The weather matched the same mood of the people gathered within the church. Gloomy. Sad. Depressing. James had just died the week before. Heart attack. He was in the hospital for his pancreas and wound up having a massive heart attack. Ironic.

She sat in her pew, bawling. James was her brother. Her best friend. How could life go on now? Sure, James’ death was inevitable. He had diabetes. He was obese. He’d had several problems with his body and had been hospitalised because of those problems this past year.

It was still tragic. He was gone. Really gone and he was never coming back. It hurt. That knowledge that someone you love is forever… gone. Like an old lover. You believe they will be there forever. Then something happens and they are ripped from your life. It’s over.

She thought about James. He had been so full of life. Always smiling despite all the pain he was dealt. The blood-sugar tests. The hospitals. The inability to work.

He loved his children. Loved them dearly. His wife- her sister-in-law- was always so gentle and understanding. She was devastated now. Both women were.

Jamie. He is only ten years old. Oh, to have to lose a parent at such a young age. It’s not fair. James shall never be able to see his two children graduate. To see them start their own lives and make something of themselves. To be there at their weddings. Paige will have to walk down the aisle alone…

She began sobbing again.

John entered the church. He was nervous as hell and still incredibly stunned. James was dead. He couldn’t believe it. He doubted this was a good idea. He hadn’t spoken to Sally in two and a half years. It wasn’t that long, but when it is between you and the love of your life, it is an eternity. It was a mutual decision. Their separation. Different choices.

He would sit in the back. Yes. That was good. It was safe. She was already heartbroken because of her brother’s sudden death; he didn’t- couldn’t- shatter it further. He didn’t want to splinter his own heart, either. No. Not again.

Oh, God, he saw her. She was up front. Good. She hadn’t seen him. But she was sobbing into her hands. His heart cracked and spider-webbed out. He wanted to run up and comfort her. No. No, he couldn’t. It would cause problems. This was not a time to cause problems. This was not a time for a scene. His legs started moving and he cursed them to stop, but they continued their progression down the aisle.

His heart beat rapidly in his chest. There she was, right in front of him. His heart wrenched in his chest. He sat. She still didn’t move. Tentatively, he lifted his arm. No! His arm wasn’t supposed to move! He breathed in deeply and let it come back down. Yes! It was going down! He thought it would just go down and he could go back to the last pew in the church. Or better yet, he’d leave. Yes. That would be the better option.

His arm came to a stop and he felt clothing, smooth skin. It wasn’t his. His arm had gone around her. She looked up. She stopped sobbing momentarily to let a look of bewilderment flash across her face. Her head hung. She started weeping. Harder. His heart jerked. She leaned forward.

She was leaning forward! He had to do something. Hug her. Embrace her. Something!

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Smooth. Real smooth.

She sobbed into his chest and he instinctively put his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. He slowly rocked them back and forth, rubbing her back, trying to soothe her.

Sally stood at the foot of the grave, watching as the coffin slowly made its way into the ground. She leant back against a strong chest, her eyes silently releasing their salty water. John had stayed with her in the pew for the entire service. Had held her. Had comforted her. Had brought the feelings back.

It was wrong, she knew. Wrong to feel those things. It had ended between them years previously. But it felt good. It felt right. No. They couldn’t.

She turned and collapsed in his arms and began crying fretfully. John put his arms around her.

“Shh… it’s going to be okay. James is in Heaven, now. He is no longer hurting,” he told her.

But that wasn’t why she was crying. She knew James was in a better place. She knew he was happy. But that’s not why she was crying. She was crying because of them. Because she realised that it was over. Really over. Despite how she felt for him again, it was over. He didn’t feel that way for her. (Did he?) No. He didn’t.

He watched her in his arms as she shed even more tears that day. He hated that she was like this. Heartbroken. Miserable. Hated that James had to cause her so much pain. But he was better now. They just had to think of that.

He looked at her. She was beautiful. Perfect. Damn. He still loved her. It was bad coming here. His face fell. He loved her. He wasn’t supposed to. That part was over, now. All those years… gone. Because he was stubborn. All that love, just out the window. He sighed and held her tighter against him. He didn’t want to let her go again. He couldn’t. But he had to. It’s what she wanted. (Right?) Yes.

“We should see each other again. Talk about… things,” John said.

“Yes,” Sally agreed. “We should.”

The reception had ended. Sally and John stood by the driver’s side door to John’s truck. Talking. Making plans for the future. Their future.

With one last goodbye, John got into his truck, started it up, and drove away. Sally watched him leave the parking lot before going to her own car, starting it up, and driving off in the opposite direction.

They never did meet again. They both thought of it on numerous occasions. But they didn’t do anything. That’s not what the other wanted, they would tell themselves. And so that’s how they lived. Alone. Loving each other, but never taking action. Their chance was there. They abandoned it.