The Choice
One Choice
Friend, partner, lover. It tears at the heart, a fate sealed far lonelier and more painful than death. What could – should – have lasted forever was ashes, cold and gray and crumbling to dust. Whoever imagined death was the worst never experienced being left, heart torn apart by actions that could have been different but were now set in stone – mute, unalterable, unbearable. Standing at the grave, regretting stubborn insistence on their implied agreement as though it was a contract to be enforced by a gimlet-eyed lawyer. Forcing compliance no matter what. "What" had caught up. "What" proved to be unimaginably cruel. And now, parent of a young child who would never have a chance to remember the other parent.
And even the memories were tainted. Passing time had driven a sadder, more desperate friend, partner, lover to the unthinkable. The fatal. Forewarned, but willfully blind, there would be a lifetime of regret.
Teresa Lisbon Jane stood at the gravestone and wept, not caring who knew her grief. Her situation mirrored perfectly the hell her friend, partner, lover had lived. Like him, her fealty to what she was good at cost her.
Everything.
Different Choice
It was innocuous enough. The mail arrived. Hell arrived with the water bill and pizza coupon, and news of the latest political silliness, and advice on living the perfect life. It turned out distance was no protection. None at all. He hadn't known he died a week earlier. Something on page 13 about the apprehension of a vicious gang. "Only" one agent was lost. No matter, the citizens were safe!
But actually, two died that day. It just took a week for him to find out.
Third Choice
The day was cold and dreary with rain. He didn't care. He crawled up onto the warm lap, into the comforting arms, nearer the sweet voice. He was only two, but had begun to understand that weekends were special. They were the best days, days when both parents were home, days when there was plenty of time. Cold and dreary mattered not when there was a warm lap and fresh baking and a whole day together.