• Her shirt was damp from the steady stream of tears down her cheeks, ruining her carefully applied make-up. She slid down the wall, and pulled her knees to her chest. Snippets of memories flew through her head so fast that they were hardly recognizable, only two words stuck out. “I’m sorry.” Those words struck threw her heart like a hot dagger, ripping her apart from the inside.

    She had come after a tiring day, holding a couple bags of food. It was their anniversary. She hummed softly as she unpacked the bags onto the counter. Looking at the time, she cursed, and started to put things into a pan arranging them just right. She set the oven to pre-heat, hoping it would work.

    Music started to play from the bedroom. She was spooked, but quickly remembered that it was her cell phone. She looked at the number, not recognizing it. “Hello,” she answered, wiping her hands on a dish towel that she managed to grab. The conversation was quick. She said thank you and snapped the phone shut. The timer on the over dinged, but it was ignored. Her husband wasn’t coming home, ever. Tears started to form in her eyes, but refused to fall. She looked at the large picture sitting on top of the dresser. It was of their wedding day. Smiles graced their faces, love in their eyes.

    She pulled the picture off the dresser, but it fell, glass shattering. She reached down to get it, but only ended up cutting herself instead. Blood dripped from her fingertips staining the cream colored carpet. Shooting, the policeman had said, he had been protecting one of his students. The plans of their future flashed through her mind, then were gone. Her tears finally fell from her eyes, as the reality finally sunk in.