The Last Goodbye
Johnson had been married to Mary for twenty-five years. They had built a life together, shared their dreams and aspirations, and raised a beautiful daughter. But time and circumstances eventually took their toll on their relationship. Johnson had grown distant and unfaithful, while Mary had become withdrawn and resentful.
One day, Johnson announced that he had fallen in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. Mary was devastated. She had hoped that they could work things out, but it seemed that there was no going back.
They sat on opposite ends of the sofa, their eyes avoiding each other. Johnson cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, Mary. I never meant to hurt you."
Mary looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.
"It's too late for apologies. You don't get to just walk out on me and expect me to forgive you."
They sat in silence for a few moments, until Mary spoke up again.
"What about our daughter? How are we going to explain this to her?"
Johnson sighed. "We'll have to tell her the truth, I suppose. That we just grew apart."
Mary shook her head. "She'll never forgive us. We'll be tearing her family apart."
Johnson looked away. "I know. But we can't keep living a lie. We have to be honest with her."
They talked for hours, sorting through their finances, deciding who would keep the house and the cars, and how they would divide their possessions. It was a civil, business-like conversation, devoid of any emotion. Mary wondered if Johnson still had any feelings for her, or if he was completely over her.
The evening wore on, and eventually they ran out of things to say. Johnson stood up, and Mary followed suit, wiping her tears away. They stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to do or say.
Then, without warning, Johnson pulled Mary into a tight embrace. She resisted at first, but then she relaxed and leaned into him, feeling his warmth and the beat of his heart. For a moment, it was as if they were back in their youth, before the years and the pain had taken their toll.
But it was only a moment. Johnson pulled away, and Mary saw the tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."
And with that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Mary alone with her thoughts and her pain.
Days turned into weeks, and into months. Mary tried to move on, but the pain and the memories kept coming back, haunting her every waking moment. Sometimes she would see Johnson on the street, walking hand in hand with his new love, and she would turn away, feeling a pang of jealousy and betrayal.
But life goes on, as they say. Mary found solace in her work, in her friends, in her music. She even started dating again, although she never found anyone who could replace Johnson completely.
Years went by, and eventually Mary's daughter got married and moved to another city. Mary felt a deep sadness, knowing that her family was now scattered and fragmented.
One day, out of the blue, Johnson called. Mary hadn't heard from him for years, and the sound of his voice brought back a flood of memories and emotions.
"Mary, I need to talk to you," he said. "It's important."
Mary hesitated for a moment, but then she agreed to meet him at a coffee shop downtown. They sat across from each other, their eyes locked together.
"I wanted to see you before...before it's too late," Johnson said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mary raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Johnson took a deep breath. "I have terminal cancer, Mary. I don't have long."
Mary felt a surge of sympathy and compassion for her ex-husband. She had known him for so long, and she couldn't bear to think of him suffering and dying.
"I'm so sorry, Johnson," she said, reaching across the table to hold his hand. "Is there anything I can do?"
Johnson shook his head. "No. I just wanted to see you, to say..." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Mary waited, holding her breath.
"I wanted to say goodbye," Johnson finally said, tears streaming down his face. "I know I hurt you in so many ways, Mary. I can never make up for it. But I wanted you to know that I still love you. I always have, and I always will."
Mary felt her heart break, and she felt the tears welling up in her own eyes.
<blockquote>"I love you, Johnson," she whispered. "I always will."
And with that, they said their final goodbyes, knowing that they would never see each other again in this lifetime. But somehow, they both felt a deep sense of peace and closure, knowing that their love had transcended time and space, and that it would live on in their hearts forever.
The end.
