Write Together Challenge!

Life Without Wife

Because of the coronavirus.

Because of the coronavirus, I can't see my wife.

Because of the coronavirus, the toilet paper is out of stock.

Because of the coronavirus, I have changed the way I have. 

That's how many people are starting their sentences these days at the nursing home. I was walking in the garden, alone, as usual.

I sat down on the bench in the gazebo and set my cane down beside me. I sighed. Letting the fresh air fill my lungs, but all I could think about was my wife. I wish I could spend all this free time I now had with her. I wish I could read her all the poems I've written for her over this scary time. But I know that will never happen.

I closed my eyes as I read the poems I had memorized in my mind:

Roses are red, my heart is too, and If I could I would trade it for you.

I heard an old song today. It was a favorite of yours and for a moment I was back there. Its true love doesn't end. It just scatters itself among everyday things. (Poem credit to JmStorm)

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of singing coming from the church and I stood up from my favorite bench brushing my thumb over the plaque that reads: "In loving memory of Daisy Jane Foster. A wonderful wife and loving mother." 

I sigh sadly before walking with my cane towards the church staying clear of people as I watched 5 teenage girls sing hallelujah. My wife's favorite song. I hummed along as I watched taking out my handkerchief and wiping the tears that were falling from my face.

I smiled sadly at the girls who immediately recognized me from the news. Yes, I was the old man whose wife had died due to COVID-19. But one of them knew me from elsewhere. My great-granddaughter. Caroline Jane Foster. She was the daughter of my son who had recently died in a car accident and her mother was arrested for drug dealing soon after. I knew that her life was so much harder on her than mine was on me, so I let her stay with me, making sure to keep her away from 

She burst into tears midsong as she noticed me and she ran to me wrapping her arms around me and I quickly hugged her back and we stayed there like that for a while, me running my fingers through her hair and shushing her while she sobbed into me. For the first time in 83 years of living, I felt truly at peace with the world. 

The pain crawled right out of my wobbly knees and my cane fell out of my hand and I held my great-granddaughters hand as we walked back towards my nursing home. I knew she had to finish her online school for today, so before she left I gave her a squirt of hand sanitizer before we had to part. 

I went to the bench and she went to our room. 

The only thing that I had learned over this COVID-19 pandemic is that: No matter how hard you try Death will always be there collecting those ready to be collected. But Death is also an understanding person, so they know what they're doing and they know everything their doing is for a purpose. I will never forget my wife, but I will also learn to grow up. It won't be that long before I'm with her anyways.

I read the plaque once more before sighing and watching the birds once more.