Ten To Life

The commute to work wasn't really heavy. The fact that school was out became a godsend for anything traffic related. Near any food- related businesses, there's sometimes a cluster of cars looking for breakfast. Mike just shook his head. He was reminded of a theory he'd come up with in high school. The proposal had been that customers traveled in herds. As he watched the lines slowly move, a warm chuckle bubbled out from his chest.

Mike hadn't always had the easiest life. Through trauma and therapy, he'd finally gotten to a pretty great place. With this line of thought came his greatest concern, his ex-gf Rose. They'd been so close for so long. That was until they dated. Silly things tended to get in their way. What started as his dream come true, ended n heartbreak. They both had their own healing journey to attend to.

After a major falling out, they managed to become friends again. During her absence, Mike had gone into therapy to help find the reasons he always felt lacking in self- worth. His therapist praised his healing journey and taught him not to be so ashamed about things that had altered his life. We grow and move on.

Rose was another issue altogether. She'd gotten into some really worrisome things during their hiatus. Rescuing her from it wasn't even an option. There was still so much love left for her, but he couldn't live the life she lived. He'd developed boundaries, but fate had intervened.

Rose had gotten a serious infection. It had left her in the hospital. In that state, she'd contacted Mike. There was no doubt he'd take care of her. The problem was that he couldn't figure out why. She had a whole life that didn't include him. Why was he the one?

The obvious answer would be that she really did love him. That would be too much to hope for. He knew that Rose had never resolved any of her own traumas. That left her with an amazing inability to see what was right in front of her, leaving Mike with feelings of hurt and emptiness.

The two of them lived like an old couple, but Rose would disappear for days at a time. She'd admitted the life she'd been leading. Illegal substances and casual sexual encounters were not what Mike wanted to think about.

In the passenger seat, there was a letter addressed to Rose. Mike planned on breaking the cycle. He wanted to tell her how much he lived her, but that it was time to let her go. Things had grown increasingly difficult. Thinking about her life choices had reduced him to tears in more than one occasion. They were magic together. They just weren't meant to be together.

While he continued to think about how things would go, Rose happened to can. There was a bit of hesitation before answering.

"Hello.?"

No pleasantries today. He didn't have the strength.

"Hey, Mike! What are you up to?"

"Just on my way to work. Longest ten minutes of my life. "

He tried his best to keep a nonchalant tone.

"What's wrong?"

Rose could usually see right through him.

"I'm fine. I can't really get too deep into it right before work, but we can talk later if you like. Are you busy tonight?"

He had already known the answer. He could tell when she was going to disappear again.

"You know, Rose, I really don't like this. You're too capable of living this life."

"Look, I'm just trying to live my life. I want my freedom. I know how you feel, but you can't use your feelings to manipulate me. "

"That's not what I'm doing at all. It's no secret that I love you. I'm not going to hold all my hurt inside and pretend i don't have feelings. It's not fair to me either. "

"Yeah, I get that, but i'm gonna to do what I'm gonna do. "

"I know."

That's all he could say. It was pointless to argue. Her detachment trauma was too much a part of who she was now.

"Anyway, I'm almost at work. I probably better......."

The line and silent. Rose her something of a loud noise. Then everything was silent.

"Mike? Mike, are you there? Hello?!"

*

Mike felt himself flying. He wasn't sure what had happened, but it was sudden.

He felt his world growing cold. What had just happened?

*

Rose had been only a minute away. When the line went silent, she panicked and decided to pay Mike a visit. She was just being silly.

There had been an accident. A tractor trailer had plowed through the light. Rose couldn't even make what the wreckage had been. She noticed a bumper sticker on the destroyed car. Mike had the same sticker. Wait. Is that why he went silent?

Real panic set in. It wasn't possible. They'd just been talking. She ran to the debris site. The main body is the car had been sent rolling, an finally can't to rest 500 feel away. A figure lay awkwardly slumped in the crushed frame.

"MIKE!!!!"

Rose ran to him, forgetting the rest of the world around her. She needed to talk to him. She needed him to tell her it was well ok. He always made it ok. Mike didn't move. Deep down, she knew he never would again. Why did this happen? He was only driving to work. Why??

The letter was on the ground. While picking it up, she hoped it was a love letter. She'd always pretended not to like them before. This was a dream. No. A nightmare. She read the letter. There wasn't love in it. This had been a goodbye letter. Mike was moving on. He was taken from her, believing that she didn't love him. It was more than she could bear.

Rose collapsed on the ground near the wreckage. Near Mike. Near the man she loved more than anyone. She'd been a fool.

Onlookers gathered around, but she refused to move or even acknowledge them. Mike's name was continuously forming on her lips.

"Please, come back..."