It had been three weeks since their return. Kimberli had moved in with her mother, and they have spoken irregularly. John knew there was a profound disconnect. Their once-happy home felt empty without his angel's presence. She was the sunshine that lightened the mood, the atmosphere. John's father would stop by from time to time, but he was only a mild distraction for the constant anguish that had swallowed him whole.
I would rather be dead than go on like this forever.
Though his thoughts were dark, they spoke the truth. Every morning it was a struggle to find a good enough reason to get out of bed. He knew he had declared he couldn't live without her, and now he was proving his words to be genuine. Yes, he was alive, but he was far from living. It felt like his world had turned over,
