He turned to see the urn on the fireplace mantle and he remembered the promises that had been made. Some were kept, others were not.
Oh, how he missed her. He realized how much he loved her and how, to some extent, took her for granted.
He glanced over at the kitchen table and saw the open checkbook, where she had left it, next to some unpaid bills.
He remembered how he thought she had a tendency to talk too much but now he missed that same voice.
He walked over to the quilt hanging on the wall. It was the last one she had made. He reached out and touched their finely embroidered names she had placed within a heart surrounded by cupids.
That evening he skipped dinner as he had no appetite and fell asleep on the couch watching television and waiting for her as if she could appear at any moment. He awoke the next day to an empty house. He showered and got dressed for the day. While he was in the walk-in closet he could smell her on her clothes hanging there just as she left them and could even smell her on some of his own clothing.
He looked again at the beautiful quilt hanging on the wall. Faded memories returned to him vividly as they inundated him with pleasantness.However, he was jolted from his daydream when the doorbell rang. He went to open the door.
“Sorry Dear,” his wife exclaimed as she exploded into the house, “ but I’ve misplaced my house key, I think I left it on the mantle next to Grandpa. Also, you would not believe what happened at our quilting retreat this weekend. Oh, before I tell you all about it, did you miss me?”