A Silent Goodbye
The sterile scent of the hospice room clung to Donna, a stark contrast to the vibrant memories it stirred. Years. Decades, almost, had passed since she last saw Seth, yet the years melted away as she looked at him, pale and frail in the bed. His hair, once thick and unruly, was now thinning and greyish, clinging to his head.
Mia, Seth’s daughter, had found her two weeks ago. A nervous phone call, a hesitant explanation, and then the request that shattered her carefully constructed world – Seth was dying, and his last wish was to see her. Donna had resisted at first, the old wounds throbbing, the memory of her young heart shattering under his words still sharp. But Mia, with her father’s pleading eyes, had worn her down.
And here she was, holding his hand, its skin papery and thin.
“Donna,” he rasped, his voice a dry whisper. “You came.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Of course, I came, Seth.”
Hours dissolved into a blur of memories and apologies. He told her how much he loved her, how leaving her was the greatest mistake of his life, a mistake that had haunted him through marriage , children, and a career. He’d carried her ghost with him, a constant reminder of what he’d lost.
She listened, her heart aching with a grief she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for years. She saw the raw regret in his eyes, the genuine sorrow that resonated deep within her.
“I was so young, Donna,” he’d said, his voice barely audible. “So foolish. I didn’t understand what I had. And by the time I did, it was too late.”
And finally, she spoke the words she had kept locked away for so long. “I loved you too, Seth. I always have.”
The flicker of relief that crossed his face was enough to break her.
The weeks that followed were a vigil. Mia would call, updating her on Seth’s fading strength. Donna wanted to visit more but couldn’t , she wanted to be there to hold his
hand, sharing stories, trying to fill the silence with a love that had been denied for so long.
Then came the call she knew was inevitable. Another nervous voice, this time brimming with grief. Seth was gone.
The funeral was a sombre gathering of old friends and family. Donna felt like she had stepped back in time a lot of ghosts from the past. felix was one of the old faces he had been the cause of donna and Seth break up Mia embraced her, her eyes red-rimmed but grateful. “Thank you for being here, Donna. It meant the world to him.”
She met Conner, Seth’s son, who bore his father’s strong jawline and intense gaze. They exchanged a few words, a shared understanding passing between them, a mutual grief bridging the gap of years.
Felix had gone over to talk to donna, donna had no desire to talk to him, but she was polite and engaged with him he wanted to apologize for his part of in Seth and her break up
“It’s all water under the bridge now”
“I am truly sorry; you and Seth had a special kind of love”
Joel Seth’s best friend went over to intervein
“Felix, I don’t think this is the time or the place”
“ I just wanted to say I was sorry”
“And you have now”
Finally, Donna stood alone at the graveside, as everyone made their way back to the cars, the cold earth a stark reminder of the finality of death. The headstone, freshly etched with Seth’s name, seemed to mock her with its permanence.
Tears streamed down her face, blurring the already fading sunlight. She closed her eyes, the scent of the damp earth filling her nostrils.
“Oh, Seth,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I was so stubborn. So afraid of being hurt again. I let my pride keep me away. I wasted so much time.”
The truth hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. They had both been prisoners of the past, held captive by choices made long ago.
She opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the simple headstone. “I will love you always, Seth. Sleep tight, my love.”
The breeze rustled through the nearby trees, carrying her words into the silent earth. The love she had buried for so long finally found its release, a bittersweet melody played out against the backdrop of loss and regret. And as she turned to leave, a single ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, warming her face with a fleeting, gentle caress, a final, silent goodbye.
Joel had hung back, so she could say her goodbye to the only man she had ever truly loved, then he gently took her arm and escorted her back to the car.
The End
Thank You for Reading
Deborah C. Langley
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