Serena came home from work and picked up the post from the box, she took a casual glance through it and a handwritten letter caught her eye. Very unusual in this day and age, especially as it was obviously sent from Kenya and had Bernie's handwriting on the front. Why would Bernie have written a letter when it was so much easier to send an email? She went through to the living room and opened it.
'I love you like Icarus loved the sun, too much and too close.
That damned pigeon, he got into my soul and ever since he has been a symbol of our relationship. When I'm missing you to the nth degree, I think of that bloody pigeon and the name you gave him. Icarus. Just like Icarus loved the sun, that is how I love you, too close and too much. It scares me, it always has and now I can't imagine living without you, even though there are thousands of miles between us. If I see a pigeon it reminds me of you and makes me think of losing you and how I would fall into the sea and drown, just like him. That bloody pigeon.
Sometimes I think it would be easier if I could just stop loving you and believe me, there have been days when I thought I would. Days when being without you seemed too much, too painful. If there was only affection between us, then we could draw a line under it and leave it in the past. But there is love and so the perpetual torture must continue.
Maybe I was right after all, Eddie was a much better name for that pigeon. Then I think the analogy would be more fitting. We are crashing and burning, this isn't working for either one of us. So, maybe it would be better for both of us to just call this the end. To let go, to not fly so close to the sun. We neither one of us deserve to drown.'
Serena put down the letter and a single tear ran down her face.