She Was Loved

Sarah sat at the park bench, watching passersby as they went busily about with their own life. She wondered about them, who they were, where they came from and where they were going to.
She sighed.

For her the world had grown dark or at least grey, nothing held her interest; not her books, her writings and definitely not her gardening. Her flower garden was alright though as there had been intermittent rain through the months. They were busy growing with the weeds.

The day grew older and the dusk began to creep in.  She got up from her bench and began her slow walk home. During such walk, she usually went on auto-pilot, never really seeing anything she passed by.

As she walked, she travelled down the annals of time in her mind and once again she heard their laughter as they played in the garden.

Her boys Jeremy and Joshua; how good looking they were, and how healthy. At ten years old the twins were tall for their age but gangly. They played like puppies under the lone Casuarina tree in her garden.

She loved them so much, and more so when their father absconded and never returned. She heard he went to another country to work. She was hurt initially, but she did not grieve as they were never married and he had always shown a distinct lack of interest in his sons.

She took care of her boys as much as she could, give them all she could in education and love. She worked two jobs, a receptionist in a hotel in the mornings and in the evening she sewed on sequins on gowns for a Bridal Boutique. They did not have much but she managed to pay the rent and put food on the table.

Then she had met Mike. He was good looking, in a wholesome kind of way as opposed to the boys’ father who had that broody tortured artist look that women seemed to gravitate to. She had, and later found out that he was not tortured in any way much less an artist. It was just his looks.

Sarah fell in love with Mike, whom she knew worked with a corporation that provided security and services to individuals. It provided body guards, chauffeurs, security guards and even private investigations.

She never really questioned Mike about what he did, and he had never volunteered information. He just said he worked as a security officer there. And of course she believed him.
Her boys then both 13 years old, seemed to like him. The twins were never too friendly with strangers and their easy and pleasant manner towards Mike was a blessing to her.

Not long after, Mike was staying overnight with her. A few months later he moved in and several days later he proposed. It was the most joyful day of her life. Her wedding? It was heaven. Her two boys in suits…and her new man… She was so happy.

The days went by, and the months and she settled down in her wedded bliss, being a wife and a mother. Her world was complete.  
Mike had spoken about a bigger house away from the neighbourhood, and she had been so enthusiastic.

It all went on to a screeching halt one evening.  She was just making dinner in the kitchen listening to the conversation outside. School was out in one week and Mike had put out application for leave.

They were talking about trekking in the National Park, where they should set up camp and what sort of outfits they would bring.  She remembered feeling a little left out as she would be working during that week; she had to finish a wedding dress for a weekend wedding.

She had gone on behind the house to throw wet garbage into her compost heap,  in the darkening evening. She remembered thinking about going to the grocers to buy food for the enthusiastic would-be campers.

Then she heard shouting, screams and then several loud bangs from her house. She stood there puzzled as silence descended. It was several seconds before she could move and then she ran. The result of the few minutes of noises was devastation. Her husband was face down on a pool of blood while her boys were huddled together seemingly bathed in blood too.

Her one piercing scream brought over the neighbours who had heard the gunshot. She did not know what happened next until next day when she woke up in Hospital.

The triple funeral was a swirling blur to her. She was in a cloud of pain but also so detached from other mourners that included people she never met before.  It went by and the days seemed to roll into one long painful silence.

The newspapers were splashed with the tragedy. Apparently Mike had been investigating a public personality suspected of killing his wife. His daughter had ordered the investigation after finding that all of the mother’s assets which amounted to several millions have been diverted to the husband, after an apparent fatal boating accident. Mike had completed the case and gave all the evidence to the man’s daughter.  
Apparently the man had not known this and sought to terminate Mike’s investigation early.

She did not care about the public personality’s family, and their apparent greed.
All she wanted was her family back. Even without Mike, she wanted her sons back. The sons who were killed for being there, witnesses to something they did not even understand.
Some days she hated Mike for bringing his world of intrigue into hers. At times, she thanked God for him for showing her perfect love even though it was so brief.

The men in her life died three months ago.

For her though it felt like yesterday and an eternity ago..



Ends