that the pep band played the whole way through, rather than quitting at half-time.  Usually Jay would secretly be happy about this, but he had somewhere he’d rather be. 
Half time ensued, and he couldn’t have been happier.  Jay bounded out of the stands, uncaring about the annoyed look of others.  As he got to the stairs, that’s when he saw her.  Waiting for him standing at the bottom was a girl that illuminated his life ten times more than any field lights.  He stopped at the stairs, astounded by the sight of her. 
Smiling, Jay said, “Wow,”  and he slowly stepped down the steps toward her.
She was slightly shorter than he was, and had hands that fit his perfectly.  Her soft, brown hair blew in the cool breeze.  She wore a coat, a hat, a scarf, and gloves, and she sat hugging herself to keep warm.  When Jay came by her side, she took off her gloves, and let him grab them. 
“My- hands are- c-c-cold,” she breathed.  Her voice was small, very beautiful and feminine.  In Jay’s eyes, she was an angel, sent from a very loving Heaven. 
“Well, as always, my hands are warm,” Jay responded with a twinkle in his eye.
They stood for a while huddled up next to each other, holding hands, and not saying much.  As other High Schoolers passed by them, they would either smile, or say ‘Awww’.  Afterall, ‘Jay and Jennifer are the cutest couple at the school,’ they would say.  Earlier that night, they had even been crowned Homecoming King and Queen.  Everyone knew that they would get married eventually and live a long, happy life.
Jay looked down into Jennifer’s eyes.  Her head was leaned up against his shoulder, and she looked up at him.  Her eyes were a soft blue-- Jay’s absolute favorite color.  By either divine providence, or merely coincidence, George Strait’s “Baby Blue,” came on over the loudspeakers. 
“Baby blue was the color of Jenny’s eyes--”  he began, smiling at her.
“Keep going,” she laughed. 
“Baby blue like the Colorado skies…” they sang softly in unison.  Both, however couldn’t remember the rest of the song, so they laughed and loved the rest of the night away. 
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As Jay flashed to that memory, he couldn’t help but smile.  One lone tear streaked down his face, but he wiped it off with his sleeve.  He got up and started walking through the halls again, remembering all the feelings of that night, nostalgia hitting him with full force.
When he came to a waiting area, he saw a newly married couple on the T.V. program.  They held hands as they dashed down the courthouse stairs.   Jay couldn’t help staring at the screen, picturing him and Jennifer on their wedding day.  So he walked over to the soft chair, and dreamily sat down, his memory turning to a few years ago.
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The small church was packed full of people as they watched the couple exchanging rings.  They had grown since high school, which was a thing Jay’s mother did not stop telling them both.  On the left stood Jay, wearing a black tux with a blue tie, and standing opposite, holding his hands, was Jennifer.  Her white dress made her the center of all the attention.  It was, however, the love for her that kept Jay’s attention, beautiful dress or not.  He (and everybody) knew that he was the luckiest man alive.
When the priest asked the question, “I do,” Jay said   He looked deep within her startlingly vivid blue eyes, waiting for Jennifer’s response.  
“I do,” Jennifer said. 
Now, neither could stop smiling.  Neither could they wait for the priest to finish talking, and neither was less passionate about their first kiss as husband and wife. 
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“Mr. Thomas?”  A voice interrupted his thoughts.  He craned his neck to see who had called him.  A female doctor stood with a clipboard at the door.  Immediately he flashed to the morning they found a lump on Jennifer’s chest.  They had taken her to the hospital to get it checked out and were told the worst.  They had tried everything, and although the treatments were costly, there was nothing more they could do. 
“Mr. Thomas,” the doctor said again.  “Your wife is in critical condition.  This may be the last time you will be able to see her.  Is there…” 
As if waking from a deep sleep, Jay shook himself and ran out the door.  He pushed past the doctor, and people standing in the hallway.  He only stopped to help a nurse pick up the files he had knocked out of her arms, and to help from running into the stretcher being raced to the ER.  Finally, he came to Jennifer’s room.  The door was slightly ajar, and mustering up his courage, he opened it.  All he heard was the constant beep of a machine.  Lying in the bed was the light of his life, looking just as beautiful without hair as when she did when she had it.  Through tears, he walked toward the bed. 
“Jenny,” Jay said softly. 
Jennifer slowly opened her eyes, seeing who it was.  She feebly reached out her hand, and Jay sat down next to her bed, and took it.  They stared into eachother’s eyes, longing for the times when they knew it wouldn’t be their last goodbye.  Jay noticed the beeping was becoming less frequent, but he didn’t say anything.
“Jay,” she said slowly.
“Yes dear?” Jay jumped.
She continued haltingly, “your… zipper is undone….” and she gave a weak smile.   
He looked down. “That it is, honey,” Jay replied sheepishly, fixing it.
“Jay… I want… you to know I… love you.”  Her smile weaker, she looked deeply into his eyes. 
“Jenny, I know,” Jay said.  Through tears, he continued, “Oh Jenny, I love you too.”
Time passed as they held hands like the old days.  As the beeping became almost nonexistent, Jennifer slowly said, “Sing…. a song..”     
Jay looked her for the last time in her startling blue eyes.  These eyes were the source of all the light and love that happened in the world.  In Jennifer’s eyes, one could find peace within themselves, and know that they are special.  These eyes held the love of God, and they made everything else look brighter.  The memory of these eyes would help him through the pain that would be his forever.  These blue eyes would be the reason why memories cast a light in one’s life. 
As he thought of which song to sing, he remembered that wonderful night at that old football game.  He remembered the love that was felt staring into her beautiful eyes on their wedding day.  Tears began to come freely.  Putting all of his love into the final moments of Jennifer’s life, he began to sing.
“Baby blue, was the color of her eyes.  Baby blue, like the Colorado skies.  Like a breath of spring, she came and left, and I still don't know why.  So here's to you and whoever holds my baby blue tonight.  Baby Blue…….”