Tombstone V.2 By D.I. Jolly
Jeremy’s eyes lit up when he finally spotted her,
“There you are how come you’re always in the same place and I always can’t find you?”
“I don’t know.”
Emily was sitting where she always sat and he moved into his usual spot on the grass next to her before opening a beer.
“I know why you like it here, it’s the sunsets.”
“You always say that.”
“I always say that I know, I know. But with work and everything I forget how nice it is to just sit here and watch the sun go down.”
He drank down the first half of his beer quicker than he’d meant to while she sat quietly, waiting for him.
“I mean, work isn’t bad but it’s … actually been going really well.”
“Oh?”
“My last project went really well and I think I might actually, finally be making headway in the right direction. I just need to be able to keep it up a little longer. But the rumour around the office is my name has been mentioned a few times at some very important meetings.”
“That is good news.”
Jeremy finished his beer and quickly opened a second.
“Bad news is… because there’s always bad news when I come here, I think Trace is about to divorce me.”
“Oh?”
“And I know I should be more worried or upset by it than I am, I know I should feel that way… I just, I don’t know. I guess I just don’t. My head says I’m going to miss her, and I should make the effort but my heart… just… doesn’t want to get involved.”
Jeremy stared out at the sun as it began to sink behind the city, and the golden clouds started to turn various tones of pink.
“She probably deserves better than me anyway, or not better but more there than I am. I work, it’s my thing these days. It keeps my mind going it helps keep me distracted and if she’s just another distraction then that’s not fair on her. She’s honest and kind and deserves someone who loves her. … Truth is … I just … don’t anymore.”
Jeremy leant his head back and finished his second beer.
“Why is it I always get all soppy when I see you. I’m fine the rest of the year, then I see you and suddenly my heart bursts open and I confess all my deepest secrets, the ones I normally keep hidden from myself?”
“I don’t know.”
Jeremy considered a third beer but didn’t want to walk home drunk in the dark. He didn’t drink often and two that quickly was already making him feel a bit light headed. So instead he just sat there with her and breathed trying to focus on the sunset instead of his feelings.
Slowly the pink clouds turned darker and the blue sky black, more and more stars appeared and a cold breeze picked up causing him to wish he’d brought his jacket. As it got colder and he realised it was time to go home he felt the muscles in his jaw clench.
“I miss you, you know.”
“I know.”
A few drunken tears welled up in his eyes as he turned to face her.
“It’s just not the same without you.”
He breathed another little sigh, then leant down and kissed the top of his daughter’s gravestone, before standing to leave.
“Happy birthday sweetheart.”