Song for Alex and Carolyn:
"What's Left of the Flag"
by Flogging Molly
His eyes they closed…
and his last breath spoke…
he had seen all to be seen…
a life once full…
now an empty vase…
wilt the blossoms…
on his early grave…
"That's awful, Alex…I'm sorry." Carolyn placed a comforting hand on the knee of her colleague. "I can't even imagine losing a partner like that, much less my own husband."
Alex nodded solemnly, her hands numb from the bowl of ice cream she tightly cradled. Sighing, she tilted her head back and smiled softly. "Thanks…"
"For what?" the brunette questioned, pulling her hand away in order to stop the spoon in her own bowl from toppling out.
"For listening," Alex frowned, as if that wasn't what she wanted to say. She cocked her head to the side, and Carolyn suddenly wondered when Bobby Goren had rubbed off on her petite friend. "For…for allowing me to be selfish." She smirked, satisfied with her answer. Dipping her own spoon into her melting ice cream, she missed the look of bemusement on Carolyn's face.
"You're thanking me for allowing you to be selfish?"
Looking up from her bowl, Alex rolled her eyes. "You allowed me to talk your ear off with stories of Joe…you allowed me to be selfish. I'm thanking you for both, but I felt that the latter was more important," she paused, adding, "To me."
"Well then," Carolyn shrugged, "You're welcome."