Romance Anthology

Sparks episode 1

Chapter 1

Time.

Something that’s endless when you're young, but later realize it goes by too fast. There will never be enough of it in the span of one's life. A lifetime. A measurement of survival. Some will have decades. Other’s blink out of existence too soon. Perhaps those that live those short lives would disagree. For those they leave behind though, it will never be enough.

That’s where she found herself now. Sitting in the quiet of their home. Her home. She couldn’t reconcile that her husband, David, was gone. They had only gotten 7 short years together. Less than that if she took into consideration how he’d spent the majority of his last year. Holed up at work. She understood his work was important to him. As was hers. That didn’t negate the fact that he would rather work than be with her.

She thought they had a wonderful relationship. They understood each other in a way that others couldn’t. On paper, they were a good match. He, an AI robotics engineer, her, a systems engineer. They fit together perfectly. They had never fought. Debated? Naturally, they did. It was an enjoyable pastime for the both of them, or so she had thought. They could talk for hours on end and never run out of things to say.

There was nothing for her to say now. He had seen to that. David had even kept his illness a secret from her until he couldn’t hide it anymore. By then it had been too late. Not like it mattered anyway. What kind of person would she be if she had intervened with how he wanted to spend the last of his life? It didn’t matter how she felt at that point. Everyone was flocking to his side, vying for his attention. As his wife, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t save him. Couldn’t understand what he was thinking anymore. She did the only thing she could, watch him from afar.

The person he had chosen to share his life with, but wouldn’t share what was left. Now he was gone and it no longer mattered. Except, to her, it did. She could rage at the air and site each grievance, but what good did that do? None. It changed nothing at that point. He was gone and she was alone. All she had left were the words she couldn’t say when he was there.

She had taken time off from work. More like pushed to take bereavement. Instead of keeping her mind busy with work, she was left to her thoughts. A waste of time was what it was. In truth, without David or her work she was lost. She had never had any interest in anything else.

Perhaps she could go visit her family. The thought of doing so was daunting. Her sister would want to comfort her. She tended to be a bit smothering normally. There would be no shaking her if she went. Besides, she didn’t want to be surrounded by those who felt sorry for her. The pity would grate. She didn’t want sympathy. She didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts either. She wanted her husband back. Damn him for stealing the last of his time from her!

Being angry at him didn’t change anything. The regrets that clouded her mind had her seething irrationally. Anger, loneliness, and quiet. That’s all that was left to fill their home.

Her home.

Before she had met David, those words would have brought her pride. After building a life with her soulmate, they were nothing but ash. Maybe she should sell it and start over somewhere that wasn’t dripping in memories of him. A place that wasn’t teeming with reminders everywhere she looked. Who needed to be surrounded by a house built on unfulfilled promises and broken dreams? Let someone else start a life there. Hers had ended here, and she was done being reminded of that.

She moved with purpose towards the study. Her laptop had been left in there, and she hadn’t had the heart to enter his domain to retrieve it. There was no stopping now. Hand on the cool metal of the knob, she took a breath. She couldn’t chicken out now. There was no allowing that.

Perhaps it was the rattle of the knob turning beneath her hand that had blocked out the sound of another door opening. She couldn’t be sure. Wouldn’t have even known anyone was there if he hadn’t called out to her.

“Harper? Where are you?”

Breathless.

That’s how he always seemed to leave her. He shouldn’t still have that effect on her. He was dead. She had seen the whole travesty of the end. What she was hearing was impossible. There was no mistaking the tenor of his rich voice. She’d know it anywhere. Was he haunting her now? ‘To little too late now’. She could be going mad. There was no way of knowing if she didn’t go to him. A small stubborn part of her wanted to ignore him in any capacity like he had her. Childish but valid.

The entryway came into view and….nothing. There was nobody there. The cologne he used to wear permeated the surrounding air. She was going crazy then.

“What are you doing?”

Spinning on her heels, she found herself facing a dead man. It wasn’t possible. She had seen him in the casket. Had touched his cold hand. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her. Very cruel tricks. He reached out and caressed her cheek, smiling at her as the warmth of his skin seeped into hers. The world began to tilt as her vision faded out.

“What an asshole.”