He's So Gone (Completed)

Visiting Emma

Aeron

I turned off the lights and locked the doors to the gun range before going outside and hopping into the car. "Hello, beautiful," I leaned over the center console and pecked Diana on the cheek. I wanted her to turn and give me a real kiss but she kept her face on the wheel, like she didn't notice me or something.

I'd have to say, she hasn't been the same for two months. At first we tried to forget the whole incident, but I think the fact of it all is creeping up on her. She no longer wants sex, she doesn't eat as much as she used to, and she looks like she hasn't had sleep in days. I wish she would talk to me.

"How was your day?" I asked. She finally turned to me with a sad smile.

"My day was good. Work was good. What about you?"

"It was good, too."

"Good." I looked away out the window. Diana drove out of the parking lot and a chill grew in the car. It was September now, and soon it would be October. Diana and I will have known each other for a year soon. In just a year I accomplished getting rid of Frederick, dating then marrying a girl, and changing occupations. Dang, what a year.

"I want to meet your sister."

"What?" That was out of the blue, I thought.

"I want to meet her. I have some good news, and I think your sister deserves to know it." I stared at my wife but her attention was on the road.

"What's the good news?" She was quiet for a few seconds.

"It's a surprise for you, too."

"And how long do I have to wait till I hear that good news?" I flirtatiously asked. Diana looked a bit uneasy.

"I don't know." I wanted to push her to just tell me. I wasn't really one for surprises. Diana knows that. Instead, I placed my hand on her knee and squeezed it.

"I love you, Diana. Don't forget that." She shyly smiled and took her right hand off the wheel. She placed it on my hand and held it.

"I love you, too, Aeron." We were quiet the rest of the ride until we got home.

"What would you like for dinner?" I asked.

"Anything's fine, um ... when would be a good time to visit Emma?" Emily, my sister.

"When do you want to go?"

"As soon as possible." I looked at her skeptical as I took my pants off and pulled on sweats. I shrugged.

"Whenever you can get a day off. I'll close the range that day."

Diana nodded and said, "Then let's go see her this weekend." Months earlier from this very moment, I probably would have lashed out and said 'no' to Diana. But she's been helping me. I'm not exactly ready to see Emma but when will I be?

"Okay," I smiled and walked up to my wife. I kissed her forehead and held her close.

The weekend came quicker than I thought, probably because I didn't want it to come. Things that you don't want to come often have the tendency to come faster than normal. And the things that you do want to come have the habit of taking longer than normal.

I loaded up the car with a bag of snacks on a Saturday morning. I went back inside and found Diana still putting makeup on in the bathroom.

"You ready to go?" She nodded at my question and turned to me after clicking the lid onto her lipstick.

"Ready," I smiled.

"You look beautiful," I complimented. She's lost weight since getting shot and it showed in her now baggy stripe pants. They used to be tight on her, but now they looked like they were meant for a slightly bigger girl. Her white shirt tucked in was fancy and looked nice against her tan body. Her hair was down but her bangs were pulled back by bobby pins.