Hi Everyone! This new story idea hit me last night. The plot is still getting worked out in my head, but it is loosely figured out in my head. I have half of the next chapter for Little Wonders written. So it should be up later today or tomorrow. Any of my other non completed stories will be deleted, because sadly my muse has left those. I will bring them back in the future if the muse returns. There are three stories I never completed. This will let me focus on just this story and Little Wonders for now. Thank you so much for all your support! Enjoy!

Sink or Swim

Every morning, John awoke with his hand brushing along the side of his bed and lingering over its emptiness. It had been four years, but yet he couldn't stop this habit. His eyes slowly opened and he pulled his hand back to his chest. The pillow next to him remained untouched and the sheets even. It was unlike before when the sheets would all be pulled to the other side of the bed, leaving him with a small scrap of covers at night.

In the past, he would tease her about it and say she was a cover hog. He could still hear her laugh, bright and cheerful. At times, her face would fade and he was grateful for pictures. And their son, Luke.

He had a lot of his mother in him. Her laugh, her smile, and her humor. Luke looked more like him, but he could see Rebecca in his eyes.

They had wanted to have more children and to give him siblings. But she had gotten sick and it had never happened. Luke was their one child and John was so glad to have him, to have a reminder of his dead wife.

The boy had only been three when his mother had passed away. Because he had been so small, John tried to do everything to help him remember Rebecca. He put out a lot of pictures and showed him videos of her before she was sick. It had been a daunting task, and still was. But Luke was why he woke up every morning and kept living. He had a son that needed him.

"Dad, it's time to get up for work," Luke called out, banging on John's door. John chuckled. Luke was a morning person, who almost always woke up before he did. In some ways, he tried to play the adult role taking care of John, even though John told him that was not his job.

"I'm awake," John called back, as he sat up in his bed. He ran his hand through his hair and swung his legs to the side of the bed. His right knee protested, making him groan slightly. With his hand, he rubbed against the skin and hoped to loosen the stiffness slightly. Then he stood, grabbed his cane, and made his way to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Anna slid the engagement ring down her finger and lifted her hand up, glancing at the ring on her finger. Light from the sun hit it and made it sparkle. She covered the ring with her fingers and began to twist it around the finger over and over, as she debated on whether or not she should wear it today. Tomorrow marked a year. How long could she wear it before appearing crazy? He wasn't coming back. There would never be a wedding band next to the engagement ring. There would never be a wedding. Never be an anniversary. Never any babies.

She sighed. No, she told herself. She wasn't going to start all of this in her head. No tears, no sadness. When you went through tragedies, you had one of two choices: you could sink or you could swim. For her, sinking wasn't an option. She had mourned, but she had to come out strong on the other side. It's what he would have wanted.

Deciding to keep the ring on her finger, Anna lifted her hairbrush and combed it through her hair. Then she began to listen to the speech on her phone, as she did her make up. Today she and her work partner (and best friend), Mary, were giving a speech to their new client. She had put her part on the phone to listen to herself and practice.

"Hello, my name is Anna Smith and this is my partner, Mary Crawley. We are here to…." Anna mouthed the words as it played and she did her eyeliner.

As she was about to practice the big part of her speech, her phone began to ring. Anna glanced down and then rolled her eyes when she saw it was Mary. She hit the answer button along with speaker phone, so she could continue to get ready.

"Yes, Mary," Anna slightly snipped.

"Well, good morning to you too, Anna," Mary replied.

"Sorry, I'm trying to get ready," Anna stated. She flipped her hair back off her face and tried to adjust the lipstick that had just smudged.

"You have your part memorized? You won't be late?"

"Yes and no, I won't be late," Anna said with a slight sigh. "The meeting isn't for another two hours. I will be there in forty-five minutes, maybe earlier if I can get ready without interruptions."

"Alright, alright, just don't forget your folder," Mary said, before ending the call. Anna shook her head and finished preparing for leaving the house.

As she went to turn off the bedroom light, the photo by the front door caught her attention. Slowly, she lifted the frame and ran her finger tips over his face. A few tears prickled behind her eyes and she blinked them away. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she gave them a kiss and pressed it against the frame.

