Sam Malone hadn't slept all night long. It was his wedding night last night and the reasons of his exhaustion were not the typical of such a night. He cried as he listened to sad song after sad song. It was finally the time of morning where he had enough of the music and tears. He was now brave enough to pick up the pieces and go back home.
He went to Dunkin Donuts and ordered two extra large coffees to go with extra cream. Both the coffees were for him. Anyone who knew him knew that coffee had been his drink of choice since he kicked alchol to the curb and by golly he was going to need his non-alcholic liquid courage to go back into that house again. The first sip of the scalding hot, caramel colored beverage had soothed his soul while giving him the kick in the ass he needed.
The long and agonizing ride back was in total silence. He dared not turn on the radio for fear that the tears will strike again. The sun streaming through the windshield did little to cheer him up. It really did nothing but make his tired eyes ache from the intensity. The colorful May flowers and the fully blossomed trees that promised of summer left him still indifferent. He didn't want to focus on the negative nor the positive. He had gotten into a place where he was comfortably numb. When he realized that, he was already pulling into the driveway.
As if on automatic pilot, he stepped out with coffee in one hand and keys in the other. He silently counted the steps leading up to the door and silently said a prayer when the key turned the door opened. He took a deep breath as he stepped inside. It still seemed full of life. He looks around and finds the clues to the mystery he already knows: she's gone. Her books that were on the shelves; gone. Her pictures that hung above the fireplace; gone. Okay, he thinks to himself, I already knew this so I can accept this...
A sight to behold as he turned around made his emotions turn to jello again. Their hanging on their bedroom door was a wedding dress. Not the one she wore last night, this was a real deal gown. He walks over to it and rubs over the taffeta and lace of the sleeves. The sheer material that would show off her decolletge. Around the waist of the dress he found a picture was pinned to it. The picture was of Diane wearing this exact same dress. You're beautiful, is all Sam could think when he looked at her. He flips the photo over to read a little note that she had written for him.
Dearest Sam,
This was supposed to be me if we had gone as planned. I left this one article of clothing behind for you. Look at this dress and this picture and I will come back to you.
I will always love you,
Diane Malone.
I will always love you too, Diane. I do not want this dress, I will give to Goodwill. I do not want this picture, I will light it up in the fireplace. I don't want you to have my last name, we are not married, remember? You are not coming back and you must know it. You write to me as if you were dead and coming back to haunt me from your grave! I like to think you are dead to me. It's okay, Sweetheart, I died too.