It’s another break from Missing today. Time got away from me, so I decided on a piece of flash fiction following the prompt for today, which is as follows.
StoryADay September 2015 – Prompt: The Widower (They had been married sixty years. She always did the cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, and cleaning around the house. He has just returned home after the funeral and finds himself alone to figure it all out for himself.)
Dear Jinny
The house is as empty as my heart without you. It’s cold right now, but I don’t have the energy to work the thermostat. I’m keeping the place tidy, or that is, our home is pretty much as you left it. Not a thing out of place; nothing touched by my hand or yours.
The fridge is full of offerings from our well-meaning neighbours. I do regret that it’s going to waste, mainly because I know how you feel about that sort of thing. But worry not, my dear, sweet Jinny. It won’t be long now. I haven’t spent more than three days without you in over sixty years. This two weeks has been the longest stretch. Though, truth be told, I’ve had my memories to keep me company. I see you every time I close my eyes, and that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing for the last day or so.
The ache that began in my soul is bone deep now. But this pain I’m feeling, it’s nothing compared to the thought of living without you.
Forgive me, sweetheart. I know you’re probably angry with me right now. I can hear you, the echo of your gentle warnings; to get up from this chair; to eat; to drink; to function. Deep down you know I can’t.
It’s a good thing I’m still in my Sunday best, the suit you like to call my dating threads. I wore it when I said goodbye, and I’ll be wearing it when you come for me, my love.
Hurry. It’s cold here without you.
B.
Thanks for stopping by.
Mel
Melissa Barker-Simpson 
Oh, Mel, that is heart-breaking. But I think, in his position, I’d feel the same. How do you go on when you’re only half there?
I had Christopher Reeves in my head when I wrote it. Have you ever seen Somewhere in Time? It’s heartbreaking – the character dies of a broken heart. My nan, who is a strong, proud woman, lost her husband of 55 years recently and my grandad was the rock who kept us all together. Nan spends most of her days living in the past now…luckily she has her grandchildren to drag her back to the present and spoil her for a change 🙂
Oh so sad, Melissa. A lovely piece of writing. Oh, and I have seen Somewhere In Time – I love that film! My grandmother lived ten years after my grandfather passed away, and she told me once that the pain never went away, she just learned how to deal with it.
I’m so glad somebody knew what I was talking about! 😉 Thanks, Helen. It’s humbling I think – fighting through the pain and having the strength to go on.
Absolutely – and it’s something I consider more as I get older.