It was hot that day, too hot to wear a jacket he thought. But it was expected perhaps. It was a long day as well, only a few short hours wearing his jacket but his emotions were drained which made it seem so long. For more than a week now his brother and sister had stayed with him. It was good to see them again. His sister lived so far away, they hadn't seen each other for years. And while his brother and his wife lived far closer, they had grown more distant than the miles.

   When he came home, he removed and hung up his jacket. His brother was already on the way home to work and pay the bills. His sister was leaving on a 7 o'clock flight the next morning. He didn't say much, there wasn't much to say so he fixed himself a lunch and tried, as best he could, to enjoy it.

   He wandered through the rooms that day and through his thoughts as well with recollections of the past and questions of the future. It was not the same. It could never be the same. There was the cat to feed and care for, at least some things remained the same. But what would tomorrow bring and what of yesterday would be left behind. He went to bed that night knowing that by the time he awoke his sister would have already left for flight home. He knew the house would be a silent shell.

 
   The next morning he awoke and his sister had already left for home so he fed the cat and went back to bed...and cried as he thought about his mother's funeral the day before.
  
© 16 Apr 09 Alan Winters