Brenda watched as Sharon tried desperately to hold her emotions together. All the tears. The well wishes from loved ones. It was too much. Dealing with the death of a loved one is something that is unimaginable to an onlooker. To a person involved it is almost impossible.
Sharon has grace in spades and it showed on today of all days. Brenda saw her deal with everyone from teary eyed colleges to weeping parents. She apologized for their loss. Brenda tried to tell Sharon that she had noting to apologize for. She couldn't have known what was to happen.
When everything was said and done and all the visitors had gone, Brenda witnessed the strongest woman she had ever known break into uncontrollable sobs. Brenda felt her heart wrenching painfully. She moved to hold Sharon. To comfort her. To kiss her. To do anything to ease the pain that her lover was feeling. Because how were they to know.
To know that the last meal was the last. Or the last ride in the car. The last shopping trip. The last walk on the beach. The last late night at work. The last movie night. The last night cuddled under a blanket watching the stars. The last morning to wake with the person you love more than the world itself. The last hug. The last kiss. The last 'I love you'. The last word.
There was no build up. No warning. And as Brenda tried desperately to comfort and kiss and hold Sharon, she knew it was all in vein. Sharon couldn't feel the kisses or hear her words. Brenda couldn't do anything to make the pain go away anymore no matter how much she wanted to. Sharon was left to deal with the unimaginable.