Burial plot
“I expect you find it strange, not having Mark around the
house any more?”, Amelia said, sympathetically.
“Oh yes” replied Karen.
“After nine years of marriage it’s… well, it’s – “
And she broke off, tears welling up in her eyes. Her friend reached forward and laid a hand on
hers.
“You don’t have to tell me.
I went through it with Colin too.
No matter how prepared you are, it feels so odd, with the house empty. But you know, in the long run it’s best. He was in so much pain in the last few years
– and now you can get on with your life.”
“I know” sniffed Karen.
“It was just – seeing him being buried at the weekend. I thought I’d be ready. But it wasn’t easy.”
She had a thought.
“Would you like to see where he’s buried? I visit every day, you know.”
Amelia smiled, understandingly. “Yes. Yes,
I’d like that.”
They went out into the garden, where a freshly dug patch of
earth made it obvious where Mark’s final resting place was to be found.
“There” Karen said.
“That’s his breathing tube, you see.
The blue one. Then the green one
is for feeding and water. I’ve been feeding him every day, you know. Well – except Tuesday. It was raining too hard.”
She looked a little sad.
“That’s OK”, Amelia said encouragingly, squeezing her arm. “I did just the same at first. But then later on you’ll find you don’t want
to take the time any more, and I expect you’ll install a feeding tank. I only have to fill mine once a month now,
and that’s for both of them.”
The two stood still for a moment, looking silently at the
two little tubes sticking out of the ground.
A blade of grass growing near the mouth of the blue one quivered from
time to time, as Mark’s breathing disturbed the air.
“Did he suffer much, in the last few days?” Amelia enquired.
“Oh yes.” Karen said.
“I made sure of that. By the end, he could barely scream any more.”
“Well then” Amelia said, turning to her friend and smiling
reassuringly. “You’ll always have those
memories. Let’s go and have a cup of tea, and you can try out the new boy.”
And with that, the two friends turned and went back into the
house, leaving Mark to rest forever in peace.