"Love you, Wyatt," she whispered. "I'll make you proud, babe." She put the frame back down on the small table next to the door and left for work.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Don't forget, you go home with Jackson tonight," John reminded his son. "I'll pick you up around seven. I expect all homework done and for you to be on your best behavior." The seven year old nodded and then bent forward giving his dad a quick hug, before jumping out of the car.

"I always do," Luke said with a wink. Then he rushed down the small side walk toward the front of the school.

John watched as his son began to run and then heard as a teacher told him to calm down.

"Mr. Bates, walk," the teacher stated. John chuckled and continued on his way to work. Luke loved school. Summers were almost miserable for him. He loved to learn and John hoped it stayed that way when he was older.

On Mondays, Luke would go home with a friend so that John could go to his weekly meeting. It was how he managed to try and cope with the loss of his wife. It was a Significant Other Loss Support Group. Sometimes he found it difficult to attend, others it was his saving grace, and it was always the one place where people truly understood how it felt to be him.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"That went well, we should go out and drink to celebrate tonight," Mary offered, her demeanor more calm now that the meeting was over.

"Rain check?" Anna offered. "I have somewhere to go tonight."

"Where?" Mary asked, pursing her lips together suspiciously.

"Just a support group, my therapist said it might be nice," Anna said with a shake of her head. "You know with the anniversary of Wyatt's death being tomorrow, she said it could help to speak with others who have been through the same thing."

"Oh Anna, I'm so sorry. I….well, I completely forgot that tomorrow was the anniversary. I guess I have been so caught up in….."

"It's fine. I'm fine. I probably shouldn't even go tonight," Anna told her. "I have been handling all of this just fine."

"No, you should go," Mary encouraged. "Your therapist is right. And don't come in tomorrow. Take the day off. Go and do something you two would have done together."

"Thanks Mary, but I'd rather just come on in and keep on going on."

"Oh alright, but if you change your mind, I'll understand."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

He hadn't been a coffee drinker until these meetings. Then it had become habit. Before the meeting would start, he would grab a coffee and a small snack that had been set out at the table. It was one of the best places for conversations. Now that he had been coming for nearly four years, he knew all of the other regulars. There were the ones who would show up for a week or two and disappear and then the small group that always remained the same.

Just as he went to pour his coffee, John saw a new woman walk into the room. She was petite and still had her ring on her finger. The ring was usually the first thing John would notice. It didn't give a good indication of how long the significant other had passed, but it did give a good idea of where that person was on their personal journey. At least that was what John personally experienced with the people he knew around him.

The woman appeared a bit shy and anxious about joining in on the group and he could see in her eyes the idea of turning and leaving before it began. John rushed over to her and offered her his cup of coffee.

"Would you like some coffee? I know being the new person can be slightly overwhelming," he told her, with a small understanding smile.

"No, I think that might make me a bit jittery," she answered. "Have you been coming here often?"

"Nearly four years," he replied. The woman's eyes fell slightly and she glanced around the room.

"Four years?" There was a hint of discouragement in her voice.

"My wife passed about four years ago. Cancer," he told her. "This is a good place. Lots of good people. There's no judgement and everyone heals at their own pace."

"Oh," the woman sighed. She began to chew on her lower lip and stepped back slightly.

"I know the first time can be a bit frightening," John said, trying to be sympathetic. But the woman shot her eyes at him.

"I'm not frightened," she quickly stated. "And who says this is my first time?"

"I…I'm sorry. I hadn't seen you here before so I forgot that you could have gone to another support group," John fumbled awkwardly over his words. He was now regretting coming over and trying to welcome the newest visitor to the group. All he seemed to say was making her angry or ready to leave. It had not been his intent. But the woman laughed slightly, making him calm.

"Sorry. It is my first time," she replied. "I just…I'm sorry, but I don't know what to expect. This is all so new to me."

"Was it recent?"

"No, well, yes," she corrected herself. "At least, it feels that way to me, sometimes. Other times it feels lightyears away."

"That's a common feeling," John told her. "When did he pass, if you don't mind me asking?"

"A year ago, tomorrow," she replied. Her lower lip trembled, but only for a split second. "He was my fiancé. We were getting married a week later."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," John said.

"It's fine. Really. I've come to terms with it; I don't have much of a choice." The leader came in and told everyone it was about time to start. "I should probably grab a seat. Nice to meet you…."

"John."

"Nice to meet you, John. I'm Anna."

To be continued...

Please let me know if you would like more. Thank you in advance. :)